New
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Lesson 5 of 8
  • Year 9

Sustainable fabrics for wearable technology

I can select and justify material choices and fabrication techniques for a wearable technology product.

Lesson 5 of 8
New
New
  • Year 9

Sustainable fabrics for wearable technology

I can select and justify material choices and fabrication techniques for a wearable technology product.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Fabrics can be catergosied as natural or synthetic. They can be new or recycled.
  2. Fabrics can be categorised by the process by which they are created: woven, non-woven and knitted.
  3. Fabrics can be fabricated by stitching, adhesives or mechanical fixings.
  4. Fabrics different materials and fabrication techniques can help to make informed and justified design decisions.

Keywords

  • Fabricate - to join materials together

  • Bonding - joining things securely by means of adhesive, heat, or pressure

  • Synthetic - manufactured, not naturally occuring

  • Natural - everything in the world not made by humans

Common misconception

Fabrics are always joined by stitching.

Fabrics can be joined using stitching, adhesives and mechanical fixings.


To help you plan your year 9 design and technology lesson on: Sustainable fabrics for wearable technology, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Exploring the different materials and fabrication methods is a great opportunity for pupils to test joining fabric offcuts and then analyse the process and materials.
Teacher tip

Equipment

A range of sample fabrics, adhesives and fastening examples to include velcro, press studs and buttons. Sewing equipment both by hand and with machine.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What are some physical properties of materials?

Correct answer: density
compressive strength
Correct answer: electrical conductivity
elasticity

Q2.
Strength is a mechanical property, strength is resisting pulling forces.

Correct Answer: tensile, tension

Q3.
What is fabrication?

removing materials
Correct answer: joining materials
changing the shape but not the state of the materials
changing the shape and the state of a materials

Q4.
Materials can be from natural or sources.

Correct Answer: synthetic, manufactured

Q5.
Match the keyword to the definition:

Correct Answer:design brief,a statement about what you are going to design and manufacture

a statement about what you are going to design and manufacture

Correct Answer:justify,the explanation for why something is done, or believed to be right

the explanation for why something is done, or believed to be right

Correct Answer:iterate,process of refining and improving a design

process of refining and improving a design

Correct Answer:manufcature,the process of making products from raw materials

the process of making products from raw materials

Q6.
What does sustainable mean?

using a variety of resources
Correct answer: using resources wisely so that they do not run out
only using recycled materials
only using natural materials

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

5 Questions

Q1.
Identify the natural textiles.

Correct answer: cotton
polyester
Correct answer: wool
elastane

Q2.
Identify the examples of textiles manufactured methods.

Correct answer: woven
stitched
Correct answer: non-woven
knotted
Correct answer: knitted

Q3.
What is this stitch called?

An image in a quiz
jogging stitch
walking stitch
swimming stitch
Correct answer: running stitch

Q4.
Which are examples of mechanical fixings used in textile products?

screw
Correct answer: press stud
Correct answer: button
rivet
Correct answer: zip

Q5.
Why would you test different textile materials and fabricating methods?

Correct answer: to gather primary information
to read information
Correct answer: to justify design decisions
to measure the size