Once you step into the clothing market, you know that there are plenty of different types of fabrics. You will undoubtedly have an idea about most fabrics there, but you may still miss out on some fabrics, especially if they are regarded with any other name. Polyamide fabric is one such fabric, as people usually have little to no knowledge about this type of fabric. When you hear the name of it, you may ask questions like:
What is polyamide fabric? Is polyamide a good fabric? Is polyamide better than other fabrics? All these are valid questions, and if you are here, you also want to know the answers.
Just continue reading this article because, by the time you reach the last line, you will learn is polyamide waterproof, does polyamide shrinks, what polyamide material is and how to iron polyamide. We have all the necessary minor to significant information regarding polyamide fabric/clothing and its behaviour in different terms.
What is polyamide?
Polyamide was patented about a century ago, in the 1930s, by the well-known American textile company Du Pont. It is a synthetic material having thin but large fibers. These fibers are quite stretchy and have elasticity in their characteristics.
This is why polyamide fabric was first used to manufacture women’s stockings. As soon as they hit the market, previous world-famous silk stockings became unknown as polyamide was too inexpensive and had better elasticity.
Is polyamide a good fabric?
Yes. Polyamide is a great fabric, and many factors support this claim. The first thing is its durability and ability to resist abrasion more than any other fabric on the market.
The thin fibers of polyamide are considered effective to be worn in wet areas because they are excellent in absorbing but not retaining the moisture in the fabrics.
This makes it a good choice for clothes or other accessories that need to transport moisture away from the body instead of bringing it in.
Is polyamide better than cotton?
As long as durability, warmth, maintenance, care, and water resistance is conferred, polyamide is always a better option than cotton. As it can trap heat inside the fibers, polyamide is a great fabric to wear in the winter.
However, cotton is far better in terms of breathability, which means that cotton is better at absorbing moisture and throwing out heat from the body. This makes it an excellent choice to wear in the summer season.
Is polyamide better than polyester?
Polyamide and polyester have almost the same characteristics and properties, but still, polyamide has an upper edge over polyester in terms of durability and abrasion resistance.
Polyamide is far better than polyester when living long, bloating, or repealing the oily substances that usually come along with human sweat.
Is polyamide an inexpensive fabric?
Petrochemicals are the primary source used to manufacture polyamide fibers and clothes, dresses, footwear, and accessories. Petrochemicals are great for forming synthetic fibers in a highly affordable way.
This makes polyamide an inexpensive fabric, especially with fabrics manufactured using natural fibers such as linen, cotton, hemp, ramie, jute, kapok, ramina, sheep wool, etc.
Is polyamide bad for your skin?
No, polyamide is not bad for the skin at all. This can easily be proven by the fact that the first thing made using polyamide fibers was women’s stockings, which must be worn with shoes or for a long time.
Thousands of women have been wearing those polyamide stockings while other products are also being sold. Still, not a single case resulted from any harm or skin issues people may have gotten because of polyamide.
However, it is a good practice to consult with your doctor if you have any skin allergies or are going through some medical condition.
Does polyamide shrink?
Not really, polyamide is considered a fabric that remains in exact shape for a very long time even after going through many wash cycles. People even put polyamide into the dryer and never faced any issues.
However, keeping it away from direct sunlight or extreme heat is recommended as it may lead to shrinkage to some extent. Some people also suggested not soaking polyamide in boiling water as it can cause shrinkage.
Does polyamide crease?
Yes, polyamide does cause creases to some extent, but it is far less prone to wrinkles than polyester or many other fabrics. Apart from this, place it flat while it is still damp, not wet.
Let the polyamide fabric dry completely while being flat, as it will remove most of the creases or wrinkles without causing any significant effort.
Also, take it out from the dryer a minute before so that it still has moisture, and you can use the same method to avoid creases.
Is Polyamide fabric water-resistant?
Yes, Polyamide is water-resistant. Polyamide is commonly referred to as a water-resistant material regardless of its composition. Polyamide is made majorly of hydrophobic plastic and used in making cooking utensils, waterproof outerwear, and surgical implants.
Is Polyamide fabric safe?
No, Polyamide fabric is not safe. One of the byproducts of Polyamide is nitrous oxide, a gaseous substance that is believed to be more harmful than carbon dioxide 300 times.
Is Polyamide fabric good for summer?
Yes, polyamide fabric is suitable for summer. Polyamide fabric is highly porous, which is why it is also very breathable and has a high moisture-wicking capacity. And because of this, they are very good at preventing sweat condensation. However, you may not have the same experience with all polyamide fabrics.
