Fabric Knowledge

When you are shopping online it is impossible to touch and feel what things are made of so you read the description – nylon, cotton, polyester, denim, silk and duck. Duck? What does Duck feel like?

When you put your hand to a piece fabric do you really know what it can do? Is it Water-Resistant? Durable? Stretchy?Carry Gear put together a fabric list to help. Below is some history, details and key points on some of our favorite fibers and fabrics.
First the cheat sheet and then the detail!
◆Ballistic: Strong, durable, tear-resistant.
◆Canvas: Difficult to tear, reversible, washable, smoother and lighter than duck, subject to mildew.
◆Cordura: Strong, lightweight, dyeable, mildew and abrasion-resistant.
◆Cotton: Subject to mildew and the damaging effects of sunlight.
◆Denim: Strong,durable,difficult to tear,long-wearing,wrinkle-resistant. Moderately difficult to sew,holds its shape,wear along seams,subject to abrasion.
◆Duck: Strong, durable, difficult to tear, reversible, resists abrasion and snags, subject to mildew. Moderately difficult to sew, holds its shape.
◆Nylon: Strong, wrinkle-resistant, easy to wash and dry, resistant to mold and mildew.
◆Polyester: Strong, lightweight, wrinkle-resistant.
◆Polypropylene: Bulky, lightweight, resistant to chemicals.
◆Twill: Generally strong, durable, long-wearing, wrinkle-resistant, holds its shape, does not rip or tear easily.

Digging in a bit deeper…..
◆Ballistic: A tightly woven fabric made from a high-denier yarn. Originally specified by the federal government for military use, ballistic fabric is generally a plain weave or basket weave of nylon, polyester and/or other synthetic materials.
◆Canvas: A stiff, cotton fabric, generally, of a tight plain waves of two-to 12-ply yarns. Highly subject to mildew, canvas can be chemically treated to curb the effects of weather damage.
◆Cordura: A trademarked air-textured, high-tenacity nylon fiber made of DuPont; a heavy-duty material originally used to make tires.Cordura Plus has a significantly improved drape and hand. Available in a variety of deniers, colors and fabric weaves.
◆Cotton: A soft fluffy natural fiber that grows on the seeds of pods of bushy plants and small trees from the Gossypium genus. Cotton fiber’s quality is determined by its whiteness, strength, and length of fineness. Generally, longer fibers are finer, stronger and more desirable. Cotton is graded in seven classifications according to its growth, maturity, cleanliness, color and freedom from insect damage.
◆Denim: Densely woven cotton fabric made with colored-warp yarns and white fillings. A twill weave, denim is available in several types including acid washed, faded with acid; brushed for added softness; prewashed; and stone-washed, which is achieved with an abrasive finishing wash using pumice-like stones.
◆Duck: A coarse, rough, plain-weave cotton fabric available in a variety of weights.
◆Jute: A course, natural fiber, sometimes made from the tough, inner bark of the basswood family.
◆Natural Blend: A blended fabric, which contains a minimum of 60-percent cotton.
◆Nylon: Synthetic fibers, which are strong, flexible, tough and abrasion-resistant. Nylon fabric is easy to wash and dry and resistant to mold and mildew.
◆Polyester: Synthetic fibers, which are strong, quick-drying, shrink-and stretch-resistant. Polyester fabrics are lightweight, wrinkle-resistant.
◆Polyprolene: A bulky, lightweight synthetic fabric, which is resistant to chemicals.
◆Ramie: A bast (strong, course) fiber, similar to flax (cellulose fiber from which linen is made), which comes from stalk of a plant.
◆Tapestry: Refers to Upholstery Tapestry, a thick very heavy fabric which is double-woven on a Jacquard Loom (used a versatile pattern mechanism which allows the production of large intricate designs). Using numerous sets of yarn in a variety of colors, the fabric’s design or print is created as the material is woven. Properties vary depending on the fibers used. Cotton blends are subject to mildew.
◆Twill: Refers to any fabric made the twill weave.

Now you know!