Vegetable Fibres Flashcards
List two types of vegetable fibres
Cotton and linen (flax)
What is cotton?
Answer: Cotton is the most widely used textile fiber, derived from the cotton plant, which grows to about 1.2-1.5 meters in height. The cotton lint is formed when the ripe boll bursts open, and this lint is then processed to separate the fibers.
List 4 working properties of cotton?
Strength: Good overall strength, stronger when wet.
Comfort: Soft and fine fibers, cool and breathable.
Moisture Absorption: Rapidly absorbs liquid, slow to dry.
Colouration: Takes dye well and easily accepts chemical finishes.
List 5 advantages of cotton
Answer:
Comfortable next to the skin.
Good strength and durability, especially when wet.
Absorbs moisture rapidly, making it suitable for underwear and children’s wear.
Takes dye well and can be easily finished with chemicals.
Explain uses of cotton
Suitable for various uses, including apparel, accessories, household, and industrial textiles.
How is cotton produced?
Cotton production involves growing the cotton plant, which produces a boll after flowering. When ripe, the boll bursts open, revealing the cotton lint. The lint is picked and the cotton fibers are separated from the hairs through a process called ginning. The raw cotton is then packed tightly in bales and sent to mills for further processing.
What is ginning?
Ginning is the process of separating raw cotton from its hairs, preparing it for packing and transportation to mills.
Describe cotton.
Cotton is a widely used textile fiber from the cotton plant, which grows to about 1.2-1.5 meters tall. After flowering, the plant produces a pod (boll) that bursts open to reveal cotton lint. The lint is picked, separated from the seeds by ginning, and then packed into bales for processing into fabric. Cotton is strong, comfortable, highly absorbent, and dyes well, but it creases easily, is inflammable, and can shrink when washed.
Describe linen.
Linen is a textile made from the flax plant, which has blue flowers. The plant is pulled from the ground, soaked in water (retting) to rot away the green parts, and the fibers are cleaned and straightened. Linen is strong, smooth, highly absorbent, and cool to wear, but it creases easily, is inflammable, can develop mildew if damp, is expensive, and tends to fray.
LWhat is flax?
Flax is a small plant with blue flowers, whose leaves and stalks are made into linen, a strong and cool material. The plant is pulled from the ground for processing, as valuable parts are found in the lower stem and roots.
List 4 working properties of flax.
Strength: Hard-wearing, stronger when wet, launders well, and can be boiled.
Comfort: Smooth fibers, though stiffer and harder than cotton.
Moisture Absorption: Highly absorbent, takes up and releases water quickly.
Thermal Insulation: Feels fresh and cool, suitable for summer clothing.
Question: List 5 advantages of flax.
Strong and durable, especially when wet.
Smooth fibers, providing some comfort.
Highly absorbent, taking up water rapidly.
Feels fresh and cool, good for warm climates.
Versatile uses, including apparel, household, and industrial textiles.
How is flax produced?
The flax plant is pulled from the ground to preserve valuable parts in the lower stem and roots.
The stalks, with roots attached, are soaked in water for retting, where the green part rots away.
After drying, the fibers are scraped to remove dirt, combed to straighten and align them, and then spun and woven into linen.
What is retting?
Retting is the process of soaking flax stalks in water until the green part rots away, preparing the fibers for further processing into linen.
Question: What are the disadvantages of cotton?
- Elasticity: Cotton has very poor elasticity and therefore creases easily.
- Heat Resistance: Cotton is inflammable and flares up quickly.
- Laundering: Loosely woven cotton cloth may shrink when washed.
- Light Resistance: Cotton fibers are weakened by strong sunlight.
- Biological Resistance: Mildew may develop if stored damp or in a damp atmosphere.
