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FIBER
A unit of matter characterized by Flexibility, Fineness and a high length to width ratio.

Fiber Natural Man Made

Natural Fiber

Vegetable Fiber Cotton Jute Linen

Animal Fiber Wool Silk

Mineral Fiber Asbestos Glass Metal

Natural Fiber

Cellulosic Fiber Cotton Jute Linen

Protein Fiber Wool Silk

Mineral Fiber Asbestos Glass Metal

Man Made Fiber

Regenerated Fiber Viscose Acetate

Synthetic Fiber Polyester Nylon

Fiber

Staple Fiber Cotton Polyester

Filament Fiber Silk Nylon

Primary Properties
Length; length-width ratio Tenacity (strength) Flexibility (pliability) Acceptable extensibility for processing Cohesion Uniformity of properties

Secondary Properties
Physical shape (cross-section, surface contour, etc. Specific gravity (influence weight, cover, etc.) Moisture regain and moisture absorption (comfort, static electricity, etc.) Elastic character - tensile and compression Thermoplasticity (softening point and heat-set character) Dyeability Resistance to solvents, corrosive chemicals, microorganisms, and environmental conditions Flammability Luster
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Fiber Cotton Wool Silk Viscose Acetate Polymaid Acrylic Polyseter

Primary Features 4 2 2 1 4 4 2 3 3 0 4 4 2 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 0 4 4 2 3 2 4 4 4 4 0 3 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 3 4 4 3 4 4 0 3 4 4 4 4 4 0 3 Price Water Imbibition Elasticity Elongation Strength Length Fineness

2 2 2 2 0 4 4 4

4 4 4 4 2 2 0 0

4 4 4 4 2 2 0 0

Secondary Features 4 2 2 3 0 4 3 4 0 0 4 2 4 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4 4 1 4 3 4 3 2 0 0 0 0 4 3 4 0 4 2 4 4 2 4 2 2 2 4 2 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 2 4 4 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 4 0 2 2 2

2 2 2 4 0 4 2 4

4 4 2 4 4 2 4 4

2 4 4 2 4 2 4 4

59 59 69 56 57 67 59 63 Grand Total
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0 - Poor ; 2 Generally Acceptable ; 4 Very Good

Aesthetic Apparance Light Stability Fatigue Resistance Flammability Softening Point Wicking Pilling Crease Recovery Crease Resistance Drape and Handle Bulking Power Laundering Static Dye Affinity Abrasion Resistance

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General Fiber Characteristics

External Structure 1. Length (short staple 0.5 2.5 inches, long staple > 2 inches) 2. Diameter (natural 10-20 microns, manufactured 10 50 microns) 3. Cross-sectional shape 4. Crimp 5. Color
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General Fiber Characteristics

Internal Structure 1. Chemical Composition Sequence and kind of atoms in structure 2. Crystallinity Polymer chains or sections packed together 3. Orientation Alignment of chains along fiber axis

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General Fiber Characteristics

Thermal Properties 1. Melting Temperature 2. Glass Transition Temperature Most polymers are thermoplastic they soften before melting

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General Fiber Characteristics

Physical Properties 1. Breaking Strength Force required to break a fiber 2. Breaking Elongation Amount of stretch before breaking 3. Modulus Resistance to deformation 4. Toughness Amount of energy absorbed 5. Elasticity Ability to recover after being deformed
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General Fiber Characteristics

Chemical Properties 1. Density 2. Moisture Regain 3. Chemical Resistance 4. Dyeability

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Cotton

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Cotton

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Cotton: Advantages
Absorbent. Cool. Comfortable to wear. Durable. Economical. Does not melt.

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Cotton: Limitations
Wrinkles unless treated. Susceptible to mildew and strong acids. May scorch.

