Fabric Dictionary: What Is Twill Fabric?

Introduction

Twill fabric is a durable, thick, and textured fabric that can be used for a variety of apparel or décor applications. Woven in a twill style weave, twill is made to be thick and features a diagonal ribbed texture woven into the fabric itself. Additionally, these fabrics can be made or blended with any fiber, some of the most popular ones being cotton, polyester, and spandex. Some twill fabrics can even be woven with different colored threads for a heathered appearance. A versatile fabric with many applications, twill can be used anywhere, at any time. Read along as we discuss everything about Twill fabric, from how it’s made to how to use it.

What Kind Of Fabric Is Twill?

Twill weaves can vary by the amount of vertical warp threads they are woven with. This is often labelled with a number designation such as 3/1, 1/2, or 4/2. In this number sequence, the first number is the number of warp threads the weft is taken over, and the second number is the number of threads the weft is taken under. For example, denim is a type of twill fabric that is woven in a 3/1 twill weave. Other types of twill fabric include chino, drill, and gabardine.

Twill fabrics are known for being thick and dense due to the yarns being packed tightly together during the weaving process. This results in the fabric being thick, durable, insulating, and opaque.

What Is Twill Fabric Made Of?

• What Is Cotton Twill Fabric? Cotton twill is a twill fabric, woven or blended with cotton fibers. As fiber cotton is soft, breathable, absorbent, and hypoallergenic. Cotton twill fabric is a great option for crafting apparel like pants and uniforms since they will be comfortable, easy to wash, and keep the wearer cool and dry. Some examples of cotton twill fabrics include denims, chino twills, and brushed twills.

• What Is Polyester Twill Fabric?: Polyester twill is a group of twill fabrics made or blended from polyester fibers. Unlike cotton, polyester is more affordable, insulating, and wrinkle resistant. A synthetic fiber, polyester is derived from petroleum and requires less resources to produce than other fibers, meaning that polyester costs less. Additionally, polyester fibers tend to not wrinkle, and are more insulating than other fibers. Use polyester twill fabrics to sew decors like curtains, table covers, and upholstery for furniture.

• What Is Stretch Twill Fabric?: Stretch twill fabric is any twill fabric that contains a blend of spandex fibers. Spandex fibers, also known as lycra or elastane, are stretchy fibers that are derived in a lab from prepolymers. Adding a blend of spandex to twill increases its elasticity, making the fabric shape conforming. Spandex is so stretchy that only a small amount is needed to make the fabric stretch. It is common to find stretch twill fabrics containing a blend of 1-10% spandex.

What Does Twill Fabric Look Like?

Some twill fabrics can appear different since their surfaces are altered. Brushed twills and microsuedes are two examples of twill fabrics that are abraded to achieve a soft, raised, napped texture. Furthermore, twill fabrics are often dyed vibrant and bold colors. Sometimes, the vertical weft and horizontal warp threads are woven with multiple-colored yarns to achieve a heathered look, or even multi-colored patterns like houndstooth, or stripes. Other times, twill fabrics can be printed on, after they are woven, with detailed patterns like camouflage or animal prints.

What Is Twill Fabric Good For?

Which Season Is Twill Fabric For?

Conclusion