History
Fibre properties
tenacity
Overall structural strength of a fibre (both wet and dry)
fibre properties durability
The ability of a fibre to withstand rubbing or friction
fibre properties dimensional stability
The ability of a fibre to maintain its original shape, neither shrinking nor stretching
fibre properties pilling properties
The formation of balls of loose fibres on the surface of a fabric resulting from abrasion
fibre properties elastic recovery
The ability of a fibre to return to its original length after it is stretched
fibre properties creep
How a fibre responds to a constant stretching force
fibre properties flexibility
The ease by which fibres can be bent or folded which affects the overall drape
fibre properties resilience
How easily a fibres returns to original state after creasing
fibre properties absorbency
The ability of a fibre to take in moisture
fibre properties thermal properties
– How well the fibre insulates the wearer
fibre properties effects of heat
Clearly an important property… Consider the effects of a hot iron on plastics!
fibre properties synthetics
– Often thermoplastic and may readily melt!
fibre properties cellulosic
may scorch or burn
fibre properties flammability
wool is flammable
fibre properties stability
Stability with respect to insect attack, light, chemical attack etc.
2 main categories of fibres
Natural – derived from animal, vegetable or mineral
Synthetic or man-made- semi- synthetic, derived from regenerated natural materials such as cellulose in the form of wood pulp. Synthetic, often derived from petrochemicals
3 classes of natural fibres
Animal fibres- proteinaceous materials
Sub divided in to 3 further groups depending on structure- silks (fibroin), wool (keratin and hair (keratin)
Vegetable fibres
Again subdivided into 3 groups depending on derivation- seed fibres, bast (stem) fibres and leaf fibres
Mineral fibres
Very few examples other than asbestos which itself present itself in 3 common forms
silk
wool and animal fur/hair
Animal fibres of this type are primarily composed of the protein keratin made of sulphur rich amino acids but varies by species
Ovine (sheep) Wool is hugely common
Soft, strong, elastic, warm, breathable and comparatively inexpensive
Wool can be easily identified microscopically and shows considerable variation according to sheep breed
All wools will show obvious signs of scaly morphology and the number of will again vary by breed of sheep
A cross section shows a round/ovoid morphology
3 types of cells that make up hair
– Medulla cells – Where present often dead and air filled
– Cortical cells – Spindle shaped cells packed together
– Cuticle cells – Forming a tough outer sheath of tip facing overlapping scales which vary between species and hence can be fairly discriminating
vegetable fibres - cotton
most common vegetable fibres
A seed fibre obtained from Gossypium hirsutum and other species
Soft, strong, elastic, warm and breathable
Represents >50% of annual fibre usage
Composed of ~95% cellulose
After maturation, the fibre walls shrink and the central hollow lumen becomes smaller and flattens which evokes convolutions or twist which improves flexibility and allows better interlocking in yarn
vegetable fibres hemp
Hemp fibres were once much more commonly used in than today
mineral fibres asbestos