Fibers Flashcards
What are fibers?
fibrous products of
natural or artificial
origin that produces
yarns.
What are yarns?
textile fibers combined
together and twisted into
a continuous thread: they
are obtained by spinning
What are fabrics?
set of twisted wires:
you will get for
weaving.
Fiber processes
Fiber - spinning/extrusion - yarn - weaving -fabric
fiber classifications
natural (plant, animal) and man made (artificial, synthetic, inorganic)
plant fibers
COTTON
* LINEN
* HEMP
* JUTE
* RAMIE
* COCONUTS
* BANANA
* BAMBOO
animal fibers
-Wool
- Hair
- Silk
Artificial fibers
-Viscose
- Rayon
- Cupro
- Modal
- Rubber
- Etc…
synthetic fibers
-Nylon
- Polyamide
- Polyester
- Teflon
- Etc…
inorganic fibers
-Copper
- Steel
- Silver
- Allumin
uim
- Wool
- Hair
- Silk
NATURAL TEXTILE FIBERS
VEGETAL ORIGIN
-FROM SEEDS
-FROM THE iNNER BARK
-FROM LEAF
-FROM FRUIT
how is cotton obtained?
cotton yarn is obtained by the spinning of fibers
extracted from hairs that cover the seeds of a plant called
genus Gossypium
Cotton classifications:
- SEA ISLAND COTTON (North America)
- EGYPTIAN COTTON
- AMERICAN COTTON
- INDIAN COTTON ‘
sea island cotton
- has a silky fiber and for this reason it is considered the highest quality.
- It is used for refined processing.
- The length of the fiber varies from 3.8 to 6.3 cm and hasa white color
Egyptian cotton
- known as makò,
- it is characterized by a very white color.
- The length of its fiber ranges from 3.1 to 3.8 cm
American cotton
- ‘upland’
- it is short fiber (1.9 to 2.5 cm).
- It takes its name according to its origin (Texas, Mississippi, etc.)
Indian cotton
-‘Madras’, ’Surat’
- have even shorter fibers and are usually of poor quality. Except for the best types, used for thick yarns, they are not used in spinning.
Cotton resistance
- it is very resistant to boiling and ironing
Cotton absorption
- high capacity to absorb moisture,
- is a good conductor and promotes the dispersion of body heat
cotton elasticity
- low elasticity,
- a high degree of shrinkage and a certain crease.
cotton toughness
-its toughness increases with humidity and degrades only at very high temperatures (above 150 °),
-it does not lose elasticity at
low temperatures.
cotton washing
- It can be washed by hand or in the washing machine,
- without problems, as in the wet
state it increases its resistance
cotton heat
- The temperature can be high (90 °)
- detergents can be basic (the strongest).
- direct drying in sunlight must be
avoided as the fiber tends to yellow.
types of cotton yarn
- Virgin
- Regenerate
- Mercerized
- Gassed
- Combed
- Twisted, very strong, not stripping
- Makò
- Egypt
- Filo di Scozia (Lisle), Twisted and
mercerized with Egyptian cotton
virgin cotton
means the fibers are being
worked for the first time
regenerate cotton
means that they are
obtained from the reprocessing of
already used fabric.
mercerized cotton yarn
a type of cotton that is treated in a caustic soda bath,
- producing garments with a
better hand, more shiny, and
with a better dyeing affinity.
gassed cotton
- type of cotton yarn that has undergone an industrial process
to improve its characteristics. - By passing the yarn at an appropriate speed over a flame, the hair is burned, leaving the protruding cotton yarn more uniform, smooth, and with a dry hand.
combed cotton
- short fibers are removed together with additional impurities in order to produce a yarn composed by parallel fibers carded with a uniform length.
- After this phase about 28% of the
initial raw material is discarded.
