COTTON CLOTH, CLOTH-LOOKING, VARIETIES, DIMENSIONS, STANDARD MAKES.
It is for export that the bulk of cotton goods are manufactured, for
although the home trade is extensive when considered separately, yet
if compared with the foreign trade it becomes unimportant. Goods for
export may be classed into a few standard makes of cloth distinguished
by some special feature as to length, yarns, finish or other
characteristics such as are described later.
Before leaving the mill, the classification of the goods by name
receives no attention, the order to which they belong being the only
distinguishing description.
CLOTH-LOOKING.
The pieces are brought into the warehouse off the mill, by the weavers,
and are hooked in folds of 1 yard. This operation is performed on
the hooking or plaiting machine, a contrivance which requires little
or no special description, as a few minutes’ examination of it will
suffice to acquaint even a tyro with its construction and working.
In some concerns the looking is done on this machine. Probably the
cost is lessened and the cutlooker sees the whole of the piece (not
missing one side of the “flue,” as not infrequently happens in the
counter-looking), but the fact that the smaller faults are not all seen
renders the advantages questionable, unless the cloth is afterwards
counter-looked.
The cloth-looker’s duty is to examine each piece of cloth, reporting
any fault to the person responsible, and throwing out as seconds the
pieces which are not up to quality. The faults attributable to the
weaving are:--
FAULTS IN CLOTH.
Bare, badly-covered cloth, caused by the back rest of the loom being
too low, the shed too large, late treading and picking, too much
weight or uneven sheds. Cockly cloth looks raw and has raised lumps on
the face caused by too little weight. Cracks are sometimes weavers’
faults in not letting back after weft breaking, take-up motion working
unequally, or through some parts not being screwed up tightly. The
reed case also requires attention in case of this objectionable fault.
Uneven cloth is generally attributable to the unevenness of the weft,
although anything tending to unequal release of the warp from the beam,
such as weights touching the floor, damp ropes, or loose pivots, may
cause it.
Reedy cloth is caused when a few dents of the reed are bent out of
position.
Bad sides are either slattered, caused by unsatisfactory bottoming, or
are frayed and raw from lack of sufficient side ends. Occasionally a
bad picker catches the weft and causes a peculiar ridgy selvage.
Floats are the result of obstruction in the shed generally, broken
twist keeping down the warp threads and preventing their interweaving
with the weft; a raw place is caused which can generally be obliterated.
Mashes are on a larger scale. If the shuttle is entrapped without
the reed flying out, in loose reed looms, or the protector acting in
fast reeds, the twist is entirely broken out for several inches in
the width. To piece up all these ends leaves an ugly place, and it is
occasionally preferable to weave on and seam the piece, after cutting
out the obnoxious part. A shuttle spelling will cause the same effect
as trapping.
Broken picks are caused by several layers of weft coming off the
cop into one shed. These should be picked out by the weaver, as,
besides being unsightly, they are objectionable in certain after
processes--printing, raising for oilcloth purposes, etc.
In figured work faulty patterns, slattering borders, and missing picks
or ends require attention.
Black oil--that is, oil discoloured by being mixed with the particles
of iron ground off the shaft necks and bearings--must be washed out
with soap and water. Oxalic acid is often applied to the spots,
combining with the iron and forming oxalate of iron, which, being
soluble in water, can be rinsed out. This substance, unless thoroughly
cleansed out, acts somewhat corrosively on the fibre, and for this
reason is tabooed by some cloth buyers. In coloured work care must
be taken that the colour shows up well and bright. According to the
prevalence of any of these faults in a piece of cloth, the cloth-looker
has to select and classify his deliveries. Other important items
are included in the scrutiny--short lengths and widths, short or
uneven weights, too light reed and pick, wrong headings, are all very
important points, necessitating careful attention, and instant report
of same to the persons responsible.
HEADINGS.
Headings, or cross-borders, are bars of coloured wefts placed at the
end of each piece of cloth for distinction from other pieces. These
headings are also placed at other parts of the cloth, indicating where
the pieces are to be separated by the retail dealers. These headings
are very fanciful and intricate in some instances, ranging, as they do,
from the simple stripe heading of 2 or 4 picks, to the extensive Sarrie
or Madras heading 15 or 20 inches in length. The principal headings are
the Bombay, Ceylon, Sarrie, Calcutta, and Madras.
PACKING.
After having been passed the goods are made up into portable bundles
of about 10 pieces in each, and are ready for forwarding to the
warehouses in Manchester, or possibly to the bleachers or printers,
or to some Glasgow or London house. Some few manufacturers have also
a shipping connection, when the cloth is packed and forwarded direct
without passing through the hands of the Manchester agent. The bulk
of the cloth goes to Manchester, and here undergoes a second scrutiny
preparatory to packing if shipped “in the grey,” or previous to being
forwarded to the bleacher, dyer, finisher, or printer, if it has to
undergo these processes before export.
Bleaching is the removal of any colour from the cloth by the action of
chemicals.
Printing is the colouring of the surface of the cloth according to a
figure or design, and may be in several colours.
