Fur sources

A fiber is a slender, elongated, threadlike object or structure; a natural or synthetic filament, as of cotton or nylon, capable of being spun into yarn; material made of such filaments. A fiber is the basic unit of raw material having suitable length, pliability, and strength for conversion into yarns and fabrics. A fiber of extreme length is a filament. Fibers can occur naturally or can be produced artificially.

The principal use of fibers is in the manufacture of textile yarns and ultimately textile fabrics. Most textile fibers are slender, flexible, relatively strong structures that are elastic in that they stretch when put under tension and partially or completely return to their original length when the tension is removed. Each fiber has its own unique properties and no one fiber can satisfy all manufacturing or use requirements.

Hair in mammals is the characteristic threadlike outgrowths of the outer layer of skin forming the coat or pelage. The typical mammalian hair consists of the shaft, protruding above the skin, and the root, which is sunk in a pit or follicle beneath the skin surface. Except for a few growing cells at the base of the root, the hair is dead tissue, composed of keratin and related proteins. Many types of hairs have elaborate sculpturing on the shaft.

Hair serves three functions in mammals. The most important function of hair in most mammals is that of insulation against cold. A second function is that of a sensory organ, snout hairs or whiskers sensitive to touch which are called vibrissae. Important from the standpoint of survival is the coloration and pattern of coats, which serve both as camouflage to enemies and as an allurement to mates.

Tactile hairs or vibrissae occur in all mammals except man and are large, stiff hairs of sensory character. They have highly specialized follicles, the root being embedded in a mass of erectile tissue and having a rich sensory nerve supply. These specialized hairs are few in number, their distribution being chiefly confined to the lips, cheeks, and supraorbital regions but occasionally occurring elsewhere.

Fur is the fine, soft, hairy covering or coat of mammals. The fur of fur-bearing animals are called true furs when they consist of two elements: a dense undercoat called ground hair, and longer hairs, extending beyond that layer, called guard hair. The principal function of ground hair is to maintain the animal's body temperature; that of guard hair is to protect the underlying fur and skin and to shed rain or snow. Fur that lack either element are not true furs. Persian lamb, for example, has no guard hair, while kid and pony possess no ground hair.

A natural fiber is any hairlike raw material directly obtainable from an animal, vegetable, or mineral source and convertible into nonwoven fabrics such as felt or paper or, after spinning into yarns, into woven cloth. A natural fiber may be further defined as an agglomeration of cells in which the diameter is negligible in comparison with the length.

Although nature abounds in fibrous materials, especially cellosic types such as cotton, wood, grains, and straw, only a small number can be used for textile products or other industrial purposes. Apart from economic considerations, the usefulness of a fiber for commercial purposes is determined by such properties as length, strength, pliability, elasticity, abrasion resistance, absorbency, and various surface properties. Although no fiber combines the optimum of all desirable properties, most have some unique property particularly adapted to the special requirements of certain textile products. Most textile fibers are slender, flexible, relatively strong beams that are elastic in that they stretch when put under tension and particularly or completely return to their original length when the tension is removed.

Natural fibers can be classified according to their origin. The vegetable, or cellulose-base, class includes such important fibers as cotton, flax, and jute; the animal, or protein-base, fibers include wool, mohair, and silk; an important fiber in the mineral class is asbestos.

Cotton is the most important plant fiber and is used in a wide variety of products. The five most common types of commercial cottons are: sea-island is fine (small diameter), long, strong, and lustrous fiber; Egyptian is also fine lustrous and of long staple (average fiber) length; American-Egyptian is a hybrid developed from American and Egyptian strains; American upland is the most commonly used cotton fiber in textiles but is less strong, shorter, and of more irregular staple length than the first three types; and Asiatic, which is coarse, weak and very short staple length. Cotton is a strong fiber but is not highly stretchable. Since cotton fibers are only about an inch (2.5 cm) long, they must be spun into continuous yarns. Because of this, only about 60% of the potential fiber strength is made available in the spun yarn. Cotton fibers are stronger when wet and thus launder well. Cotton can be sterilized by steam or by bleaching which enhances its whiteness.

Sheep's wool is the most important animal fiber and is used in apparel, decorative and industrial fabrics. Wool is classified into five generally recognized types–fine, medium, long, crossbred, and carpet or mixed. The wool is sheared from the live sheep and is then sorted and graded for fiber length, diameter or fineness, and color. Wool fibbers range from 1/2 to 15 inch (1 to 38 cms) or more in length and a few hundredths of an inch in diameter.

