Since the time Eve tempted Adam to eat the forbidden fruit
from the Tree of Knowledge which made them aware that they were naked, the need
for textile came into existence. Textile which is also referred as cloth or
fabric is made of a blend of natural or artificial fibers known as yarn or
thread. Raw wool or cotton is processed in a spinning wheel, and long threads
are obtained which is known as yarn. The main types of textiles are plain
weave, and twill or satin weave. In a plain weave, the threads are aligned in a
simple criss-cross pattern. Plain weave is also known as "tabby
weave" or "taffeta weave." In twill weave, two or more threads
are passed one over the other and are most suited for cold weather. Eg. Denim.
Types of Textile:
Textile is made from many materials such as, animal, plant,
mineral, and synthetic. Textile made of animal hair or fur is referred as
woolen clothing. Delicate fibers from the cocoon of the Chinese silkworm is
taken and woven into appealing silk clothing. Cotton, flax, jute and hemp are
some plants used in making clothes. Fibers extracted from pineapple are used,
generally with a blend of other fabrics such as cotton. Asbestos fibers are
used for making fire blankets. Glass fiber is used for making space suits.
Polyester fibers are used either alone or with a blend of cotton.
Story of the Spindle:
In the early ages, weaving was divided among the members of
the family itself. Women and girls cleaned the fleece and were responsible for
spinning. Spinning was normally done by the unmarried girls of the house called
'spinsters'. This term still exists which denotes an unmarried lady. The process of weaving demands more energy and hence was undertaken by men.
Growth of Textile Industries - Britain's Secret:
The history of textile industry started in Britain as spinning and weaving machines were invented there. During the eighteenth century
Britain decided to sustain its control over the textile market through
monopoly. Hence it avoided the export of machinery or communication of
machinery configurations to foreign countries. Britain decided that monopoly
could be maintained only if the textile enigma is preserved.
Later on during the 19th century, textile industries spread across to Europe and North America and further developed after highly technical
machineries entered the market. Now, the value of global textile market is more
than $400 billion. Industry enthusiasts predict that still there will be a
growth of 25 per cent by 2010 in the textile industry and Asia will be leading
the textile market.
Global Textile Retailing:
Textile retailing has developed drastic changes in the past
few decades. Textiles and clothing are among the sectors where developing
countries have the most to gain from. Retailing has become more rigorous
particularly in the textile sector. It has brought a lot of employment
opportunities and also a considerable amount of export surplus. It can be
termed as a self-reliant industry with significant value addition in various
phases starting from the consumption of raw material to delivery of finished
goods. Fashion retailers face tough competition with the supermarket chains as
the latter has started selling clothes which were so far available only in
fashion shops. Countries like UK, Germany, Netherlands, Austria and Sweden contribute relatively more to textile production.
The fact that China's textile exports has increased in leaps
and bounds during 2005 has caused ripples in the international textile market.
To take control of China's domination in the global textile market, US and
European Union has placed severe restrictions on the import of textile products from China. The consequence of this restriction is in favor of India, where it has a rosy future in two money-spinning markets. The overall textile
exports from India to these two countries increased by 26 percent and 18
percent respectively. The overall exports from India are expected to rise by 15
percent more making it a "Vertically Integrated Textile Powerhouse".
About the Author:
Megha Roy
A freelance writer interested to
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