In finishing, the cloth is coated with filling substances and has a
gloss imparted to it, greatly improving the appearance of the fabric.
In such fabrics as cotton blankets, or for the thin oilcloths known
as American cloths, the fibres on the surface of the cloth have to be
raised; this operation is performed in a raising machine, where, by
means of pointed filleting, the face of the fabric is abraded until the
fibres form a nap.
In packing, the pieces are arranged in bales and compressed to about
half their bulk when loose. The layer of protective material round the
bales consists of white paper, brown paper, followed on the outside
by black oiled sheets and pack sheeting. Occasionally, linen sheets
are introduced between the inner and the outer layers as an additional
protection against stain or damage. The bales are hooped in the press.
VARIETIES OF COTTON CLOTH.
The principal makes of cotton cloth are given below, together with
remarks concerning export, sizing, etc., and at the end a list of the
standard sizes is attached. The first group of cloths includes the
shirtings, dhooties, and long-cloths:--
Shirtings are heavily-sized goods, 125 per cent. not being unusual. The
widths vary from 38 to 50 inches, length about 37-1/2 yards long-stick.
Reed and pick from 12 square to 19 × 18. These goods are made to
weight--thus, a 39-inch 16 × 15 weighs 8-1/4lb.; a 45-inch, 9lb.; a
50-inch 10lb. Various kinds are made, some medium-sized. What is known
as Indian shirting is the heavy-sized class.
Shirtings are exported to India, China, Japan, Turkey, Italy, Levant. A
good class is made, bleached, and exported to Egypt, Japan, India, and
China, as white shirtings.
Dhooties are shirtings ornamented by stripes of grey or coloured yarn,
and in suitable lengths for Hindoo loin cloths. The stripes are not
of very varied character in grey dhooties, being simply tape edges
formed by cramping grey or bleached yarn at the selvage. In coloured
dhooties, stripes of vari-coloured warps are introduced about an inch
from the edge of the cloth, and varying from half an inch in width to 4
inches, sometimes being introduced at intervals all across the piece.
In dobby-dhooties these stripes are woven in figures.
A range of dhooties includes all widths from 22 to 50 inches, and the
length of scarf varying from 2 yards in the smaller size to 5 yards
in the larger. A scarf is the distance between the headings, which in
these goods are very extensive, sometimes reaching to 20 inches in
length at the juncture of the two scarves.
A Range = 22 inches and 23 inches = 2-yard scarf.
24 " " 25 " = 2-1/2 " "
26 " " 28 " = 3 " "
29 " " 32 " = 3-1/2 " "
35 inches ... ... ... = 4 " "
The higher widths being variously 4-1/2 or 5 yards.
Dhooties are made up in about 40-yard lengths--thus, a piece 44 inches
wide would contain 4 double scarves. The yarns employed vary similarly
to shirtings, from 30/40’s warp, 36/60’s wefts.
The dress of a male Hindoo consists of a dhootie containing 4 square
yards, a doputta of 8 square yards, and a turban of 12 square yards;
whilst in addition the Hindoo woman wears sarrie, a similar cloth
to the dhootie. India is the recipient of the dhooties in greatest
quantity. Sarongs go to Java, patadiongs to the Phillipines.
The shirtings here mentioned must not be confused with the home trade
shirtings--goods in which only the finest yarns are used, free from
any of the objectionable filling referred to above. To this class
belong long-cloths, mediums, Wigans (plain and twill), double warps and
twills. Export long-cloths are plain goods, shirting style, 36 yards
long, generally 36 inches wide, 12 square, medium size.
Another group of sized cloths, next in importance to the shirtings,
consists of the T-cloths, Mexicans, domestics, and madapollams.
T-cloths are always 24 yards in length, of coarse yarns, heavily sized,
from 28 to 32 inches wide, 12 × 10 to 16 × 16,[4] 4lb. and 6lb. in
weight. The name is derived from the mark [T] of the first exporters.
Exported to India, China, Japan, South America, Roumania and Servia.
[4] In this Chapter, where reed and pick is given, it must be
understood as referring to a quarter of an inch, unless otherwise
specified. Thus--12 × 10 means 12 ends and 10 picks in a quarter of an
inch, or 48 ends and 40 picks per inch.
Domestics are from 28 to 39 inches, 60, 72, 80, or 96 yards. Warp,
18/24’s; weft, 16/40’s; and from 14 to 16 reed and pick; medium to
heavy size. Exported to South America, Italy, Levant, Turkey, Egypt. A
somewhat better class is made and used extensively by the home trade.
Mexicans are of better quality than the foregoing, and are always above
17 × 17 reed and pick, yarns, twist, coarse; weft, medium; medium size;
28 to 32 inches in width. Exported to South and Central America.
Madapollams are lighter in reed and pick than the foregoing, being
about 11 and 12 square; width, 28 to 32 inches, and similar in
length to the T-cloths and Mexicans; sized medium. Exported to India
principally, also to Mediterranean States and to South America.
Dyeing and printing cloths form an important department.
Under the first heading Turkey reds are prominent. These, like
printers, are cloths of good quality. Shirting counts and widths, but
about twice the length; pure size. Exported to Japan, China, India.
