Get Into Textiles

Get Into Textiles: Design, Manufacture, and Use in the 21st Century: Sustainable and Recycled Textiles This eight-part series explores the world of the 21st century textiles industry, using case studies from top fashion houses, designers, and hands-on textiles technologists. From recycled vintage fabrics to state-of-the-art “smart” garments, viewers will gain understanding of how textiles are used as design elements as well as for industrial purposes—and how digital technology enables the creative and manufacturing processes to speed fashion to market faster than ever before. 8-part series, 25–27 minutes each. Cut-price garments not meant to last for more than a year or two make up nearly half the clothing market, resulting in a rising tide of textile waste. This program profiles clothing designers who are turning consumer demand for green products into fashion trends. The Junky Styling team searches thrift shops for vintage fabric which it then uses to create outfits for their high-profile clientele, while Worn Again founder Mike Corbett shows viewers how he makes and markets shoes from materials like old seat belts. The video also goes to a factory where textile technologists process old jute sacks for reuse as sustainable fabrics. Part of the series Get Into Textiles. (27 minutes) 1. Re-Fashioning (03:28) Throw-away fashions are to blame for the rise in textile waste. Junky Styling is an innovative design-led label. All garments are made from the highest quality second hand clothing, which is deconstructed, re-cut and completely transformed. 2. Design Process (04:03) Conventional clothing design begins with an idea. Junky's design process begins as they collect garments to recycle. A garment may suggest a design, or several garments together begin to shape a design. 3. Re-Using and Re-Purposing (04:07) A new breed of textile designers finds new ways to use waste products. Viewers visit the shoe design studio of a designer who makes sh

Get Into Textiles: Design, Manufacture, and Use in the 21st Century: Smart and Technical Textiles This eight-part series explores the world of the 21st century textiles industry, using case studies from top fashion houses, designers, and hands-on textiles technologists. From recycled vintage fabrics to state-of-the-art “smart” garments, viewers will gain understanding of how textiles are used as design elements as well as for industrial purposes—and how digital technology enables the creative and manufacturing processes to speed fashion to market faster than ever before. 8-part series, 25–27 minutes each. A new generation of industrial materials may change how we think about textiles. Many components of airplanes, including the wings, are already made using carbon fibre composites—a type of technical textile—and the ability of a Formula One racing car to crumple upon impact rather than crushing its driver is due to the properties of these materials. This program examines the construction of carbon fibre composites and explores their current and potential applications. The video also looks at electroluminescent technology that may make it possible to print lamps directly onto fabrics and at smart textiles that are able to detect touch, heat, odour, and sound. Original title: Smart Textiles. Part of the series Get Into Textiles. (25 minutes) 1. Industrial Use of Carbon Fibre (02:10) Today, many components of airplanes, including the wings, are already made out of carbon fibre composites. These products are lighter in weight and less susceptible to fatigue. 2. What Is Carbon Fibre? (02:45) All carbon fibre products start with carbon fibre thread. Each thread is made up of from 1,000-48,000 tiny filaments of a polymer called polyacrylonitrile. These filaments are woven into sheet material designed for specific purposes. 3. Life-Saving Carbon Fibre (03:01) The ability of a Formula One racing car to crumple upon impact rather than crushing

Get Into Textiles: Design, Manufacture, and Use in the 21st Century: ICT (Information and Computer Technology) in Textiles: Design, Practice, and Process This eight-part series explores the world of the 21st century textiles industry, using case studies from top fashion houses, designers, and hands-on textiles technologists. From recycled vintage fabrics to state-of-the-art “smart” garments, viewers will gain understanding of how textiles are used as design elements as well as for industrial purposes—and how digital technology enables the creative and manufacturing processes to speed fashion to market faster than ever before. 8-part series, 25–27 minutes each. Information and communication technology is changing the fashion industry by helping make design, development, and sampling of textiles more efficient. This program takes viewers inside Coppernob, a London-based fashion house, where designers use ICT tools, sketching and visualisation software and digital pattern makers, plotters, and printers, to easily explore different colour and style combinations. Technology also allows for quick communication of new ideas and even for the creation of physical mock-ups, meaning that design houses can more frequently offer new collections to the public. Part of the series Get Into Textiles. (27 minutes) 1. ICT in Fashion Design (02:19) Viewers visit a London-based fashion house, where designers use ICT tools--sketching and visualisation software and digital pattern--makers, plotters, and printers--to easily explore different colour and style combinations. 2. Computer Storage (02:27) Once a designer has sourced her ideas and made preliminary sketches, she transfers them into a design package. Computers can store almost an infinite number of design templates. 3. Designer Collections (03:30) As well as specialising in fast turnarounds, a London fashion house is also known for its number of printed fabrics. A designer demonstrates how she changes c

