Various Aspects of Denim Fabric - Case Study Example

Fаbriс structure Rероrt Name Subject Professor Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 The denim fibre Production and Context 3 Denim and Sustainability 7 Trends, Innovation and the Future​ 9 Conclusion 11 References 12 Fаbriс structure Rероrt Introduction Denim is a long-lasting cotton twill textile through which the weft passes under two or more wrap threads. Denim is different from cotton duck since a diagonal ribbing is the end result of the twill weaving. The term denim originates from the city of Nimes, which is in France. It is manufactured from a vat dye, the Indigo dye, which is usually applied to cotton fabric in slackly held form in layers. With regard to the manufacturing process of denim, it is more or less the same as that of Grey fabric from the start to the point weaving. Nonetheless, in the case of denim fabric, dyeing is done during sizing stage while with Grey fabric; the finished product is the determinant when it comes to making decisions regarding dying (Blanchette, 2011, p. 1043). This piece of work will give a critical discussion of Denim fabric and various aspects associated with it. Some of the areas of concern include the denim fabric production, the end uses of the fibres, the sustainable credentials of the fibre as well as evident trends and innovations in the current market. The denim fibre Production and Context Twill is a form of textile weave that has a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs, achieved by passing the weft thread over warp thread(s) then under other warp threads. Warp- faced twill weave structure is a unique structure whose design allows it to drape quite well. The diagonal pattern of the twill weave is referred to as a wale. Depending on the complexity of a twill weave, it requires three or more harnesses. As opposed to plain weave, twill fabrics have a front as well as back side (technical face and technical back) (Lee, Kim, Song, Kang and Youn, 2010, p. 63). When it comes to warp-faced twills, the surface on the technical face of the fabric is majorly made of warp yarns. The fact that warp yarns are quite durable makes the fabrics stronger and more resistant to pilling and abrasion. There are various forms of warp-faced twills for instance Twill flannel and herringbone (Kadolph, 2009, p.67). Traditionally, denim fabric was coloured blue with indigo dye in order to make blue jeans. On a cultural context, denim fabric is quite significant. Over the ages, denim fabric and jeans have grown from strength to strength, from rugged work wear to fashion staple. According to Foreman (2015), denim jean is still one of the most deceptively mysterious and intricate garments of all time. Denim is known to create an emotional connection with the wearer. The uniqueness associated with denim dyeing makes it a personal thing as every wear pattern is unique to a person and hence can depict character. Rahman, Jiang and Liu (2010, p. 298) state that denim jeans have been strongly entrenched in the fashion landscape and there is no indication of them fading away or losing relevance. It all started with indigo rockabilly turn-ups and moved to bellbottom. Currently, the skinny jeans are trending and remain fashionable. The fact that the manufacturing process of denim fabric and clothing is relatively sustainable in nature is a plus that make them fashionable and preferred to other fabrics. Their uniqueness also makes them not lose taste in the fashion domain. A good example is the era of the jegging in the 20th century. Denim can also be linked to the American culture. It started out as uniform for the American workers approximately 200 years ago (Fitzgerald, 2017). Paul (2015, p.2) asserts that denim has had an incredible cultural and social influence on consumers. It is regarded as an expression of youth independence, a sign of opposition or an attitude towards life. There is also an international appeal of jeans across all age groups. Denim fibre is normally used in making jeans, overalls, hats, dresses, jackets, shirts, shorts, skirts, suits, sneakers as well as other clothing. Denim is also used in making accessories such as tote bags, belts and handbags. Denim fabric also finds application in making furniture such as upholstery, bean bag chairs and lampshades (Paul, 2015, p.1). Apart from denim, warp-faced twill weave structure is also used for various purposes. For instance, jean is used in making slipcovers and draperies. They structure is also used for wall coverings and furnishings. Another good example of the use of the structure is the institutional towelling, a twill weave fabric that is usually utilized in restaurants and foodservice facilities (Kadolph, 2009, p.68). Outfits