by Purba | Sep 12, 2021 | Shout out |
As Bangladesh is emerging with a booming Textile Industry, Fashion Design turns out to be a sector for the future. A lot of Fashion Designers are emerging in our country from different Textile & Fashion institutions. As an organization of fashion & Innovation, Fashionnovation is working with the prospect of this sector. Our team talked with Fashion Designer Suravi Jahanara who is currently working as a Chief Designer in a German Company named Colombus textilvertrieb GmbH. In the interview, she talked about her journey, the current scenario of fashion designers and also their earning. (This interview is a part of our ‘Interview fashion designer’ project.)
Fashionnovation: Working as a Chief Designer in a German company, can you share your professional experience as a fashion designer from the beginning?
Suravi Jahanara:
-
- After finishing my graduation (Hons.) Fashion Design & Technology, I joined in H&M as production intern. My internship was with the merchandising team. I was assigned in the denim team and my main job focus was order follow up and execution and other relative works.
- subsequently to my internship I joined in a factory called Concorde Garments Ltd as 3D technologist. This factory specialized in woven shirts worked with the buying house PVH and their iconic brands like arrow, Izod etc. I was responsible for developing 3D fit samples. Additionally, I was a support to their design team.
- In 2018 I joined again in H&M as Researcher & Developer in the ladies knit division both Jersey and Sweater. Main focus for this job was to develop material and develop the suppliers according to H&M buying preferences.
- Currently I am a chief designer in German Liaison buying house. Main job focus is to offer customers designs according to their brand images. From initial development to surface decoration and preparing Spec sheet for the final orders.
Fashionnovation: You’re currently working at Colombus Textilvertrieb GmbH, can you briefly describe the structure of ‘DPD- Design and Product Development’ of your company?
Suravi Jahanara:
-
- This company’s values pretty simple and straight forward. They prefer quality over quantity. So, product quantity is not as much as other buying houses and they are also very limited people specializing for each brand or customers. The main office is located in Germany where they have another designer responsible for German region. And me; responsible for Bangladesh region. Each of us handles different product category solely.
Fashionnovation: What is the salary scale of Fashion designers in both the Textile Industry & multinational companies?
Suravi Jahanara:
-
- Prior to the covid situation salary structure was different. In traditional sense, the structure really varies from company to company and it is also based on the experiences and negotiation.
- First of all; not a lot of companies in both textile industry and in multinational companies hires designers. The pool for designers is really limited. And compared to factory, multinational companies offer additional plans such as tax, medical insurance, provident fund, yearly increments etc. For factories it is the salary only.
so basically, there is no guarantee which is better, really depends on what sort deal you are settling for.
Fashionnovation: There is a conventional idea about Bangladeshi Industry that most of the design of our RMG comes from foreign countries. So, our question is that what is the current working process of DPD in Bangladesh?
Suravi Jahanara:
-
- Yes, most the design comes from foreign countries. In BD, the DPD is more focused on production friendly options rather than experimenting. Even though the trend is same for all the fashion followers but for each brand they want to see different options according to brand profile. What that mean is to see different interpretation of the same concepts. But in BD it is a common notion that R&D is waste of resources. In my personal opinion this notion has stopped BD designers to think outside the box. So, they develop products based on whatever leftover of the material they have input/output creating authentic designs. Whereas other countries they do not compromises on their designs.
Fashionnovation: Currently, there is a lot of Fashion House (Such as Aarong, Yellow etc.) emerging in Bangladesh. What are the technical differences between the Industrial design department & designers of these Fashion houses?
Suravi Jahanara:
-
- Since I have not personally worked in any of the local brands so my answers will not be very specific. But there is a huge difference. For the fashion houses, market researching is a blank space. As a consumer of these brands, we are not offered much different options specially in terms of materials. They are all very common fabric that we have been using for decades. It is just different cuts and prints. The working procedure is very basic. Buy the material locally available and affordable mostly from Islampur, then make something out of it. The only variation is on the surface decoration, patterns and color palettes.
You can also read Fashionnovation Your Mentor Talks’ First Episode with Ms. Ummey Hani Barsha
Fashionnovation: What is the salary scale of Designers working in the Fashion House?
