Moleskin fabric: characteristics, properties and application

What kind of names does not have super-strong fabric, which has amazing protective properties: both fucking skin, and mole fur. But the professionals call it simply - moleskin. What is this amazing fabric and why is it irreplaceable for more than a hundred years?

What is moleskin

This is a cotton satin fabric (which uses 1 warp yarn overlapping 4 threads of a weft) or a twill weave (which is characterized by a small hem).

The word "moleskin" is translated from English as "mole skin" (mole - skin, and skin - skin ) and is often associated with a diary on a tight, tight elastic band. In fact, the diary, produced by the Italian brand Modo & Modo, which produces a high-class office, And got its name due to the cover of dense and durable oily fabric, namely from moleskin.

History of production and use

Cloth moleskin began to be produced in England, and in Russia it has been known since the 19th century, and especially dense versions of it have received an unusual name - fucking skin. Then the fabric was used not only for tailoring of overalls, but also for military uniforms. Well moleskin came up as the basis for artificial leather. For this purpose, it was used for the top of the shoes and book bindings (especially Italian notebooks).

In the 50s of the 20th century the moleskin fabric was painted in bright colors and made of ski clothing. The material was well suited for this, as it kept the heat perfectly and prevented moisture from seeping in. However, high hygroscopicity did not allow moleskin to compete with modern synthetic membrane tissues that can remove moisture from the body. So today he is no longer sewing sportswear. At present, moleskines are produced all over the world, including in Russia.

Fabric characteristics

The first thing that distinguishes moleskin fabric from other cotton materials is the increased density of fibers. This allows clothes made of moleskin to protect the body and a reliable space from the smallest dirt, up to dust particles. Also, the fabric has a so-called webbing of threads, which gives the finished product a very smooth surface. Due to this large particles, for example, scale, metal shavings and other industrial debris, simply roll down from the surface of the suit. In addition, moleskin fabric can be impregnated with various compounds that give clothes special properties - protection from specific impurities, from fire or high temperatures.

On the opposite side, the fabric is not smooth, but with a small fleece, which is formed by napping the finished fabric. In the course of this, individual fibers of the threads are pulled out onto the surface of the fabric. This allows increasing the wear resistance of the product and improving its heat-shielding properties. In addition, the pile bottom side makes the softer and dense moleskin softer.

Cotton fabric is usually smooth-colored and monophonic, it does not fade, does not lose shape and wears out with time. Also, her cotton base allows the body to breathe, which means that it will not be hot in such clothing even in a shop with a high air temperature. The density of the moleskin fabric is about 250-280 grams per meter, and the shrinkage percentage is not higher than 1.

What is sewed from moleskin fabric

In fact today, moleskin, like a hundred and more years ago, is 100% cotton, but modern fabrics can have a less dense thread and add synthetics, which makes it possible to sew jackets and raincoats out of them. Some European clothing brands in the style of kazhual create moleskin shirts and trousers. This, for example, Maison Margiela, Incotex, Balmain. Such things resemble products sewn from denim, but moleskin differs in that it is smoother and heavier, so clothes from it look more interesting.

However, most often moleskin is a thick cotton fabric, strong, heavy, impregnated with special compounds that impart additional protective properties to clothing sewn from it. Therefore, the most important purpose of this material is work clothing. From moleskina sew suits, dressing gowns, working jackets. Typically, for the manufacture of such clothes, moleskin is painted in non-dark dark colors, mostly black. However, special protective suits made of white moleskin are sewn for work in conditions of high radiation.