03 CONSTRUCTION TYPES · ISO 3801 (GSM) · AATCC CARE SYMBOLS
How a fabric is built — and why it shrinks, pills, or drapes the way it does.
Weaving, knitting, nonwovens, and the chemistry behind every wash label. Engineer-reviewed explanations of the structures you wear.
What’s in this section
Weaving
Plain, twill, satin — interlacement patterns, thread density, and how cover factor predicts hand and opacity.
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Knitting
Weft-knit (jersey, rib, interlock) vs warp-knit (tricot, raschel) — stretch, recovery, and why knit fabrics behave so differently from wovens.
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Nonwovens
Spunbond, meltblown, needle-punched — how fibers are bonded without weaving or knitting, and where you meet them in daily life.
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Fabric care
Why fleece pills, why cotton shrinks, how to read every wash symbol — fiber chemistry translated into the laundry room.
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Featured reading
Does fleece shrink? How to wash fleece without damaging it
Polyester fiber relaxation explained — and the cool-water, low-heat protocol that preserves loft and pill-resistance.
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02
How to store silk clothes long-term
Silk’s protein structure, why it yellows under UV, and the breathable-cotton + dark-storage protocol that keeps it museum-grade.
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03
Does corduroy shrink? Protecting your corduroy clothes
Cotton pile construction, why the wales flatten, and how to wash and dry corduroy without crushing its signature ridges.
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Why engineers trust these guides
Every fabric guide is rooted in fiber chemistry and structure — the explanation doesn’t stop at “wash in cold water,” it tells you which molecular interaction breaks down and why.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between woven and knit fabric?
Wovens are made by interlacing two perpendicular yarn sets (warp and weft); they have minimal stretch. Knits are made by interlooping a single yarn set, which gives them built-in elasticity. That’s why a cotton t-shirt stretches and a cotton button-down doesn’t.
Why does cotton shrink?
Cotton fibers relax when wet and agitated — the hydrogen bonds that hold the spun yarn’s twist temporarily release, and the yarn contracts. Pre-shrunk (sanforized) cotton has already been through this process so further shrinkage is minimal.
Why does fleece pill?
Pilling is loose surface fibers tangling into balls under abrasion. Fleece’s brushed surface deliberately raises fibers for loft, which gives it more loose ends to pill. Anti-pilling finishes reduce this by binding the surface fibers down.
How do I read care symbols?
Care symbols are an international pictographic system standardized under ISO 3758. A bucket = washing, a triangle = bleaching, a square = drying, an iron = ironing, a circle = dry-cleaning. Dots inside indicate temperature, lines underneath indicate gentleness.
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