Suravi Jahanara:
-
- Depends on the organization policy and experiences. Brands like Aarong or Yellow offers good salary due to under big organization. But other local brands offer much less compared to textile industries and multinational companies.
Fashionnovation: There is a lot of Designers who work as Freelancer. Can you describe their work field and earnings?
Suravi Jahanara:
-
- A freelancer could earn money in so many possible ways. The rate can be hourly or as a package depending on the volume of the work. If he/she only developing prints or AOP the rate would be different. If the designer is creating a seasonal collection the rate would be different. The designer could be asked to develop brand logo designs or label designs. It’s all in the negotiation. The drawback of freelancing is that the payment is never constant and sometimes the buyers are reluctant towards payment.
Interview Conducted By,
Shariful Islam Akash & Sabiha Moon Taha
Department of Textile Fashion & Design
Bangladesh University of Textiles
As you seem to be both tech savvy and fashionista, you will enjoy our premium article on Textile in space: Flying up to reach the stars! This is the second chapter of the article!
To know the biggest fashion trends of 21st century, you can visit here! Moreover, if you want to know the future of fashion industry after Covid-19, you can click here!
And if you want to read one of our premium case studies on Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion, you can go here!
Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion: A Case Study
You can also read our interesting and well researched article on: Architecture Fabric: The New Use of Textiles as A Building Material
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Hyderabad, A Heaven for The Fashion Learners
by Purba | Aug 13, 2021 | Top fashion news |
Bernard Arnault, the 72 years old French fashion tycoon, beat Jeff Bezos and globally turn into the richest person in the world.
The world officially get a new richest person: the chairperson and chief executive of the world’s dominating fashion brand LVMH(Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy). For a number of years, American billionaries specially in the technology sector have dominated the ranking of world’s richest people. But in this year 2021, Arnault’s rise into high peak surpassing Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla owner Elon Musk, is remarkable for everyone.
| Rank |
Name |
Country |
Net worth(August 10,2021) |
| 1 |
Bernard Aurnault |
France |
$199.2 billion |
| 2 |
Jeff Bezos |
United states |
$192.7billion |
| 3 |
Elon Musk |
United states |
$183.7 billion |
Source:Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaire Tracker (Data as of 10th August,2021)
Arnault is not the new name in the ranking of world’s wealthiest people,but he has been a billionaire for well over a decade and has been on of the top five richest people since 2018.
Bernard Aurnault command an empire of 70 iconic luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Givenchy, Dom Perignon, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Sephora, Loro Piana, Nicholas Kirkwood, Thomas Pink, RM Williams, EDUN, Moynat, and Donna Karen. He owns a 96.5 percent stake in Christian Dior, which controls 41 percent of LVMH. He also expanses retail and hospitality industries.
You can also read our trending and well researched article on Fast fashion vs slow fashion!
Arnault, the French tycoon enter into fashion area by purchasing Christian Dior in 1985. He has been the leader of LVMH since 1989, after becoming the major shareholder of the company.
The surprising part is, when maximum of the company and businessman have been suffering with their earning potential during COVID-19 pandemic, LVMH is flourishing as the company has been kept up by strong sales in Asia-especially China.
In January 2021, LVMH has done a deal for Tiffany & Co for nearly $16 billion,that is perhaps the largest luxury brand achievement in history.
References:image from www.celebritynetworth.com
www.visualcapitalist.com
www.hindustantimes.comK
Khadiza Sharmin (TFD 45, ID: 2019-1-6-015)
You can also read one of our trending article on Gucci!
GUCCI: A Luxurious Fashion Brand
![Textile in Space: Flying Up to Reach the Stars (Chapter 2)]()
by Purba | Jun 29, 2021 | Academic |
Textile in space is a dream that human beings have seen beyond the use of textiles in mere clothings as a covering.
As we continue our journey to reach the stars following with the previous chapter of Textile in Space, we will surely come to know some of the amazing applications of textile in both space and aerospace. We have already come to know some of the key features for space textiles (such as fiber, yarn, fabric) which are essential to be converted into intricate and highly modern aero-crafts.