What is linen
- Linen is a composite fiber contained in the inner bark of the plant (Linum
usitatissimum), - consisting for about 70% of cellulose
linen process
- The dried stalks are macerated for a few days in water,or it is subjected to water steam or special bacteria: substances that bind together the fibers, break down and dissolve and release fibers, and its then subjected to press using hammers, or a hand operated machine, which crush and grind the woody part.
linen
Raw flax is subjected to combing in order to separate the long fibers from short and broken fibres and make the tow.
how are linens classified?
according to the fineness of fibers
linen classification
- fine linens, which are used for fine yarns,
- suitable for the production of valuable paintings (canvas lawn),
- lace which weave cloth for common large linen canvas.
main linen distinguisher
The flax fiber is rigid and for this reason it has a wrinkled aspect which is also the main characteristic that distinguishes the products
hemp
Hemp is a natural fiber of plant origin, extracted from the homonymous herbaceous
plant of the cannabis sativa species, a plant that blooms in areas with temperate climates such as Italy.
hemp heat resistance
The fibers are hollow and hygroscopic and the combination of these properties gives hemp fabrics a high thermal insulation and breathability together, so they are cool in summer and warm in winter,
hemp resistance
hemp is one of the most resistant natural fibers, both to the mechanical action (wear and tear) and to the deformations,
- thanks to these characteristics
a hemp garment is soft,
comfortable, cool in the heat
and opaque in the cold, very
resistant, non-deformable
and long-lasting
hemp special characteristics
- reflective of both ultraviolet and UVA rays (up to 95%),
- shielding from electrostatic fields,
- do not conduct electricity,
- do not irritate the skin because they are hypoallergenic and keep
away the bacteria from the surface of our body because they are antiseptic.
jute
obtained from plants of the genus
Corchorus, of the Malvaceae family. The plant prefers hot and very rainy, monsoon climates
Where is most jute production
85% of global production is
concentrated in Bangladesh, in the Delta area.
what is jute used for
production of packing bags, ropes and for the weaving of carpets, has been gradually replaced by the use of synthetic fabrics
what is jute obtained from
obtained from the stem of the plant, which can be 2 to 4 meters high
how is jute used in clothing or furnishings
its fibers must be blended with other
textile fibers, such as nylon, wool, cotton, polypropylene, rayon, which improve its characteristics such as its aesthetic appearance, fit or versatility.
Ramie
a very bright fiber obtained from the bark of the Boehmeria plant, of the urticaceae family and can be white if it belongs to the “Boehmeria nivea” or green if it belongs to the “Boehmeria utilis” of Malaysia
Ramie strength
Ramie is one of the strongest natural fibers.
Ramie resistance
Its resistance increases when wet. It is known above all for its non-shrinkage, gloss and resistance to high temperatures
how is ramie often used
This fiber is used very often in blends with other fibers, cotton, wool etc.
coconut fibers
The coconut fiber is obtained from the fibrous part that covers the coconut
coconut resistance
- The fibers are extremely resistant.
- The yarn that is made is thick and resistant.
- It is rarely used in clothing as they are rough to the touch and therefore not very comfortable.
banana fibers
The fibers are created from the leaves of the banana plant
banana resistance
- Resistant yarns are obtained from the banana fibers with an excellent
absorption capacity - It is strong and versatile, similar to linen and can even reach a fineness similar to silk following particular production methods and the quality of the fibers extracted
What is jusi
the main fabric obtained from banana fibers is called “jusi”.
bamboo
a stem fiber is obtained from the evergreen plant.
bamboo strength
The bamboo fiber is strong and durable with good stability, it is smooth and is considered vegetable cashmere. It is stronger than cotton and has anti-static properties
bamboo absorption
Thanks to the physical properties of bamboo, the fabrics created have the
ability to quickly absorb and evaporate human sweat, making it also hypoallergenic.
what is bamboo extraction process similar too
linen
natural animal fibers origin
- hair bulb
-sericteries
wool
Wool is a natural fiber that is obtained from the fleece of sheeps (sheeps and some types of goats), rabbits, camels and some types of llama
how is wool achieved
It is achieved through the operation of shearing, or cutting the hair from the sheep in spring.
virgin wool
wool cut from live sheep
tanning wool
Wool from a dead animal
regenerated wool
reused the deriving from
production waste
major wool producing countries
Australia,
followed by New Zealand,
China,
Britain,
Uruguay,
Argentina,
Pakistan, South Africa, India, Russian
Federation, Iran, Sudan and Spain
indigenous breed sheep wool
more durable hair, traditionally used for the manufacture of mattresses and carpets
merino wool
very popular breed for its
fleece, from which an excellent quality fiber is obtained. This wool is very soft, as its hair is much finer than the hair of normal wool; in fact,
it has a diameter of less than 20 microns (millionth of a meter).
mohair wool
- produced through the
Angora goat, - is not an angora wool.
Mohair is an animal textile fibre with
characteristics which are similar to silk, made from the hair of the Angora goat.
cashmere
- or kashmeer (sometimes also known as Kashmir), is a highly valued textile fibre made with the hair of the Hircus Goat.
