//// Vintage how-to — understanding materials

Posted on | November 24, 2009 | 21 Comments

I’m planning on posting a series about how to take care of vintage garments. The subsequent posts will be shorter and more easy to digest, but I wanted to include the fabric basics to this one post. So enjoy — or suffer, this first one really is a lengthy one!

One quite common problem with vintage clothing is identifying the materials. Wash tags might have been removed, or the piece is hand sewn and they never existed. Vintage boutique keepers usually have a good educated guess about the materials, so don’t forget to ask. But you can develop you own skills in this as well.

A good starting point is to educate your hand feel — this is probably easiest in a fabric store, where you can find a wide selection of different fibers, weaves and knits. But don’t forget to explore your own wardrobe!  Hand feel alone is definitely not a foolproof way to recognize the materials or evaluate the quality of the garment. So I wrapped up a short introduction to fabrics — which yields actually to a lengthy post. I plan to continue with cleaning and repairing advice later.

Woven fabrics were first in widespread industrial production, Brits had the industrialized, steam operating power looms and spinning frames as early as on the beginning of eighteenth century. Although small scale accessories have been produced semi-industrially with some special tools from the middle of seventeenth century large scale industrial production of knits and producing thin jerseys was possible much later. On the beginning of twentieth century the factory made jersey was mainly used to men’s underwear — and it was Coco Chanel who injected the factory made jersey to modern wardrobe during the First World War era.

Woven fabrics with no elastic content stretch only diagonally (this is the basis of so called bias cut where the fabric is cut diagonally to its weaving direction). Knits stretch typically to all directions, up to 25 percent without stretch content, but knit type and material affects to the stretch property. Knits tend to be more insulating, but the insulation qualities of woven fabric can be improved by using softly spun, thick yarn in weaving.

Fabric can also be produced without knitting or weaving, for example loose wool fibers stick easily together with some aid from warm water, soap and agitation — and produce felt. The same process can be done also for knitted or woven wool…

Most materials even in vintage garments are industrial origins. In knits you have a decent possibility to find handmade ones and some traditional garments can be handwoven. Sewing, on the other hand, has not been that dominated by large scale industry and you have good chances to run on to skilfully hand sewn pieces or pieces sewn in small boutiques.

Basics about weaves

Fabric weaves are very commonly mistaken to material (meaning fiber). Satin is not a material in a sense of washing label information, it is a fabric weave, and multitude of fibers — silk, cotton, polyester, mixed fibers — can be used to produce satin. The complete description of material of a garment would contain both fiber and weave/knit type, say “cotton satin”. The fiber is most prominent factor when deciding how to clean and iron the material, probably that is one reason why material equals fiber content in fabric speech.

Both weave and the fiber content contribute to the attributes of a fabric as a whole. So it is good to know basics about both. I found a great article of weave basics with nice illustrations, so I’m not adding those basics here. Read the article and go through few of your favorite woven clothes and try to recognize the weave. Magnifying glass can be a great help on the first time!

Plain weaves

From the basic weaves it is good to understand that plain weaves are generally not very durable when the fabric ages. But they can be extremely lightweight and thus perfect for summertime and they are easiest and cheapest to produce.  Many festive fabrics have plain weave, too, the lightness means also manageability and this freedom for pattern making, draping… — and some subtly beautiful effects can be produced with some special plain weave techniques. So plain does not equal dull.

Note that these common weaves are subcategories of plain weave: voile, chiffon, georgette, seersucker, Oxford, shantung, rib weave, taffeta, organdy, organza…

The weave is typical for shirts, casual and festive summer dresses and skirts, underwear, nightgowns etc. typical materials are cotton or cotton mix, plain woven linen is also common at least in Scandinavia and with some luck you can find silk, too. There are also lot of plain woven wool and wool mix fabrics in vintage clothing.

Man made fibers can make the plain woven fabric more resistant to wear and tear, they emerged in large scale after 1940.

For example plain weave underwear and night gowns, maybe an occasional shirt or dress from the beginning of twentieth century can be found in vintage shops and they are often fabulous with some handmade detail (lace and embroidery). But remember that they probably are fragile, too, so try to find pieces that fit loose — and be gentle when cleaning them (back to that in later parts of this series). Light plain woven silk pieces can be extremely fragile and the oldest pieces are seldom strong enough for actual wearing.

