Fabric and Garment Finishes: The Treatments That Change Hand and Performance
Two fabrics can start from the same yarn and end up completely different - one crisp and lustrous, the other soft and brushed - because of finishing. A finish is the last chance to set hand, surface, stability and performance, and specifying the right one (or catching a missing one) is what separates a fabric that feels premium from one that doesn't. Here is the finishing vocabulary.
Two kinds of finish: mechanical and chemical
Finishes divide into two families:
- Mechanical (dry) finishes change the surface or structure with heat, pressure, rollers or abrasion - no chemistry required.
- Chemical (wet) finishes apply a substance that bonds to or coats the fibre to add a property (crease resistance, water repellency, softness).
Most fabrics get several, in sequence.
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Fabric and Garment Finishes: The Treatments That Change Hand and Performance
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