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Textile Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Textile engineering applies mechanical, chemical and materials engineering to the manufacture of fiber, yarn and fabric, spanning the machinery of spinning and weaving, the chemistry of dyeing and finishing, and the nonwoven and technical-textile processes used well beyond clothing, in composites, medical materials and industrial filtration. Cotton remains the most widely used natural fiber, accounting for about ninety percent of all natural fiber used in the textile industry, and the field's shift from household craft to mechanized industry took place chiefly in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Origin Year
1884 1
Core Concern
Turning fiber into fabric at industrial scale, and the machinery, chemistry and process control that make weaving, knitting, dyeing and finishing repeatable and precise. 1
Core Principle
Turn fiber into yarn and fabric through spinning, weaving or knitting, then finish it through dyeing and chemical treatment, applying mechanical and chemical process control at every stage from raw fiber to finished cloth. 1
FAQs

Is textile engineering the same as fashion design?

No. Fashion design is concerned with the aesthetic design of garments and collections. Textile engineering is concerned with turning fiber into fabric at industrial scale, the machinery, chemistry and process control behind spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing and finishing. A textile engineer might never design a garment at all, working instead on the mills and chemical processes that produce the cloth a fashion designer later uses.
Connections

Associated With

Chemical Engineering, Fields
Cotton Gin, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Flying Shuttle, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Jacquard Machine, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Joseph Marie Jacquard, Engineers

Invented the Jacquard loom, a landmark of programmable textile machinery.

Knitting Machine, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Mechanical Engineering, Fields
Nylon, Materials

Nylon's introduction as a fiber for hosiery and apparel from 1940 reshaped the textile industry's materials base.

Source Nylon (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Power Loom, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Ring Spinning, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Sewing Machine, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Spinning Jenny, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Spinning Mule, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

