Identifying Fabrics & Fibers ~ Characteristics & Burn Tests

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The purpose of this guide is to help you understand each type of common upholstery, drapery, linen and garment fibers and will help you identify fabrics that have no content listing

This Guide Includes:

Individual Fiber Descriptions Including:

• Name Of Fibers
• Words Associated With Each Fiber
• Physical Characteristics Of Each Fiber
• Advantages & Disadvantages Of Each Fiber
• Burn Test Results Of Each Fiber

Alphabetical List Of Common Fibers & Characteristics

 

Acrylic

Also Known As:

• Orlon
• Fi Lana
• Pa-Qel
• Remember
• So-Lara

Physical Characteristics Of Acrylic:

• Fibers are manmade and produced with the wet or dry spinning method
• Fibers may be round, dumbbell or bean shaped
• Fibers are generally crimped and marketed in the staple form

Advantages:

• Imitates a natural hand
• Resistant to most solvents
• Resists mildew, insects and acide
• Low Cost

Disadvantages:

• Stains easily
• Low resilience
• Ignites quickly
• Sensitive to sun
• Non-absorbant
• Weakens with age

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Burns Quickly

Removed From Flame: Continues To Melt

Odor: Acidic Odor

Ash: Plastic Looking Bead

 

Bast

Also Known As:

• Flax
• Jute
• Ramie
• Hemp
• Linen
• Grass Cloth
• Sisal
• Coir

Physical Characteristics Of Bast:

• Natural fiber from stems and leaves of plants
• Both fine and coarse fibers are produced
• Colors range from tan to dark brown

Advantages:

• Natural hand
• Cool
• Stronger when wet
• Low luster
• Easy to clean

Disadvantages:

• Flammable
• Course texture
• Does not absorb dyes well
• Brittle

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Ignites immediately

Removed From Flame: Continues to burn

Odor: Burning paper or wood

Ash: Light colored

 

Cotton

Also Known As:

• Haitian
• Combed
• Chintz
• Polished
• Mercerized
• Egyptian
• Pima

Physical Characteristics Of Cotton:

• Fiber contains a gentle twist which causes it to blend easily
• Known as a vegetable or plant fiber. Cellulosic fiber
• Requires finish for easier care

Advantages:

• Natural hand
• Absorbent, dyes well
• Drapes well
• Resists moths and beetles
• Comfortable/cool fabric

Disadvantages:

• Flammable
• Low abrasion resistance if not dense
• Easily damaged by sun if not dense
• Shrinks and stains easily

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Ignites immediately

Removed From Flame: Continues to burn

Odor: Burning paper or wood

Ash: Light ash, blows away

 

Glass

Also Known As:

• Beta
• Fiberglass

Physical Characteristics Of Glass:

• Fibers come in natural and manmade form
• Natural form comes from serpentine rock from Canada
• Manmade form is produced from silica sand and limestone
• Fibers are smooth, round and produced in staple or filament form

Advantages:

• Good insulator
• Cool hand
• Non-combustible
• Very strong and resilient
• Very dense
• Hydrophobic (non moisture absorbing)

Disadvantages:

• Sensitive to work with
• Dangerous/Hazardous
• No elasticity
• Abrasive to skin and respiratory system

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Does not burn

Removed From Flame: Flame can melt fabric slightly

Odor: Not applicable

Ash: Not applicable

 

Metal

Also Known As:

• Bekinox
• Lurex
• Mylar
• Stainless Steel
• Aluminum
• Silver
• Copper
• Gold

Physical Characteristics Of Metal:

• Produced by slitting thin sheets of metal into ribbons
• Aluminum is most commonly used because silver and gold tend to tarnish
• Polyester-metallic fibers are delicate (mylar)

Advantages:

• Launder well
• Catches eye
• Tear and abrasion resistance (stainless steel)
• Reduces static buildup

Disadvantages:

• Fibers can tarnish (gold & silver)
• Expensive
• Fibers are soft and weak
• Must be blended for strength

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Metal does not burn, refer to blended fabric

Removed From Flame: Not applicable

Odor: Not applicable

Ash: Not applicable

 

Modacrylic

Also Known As:

• Kanekalon
• SEF
• Verel
• Dynel
• Elura
• Adrilan

Physical Characteristics Of Modacrylic:

• Fibers are manmade, translucent, flat and irregular
• Used in staple form, fibers are crimped
• Used for drapes, blankets and children’s sleepwear

Advantages:

• Natural hand
• Imitates wool well
• Resistant to most solvents
• Resists high temperatures
• Flame resistance
• Age has no affect
• Good resislience

Disadvantages:

• Low absorbency
• Low abrasion resistance

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Melts slowly

Removed From Flame: Self extinguishes

Odor: Unidentifiable

Ash: Plastic Looking Bead

 

Nylon

Also Known As:

• Antron
• Caprolan
• Nomex
• Qiana
• Calanese
• Cadon
• Perlon
• Enka
• Cumoloft
• Cantrece
• Astroturf

Physical Characteristics Of Nylon:

