Textile Fiber

Textile Fiber

Textile Fiber is main raw material of textile yarn manufacturing which is used to completing next successive processes to make final cloth or apparel. Textile Fibers are usually categorized into three main types. They are - Natural Fiber, Manufactured Fiber and Regenerated Fiber. Now we will see the different fibers as the below-

 

 Natural Fiber:

Cotton Fiber: Cotton is natural cellulose fiber usually collected from seed cotton through ginning. It is very fine short staple fiber. It's Length varies from .5 to 2.5 inch. Cotton is applied to make textile about 56 percent among all other Fibers.

Pima Cotton: One of the best grades of cotton in the world, ranked right behind Egyptian and Supima cotton. It features long, luxurious fibers used in high-end garments.

Jute Fiber: Jute is natural multi-cellular fiber. It is a long staple bast fiber collected from jute plant.

Hemp: A coarse, durable bast fiber of Cannabis sativa found all over the world. Used primarily for twines, cordage, halyards, and tarred riggings.

Ramie: Ramie is white with a silky luster, similar to linen in absorbency and density. It's diameter is 25-30 microns and one of the strongest natural fibers.

Abaca: Abaca is one of the natural fiber. It is collected from leaf of manila hemp, it is extracted from the leaf sheath around the trunk of the abaca plant resembles to banana tree.

Flax/Linen: Linen is the first natural fiber which was produced industrially from flax plant. this fiber obtained from the stems of the plant Linum usitatissimum are used to produce linen fabrics. Linen has been used for thousand of years. Flax is thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region of Europe, the Swiss lake dweller People produced flax for the fiber and seed. 

Coir Fiber: Coir is a multi-cellular natural bast fiber. It is extracted from the tissues surrounding the seed of the coconut palm. The scientific name of coconut plant is Cocos nucifera. Coir fibers are made from two different types coconut, brown fiber which is obtained from mature coconuts and finer white fiber which is extracted from immature green coconuts after soaking for up to 10 months.

Sisal: A strong, white, bast fiber produced from leaves of the Agave plant, which is found in Central America, West Indies, and Africa. Sisal is used chiefly for cordage and twine.

Silk: A fine, strong, continuous filament produced by the larva of certain insects, especially the silkworm, when constructing its cocoons. The silkworm secretes the silk as a viscous fluid. This fluid is extruded to form a double filament cemented together. This double silk filament, which is composed of the protein fibroin, ranges in size from 1.75 to 4.0 denier, depending upon the species of worm and the country of origin.

Wool: The term is usually used for the fleece of sheep, but according to the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, wool is defined for purposes of labeling as: “The fiber from the fleece of the sheep or lamb or hair of the Angora or Cashmere goat (and may include the so-called specialty fibers from the hair of the camel, alpaca, llama, and vicuna) which has never been reclaimed from any woven or felted wool product.” Wool is used in a variety of blends in which it is combined with nearly all natural or manufactured fibers.

Alpaca Fiber: Long, fine hair from Alpaca sheep. A fabric from alpaca fibers or blends, that is used for dresses, coats, suits, and sweaters. It is also used as a pile lining for jackets and coats.

Cashmere : The extremely soft hair of the Cashmere goat. Cashmere is often blended with sheep’s wool in fabrics.

Angora Fiber: Long, fine hair from angora rabbit or goat. The long, fine fibers are so smooth and soft that they must be combined with other fibers in weaving. It is often blended with wool to decrease price and to obtain novelty effects in weaving. By law, the fiber must be described as Angora rabbit hair.

Merino:  A type of high-quality wool made from the fleece of purebred merino sheep. Fine, strong, stretchy and dye-retentive. The best grade of merino wool typically comes from Italy. Commonly used in blazers, skirts, pants and sweaters.

Manufactured/Man-made Fibers:

Acrylic Fiber: Synthetic, manufactured fiber derived from a combination of coal, air, water, petroleum and limestone. Aacrylic fibers can be heat-set for wrinkle resistance and to provide permanency to pleats. Acrylic fabrics have low moisture absorbency and dry relatively quickly.

Azlon: A manufactured fiber in which the fiber forming substance is composed of any regenerated, naturally occurring protein. Soy is a common source of azlon.

Spandex: A manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is a long chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85% of a segmented polyurethane. Spandex is lighter in weight, more durable, and more supple than conventional elastic threads and has between two and three times their restraining power.Spandex is extruded in a multiplicity of fine filaments which immediately form a mono-filament. It can be repeatedly stretched over 500% without breaking and still recover instantly to its original length. It does not suffer deterioration from oxidation as is the case with fine sizes of rubber thread, and it is not damaged by body oils, perspiration, lotions, or detergents.

Lycra: A spandex fiber introduced in 1958 by DuPont that stretches. Usually woven with other fibers to provide extra comfort, movement and shape retention. Branded name for spandex. Found in various types of clothing, from shirts to swimwear to jeans and underwear.

Nylon : The first completely synthetic fiber developed in 1938 by DuPont®. It was introduced to the public in the 1940s in women's stockings. Known for its high strength and excellent stain resilience, nylon boasts superior abrasion resistance and high flexibility. It's often added to natural fibers to boost a garment's durability.

Polyester: A manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85% by weight of an ester of dihydric alcohol and terephthalic acid.

Polypropylene: A lightweight, man-made material characterized by a high-strength, abrasive quality. Also boasts moisture-absorbing, stain- and fade-resistant qualities. Brand name Olefin. Commonly used in active wear clothing.

Microfiber: A synthetic fiber that is extremely soft, lightweight, breathable, durable and ultra fine. Microfibers are two times finer than silk and one hundred times finer than a human hair. Microfiber is currently manufactured from acrylic, nylon, polyester and rayon. Commonly used for activewear.

Metallic Fiber : A manufactured fiber composed of metal, plastic-coated metal, metal coated plastic, or a core completely covered by metal. They are available in “yarn” form as well as in staple form for spinning with other fibers. A core yarn with a metal surface is produced by twisting a strip of metal around yarn of natural or manufactured fibers. The most important characteristic of metallic fiber and the chief reason for its use in textiles is glitter. Metallic fibers are used as a decorative accent in fabrics for apparel.

Regenerated Fiber:

Rayon: A group of smooth, synthetic fibers manufactured from cotton linters, wood pulp or other vegetable matter. Excellent softness, drape, high absorption and a lustrous look. Originally developed as an attempt to chemically create silk.

Viscose Rayon: The most common type of rayon manufactured from wood pulp, treated with sodium hydroxide and then mixed with other chemicals. The resulting organic liquid is extruded to form viscose rayon, or viscose as it's commonly referred to.

Acetate Fiber: A manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is cellulose acetate. Acetate is manufactured by treating purified cellulose refined from cotton and/or wood pulp with acetic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst.

Lyocell : A cellulose fiber manufactured from wood pulp. Lustrous and color-rich, Lyocell feels like rayon, but it's stronger, more durable and more absorbent, even when wet. With low-shrinkage and wrinkle-resistant characteristics.