Gil Vand Hildyard, E- Casi) Caribbean Home Eonomits 2 . Textiles Today there is a wide variety of fabrics on the market. You should have some basic know- ledge about these fabries if you are to make a wise selection when buying. In this chapter you will find information which will help you to select your fabrics wisely and care for them correctly. Fibres : You will remember that there are two types of fibres: 1. Natural fibres obtained from animals and plants. The most common of these are silk and wool from animals and cotton and linen from plants 2 Man-made fibres as the name implies are those made by man in the laboratory. They fall into two groups: a) those produced from vegetable sources such as cellulose and wood-pulp; b) those produced from chemical com: Dinations such as air, natural gas and petroleum products. Natural Fibres Wool ~ Wool is obtained from various animnals but the most important wool producing aninial is the sheep, 8 ws Characteristics 1 IE you look at a wool fibre under the microscope you will see that it has a atural_wave or crimp_and covered with tiny overlapping sc natural crimp of the wool fibre gives lasticity and causes it to spring back into shape after it is stretched. This quality é known as ‘resiliency which means that ‘wool fabrics do not crush easily. 2 The overlapping scales, together with the fibre crimp, hold pockets of air which act an insulators. Wool is therefore a bad conductor of heat and this makes wool fabrics warm to wear. 3 Wool is absorbent and can hold moisture without losing its warmth. This makes it comfortable to wear 4. When woollen garments are immersed in warm water the fibres absorb much moisture and become weaker. Great care must be taken when laundering woollen garments as hot water, sudden change of temperature, harsh soaps and friction will cause loss of shape or shrinkage. If woollen materials are closely constructed they can be made to repel water, helped by the natural oil in the fibre, so that the moisture can be casily shaken off. Pee eee eee Ce EE ER REST ER2 Fibres Appearance Burning Woot No lustre, fuzzy Smoulders and surface, warm and then goes into a spring of handle black bead, smelling like burnt hair Silk Lustre, smooth Smells like burning and eaol feathers Cotton Crisp, firm and Burns in and out smooth of flame and smells like burning paper. Leaves a grey ash Linen Smooth and not Burns in and out ‘of flame, Smells like burning paper with a feathery white ash fully Navural fibres : 5 Wool does not burn easily. It smoulders but does not flare up. It has a strong odour of burnt feathers and the ash formed is like a crisp black bead which crushes easily 6 Wool is not damaged by mildew but is attacked by the larvae of the clothes moth if the garment is not well cleaned or stored, To prevent this damage the fabric can be treated to make it moth proof. Production ‘The wool fleece is Cut from the sheep once or twice a year. Fleece’is the name given to wool which is cut from a live sheep. Wool from a dead animal is called pulled wool. The fleece is packed in bundles or bales.and shipped to the manufactures. The main processes are 1. Sorting Fibres are sorted according to length and fineness. 2 Scouring The fibres are washed in hot soapy water to remove grease and dirt 3 Carbonising The fibres are treated with heat, acid and pressure to remove seeds, burrs and other vegetable matter. Chemical Test Microsnpc Test Natural fires ‘Turns brown with Fibre covered 23CREEESE. sulphur test. with scales ae Dissolves in caustic Sa soda, i: vote Yi Dissolve in Rounded sulphuric acid and structureless caustic soda fibre Dissolves in Yarn has twits, SSS sulphuric acid Dissolves in concentrated sulphuric acid in 1 toa minutes Linen has nodes 4 Carding ‘The carding machine has rol: Jers with wire teeth. This cleaning process removes particles) straightens the fibres and converts them into a sliver or thick, soft rope. After the carding process, wool fibres may go through the woollen or worsted system of pro- cessing, For woollen fabrics the fibres are carded but not combed. In the spinning process the sliver is drawn out and loosely twisted to produce a soft bulky yarn. For worsted fabrics the fibres are both carded and combed. During combing the fibres are passed through combs which straighten the fibres and remove the short threads, In the spinning process the fibres are twisted together to produce a smooth, strong, firm yam. ‘Quality of wool The quality of wool is expressed by numbers, ‘The higher the number the finer the wool and the better che quality. The finest wool is obtained from young sheep and is called lambswool. 