I&JJ ^^g-7f and Fabrics Update

Today's consumer can choose apparel made . "Washable crushed silk" is the result of new from a range of fibers and fabrics. Some are methods of and silk. Consumers need naturally produced and others are manufac- to read and follow instructions for either dry cleaning tured. Fibers and fabrics for apparel are both made in or washing "washable" . They should never wash the United States and imported from foreign countries. colored silks with white or light items. A cool water wash is best, with a mild detergent such as liquid dishwashing detergent. Silks should not soak a long Natural Fibers time. . Cotton has increased in popularity in the Consumers should not have washable silks dry past few years because consumers appreciate its cleaned. International Fabricare Institute tests have comfort, wearabihty, natural look, and machine shown that most bled badly in the dry cleaning washabihty. Much of the renewed use of cotton is the solvent. result of research, product development, and promo- Silks that are not dyed with the new dyes permitting tional programs by Cotton Incorporated, a trade hand washing are labeled for dry cleaning care. It is association. They have developed such new products the consumer's responsibihty to follow the instruc- as no-iron all-cotton sheets, garment dyeing, and tions on the care label. fashion fabrics with structural texture. Cotton Inc. promotes cotton by means of two trademarks, the Cotton Seal logo for 100 percent cotton and the Cotton Manufactured Fibers Seal plus the words "Natural Blend" for blends of 60 Changes in manufactured fibers are the result of percent or more cotton. overproduction, changes in consumer buying, compe- . New linen blends keep this popular. tition from foreign countries, an increase in imports, One blend mixes linen with or Lycra to and the elimination of fibers such as Amel triacetate, add stretch to linen fabrics for Ungerie and other knits. which was not profitable to manufacture. Most new Linen manufacturers now use finer yams and new developments are variations of existing fibers and techniques to make linen softer and less prone to engineering of fiber developments to meet specific wrinkling and creasing. uses such as breathable rainwear for sportswear. . Pronounced ray-mee, this . Two major types of rayon are produced in comes from the stalk of a , just like linen. Similar the U.S.—regular viscose rayon, and rayon made by to cotton and linen in its characteristics, ramie an improved process, called polynosic or high wrinkles readily and may shrink during laundering, wet-modulus rayon. Regular rayon or viscose is a but is stronger than cotton and slightly more lustrous. weak fiber, even when dry, and needs to be dry Recently, consumers saw more ramie garments in cleaned since it loses half its strength and can stretch stores because of increased trade with China and a or shrink when wet. Dry cleaning can cause problems loophole in U.S. trade pohcy. Originally trade quotas with the loss of sizings ( or resins that give (limits) were imposed on cotton, , and manufac- firmness to rayon). Sizings are also sensitive to water tured fibers coming into this country. However, if and water spots. If you and your dry cleaner have another fiber such as ramie was more than 50 percent problems with rayon garments, you should return them of a blend with cotton, wool, or man-made fiber, the to the retailer. item was not subject to quota Umits. To evade the trade quotas for cotton, blends of ramie and cotton were imported. Changes in the 1986 Multifiber LoEma P. Simpson, former assistant professor, , Arrangement (MFA) resulted in quotas for ramie, silk, Department of Apparel, Interiors, and Merchandising; and linen. andArdis W. Koester, Extension textiles and specialist emeritus, Oregon State University.

ORCGON STATG UNIVERSITY GXTGNSION SERVICE 4-H 92153 Reprinted July 1999 The newer polynosic or high wet-modulus Great Feelings Knitwear (Type 740W by DuPont) are stronger and can be machine-washed on a gentle is used for soft, breathable knit fabrics. It has a cycle. The generic term "rayon" is the only term dual-denier design where filaments are different required to appear on labels by the Fiber thicknesses in the same yam structure. Products Identification Act, so the adjective describing Light Spirit Blend (Type 720W by DuPont) is the new type may not be identified. Improved rayons specially designed to blend with cotton for cool, airy, use the trade names Avril, Avtex, Zantrel, and Prima. comfortable sportswear. Nylon. Nylon celebrated its 70th birthday in 1998. Thermax (Type 727W by DuPont) is a cold-weather Its properties of strength, lighter weight, abrasion thermal wear fabric made from a hollow-core fiber resistance, crush resistance, and resistance to many that holds air, providing thermal insulation for warmth chemicals have given it a reputation as a "miracle while transporting moisture away to keep the body fiber." Continued development of nylon fibers is an dry. example of today's fiber development and marketing Thermolite and Thermoloft (DuPont) are of specialized fibers. sheath-core fibers within a fiber. The outer sheath nylon (DuPont) is especially strong and is melts during processing to interlock the core fibers used in soft-sided luggage. together in insulation batting. The battings do not shift Hydrous (Allied) is the first water-loving nylon. It or become compact during wear and use. ThermoUte is has a (two-fiber) structure of 85 percent for less bulky insulation batting and Thermoloft is nylon and 15 percent oxide diamine, more bulky. which makes it absorb moisture and wick it away from Trevira Linenesque (Hoechst Celanese) has the look the body. Because this fabric dries quickly, it's used of natural linen, but out-performs linen in wrinkle for thermal underwear; fabrics; ; and resistance and easy care. linings for shoes, gloves, and garments. Acrylic. Ultratech Orion acrylic is DuPont's Sheerspeed 289 (DuPont) is a fine denier (small newest . It has a channel-T-shaped cross diameter) hosiery yam designed to be used with section that wicks moisture away three times more high-speed equipment. rapidly than cotton. It is designed for athletic socks. Supertec 90 (DuPont) is a fine denier hosiery yam AccuColor Orion acrylic is another recent DuPont that can be texturized on high-speed equipment, then development. It's a solution-dyed fiber, where the knitted and finished to the hosiery maker's specifica- is added to the liquid fiber before formation tions. into a fiber. This means the accuracy of the color is Supples nylon (DuPont) has been introduced for guaranteed from lot to lot. AccuColor Orion is used in active sportswear for its softness, flexibility, and sweaters, socks, woven fabrics, and other apparel. lighter weight. It's used in windbreakers that don't Spandex. Lycra spandex is DuPont's stretch fiber, make crisp, crackly sounds. which finds wide use in swimwear fabrics, exercise . Polyester also is available in many wear, and hosiery. The newest Lycra spandex is a specialized variations. Some of the include: speciaUzed fiber that is flattened to be thinner and Ceylon (Hoechst Celanese) has a silk-like luster and sheerer, while still providing silk-like luster, stretch, softness. and support to hosiery. Hosiery with this Lycra Comfort Fiber (Hoechst Celanese) has absorbency spandex is identified by the brand name Silken Sheers. and comfort similar to cotton. Triacetate. Amel triacetate fiber, made by (Type 729W by DuPont) is for cooler, Celanese, is no longer made in the U.S. because it is drier athletic wear, with a four-channeled cross section not profitable; however, it is still made in Europe. The that wicks perspiration away from the skin and helps it U.S. manufacturing plant has been converted to make evaporate at more than twice the rate of polypropy- PBI, a relatively new flame-resistant fiber for fire lene. fighters and others. ESP (Hoechst Celanese) is used in to give it Note: No endorsement of named products is stretchiness. intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products that are not mentioned.

This publication was produced and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension work is a cooperative program of Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of , and Oregon counties. Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials—without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran status—as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title DC of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Published as EC 1281 January 1989. Reprinted as 4-H 92153 July 1999.