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Textile fibres
Fibres are the raw materials of fabrics.
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Fibres are the raw materials of fabrics.
Natural fibres
- Cotton (from the cotton plant – grown widely in Zimbabwe's drier regions): absorbent, cool, strong when wet, creases easily, can shrink. Used for shirts, sheets and towels.
- Linen (flax): strong, cool, creases badly.
- Wool (sheep): warm, elastic, absorbent, can felt and shrink in hot water.
- Silk (silkworm cocoons): smooth, lustrous, strong and luxurious.
Manufactured fibres
- Regenerated (from cellulose): viscose (rayon) – soft and absorbent.
- Synthetic (from petrochemicals): polyester (strong, crease-resistant, quick-drying), nylon (very strong, elastic), acrylic (wool-like), elastane/Lycra (very stretchy).
Blends
Mixing fibres combines good properties, e.g. polycotton (comfort of cotton with crease resistance of polyester).
Burning test (carefully, with supervision)
- Cotton and linen: burn quickly, smell like burning paper, soft grey ash.
- Wool and silk: burn slowly, smell like burning hair, crushable ash.
- Polyester and nylon: melt and shrink from the flame, form a hard bead.
Exam tip: Link a fibre's properties to its uses – “cotton is absorbent, so it is used for towels”.
Check yourself
- Give two properties of cotton.
- How does polyester behave in the burning test?
- Why is polycotton popular for school uniforms?
Show answers
- Any two: absorbent, cool, strong when wet, creases easily, washable.
- It melts, shrinks from the flame and forms a hard bead.
- It is comfortable like cotton but resists creasing and dries quickly like polyester.
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