Editing Textile (section)

==Fiber==
{{main|Fiber}}
The smallest component of a fabric is fiber; fibers are typically spun into yarn, and yarns are used to make fabrics. Fibers are very thin and hair-like structures. The sources of fibers may be [[Natural fiber|natural]], [[Synthetic fiber|synthetic]], or both.{{sfn|Kadolph|1998|p={{pn|date=January 2025}}}}{{sfn|Smith|1982|pp=64, 69}}

=== Global consumption ===
Global fiber production per person has increased from 8.4 kilograms in 1975 to 14.3 kilograms in 2021.{{clarify|Is this per person per year?|date=September 2023}} After a modest drop due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020, global fiber output rebounded to 113 million tons in 2021. Global fiber output roughly doubled from 58&nbsp;million tons in 2000 to 113&nbsp;million tons in 2021 and is anticipated to reach 149&nbsp;million tons in 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Preferred Fiber and Materials |url=https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/preferred-fiber-and-materials/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=Textile Exchange |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-11-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119081806/https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/preferred-fiber-and-materials/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The demand for synthetic fibers is increasing rapidly. This has numerous causes. Reasons include its low price, the demand-supply imbalance of cotton, and its [Synthetic fibers'] versatility in design and application. Synthetic fibers accounts for 70% of global fiber use, mainly polyester.<ref>{{Cite web |author=<!-- Not provided --> |date=26 September 2022 |title=Manmade Fibre Industry Outlook 2022 |url=https://textilevaluechain.in/in-depth-analysis/manmade-fibre-industry-outlook-2022/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=Textile Magazine, Textile News, Apparel News, Fashion News |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-11-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119075442/https://textilevaluechain.in/in-depth-analysis/manmade-fibre-industry-outlook-2022/ |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2030, the synthetic fiber market will reach 98.21&nbsp;billion US dollars. From 2022 to 2030, the market is anticipated to increase by 5.1% per year.<ref>{{Cite press release |last=Markets |first=Research and |date=21 September 2022 |title=Global Synthetic Fiber Market Report 2022: Shifting Fashion Trends Coupled With the Rising Urban Population Creates Opportunities |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/09/21/2519999/28124/en/Global-Synthetic-Fiber-Market-Report-2022-Shifting-Fashion-Trends-Coupled-With-the-Rising-Urban-Population-Creates-Opportunities.html |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=GlobeNewswire News Room |language=en |archive-date=2022-11-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119080046/https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/09/21/2519999/28124/en/Global-Synthetic-Fiber-Market-Report-2022-Shifting-Fashion-Trends-Coupled-With-the-Rising-Urban-Population-Creates-Opportunities.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Fiber sources ===
* Natural fibers are obtained from plants, animals and minerals.{{sfn|Kadolph|1998|p=18}} Since prehistoric times, textiles have been made from natural fibers. Natural fibers are further categorized as cellulosic, protein, and mineral.{{sfn|Smith|1982|p=70}}
* Synthetic or manmade fibers are manufactured with [[chemical synthesis]].{{sfn|Kadolph|1998|p=18}}
* Semi-synthetic: A subset of synthetic or manmade fibers is semi-synthetic fiber. Rayon is a classified as a semi-synthetic fiber, made with natural polymers.
Monomers are the building blocks of polymers. Polymers in fibers are of two types: additive or condensation. Natural fibers, such as cotton and wool, have a condensation polymer type, whereas synthetic fibers can have either an additive or a condensation polymer type. For example, [[acrylic fiber]] and [[olefin fiber]]s have additive polymers, and nylon and [[polyester]] are condensation polymers.{{sfn|Smith|1982|p={{pn|date=January 2025}}}}

