How can a finish change a fabric's properties after it is made, and why is that useful?
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.
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What this key area is asking
A finish is a treatment applied to a fabric after it is constructed to change or improve its properties. SQA Higher expects you to know the main functional finishes (which change how a fabric performs), to recognise aesthetic finishes (which change how it looks or feels), and to explain how applying the right finish makes a fabric suitable for an item it otherwise would not suit. Finishes let designers keep a comfortable fibre and fix its one weakness.
Functional finishes
- Waterproof and water-repellent. A waterproof finish or coating stops water passing through (for raincoats, tents and waterproof trousers); a water-repellent finish makes water bead and run off while still letting the fabric breathe. Outdoor wear often combines this with a breathable membrane.
- Flame-retardant. Slows ignition and burning so the fabric tends to self-extinguish, vital for children's nightwear, furnishings and workwear, where safety regulations apply.
- Crease-resistant (easy-care). Helps the fabric spring back instead of holding creases, reducing ironing - often applied to cotton and linen, which crease badly.
- Stain-resistant / stain-release. A stain-resistant finish repels liquids so spills bead up; a stain-release finish lets stains wash out more easily - used on tablecloths, workwear and carpets.
- Antibacterial. Reduces the bacteria that cause odour, used in sportswear, socks and underwear.
- Shrink-resistant. Stabilises the fabric so it does not shrink when washed; a machine-washable (superwash) finish on wool lets a woollen jumper be machine washed.
Aesthetic finishes
Aesthetic finishes change appearance or handle:
- Brushing / raising lifts the surface fibres to give a soft, warm, fluffy surface (brushed cotton, fleece).
- Calendering presses the fabric between rollers for a smooth, glazed sheen (chintz).
- Printing and embossing add colour or texture/pattern to the surface.
These improve the look or feel rather than performance, though brushing also adds warmth (a functional benefit), so some finishes do both.
Examples in context
Example 1. A walking jacket with a water-repellent, breathable finish. A walking jacket is finished to repel rain while remaining breathable, so the wearer stays dry from outside but sweat can escape. A fully waterproof coating would keep rain out but trap sweat, so the finish is chosen to balance protection and comfort for active outdoor use.
Example 2. Children's pyjamas with a flame-retardant finish. Pyjamas are given a flame-retardant finish because nightwear must meet safety standards: the finish slows ignition and helps the fabric self-extinguish, protecting the child. This shows a finish being chosen primarily for safety, which is a legal and ethical requirement for childrenswear.
Try this
Q1. State one functional finish suitable for a sports T-shirt and explain its benefit. [2 marks]
- Cue. An antibacterial finish reduces the bacteria that cause odour, so the T-shirt stays fresher during and after exercise (a moisture-management/wicking finish is also acceptable).
Q2. Explain why a shrink-resistant finish is useful on a wool jumper. [2 marks]
- Cue. Wool can shrink and felt when washed; a shrink-resistant (superwash) finish stabilises the fibres so the jumper can be machine washed without shrinking, making it far easier to care for.
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 marksFinishes for a child's raincoatShow worked answer →
Worth 4 marks. Name a suitable finish and link it to the garment, one mark for the finish and one for the developed benefit.
A waterproof (or water-repellent) finish (1 mark) stops rain passing through the fabric, so the child stays dry in wet weather (1 mark).
A flame-retardant finish (1 mark) slows ignition and burning, improving safety for a child's garment, which is reassuring for parents and may be required for childrenswear (1 mark).
SQA Higher style6 marksFunctional finishes and their benefitsShow worked answer →
Worth 6 marks. Describe several functional finishes, one mark each for a finish named with its effect.
Waterproof or water-repellent (1 mark): stops or resists water passing through, for outerwear.
Flame-retardant (1 mark): slows ignition and self-extinguishes, for nightwear and furnishings.
Crease-resistant (1 mark): helps the fabric spring back, reducing ironing.
Stain-resistant or stain-release (1 mark): repels or releases stains, for tablecloths and workwear.
Antibacterial (1 mark): reduces bacteria and odour, for sportswear and socks.
Shrink-resistant (1 mark): stops the fabric shrinking when washed, for example a machine-washable finish on wool.
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 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.
- 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.
- Care of textiles and labelling: international textile care symbols (washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, professional cleaning) and mandatory labelling requirements (fibre content, nightwear flammability, furniture fire safety), and how correct care extends a product's life.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on care of textiles and labelling, covering the international care symbols for washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and dry cleaning, the mandatory labelling requirements such as fibre content and nightwear and furniture safety, and how correct care extends product life.