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Cotton
Cotton is hypoallergenic since it doesnt irritate sensitive skin or cause allergies Cottons softness makes it a preferred fabric for underwear and other garments worn next to the skin Cottons adaptability allows it to blend easily with most other fibres including synthetics such as polyester and lycra Cotton is one of the easiest fabrics to dye, making it very popular with fashion and homeware designers

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Cotton
Cotton can be given a coating or a finish. For example, cotton used in fire fighting uniforms is coated and finished with Proban, a flame-retardant chemical treatment Durable press is a finishing treatment used in cotton garments to eliminate creasing and reduce the need to iron. It retains specific contours such as creases and pleats to be resistant to normal usage, washing or dry cleaning Cotton has a high absorbency rate and holds up to 27 times its own weight in water

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Cotton
Cotton also becomes stronger when wet Cottons strength and absorbency levels make it an ideal fabric for medical and personal hygiene products such as bandages and swabs Terry cloth is a cotton fabric used to make common items such as towels. It can be safely washed in very hot water and with strong bleach and/or detergent Cotton keeps the body cool in summer and warm in winter because it is a good conductor of heat

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Cotton
Cotton is often used in the manufacture of curtains, tents and tarpaulins as it is not easily damaged by sunlight Cotton breathes easily as a result of its unique fibre structure. This attribute makes cotton more comfortable to wear than artificial fibres unable to provide similar ventilation Unlike synthetic fibres, cotton is a natural product and contains no chemicals

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Cotton Products
Almost all parts of the cotton plant are used in some way, including the cottonseed, lint (raw cotton fibre), stalk and hull (shell) Popular uses for cotton fibre include clothing apparel, home furnishings and industrial/medical products such as tents, bandages and cotton swabs Well known cotton fibre products include denim jeans, socks, towels, t-shirts, bed sheets and underwear Cotton fibre can be woven or knitted into fabrics such as velvet, corduroy, chambray, velour, jersey and flannel
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Cotton Products
Linters are the very short fibres that remain on the cottonseed after ginning. Once removed and processed, linters are used to produce goods such as bandages, cotton buds, and x-rays The fibre from one 227 kg cotton bale can produce 215 pairs of jeans, 250 single bed sheets, 750 shirts, 1,200 tshirts, 2,100 pairs of boxer shorts, 3,000 nappies, 4,300 pairs of socks or 680,000 cotton balls

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Flex / Linen

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Linen: Advantages
Best wicking of natural fibers; therefore, cool to wear. Dries quickly. Natural, soft sheen. Strong and durable. Does not melt.

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Linen: Limitations
Wrinkles badly unless treated. Susceptible to mildew and strong acids. Color frosts on creases. May be weakened with repeated creasing in the same place. May scorch.

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Silk

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Silk

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Silk

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Silk: Advantages
Luxurious. Lightweight. Dyes in beautiful, rich colors. Absorbent. Strong. Moderately wrinkle resistant. Resists mildew and moths. Does not melt.

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Silk : Limitations
Weakened by sunlight, perspiration and chlorine bleach. Absorbs body oils and grease stains. Water spots. Yellows and fades with age. Subject to attack by carpet beetles unless treated. Affected by high temperatures. Loses strength when wet. Should be pressed with a press cloth. Color damaged by hair spray. Damaged by perfumes.
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Wool

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Wool

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Wool: Advantages
Warm and comfortable to wear. Absorbent. Wrinkle resistant. Mold and shape easily when pressed. Water repellent. Flame resistant. Does not melt.

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Wool: Limitations
Subject to attack by moths and carpet beetles unless treated. May shrink and felt when laundered unless blended or especially treated. Damaged by chlorine bleach. Damaged by dry heat. Loses strength when wet. Sensitive to alkaline agents. Should be pressed with a press cloth.

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Man Made Fiber

nylon modacrylic Polyester Spandex polyolefin aramid novoloid Vectran PBI Fluorocarbon (WL Gore) Carbon 1938 1949 1953 1959 1961 1974 1974 1985 1986 1970? 1970's?

