BRIEF INTRODUCTION WITH COMMON NATURAL FIBERS

-->

Cotton: Cotton, the purest form of cellulose found in the nature is the seed hair of the plants of the genus Gossypium.It is classified as natural, cellulosic, mono-cellular, staple fiber. Cotton has been cultivated for more than 5000 years.<Read More>

Wool : Wool is the fiber from the fleece of sheep . It is a natural, protein, multi-cellular, Staple fiber. Early wool was a very coarse fiber. Its development into the soft fleecy coat so familiar today is the result of long and continued selective breeding. The breeding of animals and the production of the wool fiber into fabric are more costly process than the cultivation of plat fiber 9e.g. cotton, linen) and their manufacture. But wool provides warmth and physical comfort that cotton and linen fabrics cannot give. <Read More>

Silk : Silk is a continuous strand of two filaments cemented together forming the cocoon of silk worm Bombay mori. The silk worm forms silk by forcing two fine streams of thick liquid out of tiny openings in its head . On account of air streams of liquid harden into filaments of thick liquid out of tiny opening in its head. On account of air streams of liquid harden into filaments. <Read More>

Flax: Flax comes from the stem of the flax plat of the species Lignum usitatissimum. It is classified as a natural cellulose, bast multi-cellular fiber. When the fiber is processed into fabric it is called Linen.Flax was probably the first plat fiber to be used by man for making textiles. <Read More>

Jute: Jute is the common name given to fiber extracted from the stems of plants belonging to the Genus Co chorus. It is yellowish brown in color which is classified as natural bast and long staple fiber. People all over the world have used jute for most of their packaging requirements. <Read More>

CLASSIFICATION OF TEXTILE FIBER

-->

The textile fibers are broadly divided into two groups, namely (1) natural fibers and (2) Man made Fibers.

1.  Natural Fibers: Fibers that are grown in fields or available in nature are called natural fibers e.g. cotton, wool, silk, jute flax and ramie.

2.  Man-made Fibers: Fibers that are not found in nature are called man-made fiber e.g. polyester, nylon, viscose and acrylic. The fiber forming substance of man-made fibers have to be manufactured by chemical processing instead of growing them in fields. Hence, they are also known as manufactured fibers or chemical fibers.

REQUIRED PROPERTIES OF TEXTILE FIBER

1.       Shape- Length should not be less than 0.5” for staple fibers. Fibers that too short are measured in inches or centimeters rather than yards or meters are called staple. Filament is the term for fiber that can be measured in yards or meters (e.g. silk, Polyester). Some manmade fibers are manufactured in both staple and filament lengths.

2.       Strength- Should not be less than 1gm/denier to withstand wear and tear during weaving and knitting.

3.       Extensibility and elasticity- must have a certain minimum amount of extensibility so as to withstand sudden strains placed on it. Elasticity helps fabrics to conform to specific contours of the body and to maintain their original shape in use and wear.

4.       Softness- most desired for apparels and especially underwear. Softness and mechanical softening (by special type calendaring) are available to impart or increase softness if the fiber naturally lacked it.

5.       Luster-generally a subdued luster is preferred for clothing purposes. Various finishing processes (e.g. calendaring) are available for changing the natural luster of fiber generally it is more difficult to increase the luster than to lower it, Luster of a man-made fiber can be reduced by adding delustrant into the fiber composition and cotton can be given a permanent silky luster by a process called mercerization.

6.       Abrasion resistance-should have resistance to repeated creasing or bending.

7.       Affinity towards dyes-not only must be capable of being colored but it must be amendable to dyeing in really fast shades. Generally synthetic fiber offer difficulty in dyeing.

8.       Resistance to deterioration influences including light (particularly sunlight), heat, bacteria, mildew, fungi, wet or damp conditions, corrosive chemicals etc- ultraviolet rays of sunlight can be very harmful for fibers. They generally induce oxidation of the fiber and also of any dyes which may be present. Certain days of orange or yellow shades are very dangerous in this respect. Prolonged exposure of fabrics and garments to damp conditions is always certain to shorten their life. The moisture assists attack by all kinds of bacteria and organisms. When bacteria or microorganisms thrive in a piece of fabric they either weaken this by living on its substances or excrete substances which are corrosive to the fabric. (Read previous>

 

INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILE FIBERES

WHAT IS TEXTILE FIBER ?

Fibers are hair like substances which are usually thousand times (at least 100 times) longer than they are thick e.g. cotton, wool, polyester, nylon etc. To be classified as useful textile fiber , a fiber must be available in large quantity and be reasonably cheap. In addition it must have at least a few of the several properties referred in the next point and which enable it to be converted into yarns and fabrics by means of machinery and technology now commonly used in the textile industry.

Fiber is the basic entity either natural or manufactured which is twisted into yarns and then used in the production of a fabric.<Read More>