9 } | | | | iUses of wool Wool is used for both clothing and home fur- nishings, : Woollen yarn used for knitted fabrics Woollen fabrics tweed, flannel Woollen articles socks, scarves, sweaters Worsted fabrics gabardine, serge Home furnishings carpets, rugs, blankets Silk Silk is obtained from the cocoon of the silk worm and is of two kinds — cultivated and wild. Cultivated silk is made by worms kept under carefully controlled conditions and fed ©} on mulberry leaves. ‘Wild’ silk is made by certain wild silk worms such as tussah. This type of silk has a rougher feel. You can see a picture of the silk cocoon on page 90 of Book 1. Characteristics 1 The silk fibre is the longest of the animal and vegetable fibres. The filaments may bbe as long as 500 metres. 2. Teis the strongest of the natural fibres 3 It absorbs moisture * readily without feeling wet It has a natural lustre, 5 It is elastic which makes it crease resistant. 6 Silk-is weakened by exposure to sunlight. 7 Silk requires careful laundering. It is | damaged by friction, harsh soaps and i high temperatures. i 8 Silk burns readily and produces an odour of burning feathers. The ash forms a black, soft ball nh Production gy In the production of silk, the thread is obtained by applying heat to the cocoon and. ing the worms, This must be done before the worm changes into a moth and pushes it ll way out of the cocoon by breaking the fibres. and destroying some of the silk. By unwinding the cocoon, the silk fibres are obtained. The”) process.of unwinding the silk is called reeling./ A number of strands from the skeins of raw = peu 80 Fpeilk.are twisted together to form a strong yarn 5 This.is called throwing. Degumming follows’ when the natural gum is removed by boiling” in soap and water : Quality of site ‘Denier’ refers to the fineness of the silk fila ment or yarn. The term is also used for man. made filaments and yarns. Uses of sith Most silk fabrics drape well and feel comfor- table in all climates. However, the use of silk for clothing is limited because of its high cost. ‘The production of man-made fibres which have silk—like characteristics has replaced the use of silk to a great extent. It is now mainly used for scarves, ties, ribbons, lace and threads. Cotton Gotton is one of the oldest of the textile fibres It was widely used because it was suitable for} many purposes, easy to handle and moderate in cost. It is still a very important fibre but with the mass production*of easy care man- made fibres its use has been greatly reduced. Cotton is often mixed with man-made fibres to improve appearance and laundering qualities “The quality of the cotton varies according to the country in which ie is grown. The fibres of the cotton grown in the West Indies, Egypt and the Sudan are longer and finer than those grown in other countries. These fibres are used for high quality fabrics and are expensive. Cotton is also grown in America and India. If you look at cotton under a microscope the fibre is flat with a twist and resembles a Characteris 1 Cotton absorbs moisture. This makes it éomfortable to wear and suitable for clothing. It is strong and hard wearing. Cotton can withstand high temperatures and friction in laundering. ”4 Cotton creases easily but can be treated to make it crease resistant. 5 Cotton is not damaged by alkalis but is weakened by acids if not thoroughly rinsed. 6 Cotton will develop mildew if stored while damp. 7 Cotton is weakened if exposed to sunshine for a long period. 8 Cotton burns easily, has a smell of burning paper and leaves a small, “grey, powdery ash. Production Cotton fibres are formed in the seed pods of the cotton plant as it ripens. 1 Ginnéng Thisis the process by which the cotton is separated ftom the seeds after picking 2 Baling The cotton is then pressed into bales or bundles and sent to factories to bbe spun into yarn. 3 Bale-breaking The removed by a machine. 4 Carding ‘The fibres are straightened and the shorter fibres removed. 5 Combing This process further straigh- tens the fibres and removes any short chairs. It gives a smooth fine quality cotton. 