made from denim fabric Source; http://estilo-tendances.com/denim-outfit-ideas/ According to Kadolph (2009, p.47), some of the common fabric constructions include woven, nonwoven, laced and knit. The suitability for end use, aesthetics as well as cost differs according to the construction method involved. This is more so since the construction technique used to make a given fabric influences its appearance, texture, cost performance as well as suitability for a particular end use. There is more to the production of denim fabric. The production or manufacturing process involved when dealing with denim fabric contributes to the fact that it is one of the most versatile and long-lasting fabrics available in the market. It is a tough fibre that features in many ready-to-wear collections. Its uniqueness puts it in a position to transcend age, gender as well as economic class. Miller and Woodward (2011, p.112) assert that the production process of denim involves spinning, wrap preparation (dyeing and sizing), weaving and finishing. Spinning involves activities of opening and blending cotton fibres. Carding is done with an aim or removing foreign objects and short fibres for the cotton to take the form of a web, that is then converted into the silver. wrap preparation entails dyeing and sizing processes, which could be under continuous indigo-Rope dyeing and sizing, continuous indigo dyeing and sizing, indigo-back beam dyeing and sizing and continuous dyeing and sizing. The next stage of the manufacturing process is weaving. This involves interlacing the warp, which are the length-wise indigo dyed yarn as well as the filling that entails the natural-coloured cross-wise yarn. The wrap thread is usually in form of sheet and the weft thread is placed between two layers of warp sheet using an appropriate carrier. The kind of weaving machinery to be used influences the carrier to be chosen. Some of the technologies used in weaving machines include conventional shuttle weaving system and the shuttle less weaving system (Raina, Gloy and Gries, 2015, p. 159). Finishing is the final stage of the process. Here, the woven fabric is wound on a cloth roll and taken out from the weaving machines at specific intervals. They are checked on inspection machines to detect any weaving fault and make adjustments made (Khalil, 2015, p. 161). The fabrics then go through different finishing processes such as brushing, washing, singeing, and impregnation for dressing and eventual drying (Teoline.com, n.d). For success to be achieved in coming up with the final product, it is essential that all the stages in the production process are strictly followed and high standards upheld. Every stage is equally important and contributes significantly to the overall success of the product. Quality skills, products and procedures allow for the attainment of the uniqueness that is associated with denim fabric. The warp-faced twill weave structure is a derivative of simple structures that existed before. This includes plain weaves and basic twill weaves, which came before the warp-faced twill weave. These are the three kinds of textile weaves. Denim manufacturing process flow chart Source: http://mytextilenotes.blogspot.co.ke/2008/05/manufacturing-process-of-denim.html Denim and Sustainability Sustainability is an aspect that should not be ignored in the contemporary economy and society. All organizations should strive towards upholding sustainability under all costs. Sustainability involves preventing the depletion of natural resources with an aim of maintaining an ecological balance. There is dire need for organizations in all industries to maintain sustainability in all their activities and processes for the sake of the present as well as the future generations. To a great extent, denim fibre and its production are questionable when it comes to sustainability. This can be understood by looking at the environmental impacts. Generally, the environmental impact of denim manufacture is significant, particularly when it comes to aspects such as cotton growing, washing as well as dyeing. Some of the inherent limitations associated with denim include poor fastness properties, low affinity for cotton and the ever preferred use of indigo (Lee, Kim, Song, and Kang, and Youn, 2010, p.64). There is however room for improvement towards enhancing sustainability and cost saving. This can be done in all stages of the manufacturing process. For instance, household and industrial laundries can offer the highest potential when it comes to improvement. The industry can reconcile some of the issues it faces in with regard to sustainability for instance on land use, water use, chemical use and climate change. Land ought to be used in a productive way and