Nonetheless, a good strength to weight ratio, high abrasion resistance, extremely light-weight, flexibility, durability, comfortability, mechanical and chemical resistance are some of the compulsory features of textiles in this regard. And keeping this in mind, the developed technical textiles are serving in this textile space field with no sweat!
Textile in space: In Aircraft Manufacturing- When Dream Becomes Reality to Reach the Space!
Textiles have been used by human beings since the pre-historic time. Only the recent researches for the past few decades have led to the concept of developing technical textiles in space. One of the major fields of applications of textile is in the process of aircraft manufacturing and related products. Surely, getting to know some of the applications will give us a glimpse on how our dream to reach the stars in becoming a reality!
The broken parts of rotor blade can operate as projectile and form external effect. So, woven structure and material such as Kevlar, Nylon, glass fiber metal resign, aromatic polyamide and carbon/epoxy composite structures are used to decrease the impact damage. These textile materials co-operate with flight surface and help the rotor inner side for covering against ballistic damage.
-
Aircraft Interior Design, another example of textile in space:
Inside the aircraft and spacecraft- from furnishing textiles to wall covering, floor carpet, seat & seat belts, curtains and other interior designs are formed from textile composites. In the automotive sector as well as aircraft, spacecraft and onboard ships, drive belts are now used in the engine. In the past, they were primarily made of rubber or flexible plastic. Now coated with textiles or textile mixtures have established durability, comfortability, safety in many applications. They must determine qualities that affect in everyday use to clean easily, to be fire –resistant and free of pollutants that could vaporize and pollute the air. Modern textile materials like microfibers, nanotechnology and new plastics have remodel the use of textiles in interiors.
The Interior of a spacecraft for which technical textile materials are one of the the primary elements to manufacture. Courtesy: Unspash.
Parachutes are necessary for the protection for the pilots, aviators and passengers of the aircraft. Raw materials used in the parachutes are high performance fibers such as Nylon, Polyester, Kevlar, Nomex and so on. More specifically, parachutes are made up of high tenacity fire resistant material called ‘Rip-stop Nylon 6.6 fabric’ with tough and durable coatings for heat and air retention. Some other important characteristics for these materials to obtain are UV protection, heat and abrasion resistant, water proofness, high specific strength and light weight.
Parachute systems for space and military, an example of textile in space. Courtesy: Aerospace America.
A space suit, mostly worn by astronauts, is a pressurized garment which is useful during space flights. This suit performs as the ultimate protective clothing that protects the astronauts from damaging conditions in the space where a single sand can be dangerous for its extreme speed. It is also known as Extra Vehicular Mobility unit (EMU).
From feet to head, spacesuit consists of many parts which performs various tasks like containing tubes that supply oxygen, protecting from high pressure and dust in space, containing electric conductors etc. Under the suit, astronauts wear another piece of clothing named liquid cooling and ventilation garment that interlinks with the tubes. Water flows through the tubes to keep astronaut cool. Since, containing oxygen is a must in order to survive in space, a good oxygen chamber is required. Hence, on the back of the space suit, there is a backpack made from technical textiles that holds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide to make easy breathing system for astronauts. It also supplies electricity for the suit. According to the required functional purpose, materials like Dacron, Neoprene, Kevlar, Spandex etc. are used to make spacesuit.
Man Wearing Space Suit, taking textile in space. Courtesy: Pixabay.
G-Suit is a special flight suit worn by aviators, astronauts or fighter pilot in aircraft who are commanded to go against high levels of acceleration force or gravitational force(g). Also, owing to the name as Anti-Gravity Suit, this item is designed to avoid a black-out and g-Loc (g-induced loss of consciousness) generated by the blood pooling in the lower part of the body when under acceleration. This suit is, therefore, necessary as black-out and g-Loc have caused a number of disastrous aircraft accidents previously.
A dummy wearing an Anti-g Suit trousers and cummerbund fitted over a flying suit. Source: Wikipedia.
G-suits consists of artificial inflatable bladders, having air or liquid that can be pressurized using a g-sensitive valve. This also has controlled firm to legs and abdomen under high values of g.
Future Development of Textile in Space Products-What is Coming Next?
