Heather Zager discusses the second topic in her four-part series called Concept to Customer in this episode. In the first episode she introduced us to design concepting and today she talks about material sourcing. She explains the foundation of fabrics and how they are made, differentiating between natural and man-made fibers as well as how fibers are turned into yarn. Everything from roll size to fabric weight is addressed in this episode to aid in swatch searching.Natural fibers are either cellulose-based, which comes from a plant, or protein-based, which comes from an animal. Man-made fibers are constructed by humans and they are comprised of two types: manufactured and synthetic. Heather breaks these categories down with examples of which fibers comprise the fabrics we’re used to. She details how they are turned from fibers into yarn, either non-woven, woven, or knit. Each type creates different attributes in the resulting fabric that work best for different types of apparel. Understanding fabric packaging is the next important piece of material sourcing, so Heather explores rolls, fabric width, fabric length, and weight. Understanding how fabric is measured, what the grain line is, and how it’s weighted will allow for easier swatch selection according to what type of garment will ultimately be made. Heather’s four-part series on the basics of design imparts a foundational understanding of exactly what is required for product development in manufacturing. About Heather Zager | MADE Apparel Services Founder and OwnerHeather Zager found her calling when she signed up for a beginning pattern making course and realized she had a passion for technical design. She subsequently enrolled in the Apparel Design and Development program at Seattle Central College and graduated two years later with her Associate of Applied Science Degree.After graduation, she began working with Meta assisting in developing and designing augmented and virtual reality wearable tech gear. In 2020, MADE Apparel Services was born with the idea of helping makers, inventors and designers bring their own sewn product ideas to manufacture. Since then, she has worked with various businesses such as Santa’s Tailor, Feathered Friends, Wolfpack Gear and Classic Accessories, helping them achieve their goals in design, development, pattern making, sewn construction and manufacture.Today, Heather continues to grow her knowledge and share her experiences with others to bring their visions to reality.__Resources discussed in this episode:Spinning wheelThread Science article Types of Weave and Types of Knit Textile & Fabric Weight and Conversions—Contact Heather Zager | MADE Apparel Services: Website: MADEApparelServices.comFacebook: MADEApparelServicesInstagram: MADEApparelServicesLinkedin: MADEApparelServices

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