thumb|A worker operates a calendering machine in a rubber factory in Manchester, September 1918
thumb|Calendering of fabric to be used for sandbags, August 1918
Calendering of textiles is a finishing process used to smooth, coat, or thin a material. With textiles, fabric is passed between calender rollers at high temperatures and pressures. Calendering is used on fabrics such as moire to produce its watered effect and also on cambric and some types of sateens.
In preparation for calendering, the fabric is folded lengthwise with the front side, or face, inside, and stitched together along the edges. that polish the surface and make the fabric smoother and more lustrous. Fabrics that go through the calendering process feel thin, glossy and papery.
Watered
The watered finish, also known as moire, is produced by using ribbed rollers. These rollers compress the cloth and the ribs produce the characteristic watermark effect by differentially moving and compressing threads. This works best with soft fabrics.
See also
- London shrunk
- Mercerize