Section One
Fabric & Craft
面料与工艺
The fibre science underlying next-to-skin textiles. This page sets out the fibre classes, structural parameters and causes of hand-feel held in common by every fabric article on this site.
§ 1Definition and Scope
Definition
Next-to-skin fabric denotes a textile whose intended use involves sustained contact with the skin, including bras, briefs, base layers and loungewear. This page considers three classes of variable — fibre composition, yarn and fabric structure, and finishing — and how they jointly determine hand-feel.
The three classes of variable are placed side by side because their contributions to hand-feel cannot substitute for one another. With an identical fibre composition, changing only the knit structure can yield a fabric that is taut or relaxed, crisp or draping. Judging a fabric from its composition label alone is the most common error of inference made by consumers.
Not covered on this page
- Garment pattern-making and structural engineering
- Supply chain, origin and pricing
- Evaluation or recommendation of any specific product
§ 2Classification
By fibre origin
| Class | Representative fibre | Principal source | Typical characteristics in hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | Cotton | Seed hairs of plants of the genus Gossypium | Absorbs moisture and feels friendly to the skin, but dries slowly once wet |
| Natural | Mulberry silk | Continuous filament from the cocoon of Bombyx mori | Smooth with good moisture transport; lower strength and laundering durability |
| Natural | Linen | Bast fibre from the stem of the flax plant | Conducts heat readily and feels cool; creases easily |
| Regenerated cellulosic | Viscose / modal / lyocell | Wood pulp dissolved chemically and regenerated into fibre | Soft and draping; wet strength is generally below dry strength |
| Synthetic | Polyamide (nylon) | Petroleum-based polymer | Strong, abrasion-resistant and quick-drying; liable to accumulate static charge |
| Synthetic | Polyester | Petroleum-based polymer | Dimensionally stable, hydrophobic and quick-drying |
| Elastomeric | Elastane (polyurethane elastomer) | Petroleum-based block copolymer | Stretches and recovers substantially; normally blended in small proportions |
By fabric structure
Structure determines the direction of stretch, the open area ratio and the thickness of a fabric. Two cotton fabrics, one weft-knitted and one woven, can differ greatly in hand, so structural classification is as important as fibre classification.
| Structure | Formation | Direction of stretch | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weft knit | Yarns looped across the width and interlooped | Both widthwise and lengthwise | Briefs, base layers, close-fitting vests |
| Warp knit | Yarns looped along the length | Predominantly lengthwise | Lace ground, mesh, shaping panels |
| Woven | Warp and weft yarns interlaced | Essentially inextensible unless elastane is added | Shaping structure, straps, stabilising bands |
| Lace | Warp knitting, embroidery or crochet | Depends on the ground structure | Decoration, localised breathability |
| Mesh | Warp-knitted open structure | Both widthwise and lengthwise | Heat-dissipating zones, transitions between support zones |
§ 3Principal Conclusions
- A composition label cannot predict hand-feel. Hand-feel is determined jointly by fibre, structure, fabric weight and finishing. Two knit structures of identical composition can produce opposite experiences in wear, so “a better composition” does not mean “more comfortable to wear”.
- Fabric weight and knit structure determine conformity. Light, highly elastic weft knits follow the movement of the body; heavier woven fabrics provide shaping and support. The two stand not in a relation of better and worse but of division of purpose, and discomfort arises from using one where the other belongs.
- Elastane content correlates with recovery life, with diminishing returns. The commonly used range is 5%–20%. Above roughly 20%, further improvement in hand-feel and conformity is limited, and laundering durability depends more on the specification of the elastane yarn and the tension of knitting than on the proportion alone.
- Moisture absorption and rapid drying usually conflict. Hydrophilic fibres (cotton, regenerated cellulosic) absorb well but dry slowly; hydrophobic fibres (polyester, polyamide) dry quickly but absorb poorly. The purpose of a blend is to take a position between the two, and that position should be chosen for the intended use. There is no universally optimal answer.
- Pilling, snagging and distortion arise mainly from structure and finishing, not from poor quality in the abstract. Filament yarns resist pilling better than staple yarns; warp-knit lace resists snagging better than crocheted lace; and the softer the finish, the more readily a fabric distorts. These are predictable regularities rather than random accidents.
§ 4Common Misconceptions
| Misconception | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Silk is the best of all fabrics | Mulberry silk is indeed outstanding in smoothness and moisture transport, but its strength is low, its laundering durability is poor, and it resists neither alkali nor sunlight. It suits low-friction areas washed infrequently rather than serving as a universal optimum. |
| Modal is a natural fabric | Modal is a regenerated cellulosic fibre. The raw material is wood pulp, which is natural, but the forming process is chemical dissolution followed by regeneration into fibre, which is manufactured. The accurate description is natural in raw material and regenerated in process. Viscose and lyocell belong to the same class. |
| The higher the cotton content, the more comfortable | Cotton absorbs moisture but dries slowly. Where perspiration is involved, pure cotton may increase friction and discomfort through prolonged dampness. The relation between cotton content and comfort is not monotonic. |
| Lace is purely decorative | Warp-knit lace is itself a load-bearing structure. Its open area ratio affects breathability and support at the same time, and is a design variable rather than a purely decorative element. |
| “Ice silk” is a kind of fibre | “Ice silk” is a trade name and not a fibre name, and usually denotes viscose or polyester given a particular finish. Judging a fabric should return to the fibre names on the composition label. |
§ 5Editorial Note and Outstanding Work
Not yet completed
- The mechanism of finishing processes (softening, moisture management, antimicrobial finishing) and how their effect decays over laundering
- Quantitative relations between fabric weight, thermal resistance and moisture resistance
- Curves of strength and elastic recovery over repeated wash cycles for each class of fibre
- Measured air permeability of fabrics at different open area ratios
These items will be added to this page once sufficient public evidence exists, and the revision date shown on this page will be updated accordingly.
Notes on This Page
- Editorial principle: this page states only verifiable conclusions from textile science and introduces no brand position.
- Terminology follows national standards (GB/T) and ISO textile terminology. Trade names are never used as a basis for fibre classification.
- Fibre classification follows the general definitions of regenerated cellulosic and synthetic fibres. Descriptions of hand-feel rest on published data concerning the physical properties of fabrics and do not guarantee any individual experience.
- Factual errors may be reported to hello@beyiji.com. Verified corrections are noted in the original article.