This is a fine example of plain woven cotton with inserted crocheted net lace and embroidery. Items like this from the beginning of twentieth century can be found in bargain prices considering the exquisiteness of detailing. In my opinion many of these garments can be successfully combined to modern wardrobe, blouses can have surprisingly contemporary feel, chemises and simple half slips are always easy to add as an one extra layer. This kind of garments look great with leather and denim, and can be styled in many ways, romantic, steampunk, goth, hippie… Loose fit and gentle care are keys to preserve their beauty. The image above is actually a detail of beautiful blouse, from IHaveTooMuchStuff’s shop in Etsy, you can get it with 69 dollars…

Twill weaves

Twill weaves are more durable and heavier compared to simple weaves made from same weight and quality yarn. They often have a casual or sporty feel.  Denim and gabardine are the most common examples. A faint, diagonally running pattern on the fabric surface is characteristic for twill fabrics — that can be further emphasized with weft different color to warp (like in classic denim, blue warp, white weft).

This is relatively lightweight but tightly wowen cotton twill from my Filippa-K classic trenchcoat. Quality cotton twill does not feel limp on the hand and does not wrinkle that easily. The surface resists friction without becoming soft and fuzzy, flannel like. This can be helped with different coatings, but an essential element is a quality cotton with long fibers and weave that is tight enough.

Wool twill is a typical material of suits and coats, lightweight cotton twill can be used to summery garments and shirts, more heavyweight one to casual pants and skirts, workwear, jackets… Silk twill is typical for silk scarves and ties, but also in dresses and shirts, heavier type in suits and jackets.

Material on the left is polyester satin (lining) and the right one is quality wool twill. This detail is from my Filippa-K winter coat, that might be now 7 – 8 years old and has been in heavy use. The wool twill looks practically intact, but as you can see the lining needs to be replaced. After that the coat will have another several years of use.

Satin weaves

Satin is probably one of the most misunderstood concepts in the world of fabric. Satin garments are often referred as silk garments in magazines and even advertisements — although the fiber content might be something else (usually polyester in cheapies). Satin is often given as a material for e.g. vintage item — but the buyer would rather like to know the fiber content. In addition some people call all shiny fabrics satin… …but for example silk twill can be quite shiny and on the other hand e.g. cotton satin can have only subtle sheen.

Satin is also sturdier than plain weave fabric of same fiber content and yarn weight. The yarn runs are relatively long on the sheeny side of the fabric and that can make satin prone to snagging — and the surface is not as resistant to friction as twill fabric. Sheeny, smooth surface also reveals stains and water damage easily. Silk and man made fiber satins are widely used in festive wear. Cotton satin is popular in bedwear, shirts, quality (day) dresses, wool satin can be found in festive suits and jackets.

This fabric is a lightweight silk satin. Near the right bottom corner you can see a small snatch that is quite typical for a satin with delicate fibers and longish yarn runs on the right side of the fabric. Note that you can click all my own fabric images larger to really explore the details!

And here is a swatch of relatively heavyweight cotton-viscose satin from H&M dress. The yarn runs are shorter on this one, and you can see some diagonal detail on the weave, resembling twill weave. But there are no “ridges and valleys” on these diagonal stripes and the fabric has really smooth hand feel and beautiful subtle shine (not that apparent in this detail picture).  Cotton and cotton mix satins are great materials that cross the line between casual and festive easily. This is also a perfect example that you can find quality materials from H&M…

Rebel fabric types

Sometimes I wish that things would be simple — but they are not. There are many fabric types that can have different weaves.

For example flannel can be simple weave flannel or twill flannel — the characteristic of flannel is softly spun yarn it is made from, and thus soft hand feel, and that can be emphasized further by brushing the surface lightly. Flannel is typically wool, cotton, or wool mix.

Crepe fabrics can also have different basic weaves, they are practically variations of those weaves utilizing some special techniques. A visual characteristic for these fabrics is that the surface looks so uneven that the weave is really hard to recognize. Crepe fabrics tend to resist wrinkling considerably better than same fiber content in the same basic weave, so crepes make excellent garments for traveling. Crepes are made from multitude of fibers.

Woven patterned fabric, jackquard, has characteristics of all weaving techniques. The running yarns on the top of the fabric form the patterns.

Pile fabrics can have plain weave, twill or even knit base fabric. Loops are formed while weaving or knitting and later they can be cut (velvet) and treated in multitude of ways (faux fur). Terry cloth is an example of uncut pile fabric. Pile fabrics are also made from all possible fibers. You can easily find e.g. cotton, silk and man made fiber velvet from regular sized fabric shop.

Basics about fibers

Fibers can be divided to three main categories: protein based (or animal) fibers, starch based (or plant) fibers and man made fibers. On protein based fibers there are different animal hairs with differing qualities and silk, produced by mulberry silkworm moths.