6 Spinning The fibre are converted into yarn by spinning, Quality of cotton ‘The quality of cotton fabrics varies according to the yarn and the method in which they are woven. An indication of the quality of the fabric is the number of threads woven to the square centimetre. This guide to the fineness and wearing quality of the fabric is called the ‘thread count’ Uses of cotton Cotton may be used in clothing of all types for all members of the family. It is an ideal fabric for a hot climate. It is widely used in home furnishings for bed linen, bedspreads, draperies, table linen, bath and Kitchen * towels. impurities are Linen Linen was the first vegetable fibre used by man for making cloth, The flax from which linen fibre is obtained only grows in a few paris of the world, Northern Ireland has a very long established linen industry and Irish lind js much prized for its quality and beauty. Good linen is expensive. Linen may be combined with manmade or natural fibres. It is also given a variety of finishes to improve its appearance ang crease resistance. If you Took at linen under a microscope the fibre is rounded and the lengthwise section showy cF0 lines which resemble a bamboo stalk. PaRecaaeeGE Characteristics 1 Linen is very strong and hard wearing. It is stronger when wet. 2. It is not harmed by high temperatures 3 Linen is very absorbent which makes it very comfortable for clothing and excellent for towelling. 4 Its natural sheen makes it suitable for table linen. i 5 Linen‘creases cally unless given a special finish 6 Linen is smooth and lustrous which prevents it from picking up dust so it stays clean for a long time 7 Linen will resist damage by moths and other insects but can be attacked by mildew. 8 Linen is often used in its natural colour bat when bleached its dyeing quality is improved. 9 Linen burns easily with a smell of burning paper and leaves a grey ash Production 1. Retting Linen is obtained from_ the stalks of the flax plant. The woody fibres in the stem are separated from the outer part by a process of soaking in water known as retting 2 Breaking and scutching This is a mechanical treatment ised to break art remove the woody matter h #7 73 Hackling or combing ‘The flax bundles are passed through a series of combs of increasing fineness to straighten and separate the long fibres from the short ‘ones. The long fibres are called linen and the short fibres called tow. The long fibres are drawn out into a rope called a sti 4 Spinning The slivers from the hackling machine are then spun into yarns for manufacturing into fabrics. Quality of tinen The best quality fabric is made from the longest fibres. The shorter fibres produce weaker, fuzzier fabrics of poorer quality. The thread count also determines the quality of the fabric. Uses of linen Linen is used for dress fabrics and men's suitings. It is used in home furnishing for high quality table linen, bed linen and tea towels andjembroidery material . Ul Manmade Fibres The man-made fibres, are those made by man in the laboratory. They fall into two groups 1 The Gellulasics The basis of these fibres is cellulose. This is obtained from vege table sources such as cotton and wood: pulp. From it, viscose rayon, acetate and triacetate fibres are manufactured. 2 The Synthetics These are produced entirely from €hemical combinations such as air, natural gas and petroleum products and include nylon, polyesters and acrylics. . ‘The introduction of man-made fibres has made it possible for the consumer to choose lightweight textile fabrics with strength and minimum care qualities at a reasonable price-* “Wash and wear’, the term connected with man-made fabrics, means that the fabric washes well, dries quickly and needs little or no ironing, 82, oh wor wy? similar basic process. 1 Basic materials are treated with chemicals to form a viscose solution, 2 The solution is forced through the tiny holes of a spinneret to form filaments 3 The filaments are hardened and strengthened after passing through the spinneret. : 4 There are further processes which improve and give variety to the yarn. Man-made fibres can be produced in two forms, as continuous filaments or cut into short lengths called ‘staple’ fibres. A generic or family name identifies a group of fibres which have common characteristics as a result of. similar chemical composition and structure, for example, polyesters are one of these groups. Within each group there are fibres preduced by different manufacturers. Each fibre manufacturer reégisters . trade names for the fibres he produces. As more | processes are discovered, new names of fibres appear on the marker, Cellulosies Viscose Rayon ‘This was one of the first man-made fibres to be produced commercially. Characteristics " 1 Viscose drapes well but creases easily. 