*Market share of man made fibers vs. natural fibers 1945 13% today 75+%

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Melt Spinnig
Typical Melt Spun Fibers Nylon Polyester Polypropylene Disadvantages Separate drawing step (unless spin draw) Advantages High speed (275 to 1500 yddmin); (4000 yddmin spin draw) No solvents No purification problems
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Melt Spinning
Melt Spinning simplest and economical melting the polymers molten polymer is extruded from spinneret ONLY limited to polymers which are stable to high temperatures. E.g., polyester, polyamides, polystryrene. etc

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Dry Spinning
Typical Dry Spun Fibers Acetate Spandex Disadvantages Flammable solvent hazards Solvent recovery Slow (200 - 400 yd/min) Advantages Yarn does not require purification

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Wet spinning
Typical Wet Spun Fibers Viscose Disadvantages Slow (70 - 150 yd/min) Washing to remove impurities Solvent and chemical recovery Advantages Large tows can be handled

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Viscose

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Viscose

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Rayon: Advantages
Dyes easily. Versatile. Relatively inexpensive. Absorbent. Does not melt.

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Rayon: Limitations
Wrinkles easily. Weaker when wet. Damaged by strong acids and mildew. May shrink or stretch unless treated. May scorch.

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Nylon

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Nylon: Advantages
Extremely strong. Extremely durable. Can be heat set to retain pleats. Wrinkle resistant. Resists mildew and insect damage. Does not burn easily. High elasticity. Very resistant to abrasion.

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Nylon: Limitations
Builds up static electricity. Low moisture absorption. Grays and yellows with age and poor care. Picks up dye and soil in laundering. Absorbs and holds body oils and perspiration stains. Melts if too hot. Pills if spun.

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Polyester

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Polyester: Advantages
Wrinkle resistant. Retains heat-set pleats and creases. Superior wash-wear performance. Strong. Resists damage from abrasion, strong sunlight, weather conditions, moths, mildew and most strong chemicals.

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Polyester: Limitations
Absorbs body oils. Accumulates static electricity. May pill and attract lint. Absorbs perspiration odor. Melts if too hot.

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Spandex

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Spandex: Advantages
Provides strength without weight. Resists perspiration, cosmetic oils and lotions. Has elasticity; great stretch and recovery.

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Spandex: Limitations
Damaged by chlorine bleach. Absorbs little moisture. May yellow when exposed to light. Melts at relatively low heat.

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Polypropylene

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Fiber Strength
Fiber
Name
Natural Fibers Cotton Flax Silk Wool Ma n-Ma de Fibe rs Acetate Acrylic Aramid (Filament) Aramid (Staple Fluorocarbon Glass Modacrylic Novaloid Nylon 6 (Filament) Nylon 6 (Staple) Nylon 66 (Filament) Nylon 66 (Staple) Nylon 66 HT Olefin Polyester (Filament) Polyester (Staple Polyester (Filament HT) Rayon Rayon HT Rayon HWM Rubber Saran Spandex Vinyon Kevlar Spectra Vectran HS

Breaking Tenacity (Grams/Denier)

Dry
4.0 5.5 4.5 1.5

Wet
5.0 6.5 3.9 1.0

1.2-1.5 2.0-3.5 4.3-5.1 3.7-5.3 2.0 7.0 2.0-3.5 1.5-2.5 6.0-9.5 2.5 3.5-7.2 3.0-6.0 6.0-9.5 4.8 4.0-5.5 2.5-5.5 6.3-9.5 0.73-2.6 3.0-6.0 2.5-5.5 0.3 1.5 0.6-0.9 0.7-1.0 20.0 30-35 23.0

0.8-1.2 1.8-3.3 3.2-3.9 2.7-4.1 SAME SAME SAME 1.3-2.3 5.0-8.0 2.0 3.2-6.5 2.6-5.4 5.0-8.0 6.0 SAME SAME SAME 0.7-1.8 1.9-4.6 1.8-4.0 SAME SAME SAME SAME 18.0 SAME SAME

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Specific Gravity

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Thermal Properties
Fiber Melting Point
F
Natural Fibers Cotton Flax Silk Wool Nonmelting Nonmelting Nonmelting Nonmelting

Softenting Sticking Point

F C

Safe Ironing Temperature *

F
425 450 300 300

C
218 232 149 149

Man-made Fibers Acetate 446 Arnel Triacetate 575 Acrylic Aramid Doesn't melt: Glass Modacrylic 410

364 184 350 177 482 250 464 240 400-490 204-254 300-350 149-176 carbonizes above 800 F. 1400-3033 210 300 149 200-250 93-121

