Manufactured Fibers Apparel 1, Obj. 2.01 Recognize characteristics of Natural and Man-Made Fibers

Manufactured fibers Man-made Use chemicals and chemical processes Many include petroleum products Some use wood pulp (as cellulose) Do things most natural fibers can’t (stretch, be waterproof, wick moisture) Photo by davedehetre via Flickr This photo shows polyester fashion from the 70s.

Types of manufactured fibers There are two types of manufactured fibers. Cellulosic fibers – Fibers (either man-made or natural) that are made with plant products and Noncellulosic fibers – fibers that are not plant-based and created from synthetic materials (chemically derived)

Acetate Fake silk. Shiny and drapes like silk. Very delicate. Melts easily with heat or nail polish remover. From madeinchina.com

acrylic Fake wool. Soft and shiny, draws moisture from the body. Washable (unlike wool). Cannot take high heat. From wisegeek.org

A cellulosic manufactured fiber, it is one of the newest man-made fibers to be developed. It is a form of rayon and was first marketed under the name Tencel in the 1980s. Lyocell is made by dissolving wood pulp in chemicals. Fibers are then extracted.

lyocell "Some main characteristics of lyocell fibers are that they are soft, absorbent, very strong when wet or dry, and resistant to wrinkles; lyocell fabric can be machine- or hand- washed or drycleaned, it drapes well, and it can be dyed many colors, and can simulate a variety of textures such as suede, leather, and silk.” from Fibersource.com Check out Lyocell at this link. http://www.fibersource.com/f- tutor/lyocell.htm

rayon The first manufactured fiber Made from cellulose (wood pulp) Most often must be dry cleaned Is absorbent (most manufactured fabrics aren’t) www.tyedye-everything.com

nylon Introduced in 1939, called a “miracle fiber” * Strong, lightweight and lustrous Can be translucent Changed fashion world as nylon stockings Also used for parachutes From Wikipedia commons * From “Clothing, Fashion, Fabrics and Construction” Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2003

Polyester 60s and 70s were not kind to polyester Most often blended with cotton Wrinkle resistant Can be washed and dried at home Holds oil-based stains http://www.skooldays.com/categories/fashion/fa1561.htm

spandex Has placed rubber in most uses Stretches and springs back Makes modern swim suits possible Frequently blended with cotton www.hawtcelebs.com

Olefin A manufactured fiber that was developed in the 1950s in Italy. It is a fiber that is durable, has bulk but is lightweight and very strong. It is resilient and colorfast. It gives warmth without being heavy and is resistant to staining, mildew, abrasion, sunlight. Used to make sports and active wear, socks, thermal underwear; lining fabrics.

olefin

Blended fibers/fabrics Two or more fibers working together create a blend. Blends allow manufacturers to give the best qualities of each fiber to the finished fabric Polyester and cotton, most common blend. Polyester gives cotton wrinkle resistance. Cotton gives polyester softness and breathability The ubiquitous poly-cotton T-shirt, modeled by Forrest.