Textile Fibers

Textiles and Leather

Definition of Textiles

• A textile is a flexible artificial material made up of a network of artificial fibers (thread or yarn) formed by weaving, knitting, or pressing into felt.
• It refers to yarns, threads, and wools that can be spun, woven, tufted, tied, and otherwise used to manufacture clothes.

Terminology

• Textile: any material made of interlacing fibers.
• Fabric: any material made through various processes such as weaving, knitting, crocheting, or bonding.
• Cloth: refers to a finished piece of fabric that can be used for varying purposes.

Brief History of Textiles

• Yarn, fabrics, and tools for spinning and weaving have been found among the earliest relics of human habitations.
• Linen fabrics dating from 5000 BC have been discovered in Egypt.
• Woolen textiles from the early Bronze Age in Scandinavia and Switzerland have also been found.
• Cotton has been spun and woven in India since 3000 BC, and silk has been woven in China since at least 1000 BC.

Evaluation of Textiles

• Durability: related to flexibility, and evaluates how well a fabric withstands wear, pressure, and/or damage due to friction.
• Tenacity: refers to tensile strength, and evaluates how well a fabric can carry its own weight without breaking.
• Elongation: a fabric's stretching ability, and evaluates how well a fabric can stretch without breaking.
• Absorbency: how well a fabric absorbs and/or retains moisture.
• Hydrophilic: water-loving, and refers to a fabric's ability to absorb moisture readily.
• Hydrophobic: water-fearing, and refers to a fabric's ability to repel water.
• Hygroscopic: a fabric that absorbs moisture without feeling wet.

Fibers and Yarns

• Fibers: the basic element of a textile, and are found in nature or manufactured (synthetic).
• Staple Fibers: short fibers, somewhat randomly arranged and loosely twisted, resulting in softer yarns.
• Filament Fibers: long and continuous fibers, usually measured in meters or yards, laid parallel to one another and tightly twisted to produce smooth, strong yarns.
• Spun Yarns: composed of staple fibers twisted together.
• Filament Yarns: composed of continuous strands made from either a spinneret-generated synthetic fiber or from silk.

Classification of Fibers

• Natural Fibers: from animal, plant, or mineral sources.
• Synthetic Fibers: man-made and thoroughly modern, most having been developed in the 20th century.

Characteristics of Natural Fibers

• Cotton:
  • Most widely used plant fiber.
  • A vegetable or cellulosic fiber that comes from the balls of the cotton plant.
  • Grading of cotton is dependent on the natural color, length of staple fibers, softness, and crimpness (waviness of the fiber).
  • Fibers are fairly uniform in width, more so than other natural fibers.
  • Staple fiber lengths vary from 6 mm to 60 mm (1/4 in to 2 1/4 in).
• Shiny Cotton: a process that makes cotton look like satin, with a hydrophobic nature, making it unfit for towels.
• Organic Cotton: how the plant is grown, with no synthetic or chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
• Green Cotton: a process that involves washing with mild soap, not bleached, and can be dyed.

Processes of Cotton

• Carded Cotton: a mechanical process that disentangles, cleans, and intermixes fibers, producing a continuous sliver for processing.
• Combed Cotton: a process that separates long and desirable fibers from short ones, done after the carding process.

Kinds of Cotton

• Upland Cotton: also known as Mexican Cotton, and is the main type of cotton grown in the USA.
• Long Staple Cotton: a kind of cotton product, known for its fine and long fibers, spun to create softer, silkier, and more durable cotton fabrics.
• Pima Cotton: also known as Supima, originated in Peru, and is known for its extra-long fibers, resulting in smoother, stronger, and better characteristics.

Other Natural Fibers

• Kapok: a fiber obtained from the seed pods of the Kapok tree, used as a stuffing for upholstery and cushions.
• Flax (Linen):
  • Probably the oldest fiber known.
  • Absorbs up to 20% of its weight in moisture.
  • Resists fraying and seam slippage.
  • Made from flax, is less soft and absorbent than cotton but more resistant to mildew.
• Jute: a fiber extracted from the bark of certain tropical plants, one of the least expensive natural fibers.
• Hemp: a fiber similar to flax and cotton in its qualities and uses.
• Ramie: a fiber stronger than cotton, obtained from the stalks of a perennial herb.
• Jusi: a fabric made from abaca, and even banana fibers, often blended with other fibers such as silk, and is generally used for formal settings or occasions.
• Piña: a fabric made from the leaves of the Pineapple plant, commonly used in the Philippines.

