Fiber, or Fibre in International English
Camel hair
Pure camel hair, frequently used for coats, is either used alone or weaved with wool.
Camel hair is collected from the two-humped Bactrian camel, found from Turkey east to China and north to Siberia. Significant supplier countries of camel hair are: Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, New Zealand, Tibet, and Australia.
A camel can produce around 5 pounds of hair a year. The specialty animal fiber is collected by a number of methods including combing, shearing, and collecting the hair shed naturally during the moulting season.
The color of camel is primarily golden tan with a variance of red to light brown tones. Camel’s hair is also a fiber that supplies warmth without added weight. The hair contains thermostatic properties which can protect and insulate the camel from the extreme cold conditions as well as keeping them cool in the desert. The same properties and characteristics are transferred when making fabrics woven from camel hair.
Cashmere
Cashmere is characterized by its luxuriously soft fibers. For a natural goat fiber to be considered Cashmere, it must be under 18.5 micrometers in diameter and at least 3.175 centimeters long. It is noted as providing a natural light-weight insulation without bulk. Fibers are highly adaptable and are easily constructed into fine or thick yarns, and light to heavy-weight fabrics. Appropriate for all climates, a high moisture content allows insulation properties to change with the relative humidity in the air.
The finest fibers are gathered from the saddle of the Cashmere goat; most of the cashmere comes off of the sides and back, from the shoulder to the rump. It is a misconception that the finest fibers come from the neck and belly, as these parts most collect debris. If the goat is shorn, the fiber must be “de-haired” to remove the coarse, unusable guard hair. Sometimes the fine fibers are collected by combing the goat; either method is time consuming and tedious, thus the high cost of cashmere.
Mohair
Mohair usually refers to a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the docile Angora goat.
Mohair is shorn from the goat without harming the animal. Shearing is done twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. One goat will produce 11 to 17 pounds of mohair a year. Shearing is done on a clean swept floor with extra care taken to keep the hair clean and free of debris. The hair is then processed to remove natural grease, dirt and vegetable matter.
The finest grade of mohair is Kid Mohair, obtained from the first shearing of a young angora goat.
Mohair is one of the oldest textile fibers in use. It is both durable and resilient. It is notable for its high luster and sheen, and is often used in fiber blends to add these qualities to a textile. Mohair also takes dye exceptionally well. Mohair has great insulating properties, making it warm. It is also durable, moisture-wicking, stretch and flame resistant, and crease resistant.
Today South Africa and the United States are the largest mohair producers, with the majority of Amerian mohair being produced in Texas.
Wool
Wool is the fiber derived from the fur of animals of the Caprinae family, principally sheep.
Wool possesses much greater ability to return to its natural length after being stretched than any artificial fiber. In water or steam, wool can stretch to about twice its length without breaking. Because of elasticity woollen garments may be stretched or crushed without losing their shape.
The quality of wool is determined by the following factors, fiber diameter, yield, staple length, color and staple strength. Fiber diameter is the single most important wool characteristic determining quality and price.
Merino wool (the finest wool) is typically 3-5 inches in length and is very fine (between 12-24 microns[3]). The finest and most valuable wool comes from Merino hoggets. Wool taken from sheep produced for meat is typically more coarse, and has fibers are 1.5 to 6 inches in length. Damage or “breaks in the wool” can occur if the sheep is stressed while it is growing its fleece, resulting in a thin spot where the fleece is likely to break.[4]
Wool is also separated into grades based on the measurement of the wool’s diameter in microns. These grades may vary depending on the breed or purpose of the wool. For example:
- < 17.5 - Ultrafine merino
- 17.6-18.5 – Superfine merino
- < 19.5 - Fine merino
- 19.6-20.5 – Fine medium merino
- 20.6-22.5 – Medium merino
- 22.6 < - Strong merino
Wool is popular in the manufacture of clothing and home furnishings as it is warm, resists wrinkle, is lightweight and durable, absorbs moisture, is flame resistant, and has a natural stretch and elasticity.
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber containing about 70-75% of actual fibre fibroin secreted from two salivary glands in the head of the silkworm larva, and about 25-30% sericin, a gum which cements the two filaments together.
Silk fibers have a triangular cross section with rounded corners. This allows light to hit at many different angles, so silk is a bright fiber and has a natural shine. It has a smooth, soft texture that is not slippery, unlike many synthetic fibers. Its denier is 4.5 g/d when dry and 2.8-4.0 g/d when wet.
