What is Coated Denim

One reader has asked about coated denim.

Such jeans have a coating that feels like as if the cotton of the denim is waxed. If black in color, the jeans shines up like leather pants.

The coating is generally done using pigment, acrylic or polyurethane coating. Pigment coating provides the denim a new look and experience after every wash. Acrylic and PU, however, act as a transparent coating. This protects the fading properties. It also gives the fabric a protective breathable layer with stain resistant properties. The luster and feel of the fabric are also improved.

Resin Coating is generally done with the help of wooden handle. A rubber squeezer is used to extract resin under pressure to form leather effect on denim garment. It is a neutral ( pH 7) cream-colored paste that is miscible in cold water and resistant to heat upto 200 degree
Celcius. It is self catalysed and chlorine resistant.

The coating can be applied on the garment by screen, brush or knife edge. Machine coating is also possible.

After applying coating the fabric is dried and cured at 150 degree Celcius of 5 minutes.

Normally the coating are permanent in nature and able to sustain multiple launderings.

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What is the Meaning of T500 100% Cotton 100x100 185x295 118: 4PI (1/1)

I was recently asked this question by a reader.

Let me explain this to you:

T500: Means number of threads per square inch of the cloth are 500. This is also known as the thread count.
To calculate. Cut a square inch of the fabric. Count the number of weft threads in that region and count the number of warp threads in the region and add the two. Thread count = Number of warp threads+ Number of Weft threads.

100% cotton: Is Self Evident. The fabric is made of 100% cotton.

100x100: It is the English count of warp and weft.

185 x 195 : This indicate the number of ends ( warp threads) and number of Picks ( weft threads) per inch. Incidently 185+195= ~500 which is the thread count.

118" is the width of the fabric in inches.

4PI(1/1) : It means that the weave is one-up-one-down but four picks are inserted at a time. If two picks are inserted at a time it is called DPI ( Double pick Insertion) if single pick is inserted it is called SPI ( Single Pick Insertion).

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Ergonomics in Apparel Industry

Workers involved in sewing activities such as manufacturing garments, are at a risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore it is imperative that the design of sewing station, stitching, finework,scissor work and material handling should be ergonomically appropriate. This site talks about ergonomical solutions for the same. A lot of sketches and diagrams are given for easier understanding. Some very quick rules of thumb can be derived from the sketches:

1. Chair Height is correct when the work surface is at elbow height and the sole of the foot should rest on the floor.

2. Schedule frequent and short breaks to stretch and change position.

3. Height and Tilt adjustable tables help employees access their work without using awkward postures.

4. Edges of work surfaces should be padded or rounded, so that the workers can rest their arms against them.

5. Use of Adjustable task lighting and magnifying glasses at workstation can take care of fine work inspection.

6. Shorter width table should be used for scissorwork so that the workers dont have to bend and reach so far.

7. Lifting of weight should be done at waist level.


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Distinguishing Linen from Cotton

The Following are the basic differences on the basis of which we can distinguish Linen from cotton:


1. Linen is about 20% more heavy than cotton.

2. It has a leathery feeling that is absent in cotton .

3. Cotton feels warmer(about 15-30% warmer) and holds heat better than linen.

4. On holding linen against light, the threads and the fibers composing the threads appear uneven and streaked as it is not possible to make linen yarn as uniform as cotton yarn.

5. On burning a linen thread, the fibers lie in the same position as before with no change except the scorched appearance. Burning a cotton thread causes the fibers to spread like a tuft.

6. Linen absorbs oil much better than cotton. To distinguish Linen with cotton in a piece of fabric, first remove all the impurities by washing and boiling. Then when if the fabric is dipped in oil, the linen fibers look transparent if held against the light. The Cotton remains nearly opaque.

7. Linen stands the action of sulphuric acid better than the cotton. To check a blend, first remove all the impurities then dip in con. sulphuric acid for a minute or two. Wash in water and dry on a blotting paper. All that remains on the blotting paper is linen. The cotton almost immediately dissolves in acid.




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