Every kilogram that needs to be launched in a spacecraft is so important that it increases both fuel utilization and costs! Lightweight, high strength, cost efficiency, ease of working with the materials and safety are all parameters that should be achieved in developing textiles. Innovations like incorporating bionics into the development of new textiles can open entirely new solutions for engineers and scientists.
A spacecraft during its launch and ready to reach the stars! Photo Taken at the Kennedy Space Center, USA. Courtesy: Unsplash.
In 2015, NASA revealed to try to get humans living on Mars by 2030. If these plans are to be performed successfully, then it’s a consideration that textile materials can be made not only from a clothing and safety perspective, but also can be used structurally to understand the optimal living conditions. Nonetheless, the designers have to work days and nights to figure out the best possible anatomy of a spacesuit! As the weather in Mars is extremely unfavorable, no specimens have yet returned to Earth from Mars which is still the biggest challenge in making space suits. For this regard, NASA is preparing the Futuristic Z-2 space suit of Z-2 prototype for the next generation!
As we come to an end to our space journey, we certainly realize textile is not just used only for daily uses or enhancing beauty but also for protecting from hazardous environments in air, outer-space, Mars or any other outer planet. This field of application is nothing but innovative and cool! Thus, textile especially, technical textiles enabled us to conquer any innovative plan about space and decrease mortal accidents caused by dangerous space area and also allow us to definitely fulfill our dream to reach the stars!
By Team Bespoke:
Mentor: Tasphia Zaman (TFD 44, ID: 2018-1-6-009)
Leader: Khadiza Sharmin (TFD 45, ID: 2019-1-6-015)
Executive: Nahema Haque Khushe (TFD 46, ID: 2020-1-6-002)
References:
Image 1: https://unsplash.com/photos/n463SoeSiVY
Image 2: https://unsplash.com/@nasa
Image 3: https://unsplash.com/photos/NCvvr837fz8
As you seem to be both tech savvy and fashionista, you will enjoy our premium article on Textile in space: Flying up to reach the stars!
To know the biggest fashion trends of 21st century, you can visit here! Moreover, if you want to know the future of fashion industry after Covid-19, you can click here!
And if you want to read one of our premium case studies on Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion, you can go here!
Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion: A Case Study
You can also read our interesting and well researched article on: Architecture Fabric: The New Use of Textiles as A Building Material
![Textile in Space: Flying Up to Reach the Stars (Chapter 2)]()
by Purba | May 20, 2021 | Academic |
Fast fashion vs slow fashion is like yin and yang in the arena of fashion world. Though the terms are completely opposite, there is a need of sensing their difference and concretely know which means what- fast fashion vs slow fashion-what are the differences, fast fashion and slow fashion brands, which fashion to choose when, etc.
What comes to your mind when someone says fast fashion vs. slow fashion?
On the surface, fast and slow fashion seem pretty straightforward, but in reality, they can both be complex within the realm of sustainable fashion. Today we will cater you a case study on fast fashion vs slow fashion where you will find the differences and a comparative study to ponder on.
[Attention! Read the full article. There is a fun quiz to check your knowledge about fast fashion vs slow fashion]
According to Google Trends, the highest interest in this topic was in April 2009 and the second highest interest is on October 2021.
What is fast fashion?
Fast Fashion is the process of imitating trends and styles from the big-name designers on the runway which is most of the time lower quality, cheap priced and not handmade. Manufacturers mass-produce the garments at lightning speed to beat the competition and keep up with customer expectations. Since the Clothing is produced quickly and cheaply, hence we term it as fast fashion.
Fast fashion examples:
H&M, Zara, etc. retailing brands’ mass produced t-shirts, pants, etc.
Fast fashion vs Slow fashion brands:
Fast fashion and slow fashion brands also have differences according to their design, production, selling and operating criteria which enable us to do Fast fashion vs slow fashion brands comparison.
A list of fast fashion brands:
Interest in the ‘Fast fashion’ topic according to Google Trends. Source: Screenshot taken from Google Trends.
What is Slow Fashion?
Slow fashion is about conscious shopping and wearing clothing with sustainability in mind. It is about designing, creating, and buying clothing that last a long time. Here quality matters over quantity and since the process takes place slowly, we term it as slow fashion.