Does polyamide fabric keep you warm?
Yes, Polyamide can keep you warm. Although polyamide fabric is also breathable, it is not as breathable as other synthetic fabrics, which means it can trap heat and keep you warm during the cold season. Nonetheless, this fabric cannot keep you warm like polyester.
Are all polyamides waterproof?
Polyamides are not waterproof but have a great deal of water resistance. This is why polyamide is one of the favourites when manufacturing clothes or accessories that need to be protected from water.
Apart from this, polyamide fibers are also used to manufacture different kitchen utensils. Some medical equipment or implants also utilize polyamide fibers in one way or another.
Can you wash polyamide fabric?
Yes, you can wash polyamide fabric just like any other fabric, but the thing is that only cold water should be used for washing purposes.
Hot water is not much appreciated as it raises the risks of shrinkage, while cold water doesn’t cause any such effects on the fabric. Apart from this, it is better to dry it while putting it in the same place. Also, never expose polyamide fabric to direct sunlight when it has moisture.
How to wash polyamide fabric?
You can go with your regular washing procedure, as polyamide fabric doesn’t need special treatment. The simplest and most commonly used method to wash polyamide fabric is briefly described below:
- Pour enough water into your washing machine’s container.
- Add some heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent into the water. Ensure the detergent is 100% free of any bleach.
- Put the polyamide fabric into the solution.
- Give a single washing machine cycle.
- Please put it in the dryer and remove it while it still has moisture.
- Let it air dry while putting it flat on a surface.
You don’t need to worry if you don’t have a washing machine because you can also wash polyamide using the same procedure with your hands.
Just use a regular water tub or washing machine, soak the cloth in solution for about 15-30 minutes, gently scrub it, and then follow steps 5-6 or just the last one.
Can you iron polyamide fabric?
Yes, you can iron polyamide fabric, but it is not as simple as it seems. Firstly, it is always a good practice to dry polyamide fabric so that it does not require ironing in the first place.
Still, if you find yourself in a position where ironing polyamide fabric is the only option, you should do it by turning the fabric inside out. Also, use the minimum temperature on your iron while ironing polyamide fabric made up of pure polyamide fibers.
However, you can increase the iron heat to a medium level while ironing fabrics with polyamide blends. Taking care is essential because heat exposure can only affect the shape of polyamide fabric.
How to iron polyamide fabric?
Although you can iron the polyamide fabric by turning the cloth inside out and using the minimum heat setting, below is a brief procedure that can help you iron polyamide fabric in its original form.
- Start by setting the minimum heat setting on your iron.
- Lay the polyamide fabric flat on an even surface.
- Take another cloth which is suitable for withstanding the iron’s heat.
- Put that cloth right on top of the polyamide fabric.
- Start ironing the cloth as you usually do.
This is safe because the polyimide will not get direct heat; instead, the wrinkles will be removed by the heat from the middle cloth.
Winkles will be removed with this process, but if you still find some, you may use the turning inside-out method while being cautious.
How to dye polyamide fabric
- First thing to determine before dyeing a polyamide fabric is the type of dye or pigment to use.
- Heat water on the stove
- Pour an adequate amount of dye into the water.
- Submerge your polyamide fabric in the dye.
- Remove the fabric, rinse the work water gradually, and switch to cool water.
- Hang the fabric to air dry.
How to stretch Polyamide fabric
- Submerge the Polyamide fabric in hot (50 to 60°C) water for close to 30 minutes.
- Remove the fabric and put it on while still wet.
- Wear the fabric until it completely dries.
- After it dries, it should have stretched to fit you comfortably.
How to care for polyamide fabric
You can wash your polyamide fabric in a washing machine in a cold water cycle with any bleach-free detergent. You can also hand-wash your polyamide fabric in cold water. To dry your polyamide fabric, spread them on the hanger and air dry: do not tumble dry this fabric; it will shrink.
FAQs:
What is better, polyamide or nylon?
Polyamide is a synthetic fiber, and many kinds of fabrics or versions of fibers are produced from this thermoplastic.
Nylon is just one of the many commercial brands that are made using varying forms of polyamide fibers. However, experts claim that nylon is more durable and water-resistant than 100% pure polyamide fabric.
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyamide
- https://sewport.com/fabrics-directory/polyamide-fabric
- https://infinitylearn.com/surge/chemistry/polyamide/
- https://www.panaprium.com/blogs/i/polyamide-fabric
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/polyamide-fabric