Manufactured Fibers Apparel 1, Obj. 9.01 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 natural fibers can’t (stretch, be waterproof, wick moisture) Photo by davedehetre via Flickr This photo shows polyester fashion from the 70s.

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

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

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

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

Blended fibers/fabrics Two or more fibers worked 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.