Dictionary: ribbon   (rĭb'ən)

1. A narrow strip or band of fine fabric, such as satin or velvet, finished at the edges and used for trimming, tying, or finishing.
2. 1. Something, such as a tape measure, that resembles a ribbon.
   2. A long thin strip: a ribbon of land along the shore.
3. ribbons Tattered or ragged strips: a dress torn to ribbons.
4. An inked strip of cloth used for making an impression, as in a typewriter.
5. 1. A band of colored cloth signifying membership in an order or the award of a prize.
   2. A strip of colored cloth worn on the left breast of a uniform to indicate the award of a medal or decoration.
6. ribbons Informal. Reins for driving horses.
7. See ledger board (sense 2).

1. To decorate or tie with ribbons.
2. To tear into ribbons or shreds.

[Middle English ribban, riban, from Old French ruban, probably of Germanic origin.]

Background

Ribbons are useful and decorative fabrics that are almost infinite in their variety, texture, and color. Modern ribbons are manufactured from every kind of fabric, from velvet and satin to synthetics like nylon and rayon. They are patterned, printed, woven, braided, adorned with embroidery, decorated with pearls or sequins, shaped like ric-rac, skillfully made like lace, edged with metal so they can be molded and shaped, and crafted like motif ribbons. Ribbon is classified by the textile industry as a narrow fabric, and it ranges from 1/8 in-I ft (0.32-30 cm) in width. Its uses may most often be thought of as decorative, but ribbons are also materials for making larger fabrics by weaving, crocheting, or knitting them together.

History

Ribbons appeared when civilizations began crafting fabrics. They are among the oldest decorative or adorning materials. People have always looked for ways to personalize their clothing and household goods. When all textiles were handmade, items with the finest threads were the most expensive. But the simplest, most coarse textiles in plain colors could be made more elegant and individual with a bit of ribbon as decoration. In the Middle Ages, peddlers traveled throughout Europe selling exotic ribbons; the tales of Geoffrey Chaucer mention "ribbands" used to adorn garments. Medieval and Renaissance patrons bought ribbons woven with gold and silver thread and made from silk and other rare fabrics from the Orient. The modern ribbon with selvedges (finished edges) came into being by 1500. Ribbons were so identified with luxury that, during the sixteenth century, the English Parliament tried to make the wearing of ribbons a right of only the nobility. They were also identified with certain orders of merit; the Knights of the Garter wear broad blue sashes to this day, and the Knights of Bath wear red.

By the seventeenth century, ribbons stormed the fashion world. Both men's and women's clothing of this period were extravagant, and every accessory from gloves to bonnets was festooned with ribbons in many forms. A length of ribbon could be given as a gift to decorate clothing, for use in braiding and curling hair, for ornamenting baskets and furniture, or for brightening linens. Ornately patterned household fabrics were further bedecked with ruchings (gathered ribbons), frills, and rosettes. The huge demand for more elaborate ribbons prompted a manufacturing revolution in which Coventry, England, and Lyons, France, became hubs of ribbon design and generation.

This ribbon industry sprang from the silk trade. Merchants who traveled the "Silk Road" to and from Asia sold raw silk to middlemen in Europe who boiled, cleaned, and dyed the ribbon yarn and sold it in "twists" to weavers. The weavers used specially scaled looms and scores of laborers to weave ribbons on hand-operated looms. The products were sold in the major cities and exported for trade. The enormous demand for ribbon was one of the sparks of the Industrial Revolution. In the 1770s, the Dutch engine loom was developed, and six types of ribbon could be produced simultaneously under the watchful eye of one operator. This development came just in time to decorate the towering wigs in fashion in the courts of Europe. Curiously, in the fledgling colonies in the Americas, ribbons were seldom worn at this time, perhaps due to religious convictions or in opposition to the extravagances of European rulers.

