Textiles and Design Mid-Yearlies

Area of Study: Australian Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Allied Industries

Industry Overview
 An overview of the development of the textiles industry with particular reference to:

- The role of textiles in everyday lives

Textiles are an essential part of everyday life. Due to its diversity, textiles perform many functions and roles in our
lives. Textile comes in many different forms from natural to synthetic, and then they can be woven or knitted,
dyed or printed. Textiles have different meanings in different cultures. Textiles can be used for protection,
modesty, adornment and decoration.

- Sectors of the Australian Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Allied Industries

Textiles: covers the processing of raw materials into yarns and fabrics
Spinning Wool scouring/top making
Weaving Knitting
Dyeing Finishing
Non-weave Man-made fibre manufacture
Cotton ginning Finished rolls
Printing

Clothes: manufacture involves the conversion of fabrics into apparel products

Designing
Pattern making
Fabric cutting
Assembly sewing

Footwear: manufacture involves

Design
Cutting
Assembly
Product

Allied Industries: the allied industries represent a diverse range of manufacturing entities
Automotive industry
Dry cleaning
Tailor
Canvas and sail
Laundry
FASHION AND TEXTILE DESIGNER CAREERS

Accessory Designer Patternmaker

Costume Designer Seamstress
Fashion Designer Sewer
Fashion and Wardrobe Consultant Tailor
Furniture Designer Textile Designer

Issues affecting the Industry

 Environmental Sustainability is the ability to maintain the qualities that are valued in
the physical environment
 Pollution, waste production and consumption of resources are the greatest
environmental impacts

 Occupational Health and Safety

 Refers to the OHS Act
 Major issue is manual handling
 Many workers suffer from unnecessary injuries e.g. strains, sprains
 Aims to reduce injuries, improve productivity, deuce costs of work compensation
claims and lost working time
 Risk Management is a simple way to ensure a safe and healthy workplace: Identify,
Assess, Control, Monitor
 Principles of Hazard Control: Eliminate the hazard, change equipments or materials,
change work methods, use personal protective equipment.

 Technological Changes
 Changes in employment
 Unskilled labourers decreased
 Technical staff increased
 Requires special skills in employment

 Trends and Opportunities in the Industry

 Difficult to compete overseas because of cheaper labour overseas and shipping
prices
HISTORY OF TEXTILE INDUSTRY

 An overview of the development of the textile industry through the 19 th, 20th and 21st centuries
with reference to social and economic impact, employment and workforce issues and
technological developments

Main focus of the 19th century:

- Textile equipment
e.g. Weft knitting machine (1864)
Jacquard loom (1806)
Singer sewing machine [needle that moved up and down instead of side to side] (1851)

Main focus of the 20th century:

- New textile material and processes
e.g. Acetate (1904)
Resin fabric finish (1928)
Sanforising fabric finish (1930)
Nylon (1938)
Helanca (1947)
Acrylic (1950)
Polyester (1953)
Elastomeric fibre (1956)
Microfibers (1986)
Tencel (1993)

Main focus of the 21st century:

- More environmentally safe products
- To speed up the manufacturing process
Area of Study: Design

ELEMENT + PRINCIPLE = DESIGN (that is aesthetic pleasing)

Elements of Design:

 Line: a series of connected points. Lines have direction, width and length
- Directional: suggest movements by leading the eye in a direction. Line may be vertical,
horizontal, oblique, straight, curved or combinations
- Dividing: acts an edge between spaces. Defines shape or silhouette and can divide or connect
these shapes
- Psychological and physical effects: produces physical, emotional and psychological effects
through its quality and character; thick, thin, long, short, smooth or rough

 Direction: all lines have direction. 4 main directions

- Vertical: leads your eye up and down there by emphasising the vertical direction, creating height,
elegance, slimness or strength. It is poised, and balanced it conveys strength and support. Emphasises
height. Can be severe and rigid. Can symbolise dignity, honesty and integrity because it Is upright
- Horizontal: lead your eye across a shape or object emphasising the width. It is in harmony with the earth
or the pull of gravity and is said to be at rest and so creates feeling of rest quiets and calm. It also gives
the illusion of width and breadth
- Right diagonal or oblique:
- Left diagonal or oblique: diagonal or oblique direction creates interest and draws attention because it is
either horizontal or vertical. It suggests movement.

