Braids, nets, laces, films and tufted fabrics
Braids interlace yarns diagonally; nets knot or twist yarns into meshes; laces make openwork designs; films are cast from polymer; tufts are punched into a backing.
Definitions and examples
| Construction | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Braid (plait) | A narrow fabric made by interlacing three or more yarns or strips diagonally, each crossing the others | Shoelaces, cords, rick-rack, trims, braided mats |
| Net | An open-mesh fabric with regular square, diamond or six-sided holes, made by knotting or twisting yarns where they meet | Fishing nets, mosquito nets, tulle, bobbinet |
| Lace | An openwork fabric of a net-like ground with motifs, made by looping, twisting, knotting or interlacing yarns, by hand or machine | Bobbin lace, needle lace, crochet and tatting; Narsapur crochet lace; machine raschel lace |
| Film | A thin sheet made directly from a polymer solution or melt, not from fibres or yarns; may be backed with fabric | PVC tablecloths, raincoats, shower curtains, artificial leather |
| Tufted fabric | Extra yarns punched by needles into a ready base fabric as cut or uncut loops, then locked by a latex coating on the back | Most carpets and rugs, bath mats, candlewick bedspreads |
Tufted pile and woven pile
Points to remember
- Braids are the only one of these with yarns running at an angle (diagonal) to the length.
- Nets have fixed, regular holes; lace has design motifs on its ground.
- Films are non-fibrous: waterproof but they do not breathe, so they feel hot.
- Hand-tufted carpets of Bhadohi and Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh are made with a hand-held tufting gun.
Film fabrics (PVC-coated cloth) make wipe-clean dining-table covers and kitchen aprons that resist spills, but keep them away from flames. Nets keep flies off stored food, and tufted door mats at kitchen entrances catch dust but need regular cleaning so germs do not build up.
2 marks: “What is a film fabric?” A thin sheet made directly from a polymer solution or melt, without fibres or yarns, e.g. PVC tablecloth or raincoat material.
5 marks: “Write short notes on braids, nets, laces, films and tufted fabrics.” One definition, method and two examples for each; add the tufted vs woven pile difference.
'Big Nets Let Fish Through': Braid, Net, Lace, Film, Tufted.