- The hand of cashmere is soft, silky and velvety, it gives a warm and soft feeling.
- Its name comes from the Kashmir province of India;
angora
- type of fine wool deriving from the hair of the Angora rabbit.
- This large-bodied rabbit is white and covered with long and soft hair,
originating in Turkey
vicuna
a cameloid that lives in the Andes
guanaco
a cameloid similar to llama that is commonly found in South America, in the states of Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina
lama
a cameloid that lives in the Andes.
alpaca
a cameloid similar to Lama that lives in the Andes
silk
- Silk is a protein fiber of animal origin.
- Silk is produced by some insects of the family of moths.
- The silk used to make fabric is obtained fromcocoons produced by silkworms.
- Silk is a natural fiber of animal origin.
silkworm filaments
- The silkworm secretes a continuous filament
- With it, the silkworm makes a cocoon which is as protection for its metamorphosis.
- Cocoons are dipped into boiling water or dried to kill the insect.
- Some cocoons are spared to allow the reproduction of the species.
- After processing, we get raw silk which has a special length of the filament that can easily get to 700-800 meters.
- This makes it the longest
animal fibre
what are artificial fibers made frome
FROM CELLULOSE AND PROTEIN
what are synthetic fibers made from
from oil
what are inorganic fibers made from
from metal and glass
artificial fibers
- Artificial fibers are obtained from natural products, like cellulose and protein.
- They are obtained by treating
natural cellulose of various plants (the same that makes up the vegetable fibers
Artificial fibers process
- After being transformed and melted with solvents, the solutions resulting from this process, after being filtered by very small strainers, are collected in a bath of coagulant that thickens the substance.
- Consequently the substance is
spinned as a textile fiber as a continuous thread or in staple
(discontinuous fibers).
artificial fibers
CUPRO
* VISCOSE
* ACETATE
* MODAL
* LYOCELL
Cupro
- a fiber obtained from cotton linters and is produced both as a continuous thread and as a raw material.
- It is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, antistatic and has qualities of breathability and softness: this is why it is called “ecological silk”.
- Brands: “Cupro”, is an exclusive “by Bemberg”
viscose
one of the most widely used artificial fibers; it is produced from linters of cotton or wood pulp by dissolving
cellulose.
viscose process
This solution, called “viscose”, is made to pass (extrusion) through a perforated plate (spinneret) and the drains that come out coagulate in a sulfuric acid bath forming threads of indefinite length composed of pure cellulose; these filaments have the same chemical properties of the original cellulose
acetate
- a continuous thread derived from cellulose.
- It has a soft and delicate hand, silky appearance, bright and vivid colors, good qualities of breathability, hygroscopicity, antistaticity and comfort.
modal
- a modified viscose staple, with good
characteristics of use thanks to its toughness and dimensional stability. - The hand is soft and the optics are
brilliant.
lyocell
- comes from the cellulose of wood and is a fiber obtained from a spinning process in organic solvent.
- It is resistant, breathable, washable and has excellent dyeing yield, as well as being bright and soft.
- Brands: “Lyocell” by Lenzing; “Tencel” by Acordis
synthetic fibers
Synthetic fibers are filaments of
industrially produced materials from
simpler substances generally coming
from the petrochemical industry
synthetic fiber structural unit
the structural units are macromolecules resulting from the union of smaller particles (monomers) that linked together to form long chains
polymerization
The chemical processes that lead to
the formation of macromolecules ,
from monomers
polymer
The product obtained by the polymerization processes is called polymer and does not yet possess the characteristics of a fiber
polymer to fiber process
The polymer becomes fibers following the spinning and ironing .
spinning of synthetic fibers
The spinning ( extrusion ) consists in passing , pressure , the molten polymer or dissolved in suitable solvents , through dies provided with
holes to reduce it into thin strands of
indefinite length
ironing synthetic fibers
The ironing consists in the application on yarn, coming from the spinneret , of a force in the direction of its length; this stretch , which involves a considerable decrease in the elongation of the yarn with a diameter up to 10 times , has the function to orient the macromolecular chains resulting in increase of toughness , stiffness , wear resistance, water resistance and gloss .
synthetic fiber treatments
twisting
heatsetting
texturing
twisting
consists into twist between them a
number of filaments to produce twisted yarns
heatsetting
is a heat treatment ( 100 - 150 ° C) in order to stabilize the structure of the
filaments
texturing
- it consists of subjecting the individual continuous filaments to twist , in order to make them considerably elastic and bulky.