Get Into Textiles: Design, Manufacture, and Use in the 21st Century: CAD/CAM in Textile Manufacturing This eight-part series explores the world of the 21st century textiles industry, using case studies from top fashion houses, designers, and hands-on textiles technologists. From recycled vintage fabrics to state-of-the-art “smart” garments, viewers will gain understanding of how textiles are used as design elements as well as for industrial purposes—and how digital technology enables the creative and manufacturing processes to speed fashion to market faster than ever before. 8-part series, 25–27 minutes each. Computer-aided design and manufacturing has replaced the old-fashioned screen process of transferring designs onto fabric, giving textile artists more flexibility while reducing overhead costs. In this program, designers at RA Smart demonstrate how CAD and CAM technology is used for joining, engraving, printing, and cutting fabrics. The video also investigates computer-aided knitting at the Glenbrae Knitwear factory, where comfortable, seamless, one-piece knitted garments are manufactured for golf pros, and computer-aided embroidery for creation of unique logos and customer samples in record time. Part of the series Get Into Textiles. (26 minutes) 1. Digital Printing (04:35) Digital printing is a far more flexible process than screen printing. Digital printing machines are similar to digital ink-jet printers but on a much larger scale. Designers are not limited by colour or design patterns. 2. Printing Technology and Design (03:42) With new textile printing technology, designers had to rethink their design processes. Scanned images broaden the designer's options. Images are cleaned up and new colours added to brighten scanned images. 3. Laser Technology (02:56) In the textile industry lasers have revolutionised how fabrics are cut. "Anything that can be drawn with a pencil can be cut with a laser." Computers precisely control the mov

Get Into Textiles: Design, Manufacture, and Use in the 21st Century: Mass Production Systems and Techniques This eight-part series explores the world of the 21st century textiles industry, using case studies from top fashion houses, designers, and hands-on textiles technologists. From recycled vintage fabrics to state-of-the-art “smart” garments, viewers will gain understanding of how textiles are used as design elements as well as for industrial purposes—and how digital technology enables the creative and manufacturing processes to speed fashion to market faster than ever before. 8-part series, 25–27 minutes each. Depending on the scale of production, manufacturers use different techniques to make garments, as this program shows. Viewers meet a "cool Britannia" tailor who constructs men's suits by hand as well as a designer using CAD technology to create sportswear, and both methods provide a custom fit. The video also goes inside a textiles factory to compare large-scale batch production with smaller-run job production, explaining the process of quality control employed for both. And although the textiles industry relies on low-cost labor, the video notes that consumer pressure has resulted in better working conditions at garment factories around the world. Part of the series Get Into Textiles. (27 minutes) 1. Pattern Laying and Cutting (03:12) Viewers meet a "cool Britannia" tailor who constructs men's suits by hand for an elite clientele. Another designer uses CAD technology to create sportswear, and both methods provide a custom fit. 2. Specialist Textiles (02:11) A textile factory sews custom airplane seat covers. The fabric is very expensive, and the boss needs to get every penny out of the fabric. He lets the computer design a "lay plan" that uses the maximum amount of fabric per roll. 3. Programmed Machines Cut Fabric (03:11) Layers of fabric are laid out on a long cutting table. The machine is programmed to cut the fabric. Once

Get Into Textiles: Design, Manufacture, and Use in the 21st Century: Dyeing and Printing This eight-part series explores the world of the 21st century textiles industry, using case studies from top fashion houses, designers, and hands-on textiles technologists. From recycled vintage fabrics to state-of-the-art “smart” garments, viewers will gain understanding of how textiles are used as design elements as well as for industrial purposes—and how digital technology enables the creative and manufacturing processes to speed fashion to market faster than ever before. 8-part series, 25–27 minutes each. Computerisation has taken fabric-printing to new levels, allowing for more designs, more colours, and softer fabrics, all at a lower cost. This program explores technological advances in printing and dyeing, giving viewers a detailed look at flat-bed, carousel, roller-screen, and transfer methods of producing patterns on cloth. Digital colour-matching, use of an atmospheric jet machine for batch-dyeing of fabric, quality control to test for shrinkage and colour-fastness, and environmentally-sound practices to dispose of dyeing products are all covered. Part of the series Get Into Textiles. (25 minutes) 1. Printing: Screen Printing (03:03) A 500-year-old art, screen printing can put patterns on just about anything. Viewers learn each step of setting up for screen printing. For larger orders, the process is automated. 2. Printing: Roller Screen Printing (01:54) In this process of screen printing, the screens come in cylinders. For any process, spotting errors early saves money. A roller screen can produce a km of printed fabric in one hour. 3. Printing: Flocking (01:09) Patterns are first roller-screen printed on fabric. Then they pass under a snowstorm of tiny filaments. It is cured in a high-temperature oven. Flocking appears on many surfaces such as greeting cards and CD covers. 4. Printing: Transfer Printing (03:11) Transfer printing invo

