Blending In

Fabric blends have always been welcomed by the apparel industry, which constantly thrives on innovation. Chitra Balasubramaniam talks about a few of them.

- Chitra Balasubramaniam

While the pure cottons, silks, wools, polyesters, and viscose will always remain classics, the new mantra of textile designers is to experiment by blending fabrics. A blended fabric is that which has been created using more than two fibers. On many occasions, it comes as a blessing in disguise for people, who, for instance, wish to wear silk in summer (think a cotton-silk blend). According to Technology Online, which is devoted to technology education in New Zealand, “Blended fabrics are created when two or more different kinds of fibers are mixed together to create a new fabric with unique properties.

“Throughout history, blended fabrics have been developed to cater to specific needs, combining the attributes of different fibers to achieve the desired outcome.” Examples of blended fabrics include cotton with viscose, cotton with spandex, linen and silk, wool and viscose, and so on. The resultant fabric combines the properties of both (or all) fibers; and in fact, the disadvantages of one balance themselves out with the advantages of the other. This assumes significance as today, with an increased emphasis on eco-friendliness and sustainability, various recycled fibers are made to come together to create interesting combinations of yarns.

WHAT’S BLENDING?

Today, blending of fabrics has become so common that at times, it is difficult to know what the fabric is made of. Many a time, it is the certification that gives details about what has gone into creating a particular fabric or garment. However, sometimes, blending requires complex chemical tests to ascertain the attributes and compatibility of the concerned fibers. Blending produces interesting possibilities and options to create innumerable varieties of fabrics and beautiful garments. It is carried out on a large scale, with the yarns being consumed by composite mills.