Man made fibers have two subcategories.  Fibers made from synthetic polymers are produced from petroleum products. Fibers made from natural polymers are derived from various organic sources: wood, bamboo, soy, milk… …and they share characteristics with natural fibers. There are also fibers made from inorganic materials (glass, carbon, ceramic, metals), but they have limited use in clothing. They are not too relevant for vintage fabric care.

The burn test

A very easy way to say something pretty certain about fabrics fiber content is to perform a simple burn test.

Use a knife or scissor blade and scratch some lint out of the fabric surface (not from exposed place or place where friction/tension is high). You don’t need much — but don’t mix in dirt or sewing yarn etc.. You can also cut out a small piece of fabric from allowance, if it is possible. Take the lint or fabric piece to tweezers and burn it on a candle flame (on a non-flammable surface, please!). Try to smell the remains.

Protein fibers have the very distinct smell of burning hair. This helps especially to distinguish silk from other fabrics — quality polyester, viscose or acetate can have surprisingly similar hand feel.

Plant based fibers have slightly different smells, they resemble burnt leaves but can have some aromatic properties (ie. linen and hemp). Try to burn a tiny piece of cotton pad, you get the idea. There is not much special in the smell, it smells just… …burnt. And no, you can’t get high by burning hemp fiber. At least the rasta haired guys in local eco-shop say so…

Man made fibers are trickier. Plant based derivatives smell quite like plant based fibers, but more like burnt wood. I haven’t burnt milk fiber, but I would guess that it is protein based, maybe the burning hair sensation here — but for vintage it is not too relevant, anyway. Petrochemical based fibers are easy to recognize, the smell of burning plastic is very recognizable — and they melt before they burn leaving hard edges to the fabric when it cools down. Acrylic is the only one that burns readily, but the pungent smell is very recognizable. Be careful with the hot melted residues, they can bond to skin in a nasty way.

The solvent test

Now this is true fabric geekery — and there is not much use for this information in fabric recognition… …but acetate can be easily recognized. Nail polish remover will melt it. So does nail polish itself — and alcohol. But this fact has a practical application: be careful when wearing acetate vintage pieces, most fragrances and hairsprays contain alcohol and they can ruin your precious find, if not melt it at least mess up the colors.

About protein based fibers

Wool is the most common protein based fiber, but it is good to remember that different animal hairs have slightly differing qualities. I’m not going to get through the qualities of all animal fibers in this text, but you can read more here about yarn properties and how all those different animal hairs make slightly different garments. The common downside for all animal fibers is that you can actually be allergic to them.

Lambs wool is actually a great material. It has some self cleaning and stain resisting qualities. It keeps you warm even when it gets wet. It is resistant to wrinkling. It is warm and breathing. Unprocessed (or lightly processed) wool contains lanolin which is actually good for the skin — and wool next to skin stimulates blood circulation and thus can relieve some pain symptoms and help with poor circulation. Downsides are that it is not very resistant to friction, it can felt and/or shrink when not handled properly. It can be too coarse to be worn against the skin. And insects like to eat it…

Silk is quite special fiber. One characteristic of it is that it absorbs moisture from the air. That is the reason for the typical cool hand feel of pure silk, and it contributes to the pleasant feel on the skin, especially on summertime. Silk comes in many different varieties, from coarse short fibered bourette silk to smooth and shiny weaves. Silk takes colors really well. The shine boosts intense colours and silk fabrics can be incredibly lightweight and still relatively durable.

Silk has also some disadvantages. Moths and some other insects love it. It can go extremely brittle with age — the worst idea is to fold a heritage silk dress to a coffin and forget it to the attic. In worst case you can witness the dried down fabric to crumble in pieces from folds. Silk can be also extremely prone to staining, even water driplets can leave permanent marks to some sik fabrics. Stains can be also difficult to remove, colors fade and run easily. Silk fiber itself does not shrink, but most weaves have inbuilt “shrinking mechanism” in them. Loosely woven silk can shrink up to 15 %. On the other hand dry cleaning can dull the silk fabric — and the colors are not safe even in the dry cleaning process. So keep these facts in mind especially when purchasing stained silk garments from vintage shop.

About starch fibers

Plant fibers are typically not as insulating as animal fibers, naturally insulation properties can be enhanced by weaving techniques and mixing in some other stuff. But plant fibers are at their best in summer clothing and as the layer closest to skin. Linen can be coarse when new, but it softens amazingly with use and washes. Colors typically fade in cotton and linen with age, but that usually just adds their vintage charm. Yellowing is typical for old garments — but I will get back to that in the next part.

