Fabrics

5
Around Us
Learning Objectives

After completing this chapter the learner will be able to —

• discuss the diversity in fabrics.
• name and classify the fabrics commonly seen around.
• explain the concept of yarn and fabric making.
• describe the properties of each group of fabrics. 57
• make informed selection of textile products for
specific end use.

5.1 Introduction
Fabrics are all around us. They are an important part in our lives. Fabrics
give comfort and warmth, bring colour and decorative style, and add
texture. Just think of a day’s activity and recall how fabrics touch you.
When you wake up from your bed, the bedsheets and pillow covers are
fabrics. As you get ready for school the towel you use after bath is a soft
and absorbent fabric, and the school dress you wear is again a fabric of a
special type. The school bag in which you carry your books and other items
is also a fabric, but again different in texture. It may be slightly stiff and
coarse but strong enough to bear the load. If you observe your home you
will find fabrics in almost all places, from curtains to kitchen dusters, floor
mops and durries. Fabrics are of different kinds, weights and thickness
and their choice is related to their end use.
If you take a typical fabric in hand, and unravel it, you may be able to
pull out the thread like structures from it. These may be interlaced with
each other at right angles or interlooped as in your woollen cardigan or
T shirts, or knotted as in nets and laces. These are called yarns. If you
try to untwist the yarn you will see very tiny and fine hair like structures.
 Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I

Figure1: Fabric to Fibre

These are called fibres. Thus fibres are the basic building blocks of fabrics.
All these materials — fibres, yarns and fabrics are called textile products
or simply textiles. After the fabric is ready it may be subjected to further
processing which may improve its appearance (cleaning, whitening,
colouring) or make it more lustrous or improve its touch and feel qualities
or improve its service ability. This is called finishing. A large variety of
fabrics are available in the market these days and each one behaves
58 differently when in use. The behaviour of the fabric in use and in care and
maintenance depends on various factors such as type of fibre, yarn, fabric
and finishing.

Activity 1
Collect different kinds of fabric samples from home, a tailor’s shop, a cloth shop or
friends. Name each fabric.

5.2 Fibre properties

The properties of fibre contribute to the properties of the final fabric. For a
fibre to be really important and useful, it must be available in large quantities
and be economical. The most essential property is its spinnability, i.e., a
characteristic which is essential for ease of conversion into yarn and later
into fabric. It is the sum together of properties such as length, strength,
flexibility and surface structure of the fibre. From the point of view of
consumer satisfaction, properties such as colour, luster, weight, moisture
and dye absorption and elasticity are desired. Factors that affect care and
maintenance of the fabric such as abrasion resistance, effect of chemicals,
soaps and detergents, effect of heat, and resistance to biological organism
are also important to the user.
Fabrics Around Us

5.3 Classification of textile fibres

Textile fibres can be classified on the basis of their origin (natural or
man-made or manufactured), general chemical type (cellulosic, protein or
synthetic), generic types (animal hair or animal secretion) and common
trade name (polyester, as terene or dacron). Further, fibres can be
staple, i.e., short length like cotton, or filament, i.e., long length like silk,
polyester, etc.

Natural Fibres
Natural fibres are those which are available to us in nature. There are
four types of natural fibres.
(a) Cellulosic fibres—
1. Seed hair-cotton, kapok
2. Bast fibres-flax(linen), hemp, jute
3. Leaf fibres-pineapple, agave(sisal)
4. Nut husk fibres-coir(coconut)
(b) Protein fibres
1. Animal hair–wool, specially hair (goat, camel), fur
2. Animal secretion–silk 59
(c) Mineral fibre: Asbestos
(d) Natural rubber

Manufactured Fibres (also called man-made fibres)

Most of you must have seen a cotton flower with fibres sticking to the
seeds, or sheep with long overgrown hair. You can also imagine how these
may be used for yarn and fabric production. However, you may find it
difficult to understand how the manufactured or synthetic fibres came to
exist.
The first manufactured fibre–Rayon–was commercially produced in
AD 1895, while most others are products of the 20th century.

The concept of creating fibres perhaps originated from human desire to produce a
fibre like silk. Possibly, the thought process could have been like this: the silk worm,
which basically feeds on mulberry leaves, digests them and spews a liquid through its
spinnerettes (two holes), which on solidifying becomes the silk filament (cocoon). Thus
if a cellulose substance is digested it should be possible to produce something like silk.
Therefore for a long time the rayons were referred to as Artificial Silk or simply Art Silk.