=== Types ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Types of fibers{{sfn|Smith|1982|p=68}}
! colspan="3" |Natural
!Synthetic
!Semi-synthetic
|-
!Cellulosic fibers (Vegetable or plant fibers)
!Protein fibers (Animal fibers)
!Mineral fibers
!Petroleum based
![[Cellulose]] based
|-
|[[Cotton]]
|[[Wool]]
|[[Asbestos]]
|[[Nylon]]
|[[Rayon]]
|-
|[[Linen]]
|[[Silk]]
|[[Glass fiber]]
|[[Polyester]]
|[[Acetate]]
|-
|[[Jute]]
|
|
|[[Acrylic fiber]]
|[[Cellulose triacetate|Triacetate]]
|-
|[[Hemp]]
|
|
|[[Olefin fiber]]
|
|-
|[[Bamboo textile|Bamboo Fiber]]
|
|
|[[Spandex]]
|
|-
|
|
|
|[[Aramid]]
|
|}

=== Fiber properties ===
Fiber properties influence textile characteristics such as aesthetics, durability, comfort, and cost.{{sfn|Smith|1982|p=69}}
Fineness is one of the important characteristics of the fibers. They have a greater length-to-width ratio [100 times the diameter]. Fibers need to be strong, cohesive, and flexible. The usefulness of fibers are characterized on the basis of certain parameters such as strength, flexibility, and length to diameter ratio, and spinnability. Natural fibers are relatively short [<nowiki/>[[Staple (textiles)|staple]]] in length. Synthetic fibers are produced in longer lengths called filaments. [[Silk]] is the only natural fiber that is a filament. The classification of fibers is based on their origin, derivation, and generic types.{{sfn|Kadolph|1998|p={{pn|date=January 2025}}}}{{sfn|Smith|1982|pp=64, 69}}

Certain properties of synthetic fibers, such as their diameter, [[Cross section (fiber)|cross section]], and color, can be altered during production.{{sfn|Smith|1982|p=66}}

Cotton: Cotton has a long history of use in the clothing due to its favorable properties. This fiber is soft, moisture-absorbent, breathable, and is renowned for its long durability.

==== Blends (blended textiles) ====
Fabric or [[yarn]] produced with a [[combination]] of two or more types of different [[Fibre|fibers]], or yarns to obtain desired traits. Blending is possible at various stages of [[textile manufacturing]]. Final composition is liable for the properties of the resultant product. [[Natural fiber|Natural]] and [[synthetic fiber]]s are blended to overcome disadvantage of single fiber properties and to achieve better performance characteristics and aesthetic effects such as [[devoré]], [[Heather (fabric)|heather effect, cross dyeing and stripes pattern]] etc. Clothing woven from a blend of cotton and [[polyester]] can be more durable and easier to maintain than material woven solely from cotton. Other than sharing functional properties, blending makes the products more economical.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barnett |first=Anne |title=Examining Textiles Technology |publisher=Heinemann Educational |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-435-42104-5 |pages=51}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gulrajani |first=M. L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JrgwAAAAMAAJ&q=blended+textiles+advantages |title=Blended Textiles: Papers of the 38th All India Textile Conference, an International Conference, November 18–20th ... Bombay |date=1981 |publisher=Textile Association |language=en |access-date=2020-11-22 |archive-date=2022-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127041052/https://books.google.com/books?id=JrgwAAAAMAAJ&q=blended+textiles+advantages |url-status=live }}</ref>

Union or Union fabrics is the 19th century term for blended fabrics. While it is no longer in use.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Montgomery |first=Florence M. |url=http://archive.org/details/textilesinameric00mont |title=Textiles in America 1650–1870 : a dictionary based on original documents, prints and paintings, commercial records, American merchants' papers, shopkeepers' advertisements, and pattern books with original swatches of cloth |date=1984 |location=New York; London |publisher= Norton |isbn=978-0-393-01703-8 |pages=369}}</ref> ''Mixture'' or ''mixed cloth'' is another term used for blended cloths when different types of yarns are used in warp and weft sides.{{sfn|Kadolph|1998|p=402}}<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/fairchildsdictio0000unse |title=Fairchild's dictionary of textiles |date=1959 |location=New York |publisher= Fairchild Publications |pages=355}}</ref>

