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A
textile
is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial
fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw
wool fibres, linen, cotton, or other material on a spinning wheel to produce
long strands known as yarn. Textiles are formed by weaving, knitting,
crocheting, knotting, or pressing fibres together.
The
production of textiles is an important craft, whose speed and scale of
production has been altered almost beyond recognition by industrialization
and the introduction of modern manufacturing techniques. However, for the
main types of textiles, plain weave, twill or satin weave, there is little
difference between the ancient and modern methods.
Textiles
have an assortment of uses, the most common of which are for clothing and
containers such as bags and baskets. In the household, they are used in
carpeting, upholstered furnishings, window shades, towels, covering for
tables, beds, and other flat surfaces, and in art. In the workplace, they
are used in industrial and scientific processes such as filtering.
Miscellaneous uses include flags, backpacks, tents, nets, cleaning devices,
such as handkerchiefs; transportation devices such as balloons, kites,
sails, and parachutes; strengthening in composite materials such as fibre
glass and industrial geotextiles, and smaller cloths are used in washing by
"soaping up" the cloth and washing with it rather than using just soap. |
India
Textile