The earliest manufactured fibres were made by modifying a non-fibrous

material into a fibrous form. These were mainly from cellulosic substances
 Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I

like cotton waste or wood pulp. The second group of fibres were synthesised
completely from use of chemicals. Whatever may be the raw material the
basic steps for converting it into a fibrous form are the same.
• The solid raw materials are
converted into a liquid form of
a specific viscosity. This may
be due to a chemical action,
dissolution, heat application or
a combination action. This is
called the spinning solution.
• This solution is passed through
a spinnerette – a small thimble
shaped nozzle with a series
of very small holes, into an
atmosphere which hardens
it or coagulates it into fine
filaments.
• As the filaments harden they
are collected and stretched
for further fineness and
orientation or subjected
60 Figure 2: Spinnerettes
to further processing like
texurisation to improve its
stretch and/or bulk characteristics.

Types of Manufactured Fibres

(a) Regenerated cellulosic fibres: Rayon–cuprammonium, viscose, high-
wet-modulus
(b) Modified cellulosic: Acetate–secondary acetate, triacetate
(c) Protein fibres: Azlon
(d) Non-cellulosic(synthetic) fibres
(i) nylon
(ii) polyester – terelene, terrene
(iii) acrylic – Orlon, cashmilon
(iv) modacrylic
(v) spandex
(vi) rubber
(e) Mineral fibres
(i) Glass – fibreglass
(ii) Metallic – lurex
Fabrics Around Us

5.4 Yarns
The textiles in the form of fibres cannot always be used for consumer
products except in products like surgical cotton, stuffing for pillows, quilts,
mattresses and cushions. To convert fibres into fabric form as we see
around us, they have to be converted into a continuous strand. Although
there are some fabrics like felts or non-wovens which are made directly
from fibres, in most cases the fibres are processed to an intermediate stage
called yarn.
Yarn can be defined as a continuous strand of textile fibres, filaments or
material in a form suitable for knitting, weaving or otherwise intertwining
to form a textile fabric.

Yarn Processing
Yarn processing from natural staple fibres is called spinning, although
spinning is the last stage in the processing.
Earlier young unmarried girls were commonly involved in spinning the finest yarn
because of their nimble fingers. The term ‘spinster’ for unmarried women originated in
that context.
Yarn processing, i.e., conversion of fibre into a yarn involves a number of 61
stages.
Let us take them one by one.
(i) Cleaning: Natural fibres generally contain extraneous impurities
depending upon their source, like seeds or leafy matter in cotton, twigs
and suint in wool. These are removed, fibres sorted out and converted
into laps (rolled sheets of loose fibres).
(ii) Making into a sliver: Laps are unrolled and subjected to straightening
processes which are carding and combing. The process is similar to
combing and brushing your hair. Carding disentangles the fibres and
lays them straight and parallel to one another. For finer fabrics the
laps are subjected to combing after carding. This process removes
finer impurities and short fibres as well. The lap then passes through
a funnel shaped device which helps to convert it into a sliver. Sliver is
a rope like mass of loose fibres, 2-4 cms in diameter.
(iii) Attenuating, drawing out and twisting: Now that the fibres have
been converted into a continuous strand, it needs to be made to the
size required. This is called attenuation. Several slivers are combined
for uniformity. The slivers are gradually drawn out so that they become
longer and finer. If a blended yarn is required (e.g., cotswol-cotton
and wool) slivers from different fibres are combined at this stage. The
resultant sliver is still of the same size as the original sliver.
The sliver after drawing is taken to the roving machine where it is
further attenuated till it becomes 1 1 of its original diameter. It is given
4 8
 Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I

a slight twist to keep the fibres together. The next stage is spinning.
Here the strand is given the final shape as the yarn. It is stretched to
the required fineness and the desired amount of twist given to it and
wound on cones.

Figure 3: Cotton spinning

All manufactured fibres are first made as filaments. The yarn can be
composed of a single filament or a multifilament yarn when a number
of individual filaments are taken together and twisted as one. It is also
possible to cut the filament into staple length fibres. These are then
subjected to spinning process as for natural fibres and are called spun
yarns. Staple length fibres are also required when a mixed fabric/
blend like ‘terecot’ (terene and cotton) or ‘terewool’ (terene and wool) or
‘polycot’ (rayon and cotton) is required.
62
Yarn Terminology
(a) Yarn number: You may have seen certain numbers 20, 30, 40, etc.,
on the labels of thread reels. If you observe carefully and compare the
fineness of the thread you will realise that thread reel with a higher
number is finer. There is a fixed relationship between the weight of the
fibre and the length of yarn drawn from it. This is designated as yarn
number which becomes the indication of the fineness of the yarn.
(b) Yarn twist: As fibres are transformed into yarn, twist is added to hold
the fibres together and is indicated as t.p.i. (twist per inch). Loosely
twisted yarns are softer and more lustrous, whereas tightly twisted
yarns may show as ridges such as in denim material of jeans.
(c) Yarn and thread: Yarn and thread are basically similar. Yarn is the
term usually used in the manufacturing of a fabric, whereas, thread
indicates a product used to join pieces of fabrics together.

