Woven fabrics are the most commonly used garments because of their soft and delicate feature. These fabrics are treated with substances to give them the features like water resistance and breathability. It is also a cost-effective garment for many reasons. One of the many is they are easy to source and available everywhere because of the wide-ranging supply chain. Woven fibre comes from different types of custom construction to suit the buyer's requirements. Moreover, the woven fabric has many high-performing characteristics that satisfy the users.
What is Woven Fabric?
Warp, weft and weave: these three terms describe what are woven fabrics in textiles. Woven fabrics are crafted by weaving on a loom. Woven fabrics are made from multiple threads put together to form a pattern with a cohesive design. Usually, in this fabric, separate strands are interweaved together to create a stronger whole, which is called yarn.
2 sets of yarns are weaved together at a right angle with one another by threading with a warp. It goes down the fibre’s entire length and a weft that passes across the fibre. The warp and weft interweave together on the loom to form the fabric.
5 Essential Steps for the Woven Fabric Manufacturing Process
The woven fabric manufacturing process has many steps; we are going to break down the process into 5 key steps to help you understand better.
1. Yarn Winding
Yarn winding is the first step of the woven fibre manufacturing process. First, yarn is transferred from the large cones into a smaller one called bobbins. This stage determines the yarn’s quality before moving on to the next stage.
The workers select the yarn based on the type of woven fabrics that are being produced. Then, the yarn undergoes inspection to find if there are any flaws and impurities before winding. After checking the yarn quality, the winding machine is set to operate at a steady speed to ensure winding without damaging the yarn.
2. Warping to Create Fabric Sheets
In this step, the yarns are organised systematically to form a sheet of garment. At first, garment manufacturers place the cones on a rack, and then they apply a protective coating layer to boost the warping process. During this process, workers drew the yarns from the creel and rolled them onto a bigger cylinder called the warping beam. When the warp sheets are done, they go under inspection to clarify they are of good quality.
3. Sizing the Threads
After warping, the yarns are separated into single and double threads. Single threads are soft and delicate, and are treated with sizing agents to boost the fibre's strength to make it durable. Once the threads are dried, they are organised carefully to avoid tangling during the weaving. They have to maintain that the threads are of uniform quality to make sure the fabric is long-lasting.
4. Weaving into Patterns
In the weaving process, garment workers create a warp where two or more threads are linked and intertwined to form a fabric foundation. Typically, workers use two sets of interwoven yarns to create the textures and appearance. The most commonly used weaving patterns are plain, twill, and satin. Nowadays, manufacturers use electric looms to complete the process more efficiently. This step is the most important in woven manufacturing and is done very carefully in a controlled environment.
5. Finishing and Drying
The final stage follows several steps to prepare the garment for its final form. The steps are steaming, washing, and heat setting. First, workers dye the fabric using colourants and chemicals. Then, they steam them to make sure the dye infiltrates appropriately. If there is any excess dye and impurities, they are removed by washing. Finally, they are sent to dry finishing and brushing to soften the surface to give it a smooth, shiny finish.
Moving Forward
The woven manufacturing process is very complicated, and it involves several steps and skilled workers. Each of the steps is very important to get a high-quality final woven fabric. Apparel sourcing companies in Bangladesh should understand these steps to source high-quality woven fabrics that meet client expectations and deliver them out in the market.