Blended textiles are not new.
* [[Mashru]] was a 16th-century fabric, is one of the earliest forms of "mixed cloth", a material composed of silk and cotton.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O8gnAQAAIAAJ&q=Mashru,+a+16th-century+fabric |title=Indian Journal of History of Science |date=1982 |publisher=National Institute of Sciences of India |pages=120 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Siamoise]] was a 17th-century cotton and linen material.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Montgomery |first=Florence M. |url=http://archive.org/details/textilesinameric00mont |title=Textiles in America 1650–1870 : a dictionary based on original documents, prints and paintings, commercial records, American merchants' papers, shopkeepers' advertisements, and pattern books with original swatches of cloth |date=1984 |location=New York; London |publisher= Norton |isbn=978-0-393-01703-8 |pages=347}}</ref>

==== Composition ====
Fiber composition<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kumar |first1=Raj |last2=Srivastava |first2=H.C. |title=Analysis of Fiber Blends. Part II. Determination of Blend Composition by Moisture Regain |journal=Textile Research Journal |date=June 1980 |volume=50 |issue=6 |pages=359–362 |doi=10.1177/004051758005000607 }}</ref> the fiber blend composition of mixtures of the fibers,<ref>{{Cite web |title=ASTM D629 - 15 Standard Test Methods for Quantitative Analysis of Textiles |url=https://www.astm.org/Standards/D629.htm |access-date=2021-05-24 |website=www.astm.org |archive-date=2021-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518084425/https://www.astm.org/Standards/D629.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> is an important criterion to analyze the behavior, properties such as functional aspects, and commercial classification of the merchandise.<ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1533/9780857097385.2.803 |chapter=The use of biomass to produce bio-based composites and building materials |title=Advances in Biorefineries |date=2014 |last1=Rowell |first1=R.M. |pages=803–818 |isbn=978-0-85709-521-3 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xhArAQAAMAAJ |title=Mechanical Engineering |date=1956 |publisher=American Society of Mechanical Engineers |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Franck |first=R. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GbejAgAAQBAJ&q=Fiber+properties+is+an+important+criteria+to+analyze+in+blends&pg=PA230 |title=Silk, Mohair, Cashmere and Other Luxury Fibres |date=29 October 2001 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-1-85573-759-4 |pages=230 |language=en |access-date=2021-05-23 |archive-date=2022-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127041049/https://books.google.com/books?id=GbejAgAAQBAJ&q=Fiber+properties+is+an+important+criteria+to+analyze+in+blends&pg=PA230 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The most common blend is cotton and polyester. Regular blended fabric is 65% polyester and 35% cotton. It is called a ''reverse blend'' if the ratio of cotton predominates—the percentage of the fibers changes with the price and required properties.

Blending adds value to the textiles; it helps in reducing the cost (artificial fibers are less expensive than natural fibers) and adding advantage in properties of the final product.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Joseph |first=Marjory L. |url=http://archive.org/details/josephsintroduct06edjose |title=Joseph's introductory textile science |date=1992 |location=Fort Worth |publisher= Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers |isbn=978-0-03-050723-6 |pages=58}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Langan |first1=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=20gN3AousRAC&q=frontcover |title=Improving Reading Comprehension Skills |last2=Anton |first2=Harley F. |last3=Bader |first3=Carol H. |date=1992 |publisher=Townsend Press |isbn=978-0-944210-54-3 |language=en}}</ref> For instance, a small amount of spandex adds stretch to the fabrics.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stauffer |first=Jeanne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8_-NkR8TEyEC&q=blend+spandex+adds+elasticity&pg=PA139 |title=Sewing Smart with Fabric |date=2004 |publisher=DRG Wholesale |isbn=978-1-59217-018-0 |pages=139 |language=en |access-date=2021-05-23 |archive-date=2022-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127041047/https://books.google.com/books?id=8_-NkR8TEyEC&q=blend+spandex+adds+elasticity&pg=PA139 |url-status=live }}</ref> Wool can add warmth.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mendelson |first=Cheryl |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xfB99Kf38MwC&q=blend+spandex+adds+elasticity&pg=PA264 |title=Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House |date=17 May 2005 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-0-7432-7286-5 |pages=264 |language=en |access-date=2021-05-23 |archive-date=2022-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127041051/https://books.google.com/books?id=xfB99Kf38MwC&q=blend+spandex+adds+elasticity&pg=PA264 |url-status=live }}</ref>