Findings and Trims
Findings refer to various components used in garment construction, including trims, labels, elastics, treads, zippers, buttons, and other closures. While findings and trims are typically not the primary reason for purchasing a garment, they often influence the decision to discard it.
Trims are a subset of findings, primarily decorative elements such as ribbons, braids, laces, appliqués, beads, and sequins. Trims add visual appeal and can enhance the garment's overall design.
Performance
- Quality: Findings and trims should reflect the same level of quality as the main fabric. If the fabric is dry-clean only, the trims must also be dry-cleanable to ensure compatibility.
- Impact on Fabric: The performance of findings and trims can affect the overall garment. For example, the durability of a zipper or button could impact the garment’s lifespan.
Establishing Specifications
- Specifications for findings and trims are often established by suppliers or in collaboration with manufacturers. Due to the vast number of findings and trims available, it’s best to consult suppliers to ensure accurate specifications.
Aesthetic Performance
- Findings and trims should complement the garment's design, construction, and finish. They must be functional, attractive, and fashionable to enhance the garment’s appeal and marketability.
Functional Performance
- Utility: Findings should be dimensionally stable, retain appearance, be comfortable, easy to care for, and safe to use.
- Durability: They should be strong, abrasion-resistant, and resistant to degradation from chemicals and environmental elements.
- Compatibility: Findings and trims should be comfortable and positioned to ensure the garment fits as intended. They must also align with the wear and tear of the garment's fabric.
Dimensional Stability
- Key concerns for findings and trims include shrinkage, elongation, and elasticity. They should shrink similarly to the body fabric to maintain overall fit and appearance.
Appearance Retention
- Findings and trims should retain their desired appearance over time, aging consistently with the body fabric. Mixed fibers may present challenges for appearance retention.
Abrasion Resistance
- Many trims are less flexible than the body fabric and thus more susceptible to abrasion. This can affect the appearance of the garment over time.
Colorfastness
- Trims and findings must retain their color and avoid fading, bleeding, or yellowing to maintain the garment’s overall look.
Heat Resistance
- Special care should be taken when combining thermoplastic findings with natural fiber body fabrics, as it may affect the garment’s care procedures.
Comfort
- The texture and hand feel of findings are essential, as are their size and shape, particularly when it comes to buttons.
Ease of Care
- Findings should align with the body fabric in terms of laundering or dry-cleaning requirements to ensure compatibility in garment care.
Safety
- Findings must be free from safety hazards such as sharp edges, choking risks, and should have flame resistance if required.
Strength
- The strength of findings and trims must be proportional to the garment's intended use to ensure durability.
Resistance to Degradation
- Findings must be resistant to chemical degradation, light exposure, laundering, and other environmental factors.
Physical Features
- Factors like the base material, structure, dyeing or finishing processes, size, placement, attachment, and reinforcement must be considered in the choice of findings and trims. Cost and lead times are also significant factors. Although cost doesn’t always correlate with quality, it often impacts selection.
Labels
- Labels come in various forms, including printed, woven, or paper labels. The method of attachment, material durability, and comfort are essential considerations for labels.
Thread
- Thread is used in sewing, decorative stitching, and embroidery. It is an integral part of garment construction, and its failure can lead to the entire garment failing. Thread quality affects strength, durability, appearance, and texture.
Thread Strength
- Thread strength is critical to the durability of stitches and seams. There are two main types of thread strength:
- Single End Strength: The force required to break the thread.
- Loop Strength: The force needed to separate two stitches.
Fiber Content of Thread
- Different fibers offer different benefits:
- Polyester and Nylon: Stronger and more resistant to chemicals.
- Cotton: Weaker but has excellent sewing characteristics.
- Mercerized Cotton: Stronger than regular cotton.
- Rayon: Weak but shiny and absorbs dye well.
- Silk: Rare and expensive but offers beauty.
Thread Types
- Spun: Made from staple fibers twisted together.
- Corespun: A subcategory of spun threads, offering greater strength and elasticity.
- Filament: Made from continuous fibers like silk or synthetic materials. There are two main types:
- Monofilament: Strong, clear thread, often used in low-end garments.
- Multifilament: A combination of filaments for a strong, shiny, and smooth thread.
