Linen Care

This is an expensive fiber because the production process is very laborious. Years ago it was used for high-quality items such as tablecloths, sheets, towels etc. Given the fact it is a bit stiff and easy wrinkle, there were few garments, but in the recent years it has invaded the clothing market.

WASHING

When trying to remove stains in coloured garments, we must try to avoid the colour or fiber from suffering.

It’s important that the mechanical action is very smooth.

Use bleach as a last resort and only in whites.

It is best washed by hand to avoid fading.

No need to use softener

DRYING

Best ironing when humid, which is achieved by drying a bit in the dryer machine and putting them in a plastic bag until ironed.

IRONING

Supports higher temperature than cotton but being cautious it’s recommended to iron between 175 º and 200 º.

Cotton

Due to the abundance of it, and its specific properties, COTTON is the most frequently-used natural fibre. It is used in industry, in the home and for clothing. In the HOME it is used in upholstery as well as in lingerie, towels, bedspreads etc. It is very important for clothing: in hot weather it is used for all types of clothes and in colder weather especially for shirts etc.

WASHING
For removing stains from coloured items, try to avoid damaging either the colour or the fibre.
Avoid the use of bleach as this can destroy the fabric.

It is a an absorbent fibre and does not need fabric softener (which distorts the natural shape of the clothes) 

DRYING

It is better to leave clothes slightly damp in order to facilitate ironing. They can be dried a little in the tumble dryer and then hung up ready for ironing. If there are a lot of items and they are not going tobe ironed immediately, they can be placed inside a plastic covering (to keep them damp).

IRON
It can take iron temperatures of up to 215°. The recommended temperature range is between 175° and 200°.

(From the book: How to take care of fibres and fabrics, CEICID)

Polyester

It is used in industry, home textiles and industrial applications. According to the utility, you get textile filament yarn, industrial  filament yarn spunbonded fabric and cotton flock in combinations, wool, for carpet or padding. Polyesters are also manufactured, treated or processed with specific characteristics, eg types of low pilling, other preparations for staining with various dyes, silk simile, microfibers, antistatic absorbent humidity etc..

WASH
Oleophilic fibers, this means that they attract greasy stains.
You can dry clean but is best done in water.
Any detergent may be used and if necessary bleach can be used on whites. The colored polyester should be washed with detergents for coloreds.
Do not wash at high temperature between 30 º and 40 º do not exceed 50 º.
Use the synthetics program and put only few items. One can eliminate the iron if the garment is taken care of. One only need to press with the hand as soon as it is removed from the dryer.
It is good to use fabric softener.

DRYING
It can be dried completely (no need to leave the wet clothes) in a medium drying program  (low or medium temperature).

IRONING
No need to iron them  dump. Iron lightly.
The right temperature is between 100 ° and 200 °.
It is recommended that garments are dry  and  inside out.

Rayon and Viscose

They are used for clothing, especially for cool summer garments, or for mixing with other types of fabric. They are of greatimportance as a nonwoven fabric for disposable items, and they are useful for cleaning due to their good absorption capacity.

Washing:

They can be conserved best by dry-cleaning. The problem arises when the garment is heavily used (e.g a white blouse).  In this case, you can wash the item in the washing machine.

If they are to be washed in the washing machine, use the setting for synthetic fabric, and use a mild detergent. Do not use bleach. Since rayon and viscose are hydrophilic fibers, there is no need to use a fabric softener (and also as doing so can destroy the garment´s natural form and size).

Ironing:

Use steam iron, with a certain amount of moisture, but lower than that for cotton or linen. Iron inside out so as to avoid glare, and avoid ironing over the seams.Ironing temperature: between 130 º - 150 º

Elastane

Elastane, commonly known as Spandex, is a synthetic fiber used to improve fabric’s elasticity in apparels like sports clothes, bathing suits, stockings, and orthopedic items. Now this material can also be found in many other items for daily use like in pants, skirts, and tops. This is primarily because of its capacity to improve a fabric’s elasticity with as little as 2% Elastane in it.

Tips To keep bathing suits or products with Elastane in good shape, it is recommended to rinse the items with cold water after use. When one has to set it aside for a long period of time, after a year for example, one can sprinkle talc powder before keeping them.

Laundry These items can be dry cleaned but it is usually not necessary. It can be washed with warm water and any detergent without bleach. Chlorine or bleach destroys Elastane.

Dry Elastane easily gets deformed with the application of heat. Thus, NEVER dry products with high percentage of elastane in a dryer. If the fiber has only around 2%, then it can be placed in the dryer but in gentle spin and low temperatures. The best way to dry it would be air dry.

Iron It depends on the percentage of elastane in the product. One can check the label for ironing instructions. Many items with elastane do not need ironing. Some contains only around 2% elastane and the rest cotton for example. Thus it can be ironed like any other cotton fabric.

Fibres in your Clothes, at Home, in Town...

The way the fibres are spun, or knitted together,  or dyed and finished,  depends on a series of properties in their chemical structure- the macromolecular design of the fibre. 

They can be arranged into filaments, string, or rope, used as a component of composite materials, or matted into sheets to make products such as paper or felt. Fibres are often used in the manufacture of other materials.

In the case of fibres in garments, they should be : attractive - visually, - to the touch,- in the way the material falls, protect from the heat/cold/water, easily cared for, be comfortable and long-lasting On the other hand they also need to be resistant to: organic solvents and dry-cleaning products, perspiration, cosmetic products, bleaching agents, acids, alkalis and other substances.

As regards the Home: Fibres need to be such that they are not too affected by heat/humidity, that they be stable at high temperatures, at being tumbled in the washer (hydrolysis and oxidation) and to being exposed to the elements.
Clothes for industrial use need to be specifically satisfactory with regard to traction, to using different agents, to be durable  and to protection.

(From the book ‘ How to Look After Fibres and Clothing’, Ceicid)

This information might seem quite technical,  The idea I want to transmit is that when we buy clothes we need to take into account, not only the price and what the garment looks like, but also the durability, the characteristics and the resistance of the fabric (eg, viscose)