Nap
Treatment — one of 37 in the glossary
A layer of fibre ends raised from the surface of a fabric so they stand up rather than lying flat, giving a soft, slightly furry face. Because those fibres lie in one direction, a napped fabric looks and feels different up and down its length — which is why garment panels must all be cut the same way round or the colour will visibly mismatch between them.
Raised, and lying one way
A nap is produced mechanically, by brushing or sueding, which lifts fibre ends out of the fabric structure. Fleece, flannel, moleskin, velvet and corduroy all carry one.
The raised fibres lie in a direction. Run a hand along a napped fabric one way and it is smooth; the other way it resists.
That direction also changes how light reflects, so the same cloth reads as two slightly different shades depending which way up it is.
Why cutting has to respect it
If one panel of a garment is cut with the nap running up and its neighbour with the nap running down, the two will look like different colours once sewn together.
So napped fabrics are cut "with nap", all pieces facing the same way, which uses more cloth than a layout that alternates. That is part of why napped garments cost more.
It is also why a replacement panel or a repair on a napped garment rarely matches.
Printing on it
The nap sits between the ink and the fabric, so print edges soften and fine detail is lost. The deeper the nap the worse it gets.
Most sweatshirt fleece is napped only on the inside for exactly this reason, leaving a smooth printable face.
Where the outer face is napped, expect a heavier deposit, simpler artwork, or a move to embroidery.
Common questions
- What is nap on fabric?
- A layer of fibre ends raised from the surface so they stand up rather than lying flat, giving a soft furry face. Fleece, flannel, velvet and corduroy all have one.
- Why does napped fabric have to be cut one way?
- Because the raised fibres lie in a direction and reflect light differently up and down. Panels cut opposite ways look like different colours once sewn together.
- Can you print on napped fabric?
- It softens edges and loses fine detail, because the nap sits between ink and fabric. Most sweatshirt fleece is napped inside only, leaving a smooth printable outer face.
See also
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