Types of fibres exam revision

• Cotton+Linen - Plants
• Wool- Sheep (animals)  ----------> staple length fibres with the exception of
• Silk- Silkworms                              silk which comes in filament lengths.

Process: harvested, cleaned, straightened and then spun into a yarn.

Sustainability: They are sustainable, biodegradable, come from renewable resources and recyclable.

Properties: Absorbant, strong when dry, poor resistance to biological damage.

• Made from natural fibres ( cellulose fromm wood pulp) chemically treated to produce fibres. Different fibres, different chemicals.

Process ( viscose fibres): dissolving cellulose in sodium hydroxide solution. Forced into tiny holes, hardened forming filament fibres. stretched into yarn, wound onto spools or chopped into staple lengths.

Sustainability: Come from renewable origin, synthetic chemicals make it less sustainable. However TENCEL is produced with recyclable chemicals, fibres recyclable, biodegradable.

Properties: similar to natural fibres, different properties can be created by using different chemicals.

• Polyester,Lycra,Acrylic- Oil 
• Nylon - Coal

Process: Polymers melted or dissolved in solution. Liquid forced into tiny holes and then hardened to form filament fibres.Then stretched into yarns, wound onto spools or chopped into staple lengths.

Sustainability: Less sustainable because of non- renewable sources.

Properties: Can be given different properties. resistant to biological damadge, changed easily by heat ( different shapes and textures) and not absorbant so difficult to dye.