5.5 Fabric production

There are many types of fabric available in the market. Variation in different
fabrics is due to the basic fibre content (cotton, wool, e.g.) or as you have
just learnt, the type of yarn. When you look at the fabrics you may be able
to distinguish between different structures as well.
Fabrics Around Us

We will now discuss how these fabrics are produced. Most of the fabrics
you see are made from yarns. However, a small group of fabrics can be
made directly from fibres.
There are two main types of Activity 2
fabrics that are made directly from
fibres–felts and non-wovens or Try and note the difference between the
bonded fibre fabrics. These fabrics structure of the material of your shirt or
are formed by laying the fibre (after dress, pant/jeans, towel, socks, shoe
carding and combing) in the form of laces, floor covering felts (namdas) and
a matt and then adhesion is caused carpets.
between them. The matt can be made
not only of required thickness but also of any shape.
As already mentioned, the majority of fabric constructions require the
intermediate yarn stage. The main methods of fabric construction are
weaving and knitting and to a small extent braiding and knotting.

Weaving
Weaving is the oldest form of textile art, which was originally used for making
mats and baskets. A woven fabric consists of two sets of yarns which are
interlaced at right angles to each other, to form a compact construction. It is 63
done on machines called looms. One set of yarns is fitted on the loom, which
determines the length and width of the fabric to be woven. These are called
warp yarns. The loom helps to maintain these yarns at a fixed tension and
even space. The second yarn, which is the filling yarn, is then interlaced to
form the fabric. The simplest interlacing is when the filling yarn moves over
and under one warp yarn alternately in one row and
reverses the process in the second row. By passing the
filling yarn over and under different number of warp
yarns, in a specified sequence, different designs can
be created. Attachments like the dobby or jacquard to
the loom can help to create figurative designs as well.
These designs become clearer when different coloured
yarns are used for warp and filling. Certain designs
make use of an extra yarn which may run parallel to
warp or filling yarns. This can be held up as loops
during weaving, which may be left uncut or cut afterwards. This makes the
texture like one sees in towels (uncut) or velvets and corduroy (cut).
The direction of the yarns in a woven fabric is referred to as grain.
Warp yarns run along the length wise grain or selvedge. Filling yarns run
along the width wise grain or weft. Thus the length and width in a woven
fabric is called the selvedge and weft. When you buy a fabric, you see it has
two cut sides and two bound sides. The bound sides are the selvedges. The
fabric is strongest along the selvedge.
 Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I

Knitting
Knitting is the interlooping of atleast one set of yarns. It may be done by
hand using a set of two needles for flat fabrics or a set of four needles for
circular fabrics. Knitting may be done on machines. The process consists
of making a series of loops along the knitting needle or machine bed. Each
successive row is formed by interlooping with the first row of loops. The
movement of the yarn is along the width of the material and therefore it is
called filling or weft knitting. This method of knitting is used to produce
articles which can be shaped while being constructed.
At the industrial level, the knitting machines used are like the looms
for weaving. They have a set of yarns (like warp yarns) fitted on the
machine. The interlooping occurs with adjacent yarns. This is known as
warp knitting. This can produce continuous lengths of material, which
unlike the weft knitted fabric can be cut and stitched.

64

Figure 4: Weft knitting Figure 5 : Warp knitting

Knitted fabrics can be made more rapidly. Because of the system of

loops they have more elasticity and thus are suitable for fitted articles like
vests, underwear, socks, etc. They are porous and permit free circulation
of air, are comfortable and allow freedom of movement and are therefore
ideally suited for sportswear.

Braiding
Braided fabrics have a diagonal surface effect and are made by plaiting
three or more yarns that originate from a single location and lie parallel
before interlacing occurs. Braids appear in items as shoelaces, ropes,
insulation for wires and trimmings.
Fabrics Around Us

Nets
Nets are open mesh fabrics with large geometric interstices between the
yarns. These are made by inter-knotting of yarns by hands or machines.