The Jacquard Loom, Inventions
Water Frame, Inventions

Field end of a technology member entity grouped under this field

Includes

Air-Jet Spinning, Inventions
Source Air-jet spinning, Wikipedia
Beetling, Inventions
Source Beetling, Wikipedia
Bobbinet Machine, Inventions
Source John Heathcoat, Wikipedia
Calendering Machine, Inventions
Source Calender, Wikipedia
Calico, Inventions
Source Calico (Wikipedia)
Carding Machine, Inventions
Source Carding, Wikipedia
Cotton Gin, Inventions
Source Cotton Gin (Wikipedia)
Dobby Loom, Inventions
Source Dobby loom, Wikipedia
Drawloom, Inventions
Source Loom (Wikipedia)
Edmund Cartwright, Engineers
Source Edmund Cartwright (Wikipedia)
Eli Whitney, Engineers
Source Eli Whitney (Wikipedia)
Embroidery Machine, Inventions
Source Machine embroidery (Wikipedia)
Flying Shuttle, Inventions
Source Flying Shuttle (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Fulling Mill, Inventions
Source Fulling, Wikipedia
George de Mestral, Engineers
Source US Patent 3009235, Separable fastening device (George de Mestral)
Jacquard Machine, Inventions
Source Jacquard Machine (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
James Hargreaves, Engineers
Source Wikipedia: James Hargreaves
John Heathcoat, Engineers
Source John Heathcoat (Grace's Guide)
John Kay, Engineers
Source John Kay (Wikipedia)
John Mercer, Engineers
Source John Mercer (Grace's Guide)
Joseph Marie Jacquard, Engineers
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Knitting Machine, Inventions
Source William Lee (inventor), Wikipedia
Lewis Paul, Engineers
Source Lewis Paul (Grace's Guide)
Loom, Inventions
Source Loom (Wikipedia)
Mercerization, Inventions
Source Mercerisation (Wikipedia)
Open-End Spinning, Inventions
Source Open-end spinning, Wikipedia
Power Loom, Inventions
Source Power Loom (Wikipedia)
Rapier Loom, Inventions
Source Rapier loom - Wikipedia
Richard Arkwright, Engineers
Source Richard Arkwright (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Ring Spinning, Inventions
Source Ring spinning, Wikipedia
Roller Printing Machine, Inventions
Source Calico (Wikipedia)
Roller Spinning, Inventions
Source Lewis Paul (Wikipedia)
Roving Frame, Inventions
Source Yarn, Wikipedia
Samuel Crompton, Engineers
Source Wikipedia: Samuel Crompton
Samuel Slater, Engineers
Source Samuel Slater (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Screen Printing, Inventions
Source Screen printing, Wikipedia
Sewing Machine, Inventions
Source Sewing Machine (Wikipedia)
Spinning Jenny, Inventions
Source Spinning Jenny (Wikipedia)
Spinning Mule, Inventions
Source Spinning mule, Wikipedia
Spinning Wheel, Inventions
Source Spinning Wheel (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Stocking Frame, Inventions
Source Stocking frame, Wikipedia
Tenter Frame, Inventions
Source Tenterhook, Wikipedia
Textile Bleaching, Inventions
Source Textile bleaching (Wikipedia)
The Jacquard Loom, Inventions
Throstle Frame, Inventions
Source Throstle frame, Wikipedia
Warp Knitting Machine, Inventions
Source Warp knitting, Wikipedia
Water Frame, Inventions
Source Water frame, Wikipedia
William Lee, Engineers
Source William Lee (inventor), Wikipedia
Wool Combing Machine, Inventions
Source Wikipedia: Wool combing machine
Sources
1. Textile Engineering (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
  • History section
    The Philadelphia Textile School, one of the first dedicated US textile engineering programs, was founded in 1884.
  • Lead section
    Textile manufacturing or textile engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric.
  • Processing of cotton paragraph, cotton-share sentence
    Cotton remains the most widely used and common natural fiber making up 90% of all-natural fibers used in the textile industry.
View the Source
A History of Technology
Charles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors, Oxford University Press, 1954Includes: Joseph Marie JacquardView the Source
Nylon (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: NylonView the Source
Samuel Slater (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Samuel SlaterView the Source
Richard Arkwright (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Richard ArkwrightView the Source
Spinning Jenny (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Spinning Jenny, Categories
Quote, Includes: Spinning Jenny, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Power Loom (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Power Loom, Categories
Quote, Includes: Power Loom, Categories
Textile machinery
View the Source
Sewing Machine (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Sewing Machine, Categories
Quote, Includes: Sewing Machine, Categories
Textile machinery
View the Source
Cotton Gin (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Cotton Gin, Categories
Quote, Includes: Cotton Gin, Categories
Textile machinery
View the Source
Flying Shuttle (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Flying Shuttle, Categories
Quote, Includes: Flying Shuttle, Categories
Textile machinery
View the Source
Water frame, Wikipedia
Includes: Water Frame, Categories
Quote, Includes: Water Frame, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Spinning mule, Wikipedia
Includes: Spinning Mule, Categories
Quote, Includes: Spinning Mule, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Carding, Wikipedia
Includes: Carding Machine, Categories
Quote, Includes: Carding Machine, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Ring spinning, Wikipedia
Includes: Ring Spinning, Categories
Quote, Includes: Ring Spinning, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Rapier loom - Wikipedia
Includes: Rapier Loom, Categories
Quote, Includes: Rapier Loom, Categories
Textile machinery
View the Source
Stocking frame, Wikipedia
Includes: Stocking Frame, Categories
Quote, Includes: Stocking Frame, Categories
Textile machinery
View the Source
Loom (Wikipedia)
  • Includes: Drawloom, Categories
    Textile engineering
  • Includes: Loom, Categories
    Textile engineering
View the Source
Dobby loom, Wikipedia
Includes: Dobby Loom, Categories
Quote, Includes: Dobby Loom, Categories