Thread Color
- The thread color should be well-coordinated with the garment, with hues that complement the fabric. A slightly darker shade is often preferable.
Thread Size
- Thread size is measured using the Tex system. Higher numbers indicate heavier thread, while lower numbers indicate finer thread.
Trim
- The type and amount of trim used often depend on fashion trends. Trims should not ravel, shrink, fade, or bleed and must be compatible with the garment’s care requirements.
Types of Trim
- Ribbon: Includes grosgrain, satin, velvet, and novelty ribbons.
- Braid: Narrow fabric formed by intertwining yarns, including soutache and rick-rack.
- Lace Trim: Decorative narrow lace fabric in various forms, including insertion, galloon, and edging laces.
- Appliqués: Decorative fabric patches that are attached to the garment.
- Nonfabric Trims: These include beads, sequins, and other decorative elements.
Closures
- Closures, like buttons, zippers, and toggles, are essential fasteners that secure garment openings. They must match the garment's care methods, design, and production requirements.
Buttons
- Buttons serve both decorative and functional purposes. Their material can range from inexpensive molded plastic to more costly natural materials like mother-of-pearl and wood.
- Size: Buttons are measured in lignes. Larger buttons are typically placed farther apart.
- Types: Buttons can either be eyed or shanked. Shanked buttons tend to be more formal and bulkier.
Zippers
- Zippers are an efficient and secure way to fasten garments, often used in place of buttons for flat areas and fitted garments. They are typically less expensive than buttons and more suitable for back closures.
Zipper Parts
- A zipper consists of several parts: the tape, chain, slider, pull, and stops. Zipper tapes can be woven or knit, with woven tapes being stronger. The zipper chain, slider, and stops ensure the zipper functions correctly.
Zipper Size and Length
- Zipper sizes are determined by the width of the chain in millimeters. The length should be the shortest necessary for the garment's opening, ensuring ease of dressing without stress on the fabric.
Zipper Types
- Zippers come in several types, including conventional, separating, invisible, and novelty options. Each serves a different purpose depending on the garment's design.
Snap Fasteners
Types:
- Sew-on: Light to medium weight; attached by hand or machine; consists of two parts; can be covered.
- Mechanically-attached: Medium to heavy weight; attached by machine or press; has four parts; strongest and most durable type.
Snap Size:
- Small: Less gripping power and bulk.
- Large: More gripping power and bulk.
- Selection criteria: Based on fabric weight, snap location, and purpose.
- Size range: Typically between 12 ligne to 30 ligne.
Snap Composition:
- Materials can include steel, brass, nickel, or enamel paint.
- Steel: Strongest but prone to rust.
- Clear plastic: Available for some snap designs.
- Mechanically-attached snaps: Can be capped with materials such as plastic, glass, metal, or mother-of-pearl.
Snap Tape:
- A strip of fabric (usually twill tape) with snaps attached by a supplier.
- Used to apply multiple snaps evenly and securely.
- Easier to apply but spacing is fixed.
Hooks and Eyes
- Purpose: Small and easily concealed closures that can bear heavy stress—ideal for areas with strain, replacing snaps.
- Size: Small (less strength) to large (greater strength).
- Size range: Numbered 0-3.
- Special types: Large flat plates for pants waistbands.
- Composition: Usually metal (like snaps), with some specialty versions, such as bra hooks and thread-covered hooks.
Eye Types:
- Round (curved)
- Straight (bar)
- Adjustable
- Fabric loop
- Thread loop or chain
Hook and Loop Tape (Velcro)
- Usage: Easy to manage for certain groups of people; typically concealed.
- Strength: Can be very stiff but offers ease of closure compared to other fasteners.
Miscellaneous Closures
- Types: D-rings, buckles, eyelets, grommets, cords, or ties.
Underlying Fabrics
- Types: Interfacings, linings, underlinings, and interlinings.
- Purpose: Provide shape and support to garments.
- Narrow fabrics (less than 12” wide) are considered findings, while wider fabrics are categorized as fabrics.
Interfacing
- Weight Range:
- Light (approx. .4 oz/yd²): Soft or light support.
- Heavy (approx. 4 oz/yd²): Crisp or heavy support.
