01 Textile Science

01.1 Introductory Textbooks

Rivlin, J. (1992). The dyeing of textile fibers: Theory and practice. Philadelphia: J. Rivlin Associates, Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. ISBN 0-9633133-0-4, 220 pages, $42.50.

Reviewed by Chris Ladisch, Purdue University

Professor Rivlin's book fills a long-standing need by textile and apparel instructors for a text which presents basic, yet comprehensive information on dyes, color and wet processing of textiles. The text combines the technical aspects of coloring textiles with sufficient theoretical background for understanding them. Chemistry and theory of dyeing processes are presented clearly and in a manner that will not overpower a beginner in the field. The author appropriately recommends that students have general organic chemistry in order to fully benefit from the book. It is organized in a manner similar to that of other dying treatises, beginning with a well-written introduction to pertinent terminology, dye characteristics, and fiber properties which influence dyeing. The unique aspect of this chapter, and others, is its discussion of practical issues faced by the dyehouse (such as the advantages and disadvantages of dyeing stock vs. piece goods; the use of liquid vs. powdered dyes). Subsequent chapters on each of the major dye classes are also written in a user-friendly style. The chapter of acid dyes, for example, begins with an explanation of wool's chemical structure, a description of the important features of typical acid dye structures, conditions under which an acid dye is applied to wool, the dye/fiber mechanism, and concludes with fastness properties of the dyed fiber. Discussions of the advantages and disadvantages of dyeing in machines in Chapter 5, and the physical forms of dyes in Chapter 3 are examples of practical, useful information that is not easily found in dyeing literature.
Review questions for each chapter are provided. References for further reading are also given, but are not extensive. The book contains a number of misspellings, grammatical errors, use of terms prior to, or without, definitions, and too many hyphenated words. The reactive dye chapter could use an expanded description of dye structure, and the significance of the covalent dye/fiber bond is not clearly presented. Environmental issues faced by a dyehouse are rarely mentioned. The color chapter could be expanded to more fully describe metamerism and computer color matching. Despite these drawbacks, Rivlin's very readable combination of the practical and theoretical aspects of dyeing is a significant contribution to the field.

Yeager, J. (1998). Textiles for Residential and Commercial Interiors. New York: Harper and Row. Publishers. ISBN 0-006-047318-5, 434 pages.

Reviewed by Sandra Evers, South Dakota State University

This is a classic text with all the basic parts and support features that one expects in a university textbook and which have been so notably absent in many that I've recently examined. The book is addressed to students, professionals in the design fields, retailers and consumers. Facilities managers and supervisors of cleaning services would also benefit from its use.

The writing style is clear and direct. The level of expression and some terminology (e.g. performance specifications, discretionary income) will make some students stretch for comprehension (and that I believe is appropriate). However, it will affect how the text is used for a given course and some instructors might be advised to construct an auxiliary vocabulary list. The content is well organized and consistently structured which will facilitate its future use as a reference book for the practicing designer, therefore it will be recommended for interior design students to add to their permanent library. The first several pages give an overview of the interiors textile industry, its components and how they interrelate. Within this section additional career options become apparent to students. It also establishes the business viewpoint of providing products with associated characteristics and services for a profit rather than the need fulfillment viewpoint of consumer education texts. The remainder of the unit is an introduction or review, depending upon the reader's background, of basic textile science information. The other units address the components of: upholstery, windows and walls, floor coverings and textile accessories. These are liberally supported with photographs, charts and diagrams, which are very helpful to designers who tent to work diagramatically. The highly technical sections may overwhelm some students, however they will benefit from the exposure. Because the technical aspects are directly related to the problems of product specifications and implied liability the student should clearly see their relevance. A final chapter on artisan products is necessarily superficial and serves the purposes of increasing awareness and of relating those unique textiles to manufactured textiles in regard to specifications, testing, and function in textiles in design solutions. Overall the text is a good example of a specialist's knowledge made accessible to other specialists from their functional viewpoint and in a way which is likely to encourage the appreciation and understanding of each area of expertise.

Merkel, R.S. (1991). Textile product serviceability. Macmillian. ISBN 0-02-380565-X, 387 pages, $47.00.

Reviewed by Jan Yeager, West Virginia University

With the publication of this work, Merkel has provided a contemporary treatment of fabric performance evaluations used in the textile, apparel, and fashion industries. The content is reminiscent of an earlier work (see Lyle, D.S., (1977) Performance of Textiles. New York: Wiley) on textile performance, including discussions of sampling and statistics. In both books, the authors merely summarize test methods, encouraging students themselves to read original sources, including the AATCC Technical Manual and Volumes 07.01 and 07.02 of the Annual Book of ASTM Standards.
At the outset Merkel introduces the concepts of fabric quality and performance in apparel and home furnishing applications. Together with explanations of standard performance specifications and test methods, this discussion identifies the focus of the text - quality control procedures employed throughout the industry to insure fabric serviceability. The author reminds the reader that important cost and market considerations are associated with such activities, factors that must be appreciated by students planning professional careers in the industry.
In my opinion, the strength of this book lies in discussions that reflect the author's experience as a textile educator and specifications committee participant. With each group of performance and construction variables, for example, he presents general concepts, real-life applications, and basic principles before reviewing applicable text methods. Including in a chapter on measurement of fabric strength and elongation are definitions of relevant terms, details of tensile testing machines, and explanations of factors affecting fabric strength. In another chapter, the author associates yarn mobility with tear strength. A further chapter examines forms of abrasion and factors affecting abrasion, although the influence of yarn construction variables receives only limited attention. In his discussion of flammability testing, the author not only includes flammability variables, but also presents flammability as a consumer-protection and political issue.
From my perspective, any shortcomings of the text are minor. Some terms introduced without explanation, e.g., "referee method" and "mussed." "Carpets" should be "carpet," in both the singular and plural forms; "drapes" should be "draperies" when used as a noun; "calendaring" should be "calendering;" and "cheaper" should be "more economical" or "less expensive." Because the author assumes the readers have had at least one-semester survey course on textiles, he intentionally presents fabric construction in brief form, albeit too brief to be of significant value. It was useful, however, to have fabric weight introduced as it is frequently over looked in introductory textile texts.
Excellent material concerning color is presented but not in a consolidated format. Color theory, color description, and the importance of color in trade, manufacturing and consumer selection are included in a chapter on fabric characteristics while colorants, color styles, and methods of color application are paired with colorfastness testing. Although fabric color is treated as an important characteristic of fabrics, fabric finishes that can radically alter the appearance and performance of fabrics are not. The author does, however, identify and summarize several test methods used to measure the effects of various finishing agents.
The book could successfully be used as a supplement to an advanced textile course or alone as the text for a textile evaluation course. It should, indeed, encourage more course offerings in textile evaluation, especially with the appendix provided that identifies necessary testing equipment. Lastly, as noted in the forward, this work will be a valuable reference resource long after a student graduates.