Family and Consumer Sciences Fashion FIBERS AND YARNS Family and Consumer Sciences Fashion

FIBERS FIBERS ARE THE BASIC INGREDIENTS OF ALL FABRICS. They are the tiny strands that make up yarns. Fibers can be natural or synthetic. Most fabrics are made from fibers that have been spun together into yarns. Others, such as felt, are made by shrinking and pressing fibers together until they are tightly tangled in a mat.

Natural fibers are made from plants or from the hair of animals. COTTON WOOL SILK LINEN

NATURAL FIBERS Each natural fiber has it’s own special characteristics. But they all tend to absorb moisture and to allow air to reach your skin, so you stay comfortable. They keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. However, they usually require special kinds of care.

COTTON Cotton is the most common fiber. It comes from the seed pod of the cotton plant.

Cotton

COTTON

COTTON CHARACTERISTICS SOFT COMFORTABLE ABSORBENT STRONG EVEN WHEN WET WRINKLES AND SHRINKS UNLESS TREATED EASILY LAUNDERED

COTTON

LINEN Linen is another fairly common plant fiber. It comes from the stalk of the flax plant. 10

Flowering Flax 11

Flax Plant 12

Linen Linen comes from the stalk of the flax plant 13

CHARACTERISTICS OF LINEN COOL ABSORBENT STRONG STIFF SHRINKS UNLESS TREATED EASILY LAUNDERED WRINKLES -REQUIRES IRONING Unless treated 14

Linen 15

Wool Sheep What are the properties of wool?

WOOL IS MADE FROM THE HAIR OF SHEEP. OTHER ANIMALS THAT PROVIDE HAIR THAT IS USED FOR WOOL: CAMELS (ALPACA) GOATS (CASHMERE) RABBITS (ANGORA)

W O O L

WOOL FACTORY

RABBIT ALPACA CAMEL CASHMERE GOAT

CHARACTERISTICS OF WOOL WARM RETAINS BODY HEAT RESISTS WRINKLES NATURALLY WATER REPELLANT CAN SHRINK WITH HEAT AND MOISTURE CAN BE DAMAGED BY MOTHS USUALLY DRYCLEANED; SOMETIMES WASHABLE

SILK What is silk made from?

Silk is made by an insect called the silkworm. The fibers come from a cocoon that the worm spins around itself. Silk fabric is manufactured by spinning and then weaving the silk strands. When straightened, threads can reach lengths of 3,000 ft. Silk fabric is lustrous (shiny), soft, lightweight, and warm.

SILK WORMS Silk worms

SILK WORM COCOON

SILKWORM LARVA AND COCOON

CHARACTERISTICS OF SILK NATURAL LUSTER SOFT FLEXIBLE VERY STRONG FIBER CAN BE DAMAGED BY PERSPIRATION USUALLY DRYCLEANED; SOMETIMES WASHABLE

SILK

SYNTHETIC FIBERS Until the end of the last century, all fabrics were made from natural fibers. But today, many fabrics we wear are made from synthetic fibers. These are fibers formed all or in part by chemicals by scientists in laboratories. The first entirely synthetic fibers were produced shortly before World War ll. These fibers were made of petroleum and other chemicals.

SYNTHETIC FIBERS Many synthetic fibers were made to replace or copy natural fibers. Nylon was made to look like silk. Vinyl is a substitute for leather. An advantage of synthetic fibers is that they are easy to care for.

SYNTHETIC FIBERS ACETATE RAYON ACRYLIC SPANDEX NYLON TRIACETATE POLYESTER RAYON SPANDEX TRIACETATE POLYURETHANE VINYL

RAYON ABSORBS MOISTURE WEAK WHEN WET MAY WRINKLE OR SHRINK UNLESS TREATED USUALLY DRYCLEANED; SOMETIMES WASHABLE

RAYON

NYLON BLENDS WITH OTHER FABRICS FOR ADDED STRENGTH HOLDS SHAPE WELL DOESN’T ABSORB MOISTURE DRIES QUICKLY STRECHES

ACRYLIC DOES NOT CAUSE ALLERGY LIGHTWEIGHT YET WARM BLENDS WITH MANY OTHER FIBERS RESISTS WRINKLES NEVER USE A HOT IRON DRYCLEANED Or LAUNDERED

POLYESTER RESISTS WRINKLES BLENDS WITH OTHER FIBERS FOR HOLDS OILY STAINS WASHABLE, DRIES QUICKLY PILLS

POLYESTER

ACETATE ATTRACTIVE SILK LIKE LOOK HOLDS SHAPE WELL MAY WRINKLE AND FADE USUALLY DRYCLEANED 39

SPANDEX EXCELLENT STRETCH AND RECOVERY COMBINES WITH OTHER FIBERS FOR STRETCHABILITY WASHABLE, AVOID CHLORINE BLEACH

SPANDEX

TENCEL DURABLE BOTH WET AND DRY ABSORBANT RESISTS WRINKLES ANTI-BACTERAL SHRINKS CAN BE EXPENSIVE

TENCEL