A textile mill has three major processes which transform fibre into fabric. This is a quick overview of these processes. For more information visit us at: http://ategroup.com/

1. 1
Introduction to textile industry processes
Transforming fibre to fabric

2. 2
Types of fibre
Fibre can be broadly classified as:
• Natural fibre, like cotton and linen
• Animal fibre, like wool and silk
• Man made fibre, like viscose, rayon, acrylic and polyester

3. 3
A textile mill
A textile mill has three major processes:
• Spinning, where raw fibre is converted into yarn
• Fabric formation where yarn is converted into raw (gray)
fabric – woven or knit
• Processing, where raw fabric is converted to finished fabric

4. 4
The manufacturing process
Blow room
Carding
Drawing
Combing
Roving
Spinning
SPINNING FABRIC FORMATION
Warping /
Sizing
Weaving
Singeing
Knitting
Desizing
Scouring and
bleaching
Mercerizing
Dyeing /
Printing
Shrinking /
Sanforizing
Calendering /
Raising
PROCESSING
Winding
FABRICATION /
GARMENTING
Cutting
Sewing
Finished
goods
Note:
Most mills follow this
process. Specialised mills
may use other unique
processes.

5. 5
Blow room
• The raw material bales are
loosened from their
compacted form and
cleaned
• The cleaned raw material is
blended with different kinds
of fibers in the mixing ring
Example: Polyester and
cotton, viscose and cotton,
different kinds of cotton

6. 6
Carding
• Carding is a mechanical
process that breaks up
unorganised lumps of fibre
and aligns them in parallel
• The fibres are individualised
or separated and then
assembled into a loose
strand

7. 7
Drawing
• A number of loose strands
of fibre are combined
together to form a thick
structure called sliver
• The sliver has low strength
and has continuous strands
of loosely connected fibre

8. 8
Comber
• A number of slivers of fibre
are combined together to
form a thick circular
structure called as a lap
• Several (usually 8) such
laps are fed to a comber
where short fibres are
removed and one sliver is
formed again
• This process is not used for
all yarns

9. 9
Roving
• The sliver which is taken
from the draw frame /
comber is thick and is not
suitable for producing yarn
• Roving decreases the width
of the sliver and also gives
it some twist and strength
• Roving is carried out in a
machine called “roving
frame”

10. 10
Ring spinning
• The yarn after the roving
process is spun continuously
onto a rotating spindle
(bobbin)
• Once the yarn is spun onto
bobbins, they are ready to be
woven or knitted

11. 11
Open end or air jet spinning
• Open end spinning involves
creating yarn without using
spindles
• In air jet spinning, the yarn is
made by wrapping fibres
using compressed air
• A false twist is given to the
yarn before it is spun in air
jet spinning

12. 12
Winding The creation of large yarn or
packages (cones or cheeses) from
ring bobbin yarn that can be easily
unwound is called “winding”

13. 13
Fabric forming process
Non-Woven Fabric
Fabric Forming
Woven Fabric Knitted Fabric
Circular Knitting Warp KnittingFlat Knitting

14. 14
Warping
• Warp is the set of yarns that
are laid out first on a loom or
beam
• In the warping process, yarns
from many winding packages
are aligned longitudinally on a
frame and are held in tension
• In sizing, additional required
strength is given on yarn by
chemicals known as “size” to
improve weavability

15. 15
Weaving
• The warp yarns that are
held lengthwise on a beam,
are interlaced with the weft
yarns which are aligned at
right angles to the warp
yarns
• The weft yarns determine
the breadth of the finished
fabric
Examples for woven fabric include
bedsheets, shirts, trousers,
technical textiles for agriculture,
construction etc.

16. 16
Knitting – flat, circular and warp knitting
• Knitting creates multiple loops of
yarn, called stitches, in a line
• Knitted fabric consists of a
number of consecutive rows of
interlocking loops
Examples of knitted fabric include t-shirts,
sweaters, innerwear, socks, sports wear,
technical textiles used in agriculture,
construction etc.

17. 17
Singeing and desizing (1/2)
• The protruding fibres from
the fabric surface are burnt
off during singeing
• The fabric is passed over a
gas flame at such a speed
that only the protruding
fibres are burnt and the
main body of the fabric is
not damaged

18. 18
Singeing and desizing (2/2)
• During the warping process,
the warp yarns are added
with sizing agents in order to
improve their tensile strength
so as to reduce yarn
breakage
• These sizing materials on the
warp yarns can resist dyes
and chemicals in subsequent
stages
• Hence, these sizing materials
added to the warp yarns are
removed by desizing i.e.,
washing off

19. 19
Scouring and bleaching
• Scouring is a chemical
treatment process carried
out on cotton fabric to
remove natural wax, and
non-fibrous impurities
• Bleaching improves the
whiteness by removing
natural colour of the fibre

20. 20
Mercerising (1/2)
• Mercerising is done to
enhance the cross sectional
profile of the fibre
• This improves light
reflection property of the
fabric and hence provides
luster
Fibre cross section
before Mercerizing
Fibre cross section
after Mercerizing
Gloss on the
mercerized fabric

21. 21
Mercerising (2/2)
• Mercerizing is done by
treating the fabric with a
strong alkaline solution
such as Sodium Hydroxide

22. 22
Dyeing / Printing (1/2)
• Uniform coloration of textile is
called dyeing
• Dyeing can be done in the
form of fibre, yarn and fabric
• Various classes of dyes like
reactive, vat, pigment and
disperse are used based on
the type of substrate

23. 23
Dyeing / Printing (2/2)
• In the printing process, the dyes are
applied locally on the fabric to
produce the desired design
• During printing, the dyes are
applied on only one side of the
fabric
• Printing can be done either on
undyed pre-treated fabric or
coloured fabric
• Rotary, flatbed and digital printing
machines are used for applying
colours on fabric
Printed fabric
Dyed fabric

24. 24
Shrinking / Sanforising
• This operation is performed
to improve the dimensional
stability of cellulosic fibre
• The fabric is
passed between a rubber
sleeve and a heated
cylinder and is forced to
follow a brief compression

25. 25
Calendering / Raising
• The fabric is passed
between heated rollers to
generate smooth, polished
or embossed effect
• During raising, the fabric
surface is treated with sharp
teeth to lift the surface
fibres, thereby imparting
hairiness, softness and
warmth
Fabric after calendering and raising

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