TURTORIAL ACADEMY SECONDARY

SCHOOL
Assignment #1

Natural Fibers

Name: Raymond Khan

Subject: Home Economics
Grade: 8S
Acknowledgement

I would like to thank everyone who took part in helping me in completing this assignment.
 Content

HEADINGS PAGE #

Introduction 4

What is Natural Fiber? 5

History of Natural Fiber 6

Sources of Natural Fiber 7

Types of Natural Fiber 8

Table with Information 10

Pictures of Wool, Sill & Linen: Fiber and Products 13

Sample of Wool, Sill & Linen: Fabric 14

 Introduction

This portfolio supplies information on the main topic; Natural Fibers.

 NATURAL FIBER

What is Natural Fiber?

According to ‘wikipedia.org’, Natural fibers are fibers that are produced by plants, animals, and
geological processes. They can be used as a component of composite materials, where the
orientation of fibers impacts the properties. Natural fibers can also be matted into sheets to make
products such as paper, felt or fabric.
 History of Natural Fiber

The use of natural fibres for textile materials began before recorded history. The oldest
indication of fibre use is probably the discovery of flaxand wool fabrics at excavation sites of the
Swiss lake dwellers (7th and 6th centuries BCE). Several vegetable fibres were also used by
prehistoric peoples. Hemp, presumably the oldest cultivated fibre plant, originated in Southeast
Asia, then spread to China, where reports of cultivation date to 4500 BCE. The art of weaving
and spinning linen was already well developed in Egypt by 3400 BCE, indicating that flax was
cultivated sometime before that date. Reports of the spinning of cotton in India date back to
3000 BCE. The manufacture of silk and silk products originated in the highly developed Chinese
culture; the invention and development of sericulture (cultivation of silkworms for raw-silk
production) and of methods to spin silk date from 2640 BCE.
With improved transportation and communication, highly localized skills and arts connected
with textile manufacture spread to other countries and were adapted to local needs and
capabilities. New fibre plants were also discovered and their use explored. In the 18th and 19th
centuries, the Industrial Revolution encouraged the further invention of machines for use in
processing various natural fibres, resulting in a tremendous upsurge in fibre production. The
introduction of regenerated cellulosic fibres (fibres formed of cellulose material that has been
dissolved, purified, and extruded), such as rayon, followed by the invention of
completely synthetic fibres, such as nylon, challenged the monopoly of natural fibres for textile
and industrial use. A variety of synthetic fibres having specific desirable properties began to
penetrate and dominate markets previously monopolized by natural fibres. Recognition of the
competitive threat from synthetic fibres resulted in intensive research directed toward the
breeding of new and better strains of natural-fibre sources with higher yields, improved
production and processing methods, and modification of fibre yarn or fabric properties. The
considerable improvements achieved have permitted increased total production, although natural
fibres’ actual share of the market has decreased with the influx of the cheaper, synthetic fibres
requiring fewer man-hours for production.
 Sources of Natural Fiber

Natural fiber, any hair like 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 fibre 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 cellulosic 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 fibre for commercial purposes is determined by such
properties as length, strength, pliability, elasticity, abrasion resistance, absorbency, and various
surface properties. Most textile fibres are slender, flexible, and relatively strong. They are elastic
in that they stretch when put under tension and then partially or completely return to their
original length when the tension is removed.
 Types of Natural Fiber

Diagram above indicating the types of Natural Fiber.

Here are the most common natural fabric fibers:

COTTON - Cotton is one of the most popular natural fabrics and is often used for clothing and
bedding. The fabric is comfortable on skin and adjusts to temperatures that make it suitable for
all seasons and climates. Cotton will absorb sweat during hot weather and cool the body and
retains heat during the winter.

SILK - Silk is an elegant fiber and the most durable of all of the natural fabrics. The fabric has a
rich history and is used for elegant dresses and fine clothing as well as for bedding. Silk is very
comfortable on the skin and is very popular throughout the world.

