Canvas

Discover The Different Properties Of Canvas Fabric

Canvas is one of the many fabrics that is available to crafters these days. It is a heavy-duty fabric that has been around for a very long time. During the course of history, canvas fabric has been used to make camping tents, handbags, and even sails for boats.

There are various types of canvas fabrics crafters should be familiar with. As they can be made with different materials, they can have various properties too. If you wish to get more familiar with canvas fabric, be sure to read on.

What Are The Properties Of Cotton Canvas Fabric?

Cotton canvas fabric is one of the most common types you will encounter. Most cotton canvas fabrics have medium strength, which means it provides good durability for most projects. It is also a canvas type that reacts rather well to moisture, as it becomes stronger when it is wet.

You can find cotton canvas fabrics in treated and untreated versions. The untreated cotton canvas is quite absorbent, this means that the size of the fabric fibres increases when they encounter water. On the flipside, cotton canvas does have a reputation to dry slowly. Because of this, the material is also more susceptible to problems such as mould and mildew.

Some manufacturers can give cotton fabric a special treatment containing various chemicals. While this is not the most environmentally friendly approach, it does make the canvas waterproof. The chemicals can also make canvas less susceptible to catching fire.

What Are The Properties Of Linen Canvas Fabric?

Cotton is not the only natural fabric fibre that is used for canvas fabrics. Linen is another fibre that can be turned into canvas. There are benefits to choosing linen over cotton where durability is concerned, as most linen canvas fabrics are twice as strong as cotton canvas.

Despite its durability, linen does have disadvantages too. When the material is being stretched, it will not go back to its original size. Linen also has a tendency for wrinkling but has the same absorbent qualities as cotton.

What Are The Properties Of Hemp Canvas Fabric?

Hemp used to be popular for canvas fabrics, but this material is used less frequently compared to cotton and linen. Despite its lack of popularity, hemp does have a lot of benefits for canvas, this includes a natural resistance to mould and mildew. It also has a natural resistance against insects, which made the material quite attractive for the construction of tents and rope in the past.

What Are The Properties Of Synthetic Canvas Fabric?

In addition to cotton, linen and hemp, synthetic fibres can be used to make canvas too. Canvas may consist solely out of synthetic fibres, but it can also be blended with natural fibres such as cotton and linen.

A combination of natural and synthetic fibres is often used to eliminate some of the negative properties of other materials. For example, cotton is prone to mould and mildew. By mixing cotton with a synthetic fibre, it can provide more resistance against mildew and mould.

There are a bunch of synthetic fibres that can be blended with natural fibres in the creation of fabrics, this includes polyester and nylon. So, if you are looking for particular properties, be sure to check which of these synthetic fibres is included in your canvas fabric.

Is Canvas Made With Different Weaves?

You can find various canvas variants on the market today and this has to do with the type of weave that is used for the fabric. The plain weave is the most common and is characterised by a single yarn that runs in a vertical direction on the warp. Then, another horizontal yarn is inserted to finish the weave. Plain weaves creates fabrics such as muslin, which can be used in tailoring and dressmaking.

Canvas can also be found in a so-called basket weave. The basket weave is done with multiple yarns in the same direction, creating a stronger material, but also a material with a unique texture. A common canvas that uses the so-called basket weave is the ballistic nylon fabric. Because of its strength and durability, this fabric finds many applications in upholstery projects.