Why Finish Textiles? (01:52)

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Finishing fabric changes its properties. Textile engineers can change the look, handle, and performance of materials. Physical finishes are processes that alter the physical properties of the fabric.

Physical Finishes: Calendering (03:35)

Calendering restricts the airflow through fabric. Two parachuters jump from a high cliff, opening their chutes just in time to land safely. Viewers see a calendering machine in action and learn about the precision needed to calender cloth.

Fabric Testing (01:51)

Parachute materials undergo rigorous testing to assure the fabric meets strict specifications. In the icy cold of the far north, calendered polyester is used for tent material. It is lightweight, windproof, and water resistant.

Physical Finishes: Brushing (01:43)

Brushed polyester is soft and helps the wearer retain warmth in extreme weather conditions. Brushing makes fabric more efficient at insulating. Viewers watch an industrial scale brushing machine at work.

Physical Finishes: Shrinking and Texturizing (04:04)

Advances in physical and chemical finishes mean that textiles are used in new ways, such as high-performance timing belts. Computer graphics illustrate how yarn is texturized. Shrinking gives the textile stability, a necessary quality to endure a hot engine.

Chemical Finishes: Enhancing Performance (05:27)

Flame-retardant material protects firefighters from extreme heat, steam, and gasoline. Viewers follow the steps required to make fabric flame resistant. Every batch of new fabric is rigorously tested.

Chemical Finishes: Changing Look and Feel (Handle) (04:11)

From its initial dyed state, netting goes through a sequence of steps that includes coating the netting with a resin-based finish. In the final stages, the fabric passes through an oven to cure the resin. The finished product has a very different "handle" than it did in its original state.

Smart/Future Finishes (03:31)

Physical and chemical finishes have helped broaden the use of fabric. Recent developments could soon make textiles truly interactive. NASA's QTC material can detect changes in temperature and pressure. QTCs have evolved into coating finishes that can turn clothing into detectors of heat or of the presence of gasses.

Credits: Industrial Finishing Processes: Get into Textiles (00:28)

Credits: Industrial Finishing Processes: Get into Textiles