Peasant costumes of many lands are often distinguished by single or braided ribbons that are dyed bright colors, decorated with lace or beads, or patterned. Unique designs came to characterize cultures. During the Napoleonic Wars early in the nineteenth century, the ribbon industry suffered a major decline because skilled weavers from England and Western Europe were recruited for military service. With the supply restricted, the demand for ribbon was even greater, and ribbons were a popular cargo for smugglers. The next ribbon "boom" occurred in 1813, when picot-edged ribbon (with tiny scallops along the sides) became a fashion must. Ribbon-weavers reaped the benefits for the two years picot-edged ribbon topped the fashion charts. Ribbons often followed fashion trends. Deaths at the courts of Europe stimulated the demand for black ribbon; military tapes, jacquards, and medal ribbons became symbols of military regiments and the highest awards nations could bestow.

The Victorian Era was the last to see a ribbon boom when the dresses, underclothes, coats and cloaks, and hats of Victorian ladies used yards of ribbon. Trade agreements between European countries killed the English manufacture of ribbon because cheap labor and ever-larger looms could not produce competitively priced products. These manufacturers survived by diversifying and producing braids, cords, fringes, silk pictures, and bookmarks. The development of synthetics and paper fibers for use in making gift wrap quickly extended to the ribbon world in our times, and ribbon became as adaptable to modern living as other fabrics. Many types of ribbon today are colorfast, shrink resistant, and able to be washed or dry cleaned.

Raw Materials

Ribbon can be manufactured from a wide range of materials, and their manufacture is classified by type and texture. The three principle categories of manufacture are cut-edge, woven-edge, and wire-edge ribbons. Woven-edge ribbons are most common to the textile industry; they are narrow pieces of fabric with two "selvedges" or woven edges that can be straight or shaped. These ribbons are usually washable because the woven edges prevent them from fraying. Wire-edge ribbons can be cut from broader strips of cloth with their edges wrapped over thin wires, or the wire can be woven into the fabric along the edges or down the middle. Wire mesh can also be woven to make ribbon with or without the addition of yarns or silks for color. Wire-edge ribbon is versatile because the wire allows it to hold a definite shape, but the material can not be washed. Cut-edge or craft ribbon is the type most often used for gift wrap. The fabric is patterned, printed, or decorated with designs transferred by heat then cut to the needed width. The product is then treated with a stiffener that prevents the edges from unraveling. High quality cut-edge ribbon is made of acetate, a thermoplastic, which is cut by a hot knife that fuses the edge instantly.

Ribbon used for decorating fabrics is typically made of fabric. Rayon, velvet, silk, and satin ribbon may be the most common types of fabric ribbon; but cotton, wool, and other synthetics can be processed in ribbon form. Various surface treatments can also be used to change the appearance of cloth ribbon or modify its performance characteristics. The six broad categories of ribbon textures include organdies, satins, velvets, grosgrains, metallics, and natural fibers. Organdies are delicate products made of very fine woven yarns, and they often have metal edges to provide shape. Satins are popular because of their shiny finish (either single- or double-face), their bright and bold colors, and their variety of edges and surface patterns. Velvet ribbon has soft pile, usually on one face only, and can be printed, flocked, or backed with satin. Grosgrains are woven, and the weave usually shows clearly in ribs. Grosgrains are made of cotton, polyester, or fiber blends, and they are very durable. Traditionally, grosgrains were used to decorate ladies' bonnets, but modern techniques give them a range of finishes, including patterns and pleats. Metallics are woven from lurex or other metallic yarns and are favored for their sparkle. Natural fibers include the whole range of paper ribbons, cotton tapes, jute, and linen. Jacquards are a specialized type of ribbon developed in France and overlapping several textural types. Jacquards are prized for elaborate design woven into the ribbon, and they are very expensive to manufacture.

The desired behavior of the ribbon often dictates the material and any surface treatments used. Curling ribbon, for example, is bathed in glue that is pressed thin by rollers and dried. The glue gives the ribbon its curling properties. Other raw materials include ink for printing on finished ribbon, and paper and plastics if the ribbon manufacturers also make their own spools and packaging.

Design

Ribbons are designed in much the same way as fabrics. Colors are chosen depending on fashion trends, seasons, and intended uses. Materials are selected based on use, wearability, cleaning requirements, and fabric trends that the ribbons must match. Sales records are also considered because ribbons go in and out of fashion and are sometimes discontinued.