 Shape: a coloured line. 2 main types of shapes

- Organic (free formed natural shapes) – fluid, free-flowing, natural, unique
- Geometrical (squares, circles and triangles) – tend to be rigid, mathematical, defined, confined
- Abstract – combination do regular, free flowing forms
Silhouette: style of garment: 7 basic silhouettes. They can be altered by changing design features such as
position of the waistline, sleeve styles, amount of fullness in skirt and variation in length

 Size: how big or small parts of a design are. Size affects the design a dn its surroundings,
whether it is a room in which furnishings are placed, he figure of a wearer, the parts of a stage setting or
costume or the parts of an item of textile art
 Colour: result of light rays striking the surface of an object and some of the
wavelengths are absorbed while others are reflected. Vital element of design, first thing you
see when you look at an object. Respond physically, emotionally and psychologically to colour
Colour spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet
- Hue: name of a colour in its pure form
- Value: lightness or darkness of a colour. Whites – tints. Blacks – shades
- Intensity (aka saturation, chroma): brightness, clarity, strength, dullness or greyness
of a colour
PRIMARY COLOUR: RED, BLUE, YELLOW
SECONDARY COLOUR: ORANGE, PURPLE, GREEN

Colour schemes: colour theorists work with a set of basic colour schemes which are pleasing to the eye.
- Harmonious colour schemes:
1. Analogous: uses colours which are next to each other on the colour wheel
2. Monochromatic: the use of one colour or hue in different values
3. Achromatic: uses only black, white and grey
- Contrasting colour schemes:
1. Complementary: uses 2 colours exactly opposite each other in the colour wheel. Emphasis each
other by contrast
2. Split complementary: uses one colour with the colours that are in each side of its complementary
colour
3. Triad: the use of colours that form an equilateral triangle in the colour wheel
4. Accented neutral: use of on colour or hue with neutral (white, grey or black)

 Texture: surface characteristics of a design. 2 main recognisable types:

- Visual: appears to exhibit the illusion of texture; e.g. a printed snakeskin pattern
- Tactile: surface characteristics are physically able to be felt; e.g. the feel of natural
snakeskin
Texture adds interest, dimension and variety to a design. Types of texture include rough, smooth, shiny, bumpy,
fuzzy, prickly, sueded and fine
Principles of Design:

 Proportion: relationship between the size and the spacing of the elements in a
design
Golden mean: mathematical formula – Ancient Greeks. 3:5
Can make the wearer look shorter or taller depending in the proportion

 Balance: feeling of equilibrium, sense of steadiness or stability

- Formal balance: symmetrical balance on each side of design it is the same on the other side of the axis -
can produce a serene, dignified or stately effect
- Informal balance: asymmetrical balance, not the same on either side of the axis – can produce a dynamic,
dramatic or casual effect

 Rhythm: produced through the recurring patterns which create movement.

How to achieve rhythm:
- Repetition: eye moves along the regularly repeated element
- Gradation: eye will follow the change in size or shape
- Opposition or alternation: use of contrasting elements in a design
- Transition: gradually transferring the direction of a line. Suggests movement
- Radiation: fanning an element out from a central point. Creates a dramatic effect

 Emphasis: creation of a focal or main point of interest in a design

Ways to create emphasis:
- Grouping elements; shapes, lines, texture, detail or colours
- Contrasting colours, suing light against dark colour or a bright colour to produce a dramatic effect
- Decoration on a plain background
- Contrasting lines, shapes or textures
- Using subtle or plain backgrounds in conjunction with 1 strong element.

 Contrast: opposition, conflict and tension

- No contrast- boring, monotonous
- Little contrast creates variety and interest
- Too much contrast creates confusion

 Harmony: feeling of consistency or agreement in a design

May be achieved by using lines, directions, shapes, textures and colours with the technique known as
transition

 Unity: the outcome or conclusion of the design process. All design strives for unity
Types of Design:

 Functional
- Items designed for a specific purpose that many include examples from the following
focus areas: apparel, furnishings, costume, textile arts and non-apparel

Functional requirement of textiles refer to how a products performs, how the product is made,
what purpose it is made for and what it is made from.
o For what reason is the product being made?
o Who will use it?
o Does it suit the users age and abilities
o When will it be used?
o Is it suitable for being used during the intended time of the year or day?
o How often will it be used?
o Does it need to be cleaned regularly?
o Where will it be used?
o Is it suitable for being used in a specific location?

 Aesthetic
- Surface decoration or design that enhances the appearance of textile items

Aesthetic requirements refer to the way something looks – its appearance. First impressions
are important as this can make the product appealing right from the beginning
o Will the user expect the product to look a certain way?
o Does the method of decoration suit the overall end product?
o Do the colours suit the product?
o Should the decoration act as a point of focus, or should it mask an unattractive base
design?
o Can the decoration be placed at structural points to strengthen the design?
o Will the decoration stay in place?

 Factors determining appropriate design, including environmental sustainability and

manufacturing techniques
Area of Study: Properties and Performance of Textiles:

FIBRE: a fine, thread like piece, with a length of at least 100 times greater than the
width. Contribute to the aesthetics, durability, comfort, appearance and care of fabrics

 Fabric types and classifications and structure

- Woven: plain, twill, satin, Jacquard, crepe and pile weaves
- Knitted: single knit, double knit, tricot knit, pile knit, lace and net
- Non-woven: felts, webs and films

 Yarn structure and characteristics

- Spun staple: short strands of fibres spun to make a long yarn
e.g. cotton, wool, flax

- Filament: long usually synthetic yarns

e.g. silk