LINEN - Linen is primarily used for home furnishings and décor. However, the fabric is
comfortable on the skin and resistant to allergies so some clothing is made with linen. You will
often find linen tablecloths and window treatments. Homeowners will decorate with drapes made
of linen to allow more light into a room. The material is easy to clean and maintain and
extremely durable too.
WOOL - Wool is extremely durable and resists wrinkles. The fabric is very popular for winter
clothing, sweaters and outerwear and is seen in homes as rugs, carpet and blankets. Wool is
flame-resistant and very comfortable. The most famous and luxurious type of wool fabric is
cashmere which is often used for scarves and sweaters.

LEATHER - In terms of decorating and design, leather is often reserved for upholstery. A
leather recliner or couch is sophisticated touches to add to any room. For the most part, leather is
reserved for outerwear and pants and fashion accessories. Leather is very soft but it is also
extremely firm and will last a lifetime if cared for properly.

HEMP - Hemp is a natural fabric seen in shoes, clothing and décor. The fabric is extremely
water-resistant and able to withstand harsh conditions for extended periods of time. Around your
home, you will find towels, drapery, table settings and bedspreads made of hemp.

JUTE - Jute is reserved for carpet, rugs and floors in a home. The woven natural fabric is
extremely durable although it can be difficult to clean and maintain.
 Table below indicates specific information on 3 types of Natural Fiber:

STAGES IN
FABRIC HISTORY SOURCES PROPERTIES CARE
PRODUCTION

Wool The oldest known Comes from When human beings first  They are composed of amino acids. Should be dry
European wool the fleece of used wool fiber, they  They have excellent absorbency. cleaned, unless
textile, ca. sheep. gathered fiber that was the label states
Although sheep shed from the sheep
 Moisture regain is high.
differently.
were during their spring molt.  They tend to be warmer than others.
domesticated As humans domesticated  They have poor resistance to alkalis but
some 9,000 to the sheep, they bred good resistance to acids.
11,000 years ago, them to resist shedding  They have good elasticity and
archaeological so that the wool could be resiliency.
evidence from removed when it was
statuary found at convenient. In the early
sites in Iran twenty-first century, the
suggests selection first step in wool
for woolly sheep production is removing
may have begun the wool from the sheep
around 6000 BC, by shearing (cutting).
with the earliest Once off the animal, the
woven wool fleece of one sheep is
garments having bundled together with
only been dated the clean side in.
to two to three
thousand years
later.
The wool trade
developed into
serious business,
a generator of
capital.
Woolly sheep
were introduced
into Europe from
the Near East in
the early part of
the 4th
millennium BC.
At the time of the
Black Death,
English textile
industries
accounted for
about 10% of
English wool
production.

The Industrial
Revolution
introduced mass
production
technology into
wool and wool
cloth
manufacturing.
Silk Chinese legend Comes from * The eggs must be kept Silk is marked by the following properties: Needs special
gives the title the cocoon of at 65 degrees F,  low density makes for light and care; dry
Goddess of Silk the silk worm. increasing gradually to comfortable clothing cleaning.
to Lady Hsi-Ling- 77 degrees at which
Shih, wife of the point they hatch. After  high resistance to deformation
mythical Yellow the eggs hatch, the baby  good insulation properties /
Emperor, who worms feed day and warm in winter, cool in
was said to have night every half hour on summer
ruled China in fresh, hand-picked and  strongest natural fiber available
about 3000 BC. chopped mulberry leaves
She is credited until they are very fat.  shimmers and shines
with the Also a fixed temperature  good affinity to dye
introduction of has to be maintained  leaving aside the rather
silkworm rearing throughout. Thousands demanding care, silk is one of
and the invention of feeding worms are the most comfortable fiber
of the loom. Half kept on trays that are fabrics in the world
a silkworm stacked one on top of
cocoon unearthed another. A roomful of
in 1927 from the munching worms sounds
loess soil astride like heavy rain falling on
the Yellow River the roof. The newly
in Shanxi hatched silkworm
Province, in multiplies its weight
northern China, 10,000 times within a
has been dated month, changing color
between 2600 and and shedding its whitish-
2300 BC. gray skin several times.
Another example
is a group of
*The silkworms feed
ribbons, threads
until they have stored up
and woven
enough energy to enter
fragments, dated
the cocoon stage. While
about 3000 BC,
they are growing they
and found at
have to be protected
Qianshanyang in
from loud noises, drafts,
Zhejiang
strong smells such as
province. More
those of fish and meat
recent
and even the odor of
archeological
sweat. When it is time to
finds - a small
build their cocoons, the
ivory cup carved
worms produce a jelly-
with a silkworm
like substance in their
design and
silk glands, which
thought to be
hardens when it comes
between 6000 and
into contact with air.
7000 years old,
Silkworms spend three
and spinning
or four days spinning a
tools, silk thread
cocoon around
and fabric
themselves until they
fragments from
look like puffy, white
sites along the
balls.
lower Yangzi
River – reveal the
origins of *After eight or nine days
sericulture to be in a warm, dry place the
even earlier. cocoons are ready to be
unwound. First they are
steamed or baked to kill
the worms, or pupas.
The cocoons are then
dipped into hot water to
loosen the tightly woven
filaments. These
filaments are unwound
onto a spool. Each
cocoon is made up of a
filament between 600
and 900 meters long!
Between five and eight
of these super-fine
filaments are twisted
together to make one
thread.