4 2 Itis absorbent and therefore comfortable 4 to wear, 3 Ie washes well but weakens when wet. | 4 Ie is weakened by long exposure to sun- 7 light 5 Ivis mothproof and resists mildew. 6 Iv is damaged by high temperatures. 7 It blends well with natural or other man made fibres. 8 It burns easily and leaves a grey ash. Production Viscose rayon is made from the cellulose derived from wood pulp. Its manufactureFibres Appearance Burning Rayon Lustre, smooth, Burns and leaves, ‘cool. Some have a grey ash warm fuzzy surface Acetate ——Lurtre, smooth, Burns in and out coal ‘of fame, Smells of vinegar. Leaves black ash Polyester Strong and tough Fuses into a hard fibres, eg. bead. Gives off an Terylene aromatic smell Polyamide Fine, strong, Runs away from fibres, eg. lightweight and flame and melts Nylon clastic into a hard bead Acrylic fibres, Fine lightweight Melis into tar like eg. Orlon, a black bead Courtelle Man-made fibres follows the stages of the basic process for man- made fibres mentioned earlier. Itis produced first as a filament and can then be cut into staple fibres if required before spinning into a Pinel, Evian and Sarille are the trade names of various fibres in the viscose rayon group and have their own special qualities. Viscose rayon fibres are widely used for textiles for clothing, home furnishings and carpets Acetate Fibres Acetate is made from purified cellulose derived from cotton linters or wood pulp together with acetic acid. It is spun into a continuous filament and can be cut into staple fibres if required, Dicel is a trade name for an acetate fibre. Characteristics 1. Acetate fabrics hold their size and shape and drape well. Chemical Test Microsopie Test Man-me fer Dissolves in Rounded with sulphuric acid grooves running === kaghvice | ——— Digolves in Rounded with accione undiluted one or two | <== or diluted grooves = Dissolves in Rounded concentrated structureless. oe sulphuric acid fibre a Dissolves in formic Rounded and acid and sulphurie structureless Se acid Disolves Rounded and concentrated structureless SEXEXOEEE nitric acid 2 The fibre absorbs moisture and is there- fore comfortable to wear. 3 It washes well but loses strength when wet. some of its 4° It dries quickly 5 When damp it irons casily, with a warm iron. A high temperature will mele the fabric 6 It is weakened by long exposure to sun- light. 7 Acetate bums readily leaving a grey ash. 8 In staple form it can be blended with a variety of other fibres. Triacetate This fibre is closely related to acetate in the first stages of its production. A further process then converts it into cellulose triacetate, giving it special qualities. One manufacturer's trade name for a triacetate fibre is Trice!’ Triacetate fibres blend well with other fibres, “Tricelon’ is a blend of Tricel and Gelon. 83Characteristics 1 Triacetate is less absorbent than acctate and less comfortable in a hot climate. 2 It washes well and can be drip-dried 3 It withstands higher temperatures than acetate and can be heat set into pleats 4 Acetate is not attacked by moths or mil- dew. 5 It is mot weakened by sunlight 6 It bums leaving a black bead Uses of Cellulosies Cellulosic fabrics are used for blouses, dresses, lingerie and men’s wear. It is used in home furnishing for table linens, upholstery and curtain Fabris, Synthetics Characteristics 1 They do not absorb moisture readily. 2 They wash well and dry quickly. 3. They are strong when wet. 4 They do not crease easily and thérefore they require little oF no,jroning. They resist mildew and insect damage. 6 They are softened with the application of heat and because of this they can be given heat treatment which will affect the appearance and performance of the fabric; permanent pleating is an example of this 7 The filaments can also be crimped by heat treatment to give bulky or ‘stretch’ yarn. Nylons or Polyamides Nylon was the first man-made fibre produced entirely from chemical elements — carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. The basic substances are taken from coal or petroleum, air and water. : Characteristics 1 Nylon is strong, elastic and light in weight 2 Iedoes not absorb moisture, therefore itis ‘uncomfortable to wear in warm weather. 84 3 Nylon washes well in clean water with detergent but becomes discoloured if washed with dirty clothing. 