Home Textile: Types, Classification and Uses - Textile Learner (2024)

What is home textile?
Home textile or household textile is a segment of technical textiles comprises of the textile components used in the domestic environment – upholstery, interior decoration and furniture, carpeting, protection against the sun, cushion materials, fireproofing, floor and wall coverings, textile reinforced structures / fittings, filter products for vacuum cleaners as shown in Figure 1.

They are made of both natural and synthetic fibers. The most modern and most refined development is the addition of temperature phase change materials into such insulation products to provide an additional degree of control and resistance to sudden extremes of temperature, hot or cold

Home textile can be defined as the textiles used for home furnishing. It consists of a various range of functional as well as decorative products mainly used in decorating our houses. The fabric used for home textile consists of both natural and man made fibers. Sometimes we also blend these fibers to make the fabrics stronger. Generally, home textiles are produced by weaving, knitting, crocheting, non-woven, knotting, or pressing fibers together. Home textile is a rather important part of technical textiles which includes but not limited to carpets, rugs, floor coverings, curtains, cushion covers, napkins, towels and toweling fabric, bedspreads, furnishing fabric and upholstery, table linen, bed linen, sheets and pillowcases, blankets, shower curtains, aprons as well as wallpapers.

Home textile includes the following finished articles:

• Bed linens such as sheets and pillowcases
• Other bedding products such as bedspreads, blankets, comforters and pillows
• Toilet and kitchen linens such as towels, wash cloths, aprons, etc.
• Table linens, including tablecloths, cloth napkins, and place mats
• Curtains and draperies
• Hand-woven and needle-worked tapestries and other wall hangings.

In furnishing exposed for sale, whether in piece goods or as window draping or other hangings, three factors attract the eye simultaneously.

• Color
• Design
• Texture

Types, Classification and Uses of Home Textiles:

Bed linens:
The textiles used for bedding are classified as bed linens. The following are included in bed linens.

1. Bed sheets: They are more than a utilitarian item for bring style and color to the bedroom, reflecting the personality and moods.

2. Bed skirts: It is also known as a dust ruffle, petticoats and dusters, is designed to hide the box spring. In addition to being functional, bed skirts also offer a way to introduce an additional color, pattern, and style to the bedroom.

3. Bed spreads: Bed spread is a decorative cover for a bed and is similar to a large blanket, which is placed over the bed. Colors, shapes, fabrics, and sizes play an important role while selecting the perfect bed spreads.

4. Pillow: It is a large cushion used as a support for head while sleeping.

5. Pillow cover: It is used to cover the pillow and avoids stains and dust accumulation. One of the quickest ways to change the feel of a room is to change the pillow cover to create a fresh new color scheme.

6. Throw: They are beautiful home furnishing accessory, are crafted out of exquisite fabrics and will be treasured for years to come. Utilized for both ornamental and functional purposes.

7. Duvet: It is a flat bag which was traditionally filled with down or feather and is used on the bed as blanket. It was originated in Europe.

8. Comforters: It is a type of blanket that is intended to keep the user warm, especially during sleep, although they can also be used as mattress pads. Comforters are generally large and rectangular in shape.

Kitchen linens:
1. Aprons: It is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. It may be worn for hygienic reasons as well as in order to protect clothes from wear and tear.

2. Pot holder: It is used to hold hot or cold kitchen vessels like pans, pots, etc. It is generally made up of polyester or P/C blend.

3. Mittens: They are gloves used in kitchen to handle the hot vessels. Gloves have separates heaths or openings for each finger and the thumb.

4. Dish clothes: Dish clothes are widely used to wipe, clean and dry dishes. They are made of wide variety of absorbent fabrics.

Table linens:
1. Runner: A plain table can be transformed into a striking focal point by covering it with fabulous table runners. These are laid across the table rather than lengthwise and their purpose becomes two-fold. They add detail to the table and also serve as place mats.

2. Table skirting: Table skirting refers to the cloth that forms the border or runs along the edge of the table. These make a great difference in the presentation for the banquet, buffet, brunch or business meeting.

3. Table mats: Table mat adds beauty, convenience and effectiveness, wherever they are placed and are definitely one of the most important pieces of table accessories in any home.

4. Tea cozy: A tea cozy is designed to snuggle around the teapot while the tea is steeping. This keeps the tea piping hot and allows the tea to attain its best flavor.

Bathroom linens:
1. Bath towels: Bath towels are used for bathing and the most required bathroom accessory. A bath towel is a piece of absorbent fabric whose chief use is for drying the body, by drawing moisture, usually water into the fabric, through direct contact, with either a blotting or rubbing motion.

2. Bath mats: A bath mat is a device used on the floor of a bathroom to provide a warm non-slip surface and to absorb small amounts of water, much like a towel. Bath mats are similar but smaller than bath rugs and are meant to be kept in front of a tub, shower or vanity to serve as an insulator or slip resistant surface.

3. Bath rugs: Bathroom rugs are an inexpensive and excellent way to give new life to any bathroom and allow creative freedom without going to the extent of putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls.

4. Face towels: Face towels are the smaller version of bath towel that are used to wipe the face after washing it and are also used as handkerchief. The type of face towels available in stores are terry and velour. Cotton terry face towels are woven on a loom and the loops are normally referred to as “pile” or “loop surfaces.”

Floors and floor coverings:
It binds all the elements of a room together. It holds furniture items, imparts insulation against the earth’s coolness and darkness. It gets the greatest wear and the most dust in a room.

A soft floor covering makes a room comfortable and gives it a finished appearance. In winter, it is usually good to have a carpet or a large nig in all the rooms in the house except the kitchen and the bathroom. However, in the summertime, or at any other time in tropics, bare floors appear clean rid cool but the soft floor covering gives an aesthetic appeal.

Conclusion:
Textiles have become an integral part of the home, both in daily use and in household installations. Household textiles include carpets, sheets, pillow cases, pillows, blankets and quilts, bedspreads, table linens, bathroom and kitchen towels, bathmats, shower curtains, readymade and custom made curtains, draperies, slipcovers, and other furniture protectors. They make life more comfortable and give home interiors a defined aesthetic characteristic.

Technological innovations have converted conventional household textiles into high performance textiles by improving their durability and by adding multiple functionalities, thus allowing them to follow trends in line with electronic textiles, combining sustainable materials for easier disposal and reuse, and incorporating nanotechnology into everyday personal items. Hollow fibers with good insulation properties are broadly employed in bedding and sleeping bags. Other categories of fiber are increasingly being utilized to substitute foams in furniture because of the fear of fire and of health hazards created by such materials.

References:

1. Home Furnishing by Dr. V. Ramesh Babu and S. Sundaresan
2. Performance of Home Textiles by Subrata Das

3. High Performance Technical Textiles Edited by Roshan Paul

4. Textile Engineering – An Introduction Edited by Yasir Nawab

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