Get Into Textiles: Design, Manufacture, and Use in the 21st Century: Testing Textiles This eight-part series explores the world of the 21st century textiles industry, using case studies from top fashion houses, designers, and hands-on textiles technologists. From recycled vintage fabrics to state-of-the-art “smart” garments, viewers will gain understanding of how textiles are used as design elements as well as for industrial purposes—and how digital technology enables the creative and manufacturing processes to speed fashion to market faster than ever before. 8-part series, 25–27 minutes each. Retailers go to great lengths to ensure the garments they sell live up to certain standards of quality--anything less would mean returned purchases and the risk of losing repeat business. This program shows technicians conducting a variety of performance and physical-wear tests on fabrics. Jackets are assessed for waterproofing, breathability, wind-proofing, and warmth. T-shirts that promise to wick sweat away from the body are tested for moisture management, and nightwear, sofas, and beds must be flame-resistant. Equipment that simulates common human movements is used to make sure that fashion fabrics will not easily abrade, pill, or tear. Part of the series Get Into Textiles. (25 minutes) 1. Performance Testing (01:26) Retailers go to great lengths to ensure the garments they sell live up to certain standards of quality and to meet the claims made about the garments. 2. Performance Testing: Is It Waterproof? (02:44) Prior to garments reaching retail outlets, fabrics are put to the test to ensure product claims can be backed up. Fabrics with polyurethane (PU) coating must be waterproof. Viewers watch a number of different fabric tests. 3. Performance Testing: Is It Breathable? (02:26) Manufacturers have developed fabrics that are both waterproof and breathable. To do this, they use a special coating with tiny pores too small to let raindrops in, b

Get Into Textiles: Design, Manufacture, and Use in the 21st Century: Industrial Finishing Processes This eight-part series explores the world of the 21st century textiles industry, using case studies from top fashion houses, designers, and hands-on textiles technologists. From recycled vintage fabrics to state-of-the-art “smart” garments, viewers will gain understanding of how textiles are used as design elements as well as for industrial purposes—and how digital technology enables the creative and manufacturing processes to speed fashion to market faster than ever before. 8-part series, 25–27 minutes each. Resins and oils applied to linen helped preserve Egyptian mummies for thousands of years. Using finishing to change a fabric's properties isn't new, but there are a growing number of techniques that allow engineers to radically enhance the performance of materials, creating garments that can be used in subzero temperatures and in raging fires. This program examines physical and chemical industrial finishes, explaining how they are created and their many commercial applications. The video also takes a look at "smart" and future finishes, including an interactive type that would detect physiological changes and notify wearers when they are getting sick. Part of the series Get Into Textiles. (27 minutes) 1. Why Finish Textiles? (01:52) Finishing fabric changes its properties. Textile engineers can change the look, handle, and performance of materials. Physical finishes are processes that alter the physical properties of the fabric. 2. Physical Finishes: Calendaring (03:35) Calendaring restricts the airflow through fabric. Two parachuters jump from a high cliff, opening their chutes just in time to land safely. Viewers see a calendaring machine in action and learn about the precision needed to calendar cloth. 3. Fabric Testing (01:51) Parachute materials undergo rigorous testing to assure the fabric meets strict specifications. In the icy

