How are fabrics constructed from yarns, and how does the method of construction change a fabric's properties?
Fabric construction methods - woven, knitted (warp and weft) and non-woven (bonded and felted) fabrics - and how each method of construction affects the properties of the fabric (stretch, strength, fraying, warmth, drape) and therefore its suitability for items.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on fabric construction, explaining woven, knitted and non-woven (bonded and felted) fabrics, how each construction method changes properties such as stretch, strength, fraying and drape, and how that decides which items a fabric suits.
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What this key area is asking
Fibres are spun into yarns, and yarns are turned into fabric in three main ways: weaving, knitting and non-woven methods. SQA Higher expects you to know how each method works and, crucially, how the construction changes the fabric's properties - its stretch, strength, fraying, warmth and drape - and therefore what each is good for. The same fibre behaves very differently woven or knitted, so construction is as important as fibre choice.
The three methods of construction
Woven fabrics
Woven fabric has two sets of yarns: the warp (running lengthwise, along the selvedge) and the weft (running across). The simplest is plain weave (over-one, under-one); twill (diagonal lines, for example denim) and satin (long floats, for a smooth shiny surface) are other common weaves.
Because woven fabric is stable and crisp, it is the basis of tailored garments. The bias (45 degrees to the grain) gives some stretch and drape, which is used deliberately in bias-cut dresses.
Knitted fabrics
Knitted fabric is made of loops. Weft knitting (like hand knitting, loops formed across the row) makes stretchy jersey and most jumpers but can ladder/run. Warp knitting (loops formed up the length) is more stable and does not ladder, used for lingerie, sportswear and net.
Non-woven fabrics
Non-woven fabric is made straight from a web of fibres, without spinning yarns:
- Bonded fabric holds the fibres together with adhesive or by melting them, for example the iron-on interfacing used to stiffen collars and waistbands, and disposable wipes.
- Felted fabric mats wool fibres together using heat, moisture and pressure (felting), for example craft felt and hat felt.
Examples in context
Example 1. Denim jeans (twill weave). Jeans use a woven twill because it is strong and hard-wearing, holds its shape and gives the characteristic diagonal denim surface. A small amount of elastane is often woven in for comfort stretch, showing how construction (weave) and fibre (elastane) combine to tune the fabric.
Example 2. Iron-on interfacing (bonded non-woven). A shirt collar is stiffened with bonded non-woven interfacing because it has no grain (cut any way with no waste), does not fray, and adds body cheaply. Its lower strength does not matter because it is a hidden support layer, not the outer fabric, which is exactly the right job for a non-woven.
Try this
Q1. Name the two sets of yarns in a woven fabric and state which runs lengthwise. [2 marks]
- Cue. The warp and the weft; the warp runs lengthwise (parallel to the selvedge), the weft runs across.
Q2. Explain two ways a knitted construction suits a baby's all-in-one suit. [4 marks]
- Cue. Knit stretches and recovers, so the suit pulls on easily over a wriggling baby and moves with them; it is soft and warm because the loops trap air, comfortable against delicate skin; it does not fray, so seams are gentle. Develop any two.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA Higher style4 marksCompare woven and knitted fabricShow worked answer →
Worth 4 marks. "Compare" needs a point about both constructions together, so contrast the same property across the two.
Stretch (about 2 marks). Knitted fabric is made of interlocking loops, so it stretches and recovers in use, whereas woven fabric is made of yarns crossing at right angles and has little stretch, which makes knit better for close-fitting garments and weave better where shape must be held.
Fraying and stability (about 2 marks). Woven fabric has cut edges that fray and is stable and firm, while knitted fabric does not fray in the same way but can ladder or run if a loop breaks, so a woven seam stays crisp while a knit needs finishing to stop it unravelling.
SQA Higher style4 marksWhy a T-shirt uses knitted fabricShow worked answer →
Worth 4 marks. "Explain why" needs the construction's property linked to the benefit for a T-shirt.
A knitted fabric is made from interlocking loops, so it stretches and recovers (1 mark), which lets the T-shirt pull on over the head and move comfortably with the body (1 mark).
Knit is soft and drapes well against the skin (1 mark), so the T-shirt feels comfortable and hangs naturally rather than standing stiffly like a woven shirt (1 mark).
Related dot points
- Natural fibres (cotton, linen, wool, silk): their origin, characteristic properties (absorbency, strength, warmth, crease resistance, durability, flammability), and how those properties make them suitable or unsuitable for particular fashion and textile items.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on natural fibres, covering the origin of cotton, linen, wool and silk, their characteristic properties such as absorbency, warmth, strength and crease resistance, and how those properties decide which fashion and textile items each fibre suits.
- Manufactured fibres - synthetic (polyester, nylon/polyamide, elastane/Lycra, acrylic) and regenerated (viscose): their origin, characteristic properties, and how those properties make them suitable for particular fashion and textile items, including the reasons for blending fibres.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on manufactured fibres, covering synthetic fibres (polyester, nylon, elastane, acrylic) and regenerated viscose, their origin and properties, why they suit particular items, and the reasons fibres are blended.
- Fabric finishes - functional finishes (waterproof and water-repellent, flame-retardant, crease-resistant, stain-resistant, antibacterial, shrink-resistant) and aesthetic finishes - applied to change or improve a fabric's properties, and how the right finish makes a fabric suitable for an item.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on fabric finishes, covering functional finishes such as waterproofing, flame-retardancy, crease and stain resistance, and aesthetic finishes, explaining how finishes change a fabric's properties and make it suitable for particular items.
- Selecting fabrics that are fit for purpose: matching the combined effect of fibre, construction and finish to the performance requirements of a fashion or textile item, and justifying the choice in terms of the properties needed.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on selecting fabrics fit for purpose, showing how to combine fibre, construction and finish to meet the performance requirements of an item and how to justify the choice using the properties needed.
- Textile construction techniques: seams (plain, French, flat-felled, overlocked), edge finishes (hems, facings, bias binding), fastenings (zips, buttons, Velcro, press studs), and shaping techniques (darts, pleats, gathers, tucks), and the purpose of each.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on textile construction techniques, covering seams, edge finishes, fastenings and shaping techniques such as darts, pleats and gathers, and explaining the purpose of each technique in making a textile item.