Posts Tagged "fibers"

By Leslie Willmott on Aug 18, 2015

  Do you want to travel comfortably and wrinkle-free? Then choose your fabrics wisely. With the right fabrics you can roll up a blouse, pant or dress, tuck it into the corner of a suitcase, and expect it to look presentable upon arrival! A little fiber and fabric savvy will help you select the best clothes for your travel destination to keep you warm or cool, plus wrinkle-free. For example, I own two pair of black summer pants. One is 100% cotton and looks lived in at the end of the day. The other is 94% cotton/6% spandex, which I prefer for travel – the spandex adds “comfort stretch” and wrinkle recovery so I can wear the pant several times during a trip without it looking worn out. CAREFREE TRAVEL FABRICS You can’t beat knits for comfort and packability – they can be rolled successfully and wrinkle less than most woven fabrics. Stretch wovens with spandex behave more like a knit than a woven. Soft fabrics usually wrinkle less than crisp ones. Washable, drip-dry synthetics are easy-care. Many of the new synthetic fibers “wick” moisture away from your body so they are cool and comfortable even for adventure travel. Fabrics with intentional wrinkles, such as crinkled rayon crepe or cotton gauze, ensure wrinkle-free packing. Will the Fabric Perform? Here are some easy tests from Smart Packing for Today’s Traveler by Susan Foster to help you decide if the fabric is travel worthy: Will it wrinkle? – Grab a corner of the fabric and crush it in your hand. Hold it for 30 seconds, letting your hand warmth and moisture penetrate the fabric…then let go. If the fabric doesn’t wrinkle, it’s a good choice. If it does wrinkle but the wrinkles shake out after a minute or two, it’s also a good choice. Will it retain its shape? – There’s nothing more annoying than baggy knees or a sagging back in a pant. Check for shape retention by stretching the fabric between your thumbs and forefingers, holding it for 10 seconds. If the yarns slip apart easily, normal wear could cause stress on the seams. If there’s no yarn shifting and the fabric springs back after stretching, it will hold its shape when worn. Generally, woven fabrics...