Ethical Textiles: Sustainability and Fair Trade: The Cost of Cloth What does it mean for developing-world workers when prices for clothing and fabric keep dropping? What happens when Westerners buy more and more, driving up demand? How does ecological impact fit into the equation? Global in scope, this three-part series explores the ethical and environmental fallout of large-scale textile production. It follows the work of manufacturers in the U.K. and Bangladesh as it investigates the consequences of ultra-cheap labour and supply systems. In addition, it examines fair trade initiatives developed in response to industry abuses, inequities, and hazards. A crucial resource for economics, sociology, and environmental studies! 3-part series, 25 minutes each. Filmed in Bangladesh, one of the world’s most active textile-producing countries, this program explores the social cost of the textile industry, which benefits mostly Western consumers and capitalists while creating oppressive environments in the developing world. Using eye-opening footage shot inside a number of Bangladeshi textile factories, the film explores issues of sweatshop labour—including poor working conditions, unfair wages, and the right to unionise—and asks viewers to consider where the responsibility for improving industry practices should lie. The program then compares the social impact of mass-scale textile production with the benefits brought to a small rural community in Bangladesh by a fair trade textile initiative. A part of the series Ethical Textiles: Sustainability and Fair Trade. (30 minutes) 1. What Is Globalisation? (01:19) Globalisation of the textile industry raises a host of ethical questions and issues. Globalisation in the world of textiles generally means people elsewhere in the world are paying for the real cost of garments. 2. Textile Industry of Bangladesh (01:56) In Dhaka, Bangladesh, 4 million people work in thousands of textile factories. Most are paid abou

Ethical Textiles: Sustainability and Fair Trade: Eco-Design What does it mean for developing-world workers when prices for clothing and fabric keep dropping? What happens when Westerners buy more and more, driving up demand? How does ecological impact fit into the equation? Global in scope, this three-part series explores the ethical and environmental fallout of large-scale textile production. It follows the work of manufacturers in the U.K. and Bangladesh as it investigates the consequences of ultra-cheap labour and supply systems. In addition, it examines fair trade initiatives developed in response to industry abuses, inequities, and hazards. A crucial resource for economics, sociology, and environmental studies! 3-part series, 25 minutes each. The Western world still struggles for long-term solutions regarding carbon emissions, energy consumption, and waste disposal. A number of industries, including textile manufacturing, are at the heart of this dilemma. But Finisterre, an outdoor clothing maker, has fearlessly taken on the issue by creating an eco-friendly surf-wear brand. This program follows the workflow of the company from its headquarters in Cornwall, Great Britain, to fabric suppliers in Japan and manufacturers in Portugal. Viewers are shown how Finisterre reduces its ethical and environmental impact as it rigorously evaluates the use of energy and materials not only in isolated locations, but throughout the design, manufacture, transportation, and use of its products. A part of the series Ethical Textiles: Sustainability and Fair Trade. (32 minutes) 1. Introduction to Eco-Design (01:05) The rise of the green consumer has put pressure on retailers to reduce the environmental impact of their products. ADD 2. Eco-Design: Choosing Raw Materials (02:43) Finisterre, an eco-brand, designs and manufactures clothes that reflect concern for the environment. Finisterre's design director Tom Podkolinski is on the continual lookout for new materials

Ethical Textiles: Sustainability and Fair Trade: Environmental Impacts What does it mean for developing-world workers when prices for clothing and fabric keep dropping? What happens when Westerners buy more and more, driving up demand? How does ecological impact fit into the equation? Global in scope, this three-part series explores the ethical and environmental fallout of large-scale textile production. It follows the work of manufacturers in the U.K. and Bangladesh as it investigates the consequences of ultra-cheap labour and supply systems. In addition, it examines fair trade initiatives developed in response to industry abuses, inequities, and hazards. A crucial resource for economics, sociology, and environmental studies! 3-part series, 25 minutes each. What would happen if we changed the way our clothes are made and sold? If we used different fibres or different agricultural techniques? If we insisted that facilities which produce textile products dispose of chemicals and materials properly? This program assesses the environmental impact of the textile industry both in the U.K. and abroad. It explores the ecological footprint of textile production in Bangladesh, and shows how the true cost of cheap textiles is being felt by the very poorest living downstream from polluting textile factories. It also looks at how companies are working to reduce the harmful results of their presence in the ecosystem by using state-of-the-art water recycling plants and by making better use of their waste streams. A part of the series Ethical Textiles: Sustainability and Fair Trade. (27 minutes) 1. Challenges of Textiles (00:40) Making fabric requires massive amounts of energy, uses up vast quantities of natural resources, and often leaves huge quantities of waste. 2. Water & Energy Use (02:44) Textiles account for 80% of Bangladesh's exports. Environmental problems are ignored largely because of cut-throat global competition for cheap goods. Keeping thousands of t