`
Dhakai Muslin, an example of slow fashion
Slow fashion examples:
Handmade classical products like Jamdani, Dhakai Muslin, Nakshi kantha, etc. Moreover vintage and second hand clothes are also a part of slow fashion.
Slow fashion history:
The term ‘slow fashion’ is not so old. In fact, this term emerged in the year 2007 when journalist Kate Fletcher, a fashion and sustainability pioneer, coined the word “slow fashion” in an article published in the British publication-The Ecologist.
`
The photo of Kate Fletcher who coined the term ‘slow fashion’. Her name is now attached with the history of slow fashion.
Actually, the concept of slow fashion is inspired from the Slow Food Movement founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986 which links pleasure and food with awareness and responsibility.
After her coining out this term, it became a world trend and talk of the fashion world.
Is slow fashion more sustainable than fast fashion?
Slow fashion promotes a slower, steady and more sustainable approach as it is hand-made with sustainable raw materials like lotus, banana, orange fiber and promotes the use of vintage or second hand clothes, upcycling old clothing materials. It decreases carbon footprint and takes care of the 3Ps of sustainability- People, planet and profit.
Comparing the benefits of slow fashion and fast fashion
- Slow fashion reduces the consumption of resources and the amount of wasteland people can wear for a long time because they are made up of durable materials but is not cost efficient.
- Fast fashion quickly responds to rapidly-changing fashion trends and consumer tastes.It carries high-end designs to the masses at affordable price ranges.
Fast fashion vs slow fashion Google Trends. The interest and talk of fast fashion was always more than slow fashion from the beginning. Source: Google Trends.
Let’s compare the problems faced
- In Slow fashion small quantities are produced at low speed and hence are not able to compete with the economy of scale strategy. And generally, the products are more expensive than the commodities.
- Due to the greater manufacturing speed, the factories are likely to neglect the working conditions. The low quality and low pricing of the products results in the increase of fashion waste
Comparing the production schedules
Slow fashion has 2-3 cycles per annum whereas fast fashion has approx. 50+ cycles per annum. We can clearly see the production scale of fast fashion is near 25 times of the slow fashion !!!
Comparing the fashion sales
We can see the graph of slow fashion is very low at the beginning, but gradually the graph of slow fashion can be seen increasing, which means slowly people are understanding the importance of slow fashion. Though the graph of fast fashion is increasing rapidly because people always prefer cheaper prices over quality clothing.
Fast fashion vs slow fashion in India (USD Million).
|
Fast Fashion |
Slow Fashion |
| Production |
Rapid and mass production |
Slow and deliberate production |
| Design Approach |
Trend-driven and short-lived designs |
Timeless and enduring designs |
| Manufacturing |
Outsourcing to low-cost labor countries |
Emphasis on local, ethical manufacturing |
| Material Selection |
Synthetic materials and low-cost fabrics |
Natural, organic, and sustainable materials |
| Environmental Impact |
High pollution and waste generation |
Focus on sustainability and eco-friendliness |
| Consumer Behavior |
Impulse buying and frequent purchases |
Conscious consumption and fewer purchases |
| Supply Chain |
Lack of transparency and unethical practices |
Ethical sourcing and transparent supply chain |
| Social Responsibility |
Exploitation of low-wage workers |
Fair wages and labor rights |
| Longevity |
Disposable fashion with short lifespan |
Durable garments designed for longevity |
A table showing the differences between fast fashion and slow fashion.
Conclusion
After looking at the facts & surveys we can say that:
- Fast fashion creates a lot of wastage and hence is quite harmful to the environment hence slow fashion should be promoted more in order to maintain sustainability
- But when looking at the prices fast fashion is more preferable due to it’s cheaper prices.
But in the end, it depends on what the customer wants and what he prefers. It has to be either quality products/cheaper prices.
Nandini Kapu
Student at NIFT- National Institute of Fashion Technology
(NB. This article was written by Nandini Kapu. It has been updated and will be updated by Fashionnovation whenever we find new relevant information to make it rich so that the information best serves you. So, stay with Fashionnovation!)
You can also read another of our premium article on Fashion in the 21st century here!