Silk is one of the strongest natural fibers but loses up to 20% of its strength when wet. It has a good moisture regain of 11%. Its elasticity is moderate to poor: if elongated even a small amount it remains stretched. It can be weakened if exposed to too much sunlight. It may also be attacked by insects, especially if left dirty.
Silk is a poor conductor of electricity and thus susceptible to static cling.
Unwashed silk chiffon may shrink up to 8% due to a relaxation of the fiber macrostructure. So silk should either be pre-washed prior to garment construction, or dry cleaned. Dry cleaning may still shrink the chiffon up to 4%. Occasionally, this shrinkage can be reversed by a gentle steaming with a press cloth. There is almost no gradual shrinkage or shrinkage due to molecular-level deformation.
While silk is one of the strongest fibers, it can be weakened by perspiration, deodorants and sunlight. Silk is absorbent so it dyes easily, but some dye colors tend to bleed and fade in water and during stain removal procedures. Sunlight will fade silk items and turn white silk garments yellow.
Plant Fibers
Cotton
Cotton is a soft fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant. Cool, soft and comfortable, cotton is presently the world’s most used fiber. Every part of the cotton plant is useful and we see its application in industries such as apparel, home furnishings, medical and surgical, automobile, etc.
Grades of cotton range from low, medium to high quality grades like Egyptian cotton, Pima, Supima, American Egyptian and Sea Island cotton. Today, organic cotton is also available where the cotton plant is grown without the use of commercial pesticides and fertilizers.
Cotton fabrics have a pleasant matte luster, a soft drape and a smooth hand. They are very comfortable to wear due to their soft hand and other characteristics. Cotton fabrics have excellent absorbing capabilities. Cotton garments absorb perspiration, thus keeping the person more comfortable. “Absorbent” cotton will retain 24-27 times its own weight in water and is stronger when wet than dry. This fiber absorbs and releases perspiration quickly, thus allowing the fabric to “breathe”.
Cotton can stand high temperatures and takes dyes easily. Chlorine bleach can be used to restore white garments to a clear white but this bleach may yellow chemically finished cottons or remove color in dyed cottons. Boiling and sterilizing temperatures can also be used on cotton without disintegration. Cotton can also be ironed at relatively high temperatures, stands up to abrasion and wears well.
Cotton products can typically be machine washed and dried. Colored cotton garments retain their color longer if they are washed in warm or cool water. Sunlight does harm cotton by causing it to oxidize and turn yellow. Fabrics that are 100% cotton do shrink if they have not been treated with a durable-press or a shrinkage-resistant finish.
Linen
Linen is a plant fiber made from the stalk of the flax plant. It is one of the earliest fibers to be made into string and cloth and is the strongest of the vegetable fibers, with 2 to 3 times the strength of cotton.
Like cotton, linen takes to dyes easily and can be boiled without damaging the fiber. Fabrics made from linen are comfortable, highly absorbent, and has a natural luster and crisp hand. Linen wrinkles easily but also presses easily. It has poor elasticity and does not spring back readily like wool.
Nylon
Nylon was historically developed as a synthetic substitute for silk. It is lightweight, drapes well, has low absorbency and dries quickly, and is resistant to dirt, chemicals and perspiration. One of the strongest man-made fiber, the use of nylon can be found in apparel, home furnishings and outdoor equipment that take a lot of hard wear, like stockings, swimwear, activewear, upholstery, tents and life vests.
Polyester
Polyester is a strong fiber that is resistant to crease, stretching and shrinkage, hence the ability to hold its shape well. Touted the best ‘wash-and-wear’ fiber, polyester is easy to care for and is washable, hence its wide usage in essentially every form of apparel and home furnishings.
Blends of polyester with natural fibers such as cotton, rayon, or wool extend the durability of these blended fabrics.
Microfiber
Microfiber is a manufactured fiber with strands thinner than one denier. This is finer than the most delicate silk! Microfibers are not really fibers per se, but refer to ultrafine fibers. Microfibers available today include polyester microfibers, nylon microfiber, rayon microfiber and acrylic microfiber. Fabrics made with microfiber are extremely soft and drapeable, and insulates well against rain, wind and cold.