Laces
Lace is an openwork fabric consisting of a network of yarns formed into
intricate designs. It is a product of a combination of procedures including
yarn twisting, interloping and knotting.

5.6 Textile Finishing

If you see the fabric as it comes out from the loom you will not be able to
recognise it as the material you see in the market. All of the fabrics that
are available in the market have received one or more finishing treatments,
and except for whites, colour has been added to them in some form or the
other.
A finish is any treatment on
the fabric which can change its Activity 3
appearance, its textures or its 65
behaviour for specific use. Finishes Collect five labels of fabrics. Match the
that are considered absolutely information with what you have just read.
necessary are known as ‘routine’.
The finishes may be durable (do not
get removed on washing or drycleaning) like dyeing, or renewable (need to
be applied repeatedly as they get removed on washing) like starching or
blueing. A few important finishes depending upon their functions are:
• Change appearance : Cleaning (scouring, bleaching), straightening
and smoothening (calendering and tentering)
• Change textures: Starching or sizing, special calendering
• Change behaviour : Wash and wear, permanent press, water repellent
or water proof, mothproof, flame retardant or fire proof, antishrink
(sanforisation).

(a) Finishing with colour: Colour is often the most important factor in
selection of fabric, whether it is to be used for apparel or in the house.
Substances that can add colour to the fabric in a manner that it does
not easily wash out are known as dyes. The method of dying depends
on the chemical natures of the fibre and the dye, and the type of effect
desired. Colour application can be done:
• at fibre stage – for yarns of different colours or designed felts.
• at yarn stage – for woven checks, stripes or other woven patterns.
 Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I

• at fabric stage – the most common method for solid colour dye, as
also for designed dying like batik and tie and dye and printing.
(b) Printing: It is a more advanced or specialised form of dyeing. It involves
the localised application of colour which is restricted within the given
limits of design. Printing uses special tools which cause the transfer of
colour only to the specified areas. Thus, it allows the application of a
number of different colours on the fabric. Printing can be done by hand
tools like blocks, stencils or screens and at industrial level like roller
printing or automatic screen printing.

5.7 Some important fibres

Cotton
Cotton is the most widely used fibre for apparel and home textiles. India
is the first country where cotton was grown and used, and it continues to
be one of the largest cotton growing areas. Cotton fibres are obtained from
the seed pod of the cotton plant. Each seed has a large number of hair
attached to it. When the seeds ripen the pod bursts open. The seeds are
66 separated from the fibres by a process called ginning and sent as large
bundles (bales) for spinning.
Properties
• Cotton is a natural cellulosic, staple fibre. It is the shortest fibre with
length varying from 1 cm to 5 cms, therefore the yarn or the fabric
made is dull in appearance and slightly rough to touch. It is heavier in
weight than most of the other fibres.
• Cotton has good moisture absorbency and it also dries easily. Thus it
is comfortable for summer use.
• It is available in fabrics of all types of weights, fineness, structures and
finishes. Muslin, cambric, poplin, long cloth (latha), casement, denim,
sheeting material and furnishing material are some of the cotton fabrics
available in the market.

Linen
Linen is a bast fibre, obtained from the stems of the flax plant. The term
bast means the fleshy part inside the bark. To obtain the fibres the stems
are steeped in water for a long time to rot away the soft parts, in a process
called retting. After retting the woody parts are separated and the linen
fibres are collected and sent for spinning.
Properties
• Linen is also a cellulosic fibre, therefore, many of its properties are
similar to that of cotton.
Fabrics Around Us

• The fibre is longer and finer than cotton, so the yarn produced is
stronger and more lustrous.
• Like cotton, linen also absorbs moisture readily and, therefore, is
comfortable. However, it does not absorb dyes very readily and therefore
colours produced are not so bright.
Flax plant is cultivated in very few areas worldwide. Also it requires
longer processing time, therefore, linen is used less than cotton.
Jute and Hemp are also bast fibres like Linen. They are coarser fibres
and do not have good flexibility, and are therefore used for making ropes,
gunny bags and other such products.