Fashion in the 21st Century
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![Textile in Space: Flying Up to Reach the Stars (Chapter 2)]()
by Purba | May 18, 2021 | Academic |
Say, you are asking someone- why textiles are important? The most typical answer would be- textiles are important to decorate our homes, prettify our bodies and also for modesty. But the notion of textile in space has not yet surpassed the notion of clothing allowing us to make our own recognition and playing a principal role in cultural rituals and celebrations. The truth is, textiles are now far beyond these primary necessities and are now reigning in space, which gives rise to the concept of Textile in space!
You can also read:
Textile in Space: Flying Up to Reach the Stars (Chapter 2)
Over the past few decades, technical textile fibers have achieved an undeniable and unavoidable position for textile in space and as a fundamental segment of end product structure. The development in the field of material science has placed an increased emphasis in finding innovative swaps to excel in performance of the existing composites. Lighter weight, comparable in strength with metals, higher strength to weight ratio, modifiable in size, flexible in handling and many more unique characteristics come up with interesting novel applications to textile materials. Therefore, it is not strange to realize the application of a stream of innovative fibrous composition in the space above and beneath the land.
And to talk about human beings reaching the stars, technical textile fibers are one of the core reasons that made this dream possible. In this regard, textile in aerospace is a significant incident now.
Do You Know the Reality Above the Land?
Before knowing the technical textiles associated with aerospace, it is important to know the definition of space and aerospace. As these terms have a strong kinship with textile engineers!
A limitless surrounding that, according to modern science, a vacuum extent that is not exactly empty. It contains planets, stars, galaxies and many more particles and plasma matters. Normally, known as outer space, it starts above the earth’s atmosphere. There is no gravity in space, no air, no atmosphere. So, there is no way to resist a very high level of radioactive rays – which are blocked by the earth’s magnetic field- hence, all living things survive. Temperatures there are either hot (such as in case of an explosion of a star) or very cold (nearly -455o F, it’s that cold!). Nonetheless, the human body does not yet have the ability to cope with such extreme environments.
There are so many radioactive rays in space that it is still mysterious exactly what harm they can do to the human body. For this reason, people in space have to wear special clothes which are called space suits. Manufacturing of such garment requires special methods and processes, particular environment is created by controlling the temperature and air pressure – so that people can live in it. And in this regard technical textiles have mind blowing contribution.
The Milky Way Galaxy- shining bright- bearing thousands of wonders! Courtesy: Pexels
Aerospace is the branch of technology affiliated with both aviation and space flight. In this era of modern technology, this term is now a common expression. Although, as previously mentioned, the outer space relates to the vacuum environment that goes beyond the earth’s atmospheric levels, aerospace does not only belong to outer space. It also coincides with earth’s atmosphere. The section of technical textiles is rendering great service in this field. By fulfilling all the requirements to ensure the safety of the aerospace connected issues, they become an inseparable part of aerospace. And this amalgamation of textile technology and aeronautical technology has created a new field known as Aerospace Textile!
What Textiles Are Used in Space?
Getting to Know the Features of Textile in Space: Aerospace Textile
Aerospace textiles are obviously something that requires technical or high-performance fibers; these fibers posses certain characteristics that differ from the commodity fibers. These characteristics help enormously for the functions of astronauts, pilots and other professionals. Based on 3D reinforcement, a narrow range of aerospace composites are used for this field. Spontaneously, the curious mind would want to know about the exceptional features to develop aerospace textiles! Here are some key features-
- Good fatigue and stress resistant
- Abrasion and tear resistant
- High specific modulus and strength
- Heat insulation and heat resistant
- Fire retardant
- Good dimensional stability and comfortability
- Resistant to harmful radiation
- Lightweight and flexibility
- Resistant to chemical and organic solvents
- Moisture resistant
- Good electrical insulation
- Adequate washability and durability
The inside of a spacecraft- application of textile materials all around. Courtesy: Unsplash
Materials used to produce the aero-products!
High performance fibers & nano technical fibers with a combination of smart technology are widely used in the production of technical textiles such as: Polyester, Nylon, Dacron, Kevlar, Carbon, Glass, Aramid, Nomex, Spandex, Spectra, Silk etc. There are obviously much more than these. Let’s get to know some of these amazing hairlike materials, shall we?