*Finally the silk threads

are woven into cloth or
used for embroidery
 work. Clothes made
from silk are not only
beautiful and
lightweight, they are also
warm in cool weather
and cool in hot weather.

Linen Linen is Comes from Spinning flax into linen -  Strength: An important Wash.
beautiful, soft, flax plants. Then you take the fibers property of linen is its strength. Line dry.
and perhaps the and spin them on a Linen is a durable fiber, as is Iron.
earliest known spindle into linen thread. two-three times as strong as Dry clean.
constructed In Central Asia, people cotton. It is second in strength
textile. For were spinning linen to silk. It gives the same
example, in the thread and rope by about comfort like Cotton fiber.
country of 30,000 BC, long
Georgia, before wool. It took
archaeologists longer to invent
 Elasticity: Elasticity is the
discovered weaving, but by 5000 extent to which a fiber can be
elongated or stretched and then
34,000 year old BC, at the latest, people
returned to its normal condition
flax fibers that were weaving linen into
had evidently fabric. and size. Linen is the least
elastic natural fabric.
been dyed bright, *You can spin linen into
lovely colors by a thick, strong thread, or
our creative you can spin it very very  Resilience: Resilience refers to
forefathers. fine, depending on the the extent to which a fabric can
Indeed, once skill of the spinner and be deformed by crushing or
civilization what you want to use it compressing it, and finally
reached the point for. People returning it to its original
of being able to in Egypt made sails out condition. Linen is quite stiff
cultivate land, of coarse linen, for and wrinkles easily.
this became a example, but used very
game-changer for fine linen for  Absorbency: Absorbency
clothing and expensive tunics. It is refers to the extent to which
fabric. People hard to dye linen, so moisture can penetrate into a
began to grow mostly people wore it fiber. Another linen property is
flax, and from white, the way it is that the fiber absorbs moisture
this plant linen naturally. and dries more quickly. It is
was made. The excellent for manufacturing
fibers were towels and handkerchiefs.
woven up into
fabric and pelts  Heat Conductivity: Heat
were shed in conductivity refers to the extent
favor of this more to which heat can be conveyed
manageable (and through a fiber. Heat
probably cleaner) conductivity of linen is five
raw material. times as high as that of wool
Since the flax and 19 times as that of silk. It is
plant is native to most suitable for use in
many places summers, as the fiber allows
around the world, the heat to escape, leaving a
from Northern cool effect.Studies have shown
Africa to India to that with linen clothes
Western Europe, perspiration is 1.5 times less
linen has roots than when dressed in cotton
and history in a clothes. It is twice less than
variety of when dressed in viscose
cultures. clothes. Meanwhile in cold
seasons linen is an ideal
warmth-keeper.

 Comfortable: Linen is a
comfortable fabric. Being a
natural vegetable fibers it has
huge amount of Air Porosity
hole, which make the linen
clothes very comfortable to
wear.
 Pictures

Wool Tope made of Wool

Silk Silk Fiber Hairset

Linen Fiber Linen Fabric used for Sofa, cushion

Samples of 3 types of Natural Fibers

Wool

Silk

Linen