Flock

Flock is often used for upholstery of upholstered furniture, such as armchairs and sofas. It is wear-resistant, pleasant to the touch, does not require complex maintenance and is inexpensive. Aren't these the main indicators when choosing upholstery material?

Flock is a synthetic fabric. The entire front surface is covered with small dense fibers, so in appearance it looks like soft velvet. At the same time, flock is a dense and strong material that is difficult to tear or spoil with puffs.

@irktkani

Story

A material vaguely reminiscent of modern flock was invented by the ancient Chinese. They treated the fabric with resin and applied small scraps of various textile fibers to it. Of course, then only natural materials were used, and all work was exclusively manual.

Flock close to modern flock was first produced in the USA in the mid-twentieth century. A large amount of textile waste accumulated in factories, which they decided one day to “put into production.” People quickly appreciated the resulting material, which is why they use it very actively to this day.

Peculiarities

Flock translated from English means “fluff”.Indeed, it seems that the front side of the flock is made up of small fluffs gathered together. To create this effect, the material is produced using a special technology:

1. An adhesive designed specifically for this purpose is applied in an even layer to the fabric base.
2. Above the machine, along which the base with glue moves, particles of fluff spill out of the hopper (this is the flock we already know). The particles are distributed evenly throughout the entire canvas, as they fall strictly vertically.

At the same time, the hardness/softness of the finished material is different. The denser the fibers are laid, the softer and stronger the fabric will be, and vice versa.

@divanchikov

The quality of a particular fabric can be determined by its fibers. If the material is really good, then the fibers on it are even and neat. The quality of attachment of the fluffy part to the base is also important. If you take the flock with your fingertips, the fibers should remain in place and not come off.

Flock is an excellent material that has a number of obvious advantages that make it stand out among its analogues:

• wear resistance (the fabric will “survive” temperature changes, holds its shape well, does not shrink after washing and does not fade in the sun);
• strength (the material cannot be torn apart by hand, even if significant effort is applied);
• moisture resistance (if water gets on the fabric, it will roll over the surface, gathering into characteristic balls, for quite a long time).

However, it does have disadvantages. Thus, flock attracts dust and small debris and becomes highly electrified. It cannot be cleaned using aggressive chemicals, but it is better to wash it with regular soap on a delicate wash cycle. In addition, it cannot be treated with alcohol or acetone to remove stains. The glue may dissolve due to the action of these substances.

@i_tkani_

Kinds

Various raw materials are used to make flock. What the finished canvas will be like depends on this. Today the following types of flock are produced:

• polyamide;
• polyester;
• viscose;
• polypropylene;
• cotton;
• acetate.

The pile can also be different:

1. Ground - the fibers are heterogeneous, but soft. This material is used in the manufacture of velvet paper and decorative packaging material.
2. Cut - the fibers are folded into identical bundles and cut. Thanks to this, the pile becomes smooth.

So, flock is a universal fabric that can be used in the manufacture of various textile products.