Wool
Wool is obtained from sheep hair. It can also be obtained from other
animals like goats, rabbits and camels. These fibres are called speciality
hair fibres. Different breed of sheep provide different types of hair. Some
breeds are raised only for good quality of fibres they produce. Removal of
hair from the animal is called shearing. It may be done once or twice a
year depending on the climatic conditions. While shearing, effort is made
to keep the hair in one piece which is called fleece. This makes the sorting
of fibres easy because hair from different parts of the body vary in length 67
and fineness. After sorting, the fibres are scoured to get rid of dirt, grease
and dried perspiration. This is followed by carbonisation which removes
entangled vegetable matter like leaves and twigs. Thereafter, the fibres are
sent for spinning.
Properties
• Wool is a natural protein fibre. The fibres vary in length from 4 cms
to 40 cms and may be coarse or fine depending on the breed of the
sheep and the part of the animal body. It is characterised by a natural
crimp or a built-in waviness responsible for elasticity and elongation
properties.
• Compared to other fibres wool has low strength but has good resilience,
and elastic recovery.
• Wool has surface scales which are water repellant in nature. However,
it can absorb large amount of water but does not feel wet on the
surface. This ability is responsible for its comfort in humid and cold
atmospheres.
Wool is also used as blends with cotton, rayon and polyester, which
improves its care and maintenance properties.
 Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I

Silk
Silk is a natural filament fibre produced by the secretion of silk worms. If
silk is produced in controlled conditions (cultivated or mulberry silk), it is
smooth, and longer fibres are produced which results in a smoother, finer
and lustrous fabric. If silk is produced in wild or natural conditions, the
resulting silk is coarser, stronger and short in length, which results in a
thicker, coarser but stronger fabric (e.g., tussar silk). For production of
good quality silk, silk worm cultivation is carefully controlled. It is called
sericulture. Being a filament fibre silk does not require the spinning
process but has to be reeled carefully from the cocoon. The yarns are made
by twisting a number of filaments together. If the filaments break or when
the insects break the cocoon, the broken filaments are processed through
spinning like cotton, and this is called spun silk.
It is believed that silk was discovered accidentally when the cocoon of
an insect fell in the cup of tea of a Chinese princess. She took it out and
discovered that she could pull out a long continuous filament from the
cocoon. The Chinese kept the art of producing silk a secret for over 2000
years—until about 500 A.D.
Properties
68 • Silk is a natural protein fibre and the natural colour of silk is off white
to cream. Wild silk is brownish in colour. Silk filaments are very long,
fine, smooth and have a relatively high lustre or sheen. It contains a
natural gum which gives silk a crisp texture.
• Silk is one of the stronger fibres used in making fabrics. It has good
elastic recovery and moderate elongation.

Rayon
This is a manufactured cellulosic fibre. Cellulosic because it is made from
wood pulp and manufactured because this wood pulp is treated with
chemicals and regenerated into fibres.
Properties
• As rayon is a manufactured fibre the size and shape can be controlled.
It has uniform diameter and is clear and lustrous.
• Rayon being a cellulosic fibre has most properties like cotton. But it
has a lower strength and durability.
The main advantage of rayon and manufactured cellulosic fibres is that
they can be reprocessed out of waste material and have an appearance like
silk.
Fabrics Around Us

Nylon
Nylon was the first true synthetic fibre (totally manufactured from
chemicals) to be manufactured. It was first introduced as bristles for tooth
brushes. In 1940, the first fabrics from Nylon were socks and stocking
which were very successful. Thereafter, it was used for all kinds of fabrics.
It also provided the impetus for other synthetic fibres which followed.
Properties
• Nylon filaments are usually smooth and shiny, with uniform diameter.
• Nylon has very good strength and abrasion resistance. Its resistance to
abrasion makes it appropriate to be used in brushes, carpets, etc.
• Nylon is a highly elastic fibre. Very fine and transparent fibres are used
for ‘one-size’ garments like stockings.
• Nylon is a popular fabric used in apparel, socks, undergarments,
swimsuits, gloves, nets, sarees, etc. It is a leading fibre in the
manufacture of hosiery and lingerie. For outerwear it may be blended
with other fibres.

Polyester
Polyester is another manufactured synthetic fibre. It is also referred to as 69
Terylene or Terene.
Properties
• Polyester fibre has uniform diameter, smooth surface and rod like
appearance. It can be made in any strength, length and diameter as
per the requirements of the end use. The fibre is partially transparent
and lustrous.
• The moisture regain of polyester is very low, i.e., it does not absorb
water easily. Thus, it is not very comfortable to wear in hot dry summer
months.
• The most advantageous property of polyster is its wrinkle resistance. It
is one of the most commonly used fibre for blending with rayon, cotton
and wool and, to some extent, spun silk.