Asbestos is the only naturally occurring mineral fiber, is very brittle, and must be combined with other fibers when woven. In the past, asbestos fiber was widely used in insulation and to make fire proof gloves and clothing. However, since asbestos is so brittle and can cause lung cancer if inhaled, its used was curtailed.

Man-made fiber is raw, hairlike material used to produce yarns and fabrics, including cellulosic fibers made by modifying natural materials and synthetic fibers made by chemical synthesis.

Man-made fibers have been grouped in many ways. One method divides them into four classes: cellulosic fibers, synthetic polymers, also called true synthetics; inorganic and metallic fibers; and protein and rubber fibers. In the United States, there are generally recognized to be 17 generic names: rayon, acetate, triacetate in the cellulose group; nylon, acrylic, modacrylic, nitril, polyester, saran, spandex, vinyon, olefin, and vinal in the synthetic polymer group; glass and metallic in the inorganic and metallic group; and azlon and rubber in the protein and rubber group.

Man-made fibers are usually produced by converting the fiber-forming substance to a fluid state, either by melting or by employing a solvent, to form a liquid. In the spinning, or extruding, operation, the liquid is fed through holes in a spinneret, a device performing much the same function as the spinneret of the silkworm. In the formation of man-made fibers, the term spinning applies to the process of forcing the liquid through the spinneret holes; the same word is applied to the production of yarn by twisting together either natural or man-made fibers or combinations of both.

The emerging liquid is hardened, forming a fiber having great length, called a filament, which is subjected to a stretching, or drawing, operation, increasing the alignment of its molecules. Long filaments may be used to make yarn or may be cut into short, uniform lengths forming staple and then twisted together to form yarn.

As the variety of new man-made fibers increased, as various fibers were blended together, and as special finishes were applied, fabric care presented new problems to the consumer; a trend developed employing permanent labels specifying garment care.

Rayon and acetate are classified as cellulosic fibers. The rayons, including viscose rayon, cuprammonium rayon and saponified acetate rayon, are composed of regenerated cellulose. Acetate and triacetate fibers are composed of cellulose acetate, a cellulose compound.

Rayon is the most important man made fiber. Viscose rayon is the most important of the rayons commercially and is noted for its economy and versatility, being used alone or in blends in almost every type of apparel and household fabric, including carpets. It is the most absorbent of the man-made fibers; this absorbency contributes to comfort when worn next to the skin and makes rayon easy to dye. Cuprammonium rayon (cupra rayon) is usually produced in the finer diameters and is used to make fine-textured fabrics for wearing apparel. Saponifed acetate rayon is sold as a monofilament and is used for lightweight reinforcing fabrics in industry.

Acetate fabrics are soft to the touch, drape gracefully, and dry rapidly. They are widely used in apparel and household furnishings. Acetate requires special dyes and this property makes it possible to develop two-tone effects with a single dye on fabrics made with combinations of acetate and other fibers.

Triacetate differs from regular acetate in that the proportion of acetate to cellulose in the fiber base is much greater than in regular acetate. Triacetate is usually used in apparel fabrics such as lingerie and in sheer curtains where shape retention and shrink resistance are important.

Most man made fibers are made by a chemical process called polymerization, in which many units of simple chemical substances combine to form large molecules whose properties are quite different from those of the basic units. By selecting suitable simple compounds and controlling the degree of polymerization, it is possible to produce new substances whose properties can be predicted.

Nylon was the first synthetic polymer fiber made commercially. Nylon is produced in many physical forms; in its most common form it has extremely high stretch and recovery properties, and this combined with its great strength and resistance to abrasion make is suitable for use in a broad range of products including lingerie, carpets and parachute canopies. Nylon absorbs very little moisture and it retains its shape and creases during washing. It resists crushing under humid conditions and has a luxurious softness, drape, and feel.

Acrylic fibers were first sold in 1950 under the trade name Orlon. Acrylic fibers are highly resistant to sunlight and weather as well as to many chemicals. They are frequently used in industrial uniforms and filters. Since they soften at moderately low temperatures, especially in the case of nytril fibers, they are usually used in products that do not require ironing, such as sweaters, blankets, and carpets. The modacrylics can be stretched, or drawn, with heat and are used to make hats that are light, hold their shape, and can be cleaned with a damp cloth.

