February 2020 Issue Apparel February 2020 issue | Page 74

FEATURE
Let’s talk about cellulosic fibres. Scientifically
deemed regenerated, these fibres are generally
derived from wood pulp, and include modal
fibres and those that are created by Liva and
Tencel. However, the fact that they are derived
from a renewable resource such as wood makes
them semi-synthetic and eco-friendly (they are
not petroleum-based like polyester.) As the rule
of thumb goes, if the fibre is derived through
pulping, it is considered cellulosic. Thus, this also
includes bamboo and pineapple if they are pulped
to extract fibre. Liva from Birla Cellulose is a new-
age fibre, which is extracted from wood pulp; it is
fluid, has a great fall, and is considered natural as
wood is a renewable resource. More importantly,
Liva fibres can also be blended with other man-
made fibres such as viscose, modal, and cotton
to make fashionable, experimental fabrics. It thus
offers to designers a host of combinations to
experiment with. The success of modal—derived
from beech trees—in India is well-known. It is
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February 2020
worth mentioning that modal is now being used
by kalamkari artists and ajrakh workers (both use
vegetable or natural colours for dyeing). Recycled
polyester yarns or recycled cotton fibres are all
examples of what good blending can achieve.
Additionally, lotus, nettle, and banana (among
many others) are also used to make natural
yarns. This has been practised traditionally
over centuries.
BLENDING TECHNIQUES
Another type of blending that is being looked at is
the one that happens at the fabric-weaving stage,
when a pure yarn (of cotton or silk) is used in
the warp and a yarn of a different composition is
used in the weft—the resultant fabric possesses
characteristics of both the yarns. This is more
evident in the handloom sector, where weavers
who work with designers experiment with a host
of yarns in the warp and weft, border, and so on.
Examples include jute with cotton, jute with silk, a
cotton sari with a jute border, or blends of ghicha,
eri, tussar, and matka silks.
One of the many yarns that are increasingly
gaining popularity is linen. In India, most linen
is imported and one of the biggest players in
the field is the Aditya Birla Group. The biggest
advantage with linen is that it can be blended
easily with cotton, viscose, silk, and a range of
other yarns. The linen-cotton saris of Nalli stand
out for their soft finish and the sheer diversity in
colours. Linen handloom saris have proved to
be a winner and weavers from states like West
Bengal are experimenting with various versions of
the same.
What really stands out with respect to fabric-
blending is that the end product has properties
that are very different from the source fibres. For
instance, cotton, which does not crush, and silk,
which does not crease, a spectrum of sweat-
absorbing fabrics, fabrics with elasticity, and
those that have great drapeability offer immense
possibilities and opportunities to textile designers
to reinvent and innovate.
THE SUCCESS OF MODAL—
DERIVED FROM BEECH TREES—
IN INDIA IS WELL-KNOWN.