Button
Buttons are small knob or disk like devices that perform as closures when paired with buttonholes. Together, buttons and buttonholes form fastening unit or closures. Buttons can be produced in nearly any shape, color, and size.
1. Button Material
Buttons have been in use for many centuries and, uses of different materials in buttons are developed over time. Button may consist of one-piece or a combination of pieces and materials that are clinched, clamped, glued, soldered, or molded together.
Buttons are available in a wide verity of finishes and textures such as polished, antiqued, glazed, printed, and dyed after formation of button blank. Dyeing finished button may not be as permanent as adding color to the liquid resin, it may weaken button.
Button material may be following types
1. Natural substance: Real shell or pearl, Wood, Bone, Horn, Nuts, Glass, Rubber, leather
2. Metal: Brass, Pewter, Nickel, Copper, silver.
3. Synthetic: Nylon, Polyester, Melamine
2. Types of button
There are two basic types of buttons holed and shank. The thread or other material is passing through the holes or shank to secure buttons to garments.
Holed button
Buttons are small knob or disk like devices that perform as closures when paired with buttonholes. Together, buttons and buttonholes form fastening unit or closures. Buttons can be produced in nearly any shape, color, and size.
1. Button Material
Buttons have been in use for many centuries and, uses of different materials in buttons are developed over time. Button may consist of one-piece or a combination of pieces and materials that are clinched, clamped, glued, soldered, or molded together.
Buttons are available in a wide verity of finishes and textures such as polished, antiqued, glazed, printed, and dyed after formation of button blank. Dyeing finished button may not be as permanent as adding color to the liquid resin, it may weaken button.
Button material may be following types
1. Natural substance: Real shell or pearl, Wood, Bone, Horn, Nuts, Glass, Rubber, leather
2. Metal: Brass, Pewter, Nickel, Copper, silver.
3. Synthetic: Nylon, Polyester, Melamine
2. Types of button
There are two basic types of buttons holed and shank. The thread or other material is passing through the holes or shank to secure buttons to garments.
Holed button
Holed buttons may have two to four holes extending through the center of the button. Holed buttons may be sewn flat or attached with thread shanks. The thread Shank allows the button to be elevated to provide more flexibility and easy of movement.
Shank button
Shank buttons have short, stem like device (the shank) on the backs of the buttons. Shank may be made fabric, molded of same material as the button face, or formed from a separate metal part and combined with the face or back of the button.
Shank buttons are permanently attached or removable if held in place by a toggle or ring on the inside of the garment.
Tuck button or jeans buttons are a type of shank button named for the method of attachment. Tuck buttons are multiple part buttons attached with tacks that pass through the back of the fabric into molded shank on the back of the button. Once inserted, tuck button cannot be removed without damaging the button and garment. It commonly found on jeans, jeans jacket, and overalls, are fast and easy to apply but applications must be accurate.
3. Button size
Button diameter is specified in lignes, a unit of measure equal to 1/40 of an inch or in millimeter (mm). Dimension specifications include diameter and thickness of the buttons, number of holes and the diameter and spacing of the holes, shank type, depth, hole size,
1inch = 40L = 25.40mm
1mm = 1.5748L
1L = 0.635 mm
Shank button
Shank buttons have short, stem like device (the shank) on the backs of the buttons. Shank may be made fabric, molded of same material as the button face, or formed from a separate metal part and combined with the face or back of the button.
Shank buttons are permanently attached or removable if held in place by a toggle or ring on the inside of the garment.
Tuck button or jeans buttons are a type of shank button named for the method of attachment. Tuck buttons are multiple part buttons attached with tacks that pass through the back of the fabric into molded shank on the back of the button. Once inserted, tuck button cannot be removed without damaging the button and garment. It commonly found on jeans, jeans jacket, and overalls, are fast and easy to apply but applications must be accurate.
3. Button size
Button diameter is specified in lignes, a unit of measure equal to 1/40 of an inch or in millimeter (mm). Dimension specifications include diameter and thickness of the buttons, number of holes and the diameter and spacing of the holes, shank type, depth, hole size,
1inch = 40L = 25.40mm
1mm = 1.5748L
1L = 0.635 mm
Buttonholes
Buttonholes
are slit or loop openings that retain buttons, it should be stable in size and
shape, and not become distorted during use. Buttonhole must be the correct size
and tight enough to prevent buttons from slipping otherwise the closure will
not hold.
1. Types of Buttonhole
There are
various types of buttonholes are used in apparel depending on style of garment,
types of fabric, and quality level of garment produced.
a.
Welt
buttonhole
Welt
buttonholes or bound buttonholes are rectangular in shape having side finished
with fabric, leather, or other material. They are produced in much the same way
as the welt in jacket or coat pocket. They are labor-intensive and
therefore have limited use in much
production.
b.
Loops
buttonhole
Loop
buttonholes may be made from piece goods, narrow fabrics, such as braid,
elastic, or thread. Loop buttonholes are attached in a seam with the loop
extending beyond the edge of the garment component. It is used in areas where
there is little or no overlap of garment pieces and little stress.
c.
Straight
buttonhole
Straight buttonholes
are a slit with cut edges encased in thread and ends with wide stitching or bar
tack. Straight button hole are used on most types of garments.
d.
Keyhole/eyelet
buttonhole
Keyhole
buttonholes have an enlarged, round shape with thread-finished edge at the end
closest to the garment opening. This provides space for shank buttons to fit
into buttonholes without causing the buttonholes to gap open.
2. Buttonhole Size
Buttonhole
size is determined in relation to the corresponding button. A minimum size for
a buttonhole is the diameter of the button to be used. Other factor that should
be considered are depth of the button. Buttonholes that are too small for the
button are difficult to use, and the buttonholes that are too loose do not
retain the button during wear and stress.
3. Buttonhole Placement
Buttonhole may
be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.
i. Vertical
buttonholes
Vertical
buttonholes are usually centered on front bands or narrow plackets as found
many shirts and blouses.
ii. Horizontal buttonholes
Horizontal
buttonholes are used on the front of the coats and jackets and on cuff and
collar bands of shirts. It has better holding power because the point of stress
is the end of the buttonhole rather than the centre, as is the case for vertical
buttonholes.
iii. Diagonal
buttonholes
Buttonholes
can be placed diagonally for the purpose of aesthetic or functional effects,
but they must be stabilized.