Printers, Burnley makes, sometimes dubbed Burnley lumps, are 32 inches,
116 yards, 16 × 16, 32’s/50’s yarn. Quality important, yarns good,
lightly sized, warps even and hard-twisted, weft free from unevenness,
snarls, etc.
Glossop printers, 36 inches, 19 × 22; 50 yards, 11-3/4lb.
These are not the only descriptions of printers, coarse cloth of
varied dimensions being required, which, when stamped with patterns of
every conceivable style, are exported to India, Persia, Italy, Brazil,
Levant, Java and Japan.
In light goods, tanjibs, jacconetts, mulls and cambrics may be classed
together.
Tanjibs are the coarsest; 30 to 50 inches wide, 38 yards long, 12
square, 32’s/40’s; lightly sized.
Jacconetts and nainsooks are finer; 39 to 44 inches, 14 × 14 to 16 ×
16, 32’s/50’s, about 20 yards long.
Mulls are somewhat similar in style; 39 to 50 inches wide, 20 yards, 16
× 16 to 20 × 20, from 60’s to 100’s yarn; pure size.
Cambrics are the finest of the group; generally wide from 24 square to
36 square, 80 to 160’s yarn; pure size.
Turkey, India, China, Japan, Roumania, the Levant, Egypt, are all
customers for these four cloths.
Book and tarletan muslins are very fine home trades.
A variety of cambric called embroidery cloth is largely made in some
districts. It is of first-class quality, usually about 50 inches wide,
and cut up into short lengths. It is chiefly exported to Germany and
Switzerland, there to be embroidered by the machines spread over the
country districts, and returned as Swiss work, etc.
Sheetings are very wide goods; 60 to 100 inches. The yarns are coarse,
generally 12’s to 20’s, although fine sheetings are frequently made.
Waste plains are coarse goods woven with yarn spun from waste.
Ginghams, checks, zephyrs, although coloured goods, are of plain weave,
and of unclassifiable dimensions.
Other plain cloths needing little remark in consequence of their
unimportance are:--
Tarletan Muslin 52 inches 40 yards, 13 square
Chambrey 28 " 30 " 27 × 22
Hair-cord Muslin ... 59 " 24 " 20 × 22
Warped 1 twofold, and 1 fine single.
Blue Mottle 27 inches 96 yards, 16 × 11
Blue warp, white weft.
Victoria lawns, fine goods, and Taffechelas, formerly important goods,
are now in little request.
Cotton cloths other than plain:--
_Drills._--Heavy 3-shaft twills, narrow, heavily sized. Exported
chiefly to China, few to Cyprus, Levant, Turkey, and Brazil.
_Cretonnes._--Printed twill, made from coarse waste wefts, finer warps,
various widths, generally narrow. Home trade; also exported to Turkey
and British Colonies.
_Jeans._--Finer 3-shaft twills, plain borders, narrow, for printing or
finishing.
_Sateens._--5-shaft broken twills, 30 to 36 inches, 75 to 90 yards, 70
to 96 reed, 40 to 80 picks, 36’s to 80’s weft.
_Velveteens._--Narrow, heavy-picked cloths, from 90 to 120 to the
quarter-inch, yarns fine and best quality, 80 to 100 yards. Home trade
and general export.
_Cords, Fustians, Corduroys._--Heavy, figured cloths, 20’s yarn, 90 to
140 picks to a quarter-inch, 70 to 90 yards.
_Brocades._--Fancy jacquard goods; 36 inches, 75 yards; 72 to 96 reed,
20 to 26 picks.
_Doriah Stripes._--Cloth carrying crammed stripes--not in colour--are
often narrow, 26 to 30 inches, 10 yards long, 12 to 30 reed by 13 to 14
picks; yarn, 40/50’s T; and finer wefts.
_Leno._--Narrow, generally 30 inches; 24 to 40 yards, very variable in
reed and pick; yarns.
In white check we find:--
_Figured Checks._--30 to 36 inches, 13 × 16 to 18 × 20; 12 yards single
cuts.
Satin Check 40 inches 32 yards, 16 × 20
Tape Check 36 " 24 " 22 × 20
37 " 48 " 20 × 24
STANDARD MAKES.
Width. Length. Reed and Pick. Yarn or Weight.
Shirtings 39 37-1/2 16 × 15 30/36’s 8-1/4lb.
T-Cloths 32 24 14 × 14 -- 6lb.
Mexicans 32 24 18 × 18 -- 7lb.
Jacconetts 44 20 14 × 14 40/50’s --
Mulls 50 20 20 × 20 80/100’s --
Domestics 29 80 14 × 14 18/18’s --
Dhooties 44 40 16 × 15 30/40’s --
Printers 32 116 16 × 16 32/50’s --
In this connection, as reliable and comprehensive a list as it is
convenient to gather is placed before the reader; although, from the
varied character of cotton cloth, many specialities are omitted, such,
maybe, as those cloths used in the hat trade for lining, the oilcloths,
umbrella cloths, and numerous milliners’ and drapery requirements for
the home trade.
[Illustration: Decoration]