Identifying Fabric at Wal-Mart

[Foyt20]

Can anyone tell me how to identify Nylon at Walmart? I was looking around the 1.00 bin, and came across some fabric that felt like nylon (i think) but couldnt tell what the weight was or anything like that. I looked on the tag attatched to the fabric, but couldnt find any info there either. THe only thing it said was that it was 100% Polyester, but i dont know if that applied to the fabric, or just the board that it was on.

Maybe i should go to a store that sells fabric to get a little better help. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks Everyone!!!!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I can give you a hint about telling uncoated, DWR and waterproof apart - try to blow through the fabric -
if you can't - it is waterproof
if you can, but it is really hard - it is DWR
if you can blow thru it easily - it is uncoated

[redredrose]

I've been making clothes and gear since I was a teen-ager and honey, that was a LONG time ago. If it says 100% polyester, it AIN"T nylon. Nylon is nylon, polyester is a whole 'nother horse.

Good luck with your gear making!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Sometimes the stuff in the dollar bin isn't on the original roll. It is often ends and pieces from manufacturers and is wrapped around whatever fabric board they have. What's written on the boards often isn't what fabric is on that board.

In general, polyester will stretch a bit while nylon won't, but they are really hard to tell apart unless you are very familiar with materials. A scouting trip to a fabric store to learn the look and feel of each would be helpful.

[Foyt20]

Thanks FD, that is what i was thinking. Fabric store, here i come.

[Dances with Mice]

If you hold a nylon material over (...not IN, OVER...) a flame it will melt. Polyester will shrink away from the heat. Cotton will char.

They would probably frown on you doing this test in Wal-Mart.

[Foyt20]

If you hold a nylon material over (...not IN, OVER...) a flame it will melt. Polyester will shrink away from the heat. Cotton will char.

They would probably frown on you doing this test in Wal-Mart.

Its too bad i stopped smoking, as i dont carry a lighter with me all the time anymore

[Pennsylvania Rose]

I got some 2x3 inch samples of various types and weights of outdoor fabrics (sil-nylon, various weights of ripstop, etc.), stapled them to an index card, and keep the card in my purse. When Wal-Mart gets in new fabric, I can compare it to my samples.

[sheepdog]

What is the best type of fabric to make a hammock out of?

[Foyt20]

1.7 Nylon from what i understand. They discuss it a lot at hammockforums.com that is one of the projects i am trying to make, along with a tarp, so i have all of the ideas, but no materials or skills

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

What is the best type of fabric to make a hammock out of?

1.7 or 1.9 uncoated nylon is what most use. A few use DWR, but I wouldn't recommend it.

[hammock engineer]

Be careful of most of the fabric you see at walmart. Most of what I see in the dollor bin that looks promising turns out to be taffeta or non-ripstop. Think jacket liner feel here.

Here is the easiest way I found to tell.
ripstop- has the square rip pattern
untreated- it frays, doesn't feel like it has a coating, if you look real close you can see a texture to the fabric (it may feel rough to you)
DWR treated- it frays, has a shinny coating, the coating usually appears different on one side versus the other.
sil- it does not fray. The waterproofing treatment completly soaks through the fabric holding it all together. It is also shinny and smooth.

If you find any sil, you should definitly buy it and ship 9 yards of it to me. I'm wanting another tarp at some point.

[hammock engineer]

1.7 Nylon from what i understand. They discuss it a lot at hammockforums.com that is one of the projects i am trying to make, along with a tarp, so i have all of the ideas, but no materials or skills

1.7 or 1.9 uncoated nylon is what most use. A few use DWR, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I really like the 1.9 untreated ripstop hammock. I bought the fabric from walmart and probibly put 80 or so nights in it. I like the untreated because I can swing in my hammock and feel the wind hit me when it is warm. In colder temps I think it helps to heat the underquilt up faster. No data to back that up yet.

[Bob S]

If you hold a nylon material over (...not IN, OVER...) a flame it will melt. Polyester will shrink away from the heat. Cotton will char.

They would probably frown on you doing this test in Wal-Mart.

A way to tell if a fabric is natural or synthetic is to burn a piece of it. All natural fabric will burn, all synthetic fabric will melt.

[Wise Old Owl]

I can give you a hint about telling uncoated, DWR and waterproof apart - try to blow through the fabric -
if you can't - it is waterproof
if you can, but it is really hard - it is DWR
if you can blow thru it easily - it is uncoated

Something about a grown person in Walmat blowin fabric paints a picture worse than ....

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Something about a grown person in Walmart blowin fabric paints a picture worse than ....

They love me at WalMart

[Dances with Mice]

A way to tell if a fabric is natural or synthetic is to burn a piece of it. All natural fabric will burn, all synthetic fabric will melt.

Not all synthetics melt. Some synthetics burn quite well. Rayon, for one example.

[HUNTHIKELIFT]

Got 9 yards of rip stop yesterday at Wally World and she took my number and is going to call me if they get any sil in. woo whoo go me!

[hammock engineer]

Got 9 yards of rip stop yesterday at Wally World and she took my number and is going to call me if they get any sil in. woo whoo go me!

So which one were you at? I'll share a couple in the area that work for me if you share?

[HUNTHIKELIFT]

So which one were you at? I'll share a couple in the area that work for me if you share?

Western Hills - On Ferguson Ave.
Now don't buy it all up..lol
I just want get some Sil and I'll be good to go for awhile.