The width and pattern of the ribbon must also be designed. As narrow fabrics, ribbons are 1/8 in-1 ft (0.32-30 cm) wide, although the ribbon industry has adopted the French "ligne" as its unit of measure. The ligne is about 1/11 inch (0.67 mm) wide. Many patterns and designs can be woven into the ribbon, and ribbon can be printed or ornamented by virtually any type of printing method so the pattern or trim, such as sequins, appears on one side.

The Manufacturing
Process

1. The process of manufacturing a particular kind of thread can vary widely, from the spinning of silk to the carding and processing of wool. After the particular thread for ribbon has been spun, dyed, and treated, it is rolled on bobbins. The bobbins are placed on a ribbon loom that consists of a series of miniature looms, each with its own shuttle and warp (lengths of yarn) sized to produce the desired width of ribbon. The ribbon loom may weave as many as 144 pieces of fabric simultaneously. Today's ribbon looms can be very elaborate and computerized to produce detailed designs like jacquards less expensively than the looms or weavers of the past. The threads leading from the bobbins are guided by a series of eye hooks that hold the position of each thread and raise and lower it as the fabric is woven. The bobbins (also called cheeses) control the warp and are a major difference between ribbon loom and a fabric loom, which uses a warp beam to raise and lower the warp and cloth. The bobbins may also be curved to save space on the machine. The tension of the warp thread on a ribbon loom is maintained by a series of pulleys. A rack and pinion mechanism is used to adjust the lay (flatness or slope) of the loom.
2. To produce fancy effects, ingenious devices, selection of fabrics, and weaving techniques are used. Threads of different colors or multiple fibers can be woven together. Odd color effects can be achieved because the fibers may take dye differently. The woven product emerges on rollers that carry it forward for further processing such as adding glues, stiffeners, or fabric treatments. Machines equipped with pairs of rollers press and dry the treated ribbon, and large reels are used to collect the treated product.
3. As the ribbon is wound onto spools, the tension is maintained by a governor so the ribbon does not fall slack on the spools. If the ribbon is to be printed or embossed, it is then processed through a calendar that smoothes the surface to be printed and through a printing or stamping machine. A winder then places the ribbon on spools for packaging and sale.

Quality Control

The machines used to process one type of ribbon, but perhaps multiple varieties or colors of it, are arranged in a series and in a layout so that one operator can monitor one ribbon loom producing many ribbons in a series. Careful attention is paid to the detail in the ribbon, and the operators control the quality of the product as well as maintain the machines.

Byproducts/Waste

Ribbon mills produce some fabric waste at the start and end of each ribbon production, and this is disposed. Ribbon mills usually produce a range of other ornamental products as well, such as braid, cord, and ric-rac.

The Future

Ribbon manufacturers seem to have guaranteed the future of their product by the variety and ingenuity of their output. While fashion trends may cause particular types of ribbon to fade in and out of favor, the outcasts are quickly replaced by new products. Computer techniques have enhanced both design and manufacturing processes. They allow infinite combinations to be generated on screen, and intricate procedures that were previously cost-prohibitive may be possible with computer-controlled manufacturing.

Where to Learn More

Books

Collier, Ann M. A Handbook of Textiles. Pergamon Press, 1974.

Corbman, Bernard P. Textiles: Fiber to Fabric. Gregg Division, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1983.

Evans, Hilary. Ribbonwork. Bobbs-Merrill, 1976.

Hall, A. J. The Standard Handbook of Textiles. Heywood Books, 1969.

Kerridge, Eric. Textile Manufactures in Early Modern England. Manchester University Press, 1985.

Lewis, Annabel. The Ultimate Ribbon Book. Trafalgar Square Publishing, 1995.

Linton, George E. The Modern Textile Dictionary. Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1954.

Miller, Edward. Textiles: Properties and Behaviour. Theatre Arts Books, 1970.

Periodicals

Allen, Frederick. "The Ribbon Factory." Invention & Technology, Spring 1995.