aspects such as desertification should be prevented. Use of organic cotton that is grown in a sustainable and non-toxic manner is also a plus when it comes to sustainability. Reduced water washing production of less complex wastewater and minimization of chemicals and dyes in the manufacturing process are also steps towards reconciliation of the raised issues. According to Garcia (2015, p.406), various techniques could be utilized for reducing water in denim washing and finishing. They include laser and ozone technologies. Can (2015, p. 316) asserts that washing techniques of denim jeans keep on evolving. Biotechnological washing of denim jeans is also a sustainable technique when it comes to reduction of water consumption and efficiency (Colomera & Kuilderd, 2015, p. 359). Reducing water usage in the production of denim or fabrics in general is a major step towards sustainability. There is need for use of techniques and methods that result in quality products and at the same time use minimal water. Process optimization would go a long way in enhancing water savings. Laser technology is in a position to produce quality products with minimal use of water. Ozone technology has a considerable effect on water reduction. Ozone is used to decompose indigo and other dye stuffs. Nano bubble technology is also efficient when it comes to water reduction. Minimal quantity of water is required and there is zero discharge from the process (Garcia, 2015, p. 112). To some extent, modern technologies have assisted in the minimization of the overall impact despite the fact that there is still a lot that needs to be done. Some of the measures that could be taken as a way of reducing the negative environmental impacts and enhancing sustainability include the use of organic cotton, eco-efficient non-indigo dyes, customized garment dyeing, production of less complex wastewater and minimization of chemicals and dyes in the manufacturing process. Other environmental friendly alternatives could also be sought. They include reduced water washing, use of intelligent weaving machines, digital printing, minimal application technologies, recycling of denim waste and electrochemical reduction among others. As a result of awareness among the consumers with respect to sustainability, it is apparent that the consumers will soon prefer denim that has been processed with the utmost environmental standards, whereby sustainability is maintained in all the stages. Consideration of the best environmental practices is therefore something that should be considered a priority and implemented irrespective of the costs involved. Trends, Innovation and the Future​ Innovation and creativity drive many industries to a brighter future. Today, the processing of denim follows the same typical principles and what has changed is the technology used. Technology keeps improving as demands for better products arise. The fact that denim jeans are still popular even with changes in tastes from one generation to the other is a positive aspect with regard to the future of the denim jeans. People of different age groups, gender and economic class do not miss something that they are comfortable with in the denim fashion industry. Among all the textile products, denim leads when it comes to wide acceptance by all. This translates to the fact that denim is here to stay. Merchandiser (2015) asserts that in the contemporary fashionable era, the young generation is largely dependent on garments that are made from denim. This can be understood since their wardrobes are full of various garments that are denim-based. This is a positive attribute since the youths are the current future generation and the trend is likely to continue. Cotton is still the fibre used for denim. Nonetheless, there is a trend towards the use of organic cotton as well as blends with other fibres. In future, jeans that are made of lyocell, Lycra, viscose or polyester blends will grow in popularity due to their comfortable and soft feel. There is also a chance of using other dyes that provide full spectrum of colours rather than the increased use of indigo as the main dye. Indigo could also be produced biotechnologically and environmentally friendly techniques adopted. Enhanced techniques and technologies such as digital printing will also make the whole process better. The comfort aspects of denim will also improve to impress the consumer (Olesen, 2011. p. 16). According to Colomera and Kuilderd (2015, p.357), denim production will also be affected by aspects such as enzymes. There has been a move to the use of enzymes in various processes in the textile industry. These include desizing, denim washing, bleach clean-up and biopolishing among others. The traditional washing of denim is usually