• Fibers are manmade, produced with melt-spinning method through spinneret
• Fibers could be round, irregular or triangular
• Fibers are versatile. Can be produced to be shiny or dull
• 100% elastic recovery

Advantages:

• Resists abrasion
• Blends well
• Resistant to most solvents
• Not affected by water
• Low to minimum cost
• Strongest fiber (filament)

Disadvantages:

• Collects static electricity
• Low sun resistance
• Weaker when wet
• Pills (staple)
• Synthetic hand

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Melts slowly

Removed From Flame: Self extinguishes

Odor: Unidentified odor

Ash: Plastic bead

 

Olefin

Also Known As:

• Marvess
• Marquesa
• Marquesa-Lana
• Polypropylene
• Polyethylene

Physical Characteristics Of Olefin:

• Fibers are even and usually round
• Fibers are manufactured directly as multi-filament yarns
• Yarns have a comfortable soft hand
• Commonly used for upholstery

Advantages:

• Wears well
• Stain/oil resistant
• Thermoplastic fiber
• Burns slowly
• Mildew resistant
• Inexpensive
• Easily cleans with water

Disadvantages:

• No resistance to sunlight
• Very heat sensitive
• Low resistance to solvents
• Must be pre-shrunk before produced into yarn
• Pills
• Non-absorbant

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Melts slowly

Removed From Flame: Continues to melt

Odor: Medicinal odor

Ash: Bead

 

Polyester

Also Known As:

• Dacron
• Avlin
• Tergal
• Fiberfill
• Fortrel
• Kordel
• Polarfleece
• Vycron
• Guaranteeth

Physical Characteristics Of Polyester:

• Produced by melt spinning method
• Fibers are smooth and uniform. May be round or variously shaped
• Fibers can be bright, dull or speckled in appearance

Advantages:

• Blends well with other fibers
• Thermoplastic fiber
• High wicking ability
• Launderable
• Resists abrasion
• Dyes well
• Resists sun if behind glass

Disadvantages:

• Low absorbency
• Oleophilic quality
• Collects static electricity
• Puckers
• Synthetic hand

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Melts slowly

Removed From Flame: Self extinguishes

Odor: Acidic odor

Ash: Brittle bead

 

Rayon

Also Known As:

• Viscose
• Avril
• Jetspun
• Benburg
• Cupioni

Physical Characteristics Of Rayon:

• Ingredients for fiber include wood pulp and cotton linters
• Produced by wet spinning
• Fibers can be produced to any length
• Fibers are produced half natural, half synthetic

Advantages:

• Good flexibility
• Medium density
• Resists solvents
• Breathes well
• Resists high temperatures
• Low cost

Disadvantages:

• Shrinks in water
• Weak when wet
• Low resiliency
• Low sunlight resistance
• Mildews in damp conditions
• Burns readily

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Burns quickly

Removed From Flame: Continues to burn

Odor: Burning wood

Ash: Burns away

 

Silk

Also Known As:

• Tussah
• Raw
• Cultivated
• Wild

Physical Characteristics Of Silk:

• Cultivated silk is made up of long, continuous fiber. This produces a stronger fabric
• Tussah silk is made up of staple fibers, which makes it delicate
• Known as a protein fiber

Advantages:

• Luxurious and natural hand
• Absorbent and dyes well
• Drapes well

Disadvantages:

• Stains easily
• Requires extra care and cleaning
• Sun rots easily
• Unravels easily
• Ignites immediately
• Attracts insects

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Burns slowly (curls)

Removed From Flame: Self extinguishing

Odor: Burning hair

Ash: Beads

 

Spandex

Also Known As:

• Duraspan
• Fulflex
• Lycra
• Estane
• Glospan
• Numa
• Vyrene
• Interspan

Physical Characteristics Of Spandex:

• Composed of segmented polyurethane
• Fibers are usually white, round or dogbone shaped
• Has a large elongation capability

Advantages:

• Blends well
• Inexpensive
• Resists sunlight
• Excellent elastic recovery
• Not affected by moisture
• Resistant to body oils

Disadvantages:

• Heat sensitive
• Low tenacity
• Needs to be blended to be comfortable
• Low density
• Weakens with age

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Melts slowly

Removed From Flame: Self extinguishing

Odor: Acidic

Ash: Plastic bead

 

Wool

Also Known As:

• Worsted
• Virgin
• Woolen
• Berber

Physical Characteristics Of Wool:

• Fibers are scaly and contain a natural crimp
• Fibers vary from fine to coarse, usually with a low luster
• Known as a protein fiber

Advantages:

• Most resilient natural fiber
• Absorbent, dyes well
• Good insulator
• Natural looks
• Burns slowly
• Resists cleaning solvents
• Good resistance to bacteria and fungi

Disadvantages:

• Can cause allergic reaction
• Absorbs dirt
• Bad burning odor
• Takes a long time to dry
• Sensitive to sunlight

Burn Test Results:

In Flame: Burns slowly (curls)

Removed From Flame: Self extinguishing

Odor: Burning hair

Ash: Small beads