Correctly analyzing and identifying fabric properties and applying them appropriately to apparel design is fundamental knowledge every designer needs to master. Otherwise, incorrect fabric identification can lead to problems in the design, production, wearing, or washing of the entire garment. Apparel fabric identification includes identifying the raw materials, appearance characteristics, and appearance quality. Observing and identifying fabrics requires not only sight but also hearing, touch, and even smell. For example, visual observation involves examining the fabric's luster, dyeing, surface roughness, and the appearance characteristics of its weave, texture, and fibers. Pure cotton fabric has a common luster, a less refined appearance, and may even contain cotton knots or impurities. Wool and polyester blends have a brighter luster, a shimmering effect, and a slightly stiffer body, lacking softness, which becomes more pronounced with increasing polyester content. They lack a soft, supple feel and are crisp, smooth, and even flat. Tactile observation allows one to feel the fabric's and fibers' softness, smoothness, texture, elasticity, and temperature. Hands can also be used to measure the strength and elongation of the yarns within the fibers.
Different fabrics have different properties such as breathability, moisture absorption, and warmth retention. For example, cotton fabrics have good breathability and moisture absorption, are comfortable to wear, and have good warmth retention, making them the ideal fabric for children's clothing. When choosing a fabric, it is necessary to confirm its breathability, warmth retention, moisture absorption, and static electricity properties, and then consider the fabric's crispness, weight, softness, and drape to determine what kind of shape and style it is suitable for.
