Finishing is much essential in the production of textiles like garments, yarns, and fabrics. Finishing is added on these textiles to make them more presentable and attractive to bring about the desired properties and widen the textile’s application area. Therefore, the various types of textile finishing add to the value of the fabrics than they would be in their raw forms.
Despite a fabric being passed through a loom, it is not yet fully processed. After the weaving process, the material undergoes various wetting processes to achieve the desired texture and properties.
This article will discuss the different processes added to a fabric to impart new properties and add value. In addition, reading this post will provide you with a good idea of the various types of textile finishes.
Types Of Textile Finishes
The various textile finishing techniques can be categorized into three parts. They include:
- Temporary finishes
- Semi-durable finishes
- Permanent finish
These categories are discussed below.
Temporary Textile Finishing
The life span of these fabrics depends on how often you wash the material and is usually limited to the number of washes. Temporary textile finishes typically involve treating the fabric with a solution made of softening agents, glazing agents, optical brighteners, wetting agents, starches and gums, and filling materials. The final value and texture of the fabric depending on the rate at which these products are mixed. The various finishing products used are explained below.
- Body luster starches like tapioca are used to impart stiffness
- Optical brighteners like acid violet and Victoria blue are used to enhance the appearance of the fabric
- Softeners are essential in imparting softness and glaze on the fabric surface. Some of the softeners used include glaring paste and wax emulsion
Semi-Durable Textile Finishing
Semi-durable textile finishes last a little bit longer than the temporary finishes, even after several washes. However, the life span of the finish highly depends on the types of the used finishes. Some of the types of semi-durable finishes include:
- Waterproof finish: This type of finish is done using specific chemicals, which are usually wax-based. The finish forms a coating over the fabric, thus closing the crevices of the fabric to make it water-resistant.
- Water repellent finish: It is similar to the waterproof finish, although the fabric is not covered with the finishing entirely. Instead, the fabric crevices are left open to allow air and water to pass through the fabric. This type of finishing is commonly used in the pad-dry-cure, a standard method of textile coating considered by most textile machinery manufacturers.
- Flameproof finish: burning is a physical process; thus, it is entirely impossible to prevent a piece of fabric from burning. However, applying a flameproof finish to the fabric will slow down the burning process
Durable Textile Finishing
The various types of durable finishes can withstand regular washing; thus, they have a much longer lifespan than any other type of textile finishing. These finishes usually minimize the fabric’s flaws by altering its fiber properties. The various types of durable textile finishes include:
- Anti-shrink finish: The finish is specially used in cotton fabrics to prevent them from shrinking when washing.
- Resin finish: Resin finishes are applied to increase the fabric’s dry and wet crease recovery. They include anti-crease finishes and wash-and-wear finishes
Conclusion
Textile finishing is much essential in enhancing the look and the lifespan of the textiles. The various types of textile finishes include temporary, semi-durable, and durable textile finishes, which determine the lifespans of the particular fabrics. After reading this article, you will get a glimpse of what it means to apply finishing products of fabrics.