4 Ie dries quickly and requires very litle ironing. 5. Itis not attacked by moth or mildew. 6 It is weakened and discoloured by long exposure to sunlight. 7 Nylon -produces static electricity when rubbed. The electricity attracts dirt and this causes nylon garments to soil quickly. 8 When burt, nylon melts and forms a hard black bead. Production The raw materials from coal-or petroleum, air and water are converted by a series of chemical steps into a nylon polymer resemb: ling plastic, which is cat into small chips. When heat is applied the polymer chips melt and the liquid is forced through a spinneret to form filaments. The cooled filaments go through a stretching process which gives the fibre its strength and elasticity. The filaments are then wound on spools for further process ing. At this stage the filaments can be cut into staple yarn, Nylon fibres can be used alone or added to other fibres in various blends. Qiana is the tradename for one of the recent modifications of nylon. Qiana has the appearance of silk. It washes well, is crease resistant and. is comfortable to wear. Other trade names of nylon fibres are Bri-nylon, Gelon, Perlon and Enkalon, Uses of Nylon Nylon is used for all types of clothing includ. ing stockings, tights and foundation gar- ments. It is also used. extensively in home furnishings for curtains, sheets, upholstery and carpets, especially Blended with other fibres. Polyesters Polyester fibres form another widely’ used group of synthetic fibres. The first polyester fibre to be manufactured was called Tery: lene, Dacron is the name given to a similar jfibre in America. Other tradé names of poly- ‘esters are Crimplene (bulked Terylene), Tre- vira and Terlenka. The fibres can be used as filaments or staple fibres and spun into yarn for weaving or knitting. Polyesters blend well with other fibres, natural or man-made. Characteristics 1 Polyester fibres are very strong: 2 Polyester fabrics are crease resistant and wear well 3. Polyester fabrics are easy to wash and dry quickly. 4 They need little or no ironing. 5 They have good resistance to sunlight and are therefore suitable for curtains 6 When polyester fibres are burned they form a hard bead. Production Polyesters are produced from petroleum and its by-products mixed with various chemicals, The process of manufacture is basically similar to that of other man-mades. Uses of Polyesters Polyester fabrics are used for blouses, dresses, shirts and suits. They are also used in home furnishings for table linen, curtain and car- pets. Acrylic Fibres Most of the acrylic fibres are soft and bulky. Where bulk and warmth are needed, together with hard-wearing qualities, acrylics are very suitable. During manufacture the filaments are crimped and may be cut into staple fibres if required. Orlon was the first acrylic fibre to be produced, Acrilan, Courcelle and Dralon are other acrylics, Teklan is a special fibre in this group. Its yarn is flame resistant. Acrylic fibres blend well with wool and also with most man-made fibres, its crimp giving elasticity and bulk Characteristics 1 Acrylic fibres are soft, warm, lightweight and durable ‘They are not affected by sunlight “Epey absorb little moisture, ‘They wash easily and drip dry. ‘They are successful for knitted garments. When burnt the fibres melt and form “ droplets of hot molten plastic. Teklan * however is flameproof. Production Acrylic fibres are produced from raw ‘materials derived from oil refining and coal by-products. Production follows the basic processes of other synthetics. Use of Acrylies Acrylic fibres are used for coats, suits, Dlouses, cardigans and baby wear. Teklan is suitable for children’s night wear. They are also used for home furnishings such as blankets, bedspreads, quilts, curtains and carpets. Dralon is used widely for upholstery fabrics Things To Do - Record your findings in a notebook 1 Visit a market and notice what kind of fabrics people are wearing. ‘What is the most popular fabric being ‘worn? ‘Why is this? Give more than one reason. 2 Look at the fabrics being sold and see if you can find out what fibres they are made of. Are any of the materials blends of more than one fibre? 3 Look at the clothing for sale and sce if there isa label inside telling you what itis made of and how to launder it. 4 Re-arrange all the names of the fibres you have recorded into their special fibre groups. 5 Write down how you would launder one of your garments in order to get the best results 85