Animal Fibers

• Wool (Sheep):
  • Sheared from domesticated animals, primarily sheep.
  • The greatest quantity of textile wool comes from Australia.
  • Fibers vary in length from 1” to 18” depending on where it is obtained.
  • Known for its exceptional resiliency and elasticity.
  • Burns slowly and is self-extinguishing.
  • Susceptible to damage by insects.
  • Treatments are available to make the wool fabric unpalatable to moths.
• Merino Wool: finer, or thinner than the average wool, making it softer, less itchy, and more flexible.
• Shetland Wool: comes from Shetland sheep, originally found in the Shetland Islands in Scotland, and is said to have the gloss and softness of silk.
• Lambswool: the finest and softest fleece, comes from a lamb's first shearing, usually when it is six or seven months old.

Grades of Wool

• Virgin Wool: unprocessed wool.
• Ordinary Wool: regular wool, may include reclaimed scraps from knits, broken threads, and other sources.
• Recycled Wool: new wool or felted scraps shredded and then reused.
• Worsted Wool: a high-quality type of wool yarn, named after the small English village of Worstead, and is generally more expensive than other grades of wool.### Pashmina
• Derived from the undercoat of Himalayan Mountain Goats, a fine type of Cashmere.
• Fiber diameter is finer and thinner, ideal for lightweight apparel like scarves.
• Pure Pashmina fabric is often gauzy or open weave, blended with silk or wool due to its thinness.
• Exceptionally light and soft, yet warm.

Shahtoosh

• Also known as "King of Wools" in Persian.
• Woven from the hair of the Tibetan Antelope, known as Chiru.
• Hair is finer than human hair, warm enough to hatch a pigeon's egg.

Mohair

• Also known as "Diamond Fiber".
• Derived from the hair of the Angora Goat.
• Durable, resilient, and notable for its high luster and sheen.
• Takes dyes exceptionally well, warm in winter, and cool in summer.
• Luxurious, expensive, and used in various applications like scarves, hats, and carpets.

Silk

• Considered the most beautiful fiber due to its natural luster.
• Derived from the cocoons of silkworms through sericulture.
• Labor-intensive process makes it expensive.
• Liquid silk is excreted from the head of the silkworm to form a cocoon.
• Cocoons are dried, killing the pupae, and then unwrapped and treated for use.
• Average length of each filament is about 600 yards.
• Strongest natural fiber, surpassed only by nylon in strength.

Grades of Silk

• Organzine: Finest cultured silk yarn, made from the longest filaments.
• Tram, Spunsilk, or Bourette: Uses shorter strands, less luster, and sheen.
• Tussah: Silk fabric woven from silk made by wild, uncultivated silkworms, naturally tan, rougher texture.

Metal Fibers

• Threads of gold, silver, or copper, often interwoven into garments or hangings.
• Do not tarnish, used for upholstery fabric, and add novelty to end products.

Synthetic Fibers

• Acetate: Both natural and synthetic, treated with acetone and acetic acid, and spun into fibers.
• Cellulose: Derived from natural plant sources, composed of glucose units, and have a high degree of polymerization.
• Acrylic: Developed in 1948, manufactured from polyacrylonitrile (PAN).
• Modacrylic: Modified form of PAN with a comonomer, such as vinyl chloride or vinyl acetate.
• Nylon: Invented in 1935, made from polyamide, and the first truly synthetic fiber.
• Olefin (Polypropylene and Polyethylene): Derived from petroleum, used in carpets, upholstery, and sportswear.
• Polyester: Made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), also used in plastic bottles and containers.
• Rubber: Natural rubber from the sap of the rubber tree, synthetic rubbers from petroleum-based materials.
• Spandex: Made from polyurethane, known for its exceptional elasticity, and used in swimwear, sportswear, and medical devices.