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.

Test your knowledge of textile fibers, their properties, and production processes. Identify fibers by their characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.