Atlas fabric: what is, types and composition

Atlas is one of the most popular silk fabrics today. However, as often happens in the textile industry, the same word can mean different types of matter, so you should carefully examine what kind of fabric it is and how to handle it correctly.

As befits silk fabric, the atlas was invented in China two thousand years ago. At the same time, he came to Europe through the Arabs, who gave him the name (“atlas” from Arabic - “smooth”). Satin material is characterized by high strength and durability, while to the touch it is amazingly delicate and looks noble, so do not be surprised that even at its enormous cost, it quickly became popular far beyond its homeland.

The high cost of the material was largely due to the small volumes of world production of natural silk, because for centuries this fabric has been used only for the needs of the richest segments of the population. The twentieth century was a turning point, because in all industries there was a synthetic revolution, and the atlas also became synthetic. Probably, this somewhat reduced the amazing properties of the original matter, but now it has become publicly available, and natural satin even today is very expensive.

The production of satin involves a special technology for weaving silk threads, it is also called - satin, or satin. As a result of using this production method, matter is usually only shiny and smooth on one side, while the inside has a matte finish.To mitigate this drawback, manufacturers have mastered the technique of producing a double-sided satin, which spends more threads, but shine is observed on both sides.

Initially, the concept of satin was quite accurate - a special weaving and the use of exclusively natural silk threads were supposed. Today, under the same term, only the original weave is assumed, because the composition may include various cheaper additives, but sometimes modern matter, called atlas, does not even contain a single silk thread.

Most often, synthetic fibers are introduced into the structure of the fabric - polyester and viscose, nylon and acetate. Among natural threads, cotton remains an almost non-alternative component. The exact composition affects the final properties of the material obtained, and such changes are not always uniquely positive, so when choosing, you should carefully read the written on the tag. The same fact allows us to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of satin material only with certain reservations, because the exact characteristics depend on the components and their proportions.

As mentioned above, each section of the atlas is a kind of surprise, whose properties are not so easy to guess in advance. Considering the advantages and disadvantages, we highlight those that are found in most manufacturers, but cheap products can unpleasantly surprise, and in the expensive, on the contrary, an antidote for some problems can be found.

Let's start with the good:

• the atlas is almost always hypoallergenic; it not only does not provoke attacks by itself, but does not even accumulate dust in itself;
• hygroscopic material easily passes through any volume of moisture and is characterized by an increased drying speed after washing;
• things from the atlas do not need additional use of an antistatic agent - matter does not accumulate electricity, which, in particular, does not attract dust;
• almost all types of satin material are quite durable, and brands such as turnip or draped satin stand out even among their counterparts;
• with proper and timely care, products from satin are able to serve their master for many years without losing their original appearance;
• the atlas is not transparent - its significant density allows you to effectively use it as curtains to protect against bright natural light;
• the material is well suited for drapery, which, combined with its attractive appearance, further contributes to the active use of satin in the design of decors and interiors.

For all its many advantages, the atlas is not an ideal fabric - it also has its drawbacks. In many respects, the desire to level them is due to the active use by manufacturers of various additives, however, in most cases, such experiments do not give the expected result. When purchasing an atlas or products from it, be prepared for the following "pitfalls":

• the material really does not like high temperature, when washing in hot water, products made of it tend to sit down and lose shape, which complicates the washing of complex contaminants somewhat and always leaves the risk of unintentional damage to things;
• the atlas is very durable, as long as it is intact, however, the torn edges have an unusual property called “friability”, therefore only an experienced craftsman can adequately darn a product;
• many types of fabric, especially with a high content of acetate in the composition, tend to stretch even under their own weight, because improper hanging can spoil the purchase at an accelerated pace;
• a dense satin is often used for sewing "aristocratic" curtains, but its curtain type is significant in weight, therefore this factor should be taken into account when installing curtain rods.

The variety of additives used in the manufacturing process of satin fabric has led to the fact that several of its varieties, having special specifics, began to be distinguished. Many of these names are well-known today, others are less known, but we will give a description only to those that are used most often these days.