Polyesters were first sold in the United States as Dacron and in Great Britain as Terylene. The strength and extensibility of the polyester fibers can be varied over a wide range. These fibers are known for their high resilience which is maintained while they are wet because they do not absorb water. Polyester fibers can be softened at high temperatures, permitting durable pleats to be set by heat. The high resilience of the fiber gives it special value as springy, lightweight filling for mattresses and upholstery cushions.

Saran is produced as a monofilament. It wears well and resists stains, fading, mildew, and the weather. Saran fabrics can be washed easily and are used for upholstery in high usage areas as cafes, and public transportation. The weight of saran is too high for the material to be used widely as a general textile material.

Spandex is a synthetic elastomer, that is, it has rubberlike characteristics. They can be stretched 500% without breaking, and do not break down on repeated stretching. They also have good strength, high uniformity, and high abrasion resistance; in addition, they resist weathering, chemicals and cosmetics. They are well suited for use in foundation garments and similar products where elastic support is required. Garments made from filaments of spandex, without the presence of other fibers, may be washed and dried in home-laundering equipment.

Vinyon fibers soften below the boiling point of water but their chemical resistance makes them suitable for certain industrial uses. Vinal fibers soften at low temperatures and hence cannot be used for garments that are laundered but they have high chemical resistance and are used as disposable protective clothing in the chemical industry.

Olefin fibers have good abrasion resistance and are unharmed by acids and alkalis and are resistant to molds and fungi. Since they soften at low temperatures they are not used in garments that are laundered. Their chemical stability makes them suited for use as protective clothing in the chemical industry and their resistance to water makes them useful for fish lines.

Glass fibers are made by spinning melted glass of a special composition and the extruded hot strands are gathered on a rapidly revolving carrier that stretches the fibers into fine, flexible filaments. Glass fibers are strong and heat resistant but have little stretch. They are difficult to color, but can be coated with organic resins that hold dyes or pigments. Glass-fiber fabrics are fireproof and used for draperies in public places. They also are used as reinforcement for laminated plastics in boats and other molded products.

Metallic filaments are used for decorative effects in fabrics made primarily from yarns of other fibers. In the most common method of manufacture a sheet of aluminum foil is coated on both sides with an adhesive, heated, and a transparent plastic film applied. The foil with its adhering plastic is then slit into narrow filaments. Colors may be printed on the foil or carried in the adhesive. When given certain plastic coatings, metallic yarns do not tarnish and are not affected by salt water or the weather.

Azlon is the generic term applied to fibers made from vegetable proteins. The fibers are very soft and lose strength when wet.

Rubber fibers are made from natural or synthetic rubber and have high elasticity and stretch. They are usually used as a core around which other fibers or yarns are wound to protect the rubber from abrasion.

Weaving is the production of fabric by interlacing two sets of yarns or threads so that they cross each other, normally at right angles, usually accomplished with a hand- or power-operated loom. Lengthwise yarns are called warp and crosswise yarns are called weft, or filling. Most woven fabrics are made with outer edges finished in a manner that avoids raveling; these are called selvages. They run lengthwise, parallel to the warp yarns.

The manner in which the yarns are interlaced determines the type of weave. The yarn count and number of warp and filling yarns to the square inch determine the closeness or looseness of a weave. Woven fabrics may also be varied by the proportion of warp yarns to filling yarns. Some effects are achieved by the selection of yarns or of combinations of yarns.

The pile weave is usually used to make fur for costumes. Pile weaves produce fabrics with raised, dense surfaces. They can be made by weaving extra warp yarns over wires, producing loops that are cut as the wires are withdrawn; by adjusting loom tension to produce loops that are frequently left uncut; by using extra filling yarns to produce floats that are cut after weaving; or by weaving two cloths face to face, binding them together with an extra set of warps that form the pile when the fabrics are cut apart. Examples of woven pile fabrics include velvet, plush, terry cloth, and many of the synthetic furs.

By varying the length and spacing of the cut ends or loops, the length of the fur and the density can be varied. By using different yarns and different spacing, realistic fur can be made with simulated guard and ground hairs, but such attention to detail is time consuming and expensive.