aimed at minimizing the stiffness of the fabric and enhancing its wear comfort and softness. Nonetheless, modern denim washing that entails the use of enzymes improves the visual appearance of the garments and gives them more aesthetically pleasing appearance. This has allowed for the production of fashionable finishes on jeans. Some of the innovations of the fabric being developed from the warp- faced twill weave structure include satin. Warp-faced satin can be made from this structure. Fabrics that range from finely woven lightweight apparel styles to heavy industrial items may use this structure. The satin weave is characterized by heavy construction, stability and a shiny finish (Kadolph, 2009, p.68). Despite the challenges involved especially with respect to environmental impacts, the future of denim is bright and secure, with its popularity growing globally. When measures are taken to minimize environmental impact, the rich tradition of denim and jeans will be retained. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is clear that denim fabric is an essential element in the industry. It is a fabric that has various uses. The production process of the denim fabric is lengthy and has to follow a given procedure for success to be achieved in coming up with the final product. The process includes; spinning, wrap preparation (dyeing and sizing), weaving and finishing. All the stages are equally essential and none should be underrated. This is more so since at the end of it all, each contributes significantly to the overall success of the process. Sustainability is an aspect that is extremely essential in the contemporary business and general environment. For this reason, it is important for organizations to invest adequately in matters that concern sustainability. Sustainable denim production will go a long way in enhancing the popularity of the denim globally. This will be made possible through the adoption of effective measures and strategies as discussed above. The future of denim fabric is secure and bright and with technological advancements and innovations, there is great room for improvement. Great demand for the denim fabric for various purposes is also a factor that is in a position to drive its production and the industry in general to a higher level. References Blanchette, J.F., 2011. A material history of bits. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 62(6), pp.1042-1057. Can, W. W. 2015. Washing techniques for denim jeans. In R Paul (Ed.), Denim: manufacture, finishing and applications, p. 313-356. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing. Colomera, A. & Kuilderd, H. (2015). Biotechnological washing of denim jeans. In R. Paul, Denim manufacture, finishing and applications (pp. 357-403). Amsterdam: Elsevier. Fitzgerald, B.2017. Denim: History of Jeans & American Culture. Available [Online] from http://www.lesouk.co/articles/material-inspiration/denim-history-of-jeans-american-culture [Accessed 17 May 2017] Foreman, K. 2015. Jean genie: The denim evolution. Available [Online] from http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150401-jean-genie-the-denim-evolution[Accessed 17 May 2017] Garcia, B. 2015. Reduced water washing of denim garments. A volume in Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles (Pp 405–423). Kadolph, S.J. 2009. The use of knitted, woven and nonwoven fabrics in interior textiles. In T. Rowe, Interior Textiles: Design and Developments. (pp. 47-90). Amsterdam: Elsevier. Khalil, E., 2015. Sustainable and ecological finishing technology for denim jeans. AASCIT Communication, 2(5), pp.159-163. Lee, J.T., Kim, M.W., Song, Y.S., Kang, T.J. and Youn, J.R., 2010. Mechanical properties of denim fabric reinforced poly (lactic acid). Fibers and Polymers, 11(1), pp.60-66. Merchandiser, A. 2015. Flow Chart of Denim Manufacturing Process. Available [Online] from http://www.garmentsmerchandising.com/flow-chart-of-denim-manufacturing-process/[Accessed 17 May 2017] Miller, D. and Woodward, S., 2011. Global denim. Vienna: Berg. Olesen, B., 2011. How blue jeans went green: the materiality of an American icon. Global Denim, pp.69-86. Paul, R., 2015. Denim and jeans: an overview. Denim: Manufacture, Finishing and Applications, pp.1-11. Rahman, O., Jiang, Y. and Liu, W.S., 2010. Evaluative criteria of denim jeans: A cross-national study of functional and aesthetic aspects. The Design Journal, 13(3), pp.291-311. Raina, M.A., Gloy, Y.S. and Gries, T., 2015. Weaving technologies for manufacturing denim. Denim: Manufacture, Finishing and Applications, p.159. Teoline.com, n.d. manufacturing process of denim. Available [Online] from http://www.teonline.com/knowledge-centre/manufacturing-process-denim.html[Accessed 17 May 2017] Read More