• Satin - one of two completely natural varieties of satin (the second is an original, purely silk material). As the only additive, cotton is used here, significantly reducing the cost of matter.
• Crepe - a two-sided version of the atlas, combining softness and light roughness. The latter characteristic is achieved due to the peculiarities of production - the transverse threads are twisted here.
• Duchess - one of the most dense varieties of satin, the threads here are interwoven very densely, which makes the matter seem tougher than its counterparts.
• Atlas Dupont resembles the above variety, but differs from it by a much more pronounced brilliance. This option is usually considered the most brilliant of all varieties.
• Taffeta - A popular fabric whose high density does not greatly affect the weighting of things from it. Taffeta has a special overflow, by which a knowledgeable person can easily distinguish it from anything else.
• So-called Russian atlas It is made from raw silk, but has a somewhat unusual production technology. In this case, the weaving of the threads is finer, which increases the density of the fabric.
• For satin variety antique a distinctive texture is characteristic. This effect is achieved by alternately using threads of different thicknesses.
• Stretch Atlas involves the intensive use of well-stretched lycra, and therefore things from it are usually obtained tight. Another plus of matter is that it is not prone to wrinkling.
• Stuffed crash - fabric with a bright shine, which is produced by compressing and pressing threads.

The original satin was plain, one-colored. Combined with its aristocratic brilliance, vibrant tones such as red, blue, green or lilac looked truly irresistible. In the old days, the choice of clothing colors for the majority of the population was extremely small, therefore even a plain, but bright color was considered royal chic. Today there are much more dyes and they are available everywhere, because products from satin are made white, black and even matte, which is not typical for this material from the very beginning.

At the same time, modern technologies allow you to produce things with a pattern, more intensively emphasizing the individuality of the owner and contributing to aesthetics. Patterns applied to satin clothing and accessories are made in one of four main ways.

• Embroidery. One of the old classical methods, when a pattern is applied over a plain fabric using a needle with multi-colored threads and a needle. In ancient times, such processing was carried out exclusively by hand, today it is usually performed by machines.

• Jacquard weaving. Another relatively old method that remotely resembles embroidery. Here, additional threads are also used for drawing a picture, only the image is transmitted not only due to the different color, but also due to the three-dimensional volume.

• Print. This method is similar to the one that is still used in many printing houses - the drawing is drawn with paint, which fills the contours of the future image.

• Embossing. Another way that resembles printing, but differs in the way of applying paints. In this case, a special engraved shaft is used, which allows you to get a plausible print of the image on the weave.

At a time when the atlas was of great value and enormous rarity, it was used only by very rich people, or simply rich, but in exceptional cases.Today, due to the significant reduction in the cost of producing synthetic analogues of the atlas from matter with this name, almost anything can be sewn, although the question of expediency remains relevant. Deciding on what to make from the atlas, it is worth starting from its main positive aspects. Here are some good examples:

• taking into account the solemn appearance of the atlas, holiday costumes are sewn from its best designs - various expensive dresses, men's suits, and so on;
• the softness and softness of the material promotes active wear, therefore it is appropriate to sew lingerie and other nightwear from satin fabric;
• the above criteria are relevant for sewing home textiles like curtains and bedding, only for these needs should be used different types of fabric;
• the brightness and originality of the atlas is widely used to emphasize the image and stand out from the crowd, because of it many small accessories are made from it, such as umbrellas, hats, ties, gloves and bows;
• the low cost of some modern varieties of matter, as well as its resistance to wrinkling, are ideal for sewing everyday clothes, mainly for ladies (remember the brilliance);
• the high strength of the fabric and its ability to dry quickly has found application in the manufacture of linings for outerwear.

Some types of satin have such specific characteristics that such a fabric is even called in accordance with the main scope of its use.

Regrettably, the atlas is a rather whimsical fabric, and the recommendations on the label should be followed with all severity, since this is the only way to meet the needs of a thing from a particular type of matter. You cannot use hot water in the washing process - it is best to perform the procedure manually after brief soaking in cold water. It is allowed to wash the atlas in the typewriter, but only at the minimum temperature and without spinning, you can neither rub nor twist the material during the manual washing process. Oily stains or stains from water can be removed only with mild detergents, however, an atlas based on acetate fibers does not accept washing at all - it is cleaned only dry.

There is only one available method of drying matter - a thing is laid out horizontally on a dry towel, using any dryers or the corresponding functions of a washing machine is unacceptable.

This atlas is not prone to deformation, but synthetic analogues can stretch and lose shape. Puffs that have already appeared can usually not be removed. it is necessary to store things from this matter correctly - heavy products should not constantly hang. For the storage of satin matter, experts advise using special covers, for such things unacceptable high temperature or high humidity.

An overview of Atlas Stretch fabric can be found in the video below.