Weaving equipment
View the Source
Wikipedia: Wool combing machine
Includes: Wool Combing Machine, Categories
Quote, Includes: Wool Combing Machine, Categories
Textile machinery
View the Source
Throstle frame, Wikipedia
Includes: Throstle Frame, Categories
Quote, Includes: Throstle Frame, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Lewis Paul (Wikipedia)
Includes: Roller Spinning, Categories
Quote, Includes: Roller Spinning, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Air-jet spinning, Wikipedia
Includes: Air-Jet Spinning, Categories
Quote, Includes: Air-Jet Spinning, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Open-end spinning, Wikipedia
Includes: Open-End Spinning, Categories
Quote, Includes: Open-End Spinning, Categories
Spinning
View the Source
Jacquard Machine (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Jacquard Machine, Categories
Quote, Includes: Jacquard Machine, Categories
Textile machinery
View the Source
Spinning Wheel (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Spinning Wheel, Categories
Quote, Includes: Spinning Wheel, Categories
Hand spinning tools
View the Source
William Lee (inventor), Wikipedia
  • Includes: Knitting Machine, Categories
    Textile workers
  • Includes: William Lee, Introduction
    Framework knitting, as the use of Lee's machine in stocking production was called, was the first major stage in the mechanisation of the textile industry, a process that 200 years later precipitated the Industrial Revolution.
View the Source
Mercerisation (Wikipedia)
Includes: Mercerization, Categories
Quote, Includes: Mercerization, Categories
Textile treatments
View the Source
Warp knitting, Wikipedia
Includes: Warp Knitting Machine, Categories
Quote, Includes: Warp Knitting Machine, Categories
Knitting
View the Source
Fulling, Wikipedia
Includes: Fulling Mill, Categories
Quote, Includes: Fulling Mill, Categories
Textile treatments
View the Source
Tenterhook, Wikipedia
Includes: Tenter Frame, Categories
Quote, Includes: Tenter Frame, Categories
Textile arts
View the Source
Yarn, Wikipedia
Includes: Roving Frame, Categories
Quote, Includes: Roving Frame, Categories
Knitting tools and materials
View the Source
Calico (Wikipedia)
  • Includes: Roller Printing Machine, Categories
    Woven fabrics
  • Includes: Calico, Categories
    Woven fabrics
View the Source
Beetling, Wikipedia
Includes: Beetling, Categories
Quote, Includes: Beetling, Categories
Textile arts of Ireland
View the Source
John Heathcoat, Wikipedia
Includes: Bobbinet Machine, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Bobbinet Machine, Lead section
During his apprenticeship he made an improvement to the warp-weighted loom, so as to produce mitts of a lace-like appearance.
View the Source
Calender, Wikipedia
Includes: Calendering Machine, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Calendering Machine, Lead section
A calender is a series of hard pressure rollers used to finish a sheet of material such as paper, textiles, rubber, or plastics.
View the Source
Machine embroidery (Wikipedia)
Includes: Embroidery Machine, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Embroidery Machine, Lead section
Machine embroidery is the process of using a sewing or embroidery machine to create decorative stitching on fabric.
View the Source
Textile bleaching (Wikipedia)
Includes: Textile Bleaching, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Textile Bleaching, Lead section
The textile bleaching (or bleaching of textiles) is one of the steps in the textile manufacturing process.
View the Source
Eli Whitney (Wikipedia)
Includes: Eli Whitney, Introduction
Quote, Includes: Eli Whitney, Introduction
Eli Whitney Jr. (December 8, 1765, January 8, 1825) was an American inventor, widely known for inventing the cotton gin in 1793, one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution that shaped the economy of the Antebellum South.
View the Source
Edmund Cartwright (Wikipedia)
Includes: Edmund Cartwright, Introduction
Quote, Includes: Edmund Cartwright, Introduction
He graduated from Oxford University and went on to invent the power loom.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Samuel Crompton
Includes: Samuel Crompton, Introduction
Quote, Includes: Samuel Crompton, Introduction
Samuel Crompton (3 December 1753-26 June 1827) was an English inventor and pioneer of the spinning industry.
View the Source
Wikipedia: James Hargreaves
Includes: James Hargreaves, Introduction
Quote, Includes: James Hargreaves, Introduction
Hargreaves is credited with inventing the spinning jenny in 1764.
View the Source
Lewis Paul (Grace's Guide)
Includes: Lewis Paul, Biography
Quote, Includes: Lewis Paul, Biography
was the original inventor of Roller Spinning, the basis of the Water Frame
View the Source
John Heathcoat (Grace's Guide)
Includes: John Heathcoat, Biography
Quote, Includes: John Heathcoat, Biography
This machine made lace which was also called English net or bobbinet.
View the Source
US Patent 3009235, Separable fastening device (George de Mestral)
Includes: George de Mestral, Specification
Quote, Includes: George de Mestral, Specification
a separable fastener consisting of two elements provided with cooperating hooking members
View the Source
John Kay (Wikipedia)
Includes: John Kay, Lead section
Quote, Includes: John Kay, Lead section
1779) was an English inventor whose most important creation was the flying shuttle, which was a key contribution to the Industrial Revolution.
View the Source
Screen printing, Wikipedia
Includes: Screen Printing, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Screen Printing, Lead section
Screen printing (also written as screenprinting and known as silkscreening or serigraphy) is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer paint ink (or dye) onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil.
View the Source
John Mercer (Grace's Guide)
Includes: John Mercer, Lead
Quote, Includes: John Mercer, Lead
He developed a process for treating cotton called Mercerization that improves many of its qualities for use in fabrics.
View the Source
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