Acrylic
This is another synthetic fibre. It resembles wool so much that even an
expert may not be able to find the difference between the two. It is commonly
called as Cashmilon. It is cheaper than wool.
Properties
Like all manufactured fibres the length, diameter and fineness of the
fibre are controlled by the manufacturer. The fibre can be made in varied
degrees of crimp and luster.
 Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I

• Acrylic is not very strong and its strength is similar to cotton. The
fibres have high elongation with good elastic recovery.
Acrylic is used as a substitute for wool and is used in children’s wear,
apparels, blankets and knitted goods.

Elastomeric fibres
Apart from the fibres mentioned so far, there are a few less known ones.
These are elastic, rubbers like substances and can be produced in various
forms. In its natural form they include rubber and the synthetic equivalent
is spandex or Lycra. These are usually used as blends with any of the
above fibres with low elasticity.
Having studied about fabrics in this chapter, you will be introduced
to the world of apparel, i.e., clothes, made from fabrics later under the
section ‘Childhood’.
Knowing about fabrics is important for the adolescent as it would
enable one to make wise selection of clothes – an interest that is commonly
shared by all adolescents. Apart from clothes, another interest that binds
adolescents from different contexts is media and communication. Let us
learn more about these two interrelated aspects in the next chapter on
70 Media and Communication Technology.

Key Terms

Fabrics, Yarns, Fibres, Textiles, Textile finishing, Weaving, Knitting, Cotton, Linen,
Wool, Silk, Rayon, Nylon, Polyster, Acrylic.

„„ Review Questions

1. Name five articles of everyday use that are made from different types of
fabrics.
2. How are textile fibres classified? Briefly discuss their characteristics.
3. What is a yarn? Explain different methods of yarn processing?
4. List the processes in fabric production.
5. Mention any three properties of each of the following fibres.
• Cotton
• Linen
• Wool
• Silk
• Rayon
• Nylon
• Acrylic
Fabrics Around Us

„„ Practical 5

Fabrics Around Us

Theme Fabrics around us

Task 1. Make a record of fabrics and apparels used in a day
2. Analyse the suitability of the fabrics to the product

Conduct of the practical: Identify a particular day and note the fabrics and
apparel that you use and experience throughout the day. You can use the
following table for recording in various categories – (for self and ‘in surroundings’
like the examples given in the table).
E.g.
Time of day Use Product Fabric
6:00 am Self Towel Cotton
6:00 am Surrounding Pillow cover Cotton

Form groups of 4-5 students and pool your observations; and also discuss the
fabrics used for apparel worn by them in school and at home.
71
„„ Practical 6

Fabrics Around Us

Theme Thermal property and inflammability of fabrics

Task Burning test on various fabrics and analysis of its type

Purpose of the Activity: Inflammability of fabrics will help to test the behaviour
of fabrics in flame and while approaching flame. This will help consumer in taking
special care when in use. This is also a way of identifying fibre content of fabrics
which are in five composition.
Heat affects different fibres in different ways. Some fibres scorch and flame,
others melt and/or flame or shrink. Some fibres are self extinguishing, others are
completely non-combustible.

Burning Characteristics of Fibres

Fibre Approaching In flame Removed Odour Ash or
flame from flame residue
Cotton and Does not Burns Continues Burning Light, soft
Linen shrink, quickly burning, paper ash,
catches fire has an retains
afterglow shape
 Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I

Wool and Curls away Burns slowly Self extin- Burning Brittle,
silk from flame guishing hair curled,
small
amount,
crushable
ash
Rayon Does not Burns Continues to Burning Light, fluffy
shrink, quickly burn rapidly paper residue,
catches fire very small
amount
Nylon Shrinks Melts, Continues Acrid Hard, tan
catches fire melting coloured
bead
Polyster Shrinks Melts, Continues Plastic burn- Hard, black
catches fire melting ing coloured
bead
Acrylic Does not Burns Continues Acrid Hard, black
shrink, rapidly with burning coloured,
catches fire melting crinkly bead

72 Conduct of the practical

1. Take a narrow strip of the fabric ( ½ cm X 5 cm)
2. Hold the strip with a forceps or tongs and do the burning test by bringing it
near a burning candle, or low flame of spirit lamp.
Precaution
Perform this experiment on a very low flame of a candle or spirit lamp under the
supervision of a teacher.

3. Repeat the process by taking 4-5 samples of different fabrics and record the
observations.
Appro- In flame Removed Odour Residue Conclusion
aching from flame (colour
flame and
texture)