Material question

[Kalyarin]

I have an approved ROTS Royal Guard, inner and outer robes are Velveteen. However, after 2 troops and 1 dry cleaning the velveteen is falling apart. I'm having new robes made, but I need to be 100% sure I get it right this time. I certainly can't remake these robes every month or two.

I know everywhere it says Velvet or Velveteen, but I've also seen Gabardine mentioned several times. Gabardine, I think, is easier to clean and more durable than Velvet? If Gabardine is no good, then any idea why my velveteen would be falling part? I know in my case the shoddy seamwork is part of the issue, but the velveteen is disintegrating around the edges of the belt. Don't understand what could have caused that expect for bad material. Would actual Velvet be that much better?

Any advise would be great. I'm stunned that my robes are coming apart and need my next ones to last for a long time as long as I take care of them.

[cooldevo]

My understanding of ROTJ is gabardine is not acceptable.

As per LuciousTalvloinne: http://forcepike.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=19011#p19011 ROTJ is velvet on velvet only.

[JosaN]

Velveteen and velvet are the same kind of fabric, just made from different fibers. Velveteen will be cotton, while velvet will be rayon in most cases. You do not want to wear synthetics for this- they won't breathe and you'll have even more trouble staying cool. How is your fabric falling apart? If it's halfway decent cotton velveteen, that shouldn't be happening. Is it just getting bare? That can happen if the nap gets worn off by friction.

[Kalyarin]

Sorry, mistyped in the original post and have edited it. It's an ROTS build, not ROTJ. I know that doesn't make much difference, but does some.

This is how it's just disintegrating along the edge of the belt.




Here's a couple places where the bad seamwork I'm sure is at least partly responsible, but it just seems like there must be something more to it than just that.

[JosaN]

Honestly it looks to me like you either have a serious problem with friction or you have bad fabric. That doesn't look like cotton to me, and it looks like a knit rather than a woven, so your nap (the fuzzy part) is separating entirely from the backing. I'm afraid this looks like a problem with the fabric to me.

[Kalyarin]

I agree that it looks like the material is the issue and that's what bothers me. The person who made it says it's Velveteen, though I'm too ignorant about materials to confirm that. The person I have that will remake my robes is far more trustworthy than the last person and is willing to use Velvet or Velveteen but I'm worried about this happening again.

These robes couldn't have been worn for more than 10-12 hours in total for 2 troops and one convention. I didn't notice an issue until after it was dry-cleaned, but I can't imagine dry-cleaning causing this kind of damage unless there was already something wrong.

Could it be that this isn't Velveteen, but is actually something that might pass as velvet to the ignorant but be something else? Or is it likely that this is Velveteen, but some cheap brand of it that shouldn't ever be used?

[LuciousTalvloinne]

Where did you get the fabric from. Im curious and would like to see this in person.

[JosaN]

With woven velvet/velveteen (the difference is the fiber), the little loops that form the pile are actually woven into the fabric, so while they might rub off enough to get to a smooth surface, you wouldn't get clumps separating like this. I've been sewing for 20 years and I've never seen anything quite like this before. I'm so sorry!

[Kalyarin]

I commissioned the work from someone, and I think he mail-ordered the fabric, but I don't know from where. I can PM you his info if you like, but not sure it's appropriate to post his info here semi-publicly.

On his receipt for the work, under materials, he lists 7 units (I assume he means yards) of Red Velvet and 14 units of Burgundy Velvet, both for $8.00 a unit. Though I almost failed approval because the burgundy isn't really all that burgundy. In a 2nd section of the receipt, under labor, he lists the material used to make the parts "Velvetine".

I'm in the Dayton, Ohio area, and will be at the Cinci Comic Expo this Sunday. So, Lucious, if you want to see what it looks like after it's been at least repaired well enough for the con, you're welcome to come see it. lol