"Make silk ribbon embroidery." Woman's Day, July 16, 1996, p. 23.

"Stylist secrets." Redbook, January 1995, p. 25.

[Article by: Gillian S. Holmes]

A cooking term describing the texture of an egg-and-sugar mixture that has been beaten until pale and extremely thick. When the beater or whisk is lifted, the batter falls slowly back onto the surface of the mixture, forming a ribbonlike pattern that, after a few seconds, sinks back into the batter.

In the 1990s, a fashion arose for wearing a small loop of coloured ribbon on one's lapel to declare support for some suffering or victimized group. The first and best known is the red Aids Awareness ribbon launched in New York in 1991, and almost immediately adopted in Britain. It was quickly followed by pink or blue ones for cancer victims, and then by others for various political causes: yellow ones to demand the release of hostages or those unjustly imprisoned, again on an American model; green in support of Irish political prisoners; purple for animal rights campaigners; ‘rainbow’ for racial tolerance, and also for homosexual equality; dark blue or black in mourning for public disasters. In 1995, Lewisham Town Council gave out free blue lapel ribbons to express awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving (FLS News 22 (1995), 8-9; 23 (1996), 10).

Although so new, the custom draws on an older ‘language’ of distinctively coloured markers worn on the lapel or stitched to the clothing—examples would include the rosettes of political parties, the Blue Ribbon badge of the Victorian temperance movement, black arm-bands or patches sown on to men's jackets in mourning, fabric poppies and Alexandra Day roses tucked in the lapel buttonhole. A more remote precursor would be the coloured ‘favours’ which Phillip Stubbes in his Anatomie of Abuses (1583) says were worn at Midsummer revels. After several decades in which metal badges and stick-on labels predominated, ribbon, the oldest medium for such displays, is enjoying a resurgence.

1. A ribbon strip.
2. A long thin strip of wood, or a series of such strips uniting several parts.
3. In stained glass work or the like, a strip or bar of lead to hold the edge of the glass. Also called a came.

In harness horse terminology, reins.

For a monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine, see Ribon. For the user interface concept, see Ribbon (computing). For cabling, see Ribbon cable.

The personal coat of arms of the Princess of Asturias surrounded by the ribbon of the Spanish Order of Charles III

A ribbon is a thin band of flexible material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily for binding and tying. Cloth ribbons, which most commonly includes silk, are often used in connection with dress, but also applied for innumerable useful, ornamental and symbolical purposes; cultures around the world use this device in their hair, around the body, or even as ornamentation on animals, buildings, and other areas. Ribbon is also sometimes used as a package sealer, on par with twine. A typewriter uses a cloth or plastic ribbon to hold the ink.

Silk ribbon

Along with that of tapes, fringes and other smallwares, the manufacture of cloth ribbons forms a special department of the textile industries. The essential feature of a ribbon loom is the simultaneous weaving in one loom frame of two or more webs, going up to as many as forty narrow fabrics in modern looms. To effect the conjoined throwing of all the shuttles and the various other movements of the loom, the automatic action of the power-loom is necessary; and it is a remarkable fact that the self-acting ribbon loom was known and extensively used more than a century before the famous invention of Cartwright. A loom in which several narrow webs could be woven at one time is mentioned as having been working in Dantzig towards the end of the 16th century. Similar looms were at work in Leiden in 1620, where their use gave rise to so much discontent and rioting on the part of the weavers that the states-general had to prohibit their use. The prohibition was renewed at various intervals throughout the century, and in the same interval the use of the ribbon loom was interdicted in most of the principal industrial centres of Europe. About 1676, under the name of the Dutch loom or engine loom, it was brought to London; and, although its introduction there caused some disturbance, it does not appear to have been prohibited. In 1745, John Kay, the inventor of the fly-shuttle, obtained, conjointly with Joseph Stell, a patent for improvements in the ribbon loom; and since that period it has benefited by the inventions applied to weaving machinery generally.

