Natural Fibres Flashcards
Cotton
seed of cotton plant seedpod. Cellulose. Crystalline and amorphous
Cotton characteristics
absorbent (up to 20% water without feeling wet, can absorb 65% (woven) or 90% (knit) of their own weight in water.
dyeable
breathable
thermal properties
strength, even when wet
fine, soft handle
resist high temperatures
cotton tests
burn: does not melt, ignites readily, smokes, glows, smoulders, smells like burning paper, feathery grey ash residue
Ramie
East Asian fibre from stem of Ramie plant. Naturally white in colour
Ramie characteristics
similar to linen
high lustre
resistance to bacteria/mould
absorbent
dries quickly
abrasion resistant
wrinkles
high cost
uncommonly used
low elasticity
3-5x stronger than cotton
Sisal (cat mats)
leaf of agave plant. Fibre course and inflexible.
light fabric
strong
durable
resistance to salt water
needs extensive manual processing
Flax (Linen)
Uprooted stem of flax plant. 30-35% amorphous, 65-70% crystalline. Blast fibre
Flax (linen) characteristic
strong
reacts well to bleach
resistant to pill
UV resistant
natural lustre
hypo-allergenic/anti-bacterial
smooth handle
thermo-regulation
creases easily
poor affinity to dyes
poor elasticity
Linen and other blast fibres tests
Does not melt, ignites readily, continues to burn. smells like burning paper, fine grey or white ash residue
Hemp
made from stem of hemp plant - fibres and gum must be separated
Hemp characteristics
similar to linen (not as strong)
increases strength when wet
highly absorbent
wrinkles easily
excessive creasing causes fibre breakage
not dye-fast
Jute (hessian)
high crystalline %, made from just plant, originates in Bangladesh and India
Jute characteristics
one of strongest natural fibres
high tensile strength
1-4m long
lustre determines quality
poor drape
poor crease resistance
not UV resistance
weaker when wet
Wool characteristics
Longer fibres make high quality yarns (worsted wool)
thermal insulation
absorbent (hygroscopic)
pleasant handle
adequate strength
elasticity
felting
small electrostatic charge
fire resistant
colourfast
minimal dimensional stability
little UV resistant
biological attack
no shrink resistance
Wool finishings
super-wash (anti felting)
permanent creasing (siroset)
soil release
flame retardance
carbonizing (removes impurities)
mothproofing
raising (builds nap)
fulling
Wool test
scorches, burns slowly, self-extinguishing, smells of burn hair, beads, crushes to gritty black powder
Silk (and types)
cocoon of silk worms
Reeled/net silk: finest silk, undamaged fibres, first extracted
Spun silk: unwindable remnants that are spun
Noil (Bourette) silk: shorter waste fibres (coarser and more irregular)
Wilk (Tussah) silk: gathered from trees and bushes
Silk characteristics
thermal insulation
absorbs water (hygroscopic)
pleasant handle/comfortable/fine
lustre
strong
resilient
degummed = static
not UV resistant
not chemical resistant
scroop (makes noise)
Silk test
scorches, burns slowly, self-extinguishing, burnt hair, beads, crushes to gritty black powder
Regenerated fibres
Made from wood pulp or cotton linters that is chemically dissolved and extruded. Rayon first commercially produced in 1884.
Viscose / Rayon
Wood pulp extracted from eucalyptus, pine or bamboo with chemical structure comparable to cotton
Viscose/Rayon characteristics
Lower strength when wet
Thermal insulation
Strong and absorbent
fine and soft hand
wrinkles easily
shrinks
Viscose/Rayon test
Does not melt, ignited readily, continues to burn, smells of burning paper, small amount of grey ash residue
Modal characteristics
made from pulp of beech wood
hygroscopic
soft and elastic
doesn’t fibrillate
underwear - very soft and drape
less crinkle
Lyocell characteristic
made from eucalyptus pulp
imitates silk/suede/leather
strong
soft
drape
(Tencel)
Bamboo
Made through hydro-alkaliation and bleaching
soft feel
anti-bacterial properties
durable
stability
tenacity
similar to rayon
Cupro
made from cotton linters. uses ammonia.
luxurious feel
breathable and comfortable
durable and easy to care for
hypo-allergenic
Acetate
made with cotton waste or wood pulp with acetic acid and anhydride
Acetate test
Melts away from flame, ignites after melting, continues to burn, smells like vinegar, dark, solid, beady residue
Acetate characteristics
dies quickly
lustrous
stretch & shrink resistant
dyes well
not heat resistant
static
resilient
wrinkle resistant
good drape
susceptible to chemicals
Triacetate
higher ratio of acetate to cellulose
similar to acetate
taffeta
Regenerated protein
Soy Protein Fibres (SPF)
Zein (Corn)
Casein (Milk)
Rubber (Latex)
colourless milky sap of plant + water + ammonia
