Fibers

Chapter 14

Fibers are the basic unit of all textiles

Yarn is a continuous strand of fibers

Fabric is a textile product made by knitting or weaving yarns together

Fibers are combined to make yarns

Yarns are combined to make fabrics

Fiber Characteristics

Each fiber has its own characteristics

Fiber source (natural or manufactured) determines characteristics

Fibers may be short, long, curly or straight

Fiber Characteristics

Strength – the ability to withstand pulling and twisting

Shrinkage – the ability to maintain size

Warmth – the ability to maintain body temperature

Durability – the ability to hold up in repeated use

Fiber Characteristics

Absorbency – the ability to take in moisture

Wrinkle resistance – the ability to resist creasing

Resiliency – the ability to spring back when crushed or wrinkled

Selecting Fibers

Knowing fiber characteristics will help you choose the appropriate fiber for the end use

What fiber characteristic would be appropriate for:

Coat - Dress shirt

Bath towel - Work pants

Carpet - Shoe laces

Natural Fibers

The most common natural fibers are cotton, linen, wool and silk

The two categories of natural fibers are:Cellulosic fibers – fibers from plant sources like cotton, flax, ramie, hemp, and jute

Protein fibers – fibers from animal sources like wool, silk, mohair, cashmere, camel’s hair, alpaca, and angora

Manufactured fibers

More widely used than natural fibers

Used in clothes, accessories, furniture, and cars

Wide variety of fiber characteristics

Rayon was the first commercially produced fiber in 1924. It was marketed as “artificial silk.”

Manufactured Fibers

The two categories of manufactured fibers are:

Cellulosic fibers – make from wood chips dissolved in chemicals. Examples are rayon, acetate, triacetate and lyocell.

Noncellulosic or Synthetic fibers – made from combining the chemicals like nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. Examples are nylon, polyester, olefin, acrylic, and spandex.

Manufacturing Process

Step 1 – The solid raw material is changed into a liquid.

Step 2 – The liquid is extruded (forced or pushed) through a spinneret with very tiny holes

Step 3 – The liquid is hardened into a fiber

Manufactured Fiber ModificationsFibers can be thick or thin

Cross section can be round, flat or shaped

The color, shine, wrinkle-resistance, absorption, and strength can be varied

Fibers can be crimped, textured, coiled or looped

Fibers can be blended with other manufactured or natural fibers