Fabric Napping

Napping of fabric is an old technique that creates a softer, fuzzier surface. This fuzzy surface can enhance warmth and weather (wind, rain) resistance. Napping also will reduce the amount of light reflected from a garment, and soften the edges of the silhouette.

Napping processes have been used for centuries.

Generally, our Fabric is napped by machines that use brushes or other implements to pluck at the surface of the Fabric, raising some of the fibers.

The face of our Fabrics is generally double-napped, meaning it goes through two separate napping processes.

After the napping, the Fabric is sheared to create a more uniform surface.

We create a "directional nap" on our Fabrics to enhance the flow of water off the surfaces of our garments. The directional nap makes tailoring a little more difficult and a little less efficient in the use of Fabric, because our Fabric has not only a face (front) and back, but also a top and a bottom.

Napping and shearing ultimately means some of the fiber is actually removed from the Fabric, and so nobody wants to nap/shear more than is necessary to achieve the desired hand, and in our case, performance in the weather.

Our Fabrics have generally been only slightly napped on the back, or sometimes not napped on the back at all -- we don't want to remove fiber if we don't have to. Our Fabric is comfortable on the skin without napping.

However, we very much want to offer Blankets, and Debby has decided that Blankets need to be napped and sheared on front and back. So ... we may make some Fabric specifically for Blankets.

12 April 2021 --- Ralph