Ribbon-weaving is known to have been established near St. Etienne (dep. Loire) as early as the 11th century, and that town has remained the headquarters of the industry. During the Huguenot troubles, ribbon-weavers from St. Etienne settled at Basel and there established an industry which in modern times has rivalled that of the original seat of the trade. Crefeld is the centre of the German ribbon industry, the manufacture of black velvet ribbon being there a specialty. In England Coventry is the most important seat of ribbon-making, which is also prosecuted at Norwich and Leicester.

Ribbons are enjoyed by many people as a common decoration. In some cultures birthday gifts are adorned with these colorful strings.

While satin and other sorts of ribbon have always been used in lingerie, the usage of ribbon in the garment industry, while subject to fashion trends, saw an upsurge in the mid to late 90's. This upsurge led to increased ribbon manufacturing as well as new and improved manufacturing techniques. Due to more competitive production rates, as well as past experience in this field, companies in the Far East - especially those in China - gradually secured themselves to be the major ribbon suppliers in the world and improved both the quality and the variety of their merchandise to match those of their established European and North American competitors.

Presently, the North American continent remains the largest importer of ribbon and ribbon derivative products (such as bows, rosettes, and other garment accessories made from ribbon). However, due to outsourcing of production of garments by North American garment manufacturers, countries in Asia and South America have started to contribute to the change of the statistical figures of ribbon imports.

Ribbon symbolism

Pieces of ribbon are used as symbols of support or awareness for various social causes and are called "awareness ribbons".

Ribbons are used in some ceremonies, such as in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

See also

• Ribbon bar
• Award ribbon

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - bånd, strimmel, skråbjælke
v. tr. - forsyne ngt. med bånd

idioms:

• ribbon cable    båndkabel
• tear to ribbons    flå til laser

Nederlands (Dutch)
lint, strik, strook

Français (French)
n. - ruban, bande, (fig) bande
v. tr. - décorer avec des rubans

idioms:

• ribbon cable    câble de fibres
• tear to ribbons    mettre en lambeaux

Deutsch (German)
n. - Band, Fetzen, Streifen
v. - mit Bändern schmücken, in Fetzen reißen

idioms:

• ribbon cable    Farbbandkabel
• tear to ribbons    in Fetzen reißen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κορδέλα, ταινία, λουρίδα
v. - στολίζω με κορδέλα

idioms:

• ribbon cable    καλώδιο-κορδέλα, πεπλατυσμένο καλώδιο
• tear to ribbons    κουρελιάζω

Italiano (Italian)
nastro, fascia, nastrino

idioms:

• tear to ribbons    ridurre a brandelli

Português (Portuguese)
n. - fita (f), faixa (f)
v. - enfeitar com fitas

idioms:

• tear to ribbons    estraçalhar

Русский (Russian)
лента, тесьма, орден, полоска, сделать полосу

idioms:

• tear to ribbons    разорвать в клочья

Español (Spanish)
n. - cinta, banda, galón, cordón
v. tr. - encintar, adornar, marcar con fajas, hacer tiras, extenderse

idioms:

• ribbon cable    cable rizado
• tear to ribbons    hacer jirones, hacer trizas

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - band, remsa
v. - dekorera m utmärkelse

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
缎带, 带状物, 色带, 用缎带装饰, 撕成条状

idioms:

• ribbon cable    带状电缆
• tear to ribbons    把...撕成碎片, 彻底打败, 把...驳得体无完肤

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 緞帶, 帶狀物, 色帶
v. tr. - 用緞帶裝飾, 撕成條狀

idioms:

• ribbon cable    帶狀電纜
• tear to ribbons    把...撕成碎片, 徹底打敗, 把...駁得體無完膚

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 띠, 리본 모양의 것, 고삐
v. tr. - ~을 리본으로 장식하다, 리본과 같은 줄을 붙이다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - リボン, 飾りひも, リボン状の物, 細く裂けたもの, リボン記章, 略章

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) شريط, وشاح (فعل) يزين بشريط أو وشاح‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮סרט, רצועה, סרט-דיו‬
v. tr. - ‮ענד סרט, קישט בסרטים, חילק לפסים‬

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