NATURAL FIBERS - CELLULOSIC

I. COTTON.

1. Quality assessment.

a. Based upon the length of the fiber.

b. Longer fibers are best for beauty and durability

2. Types of COTTON

a. Pima

aa. Long fiber

b. Upland COTTON

aa. Very short fiber

c. Egyptian COTTON

aa. Long, strong, and silky

3. Care Instructions

a. May be washed in strong detergents

b. White COTTONS may be bleached with chlorine bleaches

4. Warnings

a. COTTON mildews easily, but mildew is removed with bleach

 

II. FLAX.

(LINEN fibers come from the flax plant)

1. Strength

a. One of the strongest natural fibers

b. Twice the strength of COTTON

2. Benefits

a. Resistant to mildew

b. Dress and suiting LINEN is often chemically treated for crease resistance

3. Warnings

a. Harmed by chlorine bleach

b. Some LINEN wrinkles easily

4. Care Instructions

a. Drying white linen in the sun is a good way to keep it white.

b. May be dry cleaned or washed.

c. Dry clean dark and white colored LINENS as well as COTTONS to avoid seam and dart lines turning white due to pressing.

 

 

NATURAL FIBERS - PROTEIN

III. WOOL

(WOOL fibers are obtained from the fleece of sheep)

1. Classification of Yarns obtained from WOOL

(Woolen and Worsted)

a. Worsted

aa. Long WOOL fibers

bb. Smoother and firmer than woolen yarns

b. Woolen

aa. Spun short fibers

2. Benefits

a. Warm and resistant to wrinkling

b. Tailors well because of its ability to be molded into shape

3. Care Instructions

a. Some WOOL blends may be washable, depending on the other fibers included

b. Generally, WOOL should be dry cleaned

c. Between wearings, wool garments should be allowed to "rest" for 24 hours in order to return to shape

4. Accurate Labeling of WOOL

a. VIRGIN WOOL

aa. WOOL which has never been previously manufactured into a finished product

b. WOOL

(Refers to NEW WOOL)

aa. May include fibers reclaimed from knit scraps

bb. Not as resilient and durable as VIRGIN WOOL

c. REPROCESSED WOOL

aa. Manufactured from scraps of fabrics made of previously unused WOOL

bb. Not as strong and durable as NEW and VIRGIN WOOL

IV. SPECIALTY HAIR FIBERS

(obtained from several different animals)

1. CAMEL HAIR

a. Gives good warmth without weight

b. Expensive

c. Buy only from a reputable manufacturer

2. CASHMERE

a. One of the softest, smoothest, and finest fibers

b. Fibers are very delicate

c. Costly

d. Does not withstand hard wear

e. Various qualities are available

f. Buy only from a reputable manufacturer

3. MOHAIR

a. Very strong and lustrous

b. Often combined with other fibers

c. Uses range from sheer dress fabrics to decorator and upholstery materials

4. VICUNA

a. The softest, finest, and most rare of fibers

 

V. SILK

1. History and Facts

a. In ancient times, the production of SILK was a closely guarded secret

b. Produced by the silkworm

c. The only natural filament fiber

2. Benefits

a. Strong and resilient

b. Smooth, soft, lustrous, and dry in feel

c. Absorbent

d. Cannot be harmed by moths

3. Warnings

a. Sunlights, perspiration, and chlorine bleaches damage the fibers and cause yellowing

4. Care Instructions

a. Washable SILKS

aa. Wash by hand in mild soap

b. White Washable SILKS

aa. May be bleached with hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate type bleaches

5. Accurate Labeling of SILK

a. WILD SILK

aa. Tan colored fiber

bb. Used to make shantung and pongee

b. DOUPIONI SILK

aa. Comes from two silkworms which spin their cocoons together

bb. Fiber filaments are thick and thin, producing yarns that are larger in diameter, irregular and uneven

c. RAW SILK

aa. Irregular and bumpy

bb. The natural gum, seracin, is not removed from RAW SILK

d. WEIGHTED SILK

aa. SILK fabric to which metallic salts have been added to make the fabric heavier

bb. Often less expensive

cc. Not as serviceable