The characteristics of the fiber determine its quality characteristics and its suitability. Standard tests and laboratory tests are generally used to measure and compare fiber properties. Overall, fiber has 17 properties.
1. Wear resistance
Abrasion resistance refers to the ability to resist wearing friction and can improve the durability of fabrics. For example, nylon is widely used in sports coats because of its particularly good strength and abrasion resistance.
2. Water absorption
Water absorbency is the ability to absorb moisture, usually expressed as moisture regain. It refers to the percentage of moisture absorbed by dry fibers in the air under standard conditions of a temperature of 21°C and a relative humidity of 65%. Fibers that absorb water easily are called hydrophilic fibers. Fibers that have difficulty absorbing water or can only absorb a small amount of water are called hydrophobic fibers. All natural animal and plant fibers are hydrophilic fibers; three types of man-made fibers – viscose fiber and Lyocell acetate fiber are hydrophilic fibers. Except for the above three other man-made fibers are all hydrophobic fibers.
The water absorption of fiber affects its application in many aspects:
●Skin comfort: Due to poor water absorption, the flow of sweat can cause a cold and wet feeling.
●Static electricity: Along with hydrophobic fibers, problems such as clothing sticking and sparking will occur, because there is almost no moisture to help disperse the charged particles accumulated on the fiber surface, and dust is also brought to the fibers and adheres to them due to static electricity.
●Dimensional stability after washing: After washing, hydrophobic fibers shrink less than hydrophilic fibers, and the fibers rarely expand, which is one of the reasons for fabric shrinkage.
●Stain removal: It is easy to remove stains from hydrophilic fibers because the fibers absorb detergent and water at the same time.
●Water repellency: Hydrophilic fibers usually undergo more post-treatment for water repellency and durability because this chemical treatment can make these fibers more water repellent.
●Wrinkle recovery: Hydrophobic fibers usually have better wrinkle recovery, especially after laundering, because they do not absorb water, do not swell and dry in the wrinkled state.
3. Chemical resistance
Fibers are typically exposed to chemicals during textile processing and home/professional care and cleaning. Fibers react differently to chemicals. For example, cotton fiber has low acid resistance but good alkali resistance. In addition, cotton fabrics will lose a little strength after being finished with chemical resin.
4. Coverage
Coverage refers to the ability to fill a certain range, which is to form a large amount of still air in the fabric, which relatively insulates the cold air from the outside. Textile coverings made from coarse or curly fibers are better than those made from fine, straight fibers. For example, wool is a good warm fabric for winter clothing.
5. Flexibility
Elasticity refers to the ability to increase length under tension and return to its original state after the external force is released. Good elasticity makes it more comfortable to wear and prevents clothing from sagging and deforming. Fibers that can stretch at least 100% are called elastic fibers.
6. Environmental conditions
Environmental conditions affect fibers in different ways. For example, wool clothing needs to be protected from insects when stored; nylon and silk will lose strength if exposed to sunlight for a long time, so it is not recommended to be made into curtains; cotton fiber is easy to mold, so it cannot be stored in a humid environment for a long time.
7. Flammability
Fibers are usually classified into flammable, non-flammable and flame retardant. Flammable fibers can be made into flame-retardant fibers by finishing or changing fiber parameters.
8. Softness
Flexibility refers to the ability of fibers to bend repeatedly without breaking. Soft fibers such as acetate; and rigid fibers such as fiberglass.
9. Feel
Hand refers to the feeling when you touch a fiber, yarn or fabric. The fiber’s hand feels the influence of its shape, surface characteristics, structure and finishing processes. Terms such as soft, smooth, dry, silky, stiff, rough or rough are commonly used to describe the feel of fabrics.
10. Gloss
Gloss refers to the reflection of light from the fiber surface. Glossy surfaces, fewer bends, flat cross-section shapes, and longer fiber lengths enhance light reflection. The drawing process during fiber manufacturing increases its luster by making its surface smoother. Adding matting agent will destroy the reflection of light and reduce the gloss. Gloss requirements depend on fashion trends and customer needs.
11. Pilling
Pilling means that some short and broken fibers on the surface of the fabric are entangled with each other into small balls. Hydrophobic fibers are more likely to pill than hydrophilic fibers because hydrophobic fibers attract static electricity to each other more easily and are less likely to fall off the fabric surface. It can be improved through some post-processing.
12. Resilience
Resilience refers to the ability of a material to recover elastically after being folded, twisted, or twisted. Thicker fibers have better resilience because they have more mass to absorb strain. At the same time, the shape of the fiber also affects the resilience of the fiber. Round fibers have better resilience than flat fibers. Polyester fiber has excellent resilience, but cotton fiber has poor resilience. Therefore, these two fibers are often mixed in some products, such as men’s shirts.�On women’s loose tops and sheets, it’s no surprise.
13. Relative density
Relative density refers to the ratio of fiber mass to the mass of water at 4°C of equal volume. Lightweight fibers can make fabrics warm without being bulky, making it possible to create thick, fluffy fabrics that still remain lightweight. Acrylic fiber is a good example. It is much lighter than wool, but has similar properties to wool, so it is widely used to fabricate lightweight and warm blankets, scarves, thick socks and other winter products.
14. Static electricity
Static electricity is an electric charge caused by two different materials rubbing against each other. When the static electricity on the fiber surface is generated at the same speed as the electrostatic transfer, the static electricity phenomenon can be eliminated. Hydrophobic fiber, because it contains very little water, has a tendency to generate static electricity.
15. Strength
Strength is the ability of a fiber to resist stress. Fiber strength is the force required to break the fiber, expressed in grams per denier or centinewtons per tex (legal measurement unit).
16. Thermoplasticity
The ability of fiber to resist heat is an important factor affecting its application performance. Thermoplastic fibers become soft when heated and can melt into a liquid state at higher temperatures. Thermoplastic fabrics have good dimensional stability.
17. Wicking effect
Wicking is the ability of fibers to transfer moisture from one place to another. Normally, moisture is transferred along the surface of the fiber, but liquid can also pass through the fiber when it is absorbed by the fiber. The wicking tendency of fibers often depends on the chemical and physical composition of the outer surface. Smooth surfaces will reduce the effect of wicking.
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