SUNRISE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, ABUDHABI

ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023

SUBJECT: SCIENCE

CHAPTER 4: FIBRE TO FABRIC

Learning Objectives:

➢ Know the history of clothing

➢ Understand the concept of fibers, fabric, and yarn.

➢ Know different sources to get fibers

➢ Study different types of fibers.

➢ Investigate different methods to get fabric from yarn

Answer the following:

1. Define fibres.

Ans: Fibre is a thin, hair-like, or thread-like strand from which yarns are made.

2. What are synthetic fibres? Explain with examples.

Ans: The fibres which are made from chemical substances or which are not obtained
from plant and animal sources are called synthetic fibres. For example, polyester, nylon,
acrylic, etc.

3. Distinguish weaving and knitting?

Ans: The process of arranging two sets of yarns together to make a fabric is called
weaving.

The process in which a single yarn is used to make a piece of fabric is called knitting.

4. List the steps involved in the preparation of fabric.

Ans:

• Obtaining fibre
• Preparation of yarn from fibres by spinning,
• When two sets of yarn are involved, yarns are woven on looms to make a fabric.
• When a single yarn is used, the fabric is prepared by knitting.
5. What do you mean by ginning?

Ginning is the process of Ginning is the process of removing cotton fibres from the
cotton seeds by combing.

6. What is retting and explain how jute is obtained from the jute plant.

Ans: The jute plants are immersed in water for a few days where the stem rots to
separate the fibre. This is called retting.

The jute plant is normally harvested at the flowering stage. The stems of harvested
plants are bundled and immersed in water for 10 to 15 days. The stems rot (the process is
called retting) and fibres are separated by hand. These fibres are converted into yarns
to make fabrics.

7. What are looms?

Ans: The devices on which the weaving of fabrics takes place are called looms. The
looms are either hand-operated or power operated.

8. Write two properties of cotton.

Ans:

• Cotton is a soft fabric. It lets air pass through it.

• The sweat absorbed by cotton fabric evaporates and so it cools the body.
9. How are synthetic fibres more advantageous and economical than natural fibres?

Ans: It is due to the following reasons:

• Synthetic fibres are cheap

• more resistant to water
• high mechanical strength
• Easy to wash and handle
• dry up quickly.
10. A cotton shirt, before it reaches you, completes a long journey. Elaborate this journey
starting from cotton balls.

Ans: The process of making a cotton shirt is-

Picking→Ginning→Spinning→Weaving→Sewing

• Picking- Cotton bolls are picked up from the plants in the fields by hand.
• Ginning- Separation of fibres from seeds by combining.
• Spinning- Fibres are extracted out from the big cotton wool and are twisted. This
changes the fibres into a strong yarn.
• Weaving- A fabric of cotton is made after the arrangement of two sets of cotton
yarns. It is done on looms.
• Sewing or stitching- The cotton fabric is stitched into a shirt