230 302

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Thermal Properties
Fiber Softenting Melting Point Sticking Point
F
Novoloid Nylon 6 Nylon 66 Olefin Nonmelting 414 482 275

Safe Ironing Temperature *

F C
300 149 350 177 150 66 (Lowest Possible) 325 350 375 Do Not Iron 300 Do Not Iron (Lowest Possible)

C
212 250 135

F
340 445 260 460 490 300 347 200 260

C
171 229 127 338 254 149 175 93 127

Polyester PET 480 249 Polyester PCDT 550 311 Rayon Nonmelting Saran 350 177 Spandex 446 230 Vinyon 285 140 Kevlar Nonmelting Spectra 285 140 Vectran 625 300 *Lowest setting on irons: 185-225 F.

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Absorbency

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Sunlight Resistance
Glass Acrylic Modacrylic Polyester Flax Cotton Rayon Triacetate Acetate Olefin Nylon Wool Silk Kevlar Vectran

Excellent

To

Poor
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Fiber Blends - Some Reasons For Blending

To facilitate processing To improve properties Abrasion resistance Strength Absorbency Hand Dimensional stability Resistance to wrinkling To produce multi-color fabrics To reduce cost
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Summary Of Properties Desired For Textile Fibers

Tenacity: 3 - 5 gram/denier Elongation at break: 10 - 35% Recovery from elongation: 100% at strains up to 5% Modulus of elasticity: 30 - 60 gram/denier Moisture absorbency: 2 - 5% Zero strength temperature (excessive creep and softening point): above 215' C

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Summary Of Properties Desired For Textile Fibers

High abrasion resistance (varies with type fabric structure) Dyeable Low flammability Insoluble with low swelling in water, in moderately strong acids and bases and conventional organic solvents from room temperature to 100' c Ease of care

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Fiber Usage
Customer Term Comfort Textile Property
Moisture Character Flexibility Elasticity Thermal Character

Appearance Durability

Optical Character Elasticity Tensile Strength Toughness Flexibility Elasticity

Easy Care

Moisture Character Elasticity Dimensional Stability

Safety

Flammability Chemical Resistance

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Fibers For Products

Bed Shits The Consumer Expects the Soft and Warm Handle with Easy care Properties. Sheets are expected to be hard wearing and dimensional stable. The majority of bed sheets are manufactured from polyester / cotton blends.

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Fibers For Products

Shirting Shirts are expected to absorb perspiration as well as being non creasing and retaining their shape in wear. Easy care properties are essential and shirts must be hard wearing to give long service life. Like bed sheets, most shirts are made from polyester / cotton blends.

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Fibers For Products

Knitted Jumpers Jumpers are worn for warmth and need to be elastic so that they do not lose their shape in wear. Wool is often used, but its high cost is a disadvantage. Acrylic fibres are cheaper and have better easy care characteristic. Increasingly, cotton is used for jumpers and polyester / cotton for sweatshirts.

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Fibers For Products

Swimwear Swimwear needs to fit the body but also allow freedom of movement. The fibres must be resistance to salt water, as well as chlorinated water in swimming baths. almost exclusively, polyamids are used as the main fibres, with about % of Elastine to give stretch. This combination dries quickly since neither is water absorbent.

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Fibers For Products

Towels The most important characteristic of fiber for towels is the ability to absorb the water. It is useful that the towel will retain its shape in use and be soft to the touch. Cotton is the major fiber used although viscose could also be used.

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Fibers For Products

Tights Tights must fits to legs closely, yet be sufficiently elastic to allow moments. The fiber must be strong and extensible to give resistance to snagging, and highly elastic to prevent wrinkling. Polyamide is used for the main part of the tights while a small qty of elastane is used for the waisteband.

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Fibers For Products

Trousers The fibres used for the trousers can vary greatly according to consumer requirements. In all, easy care and dimensional stability for shape retentation are important. For warmth, polyester/wool is effective. This blend is less care. Summer trousers are often made from polyester/cotton and denim jeans are just 100% cotton. Jeans do not have easy care properties but are hard wearing; creasing in use is often a positive advantage to the consumer.
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