- Types:
- Woven: Strong, stable, but costly. Must be cut on-grain for stability.
- Knit: Soft and drapable, ideal for knit garments. Less expensive.
- Fiberweb (Nonwoven): Less drapable, doesn’t ravel, less durable, and more cost-effective.
Fusible vs. Sew-in:
- Fusible: Common type, slightly stiffer, bonds to fibers to prevent pilling, tested for production ease and fabric compatibility.
- Sew-in: Provides body without stiffness, often preferred for finely tailored garments.
Lining Fabrics
- Characteristics: Smooth, lightweight, resistant to stains, and able to withstand the same wear as the garment.
- Uses: Add warmth to cool-weather garments and minimal warmth to warm-weather garments.
- Quality: High-quality linings are opaque, absorbent, static-free, and available in complementary colors or patterns.
Underlining Fabrics
- Materials: Often similar to lining fabrics but designed to lend shape more than slipperiness.
Interlining Fabrics
- Characteristics: Lightweight and non-bulky; withstands the same care as the garment.
- Examples: Thinsulate, Thermaloft, poly fleece, down, lambswool.
Other Shaping/Supporting Devices
- Types: Ordered in lengths or as ready-made units.
- Function: Match the care requirements of the garment and are incorporated into the garment’s overall cost.
Elastic
- Definition: A fabric with high stretch and recovery, used in various garment types.
- Types: Swimwear elastic, plush-back elastic, lingerie elastic, stretch lace, pajama elastic, nonroll elastic.
- Fiber Content: Rubber, synthetic rubber, or other elastic materials with different properties.
Elastic Structure:
- Braided: Excellent stretch but bulky, cannot be stitched directly to fabric.
- Woven: Heavier, more stable, firmer control but more expensive.
- Knitted: Soft, lightweight, and less costly; can be stitched directly to fabric.
Width:
- Elastic width should be comfortable and achieve the desired look. Wider elastic is typically more expensive.
Belts
- Function: Help hold the garment in place.
- Materials: Can be made from the same fabric, vinyl, metal, leather, etc.
- Quality: Typically ordered from suppliers and can increase garment appeal.
Shoulder Pads
- Purpose: Used in tailored jackets, coats, shirts, and blouses for shaping.
- Thickness: Varies from ¼” to 1” or more.
- Materials: Foam, polyester batting, or cotton batting.
- Features: Should withstand garment care without balling up or disintegrating; removable shoulder pads are a selling point.
Chest Pieces
- Purpose: Provide smoothness and shape in tailored jackets, especially in menswear.
- Lower-cost garments: May have fused chest pieces.
- Higher-cost garments: Feature floating chest pieces for a less stiff appearance.
Sleeve Heads
- Function: Add shape to the upper portion of the armhole, creating a smooth roll in the sleeve cap without creating lumps.
- Material: Can be made of stiffer materials for puff sleeves.
Seam Stays and Bridles
- Bridle: A stay tape (usually twill tape) sewn along a roll line or seam edge to maintain shape.
Collar Stays
- Function: Thin plastic strips inserted into collars to keep them flat and prevent curling.
- Removable or sewn-in options available.
Bra Cups
- Purpose: Provide support, shape, and smoothness to the bustline in swimsuits, strapless gowns, and other garments.
- Materials: Often contain fiberfill or foam to enhance size and shape.
- Durability: Must withstand the same care methods as the garment.
Hoops and Bustles
- Hoops: Large plastic or metal rings used to support full skirts, either sewn into the dress or placed in a separate petticoat.
- Bustles: A basket-like device used to expand the back of a skirt.
- Fashion Impact: Hoops and bustles are primarily used in fashion and costume garments.
Horsehair Braid
- Purpose: Used to stiffen and face hems in wedding and formal gowns with full skirts.
- Material: A stiff, narrow braid made from sheer nylon filament.
Weights
- Purpose: Used in high-quality garments to maintain proper drape and prevent lightweight skirts from blowing up.
- Material: Lead weights encased in fabric, typically placed in hems, cowl necklines, or key garment areas.
Dress Shields
- Function: Absorb perspiration and extend the life of a garment.
- Location: Usually found in high-end garments.
- Attachment: Can be tacked into place for easy removal and laundering.
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