About man made fibers

Man made fibers are a bunch of stuff with very different properties. Fibers derived from natural sources

Acetate is a soft fiber with good drape, manufactured from cellulose acetate. It is usually mixed to other fibers to prevent wrinkling and shrinkage and fasten up drying time. It needs special dyes — and thus is used on fabric mixes for certain multi-color effects. Pure acetate is commonly seen in vintage lingerie and nightwear, some party wear and blouses and it is Widely used as lining. Personally I prefer acetate lining to polyester one, acetate breathes better than most cheap polyester lining fabrics. Remember it’s vulnerability to alcohol!

Rayon, viscose and the contemporary siblings modal and lyocell are all cellulose derivatives — and they can have quite different properties. Usually they have quite pleasant, soft hand feel. They wrinkle easily and can shrink on wash — or stretch out when wet. Personally I have a strong hatred to cheap single weave rayon and viscose garments, the charity shops are these days packed with that ugly easily wrinkling material, usually adorned with hideous prints. But celluose derivatives produce also nice garments, e.g. beautifully draping jerseys and knits.

Polyester is a strong fiber, derived from petroleum. On the other hand it resists wrinkling, on the other hand a heat treatment can set it permanently to certain shape. So polyester  or polyester mix is the favored fabric for pleated garments, especially washable ones. It is mixed to cotton to prevent wrinkling and wool to help it resist friction better, so small polyester percentages in those fabrics can improve the features. Small amounts don’t drastically change the characteristics of natural fibre. Modern high tech polyester fabrics can be relatively comfortable and breathing, but unfortunately that is not usually true to vintage garments. Polyester tends to emphasize bodily odors, so it is at it’s best worn on top of another fabric layer — that can also help with the ventilation. Loose cut is typically better with full polyester vintage garment than fitting.

Polyester is polymer with esther functional group — and there are many variants with slightly differing qualities.

Nylon is a smooth, strong and lightweight fiber, resistant to chemicals and perspiration. Dirt does not attach to smooth fibers. Originally it was intended to a synthetic replacement of silk. It conquered the world in hosiery but its applications are numerous. Nylon can be set to shape with heat, too, it is also elastic.

Nylon is one of the many polyamides — and that term you can find from the washing tag, too. Care instructions for different polyamides are quite similar.

In this image you can see modern lightweight polyamide-spandex jersey (cream) and two vintage nylon jerseys (ivory and yellow). The modern has a thinner yarn and considerably tighter gauge and the elastane content promotes stretchiness. Vintage jerseys are not as stretchy, but they feel really breathable and comfortable against the skin. Remember that most nylon vintage slips do not contain elasthane, so pick slightly looser fit than you would do with modern jersey slip. Vintage nylon jersey is often combined to non-stretchy lace adornments or organza details. The seams between stretchy jersey and non-stretchy lace are obvious breaking points, chech them when you purchase and handle those parts carefully.

Acrylic has somewhat similar feel to wool, it dries fast and is not allergenic. Some people with eczema can find it irritating, though and it does not have the neat self cleaning properties of real wool. Acrylic can be used to very soft and luxurious feeling fabric, but it tends to pill pretty badly. It takes color really well. Acrylic fiber construction contains many small air pockets that insulate pretty well — but also promote the flammability of the material. While polyester and polyamides mainly melt in candle test, acrylic will burn eagerly — but you can get the harsh chemical smell, very different to burning hair odor.

Note that many vintage faux furs are made of acrylic –and extremely flammable. Not a good option for a hard partying smoker.

Spandex or elastane is mainly mixed to other fibers in small percentages and it does not alter the properties of the main fiber much, except that it promotes elasticity.

Disclaimer: I do get quite a good proportion of my clothes as second hand — I do repair, clean and rework different stuff to usable condition. And I have to say that I’m relatively proud of my fabric conditioning skills… …although I’m the laziest girl with iron, ever. Some of these advice are quite common knowledge and you can find it from different sources. Some of them come from my personal experience. There might be errors and mistakes in my writing, although I try to check the facts from my library or from the net.

If you are hesitant to try the tricks and practices advised in these posts, remember that there is always professional services available — please use them at least for the valuable finds! But if you want to find if you can do something for the charity shop bargain… …read on an give it a go! But please don’t blame me if you ruin something…

These posts are also due to some updates in the future. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about these topics, I might be able to explain some things further — and definitely will correct errors. I also plan to add some images to these posts later. This post definitely needs them.

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Location: Helsinki, Finland

Contact: kamicha (a) gmail dot com

I'm especially interested in young designers creations, non-established labels and indie fashion. So if you have something interesting to show, feel free to contact!

You can find Finnish design from both specific and some outfit posts - but both are tagged.

You might be also interested in DIY posts, How-to posts, DIY ideas - or my adventures in Etsy =).

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