-
Carbon Fiber:
It is the material consisting of very thin fibers. The diameter ranges from about 0.0002” to 0.0004” and contains mostly carbon atoms as it is produced from the pitch, which is produced as the by-product during the cracking procedure of crude oil. It is similar to graphite in construction as it contains hexagonal graphene layers. The carbon percentage in the composition is almost equal to 100%. Carbon fiber is familiar for its high specific strength in the aerospace industry. Some basic properties are-high tensile strength, lightweight, heat resistant and not attacked by chemicals.
-
Aramid/Kevlar:
Originally introduced by Du Pont in 1973, the Aramid fibers are well known for their good resistance to abrasion, organic solvents and good fabric integrity even at raised temperatures. These fibers are popular under the trade names such as Kevlar. Some of the special features of this fiber are-heat resistant, high modulus, flexibility, non-flammable and low brittleness. All of these features are important for aerospace and aeronautical products.
-
Alumina-Boria-Silica Fiber:
These fibers are ceaseless and are specially designed to pass the FAA’s (Federal Aviation Administration) 2000°F (1093°C) 15-minute flame penetration test. Nextel is a woven ceramic fabric which is one of the most greatly used shielding materials. It is a trade name for Alumina-Boria-Silica fibers, which shock the incoming projectiles and turn them into small, less threatening fragments.
-
Silicon Carbide Fiber:
These fibers are similar to carbon fibers. The tensile strength of the fiber is about 400 kg/mm². It is known for its excellent heat resistance, as it withstands even at temperature as high as 1500°C. Some other useful properties are resistance against corrosive chemicals and elasticity.
-
Nylon Fiber: Nylon 6:6
fiber is made from hexamethylene di-amine and adipic acid. Some basic features of nylon are- high mechanical strength, high toughness, good fatigue resistance, good electrical insulating properties, no resistance to UV rays, lightweight and much more. Interesting fact, nylon is also used for the manufacturing of gear and machine parts!
-
E-Glass: E-Glass or electrical grade glass
was initially evolved for stand-off insulators for electrical wiring. It was later discovered to have excellent fiber forming capabilities and is now used almost exclusively as the reinforcing phase in the material usually known as fiber glass.
-
Graphene: Graphene
is another form of the carbon’s element. Its structure resembles a single layer of graphite. It is an important material for aerospace technology. Some current applications include graphene coating as multi-disciplinary material for spacecraft and aircraft structures, electrically conductive epoxy resins, and aviation electronics.
As we can see, there are several organic and non-organic fibers that are working their magic to ensure the production of aerospace crafts. The covalent bonds among the molecules arranged in an orderly way is one of the greatest compositions these fibers could have. These highly technical fibers are, nonetheless, important for humankind to fulfill their dreams to reach the sky and stars indeed!
You can also read the second chapter of this article here:
Textile in Space: Flying Up to Reach the Stars (Chapter 2)
By Team Bespoke:
Mentor: Tasphia Zaman (TFD 44, ID: 2018-1-6-009)
Leader: Khadiza Sharmin (TFD 45, ID: 2019-1-6-015)
Executive: Nahema Haque Khushe (TFD 46, ID: 2020-1-6-002)
References:
Image 1: https://unsplash.com/photos/tKs_2sBoqAg?fbclid=IwAR0pikGCo7keup5h8GMyloZ6nytnRzA5yptQH-h6oMKwAPoBKcsnpLiE_10
Image 2: https://www.pexels.com/photo/gray-and-black-galaxy-wallpaper-2150/
Image 3: https://unsplash.com/photos/m9nlI6r1hC8
As you seem to be both tech savvy and fashionista, you will enjoy our premium article on Textile in space: Flying up to reach the stars! This is the second chapter of the article!
To know the biggest fashion trends of 21st century, you can visit here! Moreover, if you want to know the future of fashion industry after Covid-19, you can click here!
And if you want to read one of our premium case studies on Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion, you can go here!
Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion: A Case Study
You can also read our interesting and well researched article on: Architecture Fabric: The New Use of Textiles as A Building Material
