From mohair plush to woolens, to patterns and now synthetics - that's the growth of automotive fabrics. The 1956 models have gig-finished woolen system broadcloths, tweeds made with spun yarns, Jacquards with spun and filaments, dobby patterns on both woolen and worsted systems and a wide use of boucle or novelty yarns. Fabric designing has become a highly specialized art, attuned always to the stylists' demands. Abrasion, dye stability and light fastness, durability, shrinkage and stretch, cost, spotting and water repellency are all important factors. Where physical requirements are about the same from all automobile manufacturers, they greatly vary in interpretations of results. Where do we go from here? There are synthetics yet untried; some may be blended with natural fibers. By taking the textile supplier more into their confidence, automobile builders would help chart the course ahead.