- A typical example of textured fabric is nylon crepe commercially called “filanca»
synthetic fibers
POLYAMIDE/ NYLON
* POLYESTER
* POLYPROPILENE
* ACRYLIC
* ELASTANE
polyamide details
Nylon has excellent tenacity and elasticity , has little tendency to absorb water and therefore dries very quickly ; also possesses excellent wear and abrasion resistance : concerned the high temperatures it may deform and must therefore stretch at a temperature not exceeding 150 ° C
other name for polyamide
nylon
polyamide possibility
The polyamide fibers offer the possibility to realize light but strong
fabrics, with considerable elastic
recovery and low intake of permanent creases .
polyester
- Polyester fibers are characterized by
high resistance to moisture , heat ,are
stable to light and burn with difficulty - They are not attacked by moths and
microorganisms .
polyester features
Very similar to nylon as features ,
more suitable for its appearance for
use in blends with cotton, silk, viscose, has excellent resistance to breakage, it does not deform permanently, resistant to light.
Polypropylene
The discovery of polypropylene is a consequence of the research and discovery of isotactic polypropylene
carried out by the Italian Giulio Natta, who in 1963 obtained, together with K. Ziegler, the Nobel Prize for chemistry.
polypropylene features
- good resistance to abrasion and wear,
- excellent resistance to chemical agents,
- water repellency,
- extreme ease of cleaning,
- difficulty in dyeing and therefore they are supplied already dyed by the manufacturer (paste dyes) in beautiful colors.
polypropylene uses
- underwear and sports knitwear,
- filters and geotextiles,
- blankets and bedspreads,
- textile flooring,
- wall coverings,
- fabrics for furniture upholstery.
polyacrylic
Acrylic fibers are made up of macromolecules consisting mainly of acrylonitrile.
Offered in the form of tow, bow and top, they come with a particularly woolly, soft and warm hand.
polyacrylic characteristics
- high thermal insulation,
- non-shrinkable to washing,
- resistance to sunlight and atmospheric agents,
- tangibility in particularly bright colors,
- resistant to mold, microorganisms, moths, insects.
acrylic uses
- external and intimate knitwear,
- hosiery,
- knitting,
- sports and leisure clothing,
- furniture (fabrics, velvets, flooring, carpets),
- outdoor curtains,
- fur and pile fabrics.
elastane
- The elastomeric fibers are formed by elastomer composed of at least 85% by mass of segmented polyurethane.
- The fibers, stretched under a traction force to reach three times the initial length, quickly resume this length as soon as the tension is lost.
elastane uses
They are not used alone, but in support of other fibers, both natural and synthetic, to give elasticity to the fabrics.
Uses: Swimwear, hosiery, especially
sportswear, knitwear, corsetry, underwear and
lingerie.
mineral fibers (inorganic)
metallic and non- metallic, are durable, rigid, have a higher melting point, better resistance to heat than traditional fibers ; are also completely non-flammable , however , except for
the metal , they are fragile
mineral fibers features
- They are usually excellent at high temperatures and in corrosive environments .
- You can have as padding , mat and felts .
- The continuous fibers are made with the spinning process for molding, usable in the case of fibers that are derived from materials which melt ( glass , mineral fibers )
direct system
- called fixed length and variable weight are the ratio between weight and length (T =P / L).
- This method is commonly used for all those yarns that are made of continuous fibres (silk, rayon, nylon, etc.)
yarn numbering
Yarn numbering is the process which
determines the classification of a thread or yarn.
Since you cannot directly measure
the section of a fibre which is easily
deformable and moves frequently, yarn numbering is used to classify the fineness
indirect system
- also known as fixed weight and variable length, are the ratio between length and weight (N = L / P).
- These yarn numbering methods (N) is commonly used for all those yarns made of natural fibres (wool, cotton, etc.)
how is yarn numbering given
ratio between length and weight
most popular indirect systems
Metric titration and kilogrammetica
-Yarn Numbering-English cotton
-Yarn Numbering of Prato
systems of direct measurement
Tex
-Decitex
-Denier
direct system numbers
WITH THE DIRECT SYSTEMS, THE FINER THE YARN, THE SMALLER THE NUMBER
indirect system numbers
Depending on the variable length and the fixed weight,
THE HIGHER THE NUMBER, THE FINER THE YARN
