I thought it might be useful to include some basic information regarding the different types of fibre we carry in the store. I will continue to add information as I get hold of it (and the time to put it on the site!), but here is some to get you started...
Wool
I know, I know - a no-brainer, right? Well, don't be so sure of yourself. From different breeds to differenty types of processing, there is actually a lot to know about that fuzzy stuff that comes off the sheep.
When you see the generic term "wool" used on your ball of yarn, it is most likely a blend of fibres from a variety of breeds. A lot of mills will buy from many different sources, so once it is all mixed up, carded, dyed and spun, all that is known for sure is that it all came from a sheep at one point.
If you see a specific name put in front of the word wool, such as Merino or Blue Faced Leicester, then the yarn is made from one type of breed entirely. Merino is a very common breed being used, as it produces a soft smooth yarn that holds dyes well and results in a garment that isn't itchy like a lot of other wools can be.
Unless it is specially treated, all wool will felt when washed. Felting is an irreversible process that results in the wool fibres condensing and meshing with each other to form a dense fabric. I am sure everyone has at one time or another mistakenly put their favourite wool sweater in the wash only to have it come out looking like something intended for a Barbie doll!
Superwash wool has been chemically treated to prevent felting from taking place. This results in clothing that can be washed and dried along with the rest of your laundry, without fear.
We carry a variety of brands of both superwash and 'regular' wool at Spun, feel free to ask us about them.
Silk
Silkworm is a common name for the silk-producing larvae of any of several species of moths. The larva is not really a worm at all but a caterpillar. There are several species of silkworm that are used in commercial silk production, however Bombyx mori is the most common. Bombyx mori is native to China and was introduced into Europe and western Asia in the 6th century AD and into North America in the 18th century. It feeds entirely on the leaves of the mulberry tree, so has flourished only where conditions are suitable for large numbers of leaf-bearing mulberry trees. Bombyx mori has been cultivated over many centuries and is no longer known in the wild.
Silkworms possess a pair of specially modified salivary glands called sericteries, which are used for the production of a clear, viscous, proteinaceous fluid that is forced through openings called spinnerets on the mouthpart of the larva. As the fluid comes into contact with the air it hardens. The diameter of the spinneret determines the thickness of the silk thread, which is produced as a long, continuous filament.
Steadily over the next four days the silkworm produces a fine thread by making a figure of eight movement some 300,000 times, constructing a cocoon in which it intends to spend the chrysalis stage where it is in a state of sleep and casting off its skin.
Silk is a continuous filament fibre consisting of fibroin protein secreted from two salivary glands in the head of each larva and a gum called sericin which cements the two filaments together. The cocoon is then softened in hot water to remove the sericin, which frees the silk filament ends for reeling or filature. Single filaments are drawn from cocoons in water bowls and combined to form yarn. This yarn is drawn under tension through several guides and eventually wound onto reels. The yarn is dried, packed according to quality and is now raw silk ready for marketing. Silk can be dyed before or after it has been woven into a cloth. It can be woven or knitted.
Silk is a natural protein fibre containing about 70-75% of actual fibre fibroin and about 25-30% sericin. Silk filaments are very fine and long - as much as 300 to 900 metres in length. Silk has a high natural lustre and sheen of a white or cream colour; and is one of the strongest fibres at 2.6 to 4.8 grams per denier. When it is dry the elongation (elastic recovery) varies from 10-25% and when wet it will elongate as much as 33-35%.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a grass, not a tree. The kind of bamboo used for fabrics and wood is not the same kind eaten by cute panda bears. Bamboo is not the only woodlike fiber used in clothing: Linen, hemp and burlap are all plant-based fabrics, but they're all coarser than bamboo.
The manufacturing process for bamboo yarn is similar to that for rayon. The bamboo stems and leaves are pummeled into a starchy pulp in hydrolysis alkalization. A finishing treatment transforms the pulp into soft fibers. The bamboo yarn is then bleached and dyed.
Bamboo fiber is made by grinding, wringing, and then combing the actual pulp from bamboo plants. Bamboo fiber is 100% made from bamboo only, a high-tech process that includes refining bamboo pulp through hydrolysis-alkalization and multi-phase bleaching. Nothing else is added to the fiber.. just bamboo! In hand, this fiber is cool, silky, and spins easily.
Bamboo fiber is a natural cellulose fiber, can achieve natural degradation in the soil, and it won't cause any pollution to the environment. Bamboo can be spun purely or blended with other materials such as cotton, hemp, silk, Tencel and Modal.
Rayon
Many types of fibre are manufactured from natural cellulose, including rayon, viscose and modal. Cellulose is a complex carbohydrate that forms the main constituent of the cell wall in most plants, and is important in the manufacture of numerous products, such as paper and textiles.
Rayon is a fibre composed of regenerated cellulose, derived from wood pulp, cotton linters, or other vegetable matter. Today, various names for rayon fibres are taken from different manufacturing processes.
Rayon was originally named artificial silk or wood silk, but the name rayon was created in 1924. Unlike nylon, rayon absorbs water, making it more comfortable to wear as a clothing textile.
Hemp
Hemp is Cannabis grown for fibre, food, fuel, or other non-drug uses. Historically, the textile uses have been most important.
Cannabis grown as hemp is the same species as that grown for marijuana, although millennia of selective breeding has resulted in strains that look quite different. Hemp is planted closely, resulting in tall, slender plants with long fibres.
Hemp use dates back to the Stone Age, with hemp fiber imprints found in pottery shards in China over 10,000 years old.
Varieties
There are broadly three groups of cannabis varieties being cultivated today:
* Varieties primarily cultivated for their fibre, characterized by long stems and little branching, called industrial hemp
* Varieties grown for seed from which hemp oil is extracted
* Varieties grown for medicinal or recreational purposes.
A nominal if not legal distinction is often made between hemp, with concentrations of psychoactive chemicals far too low to be useful as a drug, and cannabis used for medical, recreational, or spiritual purposes.
Until its rediscovery in the late 1980s, the use of hemp for fibre production had declined sharply over the past decades, but hemp still occupied an important place amongst natural fibres as it is strong, durable and unaffected by water. The main uses of hemp fibre were in rope, sacking, carpet, nets and webbing. A hemp clothing industry was reborn in the West in 1988, and hemp is being used in increasing quantities in paper manufacturing. The cellulose content is about 70%.
Small plots are usually harvested by hand. The plants are cut at 2 to 3 cm above the soil and left on the ground to dry. Mechanical harvesting is now common, using specially adapted cutter-binders or simpler cutters.
The cut hemp is laid in swathes to dry for up to four days. This was traditionally followed by retting, either water retting whereby the bundled hemp floats in water or dew retting whereby the hemp remains on the ground and is affected by the moisture in dew, and by moulds and bacterial action. Modern processes use steam and machinery to separate the fibre, a process known as thermo-mechanical pulping.
Hemp fibres can be handspun, and there is an interesting article at Knitty.com giving some instruction and guidance on how to do this. www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/KSspr07GS.html.
Soysilk
Taken directly from South West Trading Company's site, here is the official word on soysilk:
SOYSILK® brand fiber is made from the residue of soybeans from tofu manufacturing. This process is 100-percent natural and free of any petrochemicals, making it an extremely environmentally friendly product. Soy is a completely renewable resource – coming from the earth and being wholly biodegradable. As early as the 1940s, textile experts dreamed of a fiber made from soy. (In fact, Henry Ford had a suit made of soy as an early prototype.) SOYSILK® brand fiber offers superior moisture absorption and ventilation properties along with beautiful draping, softness and warmth.
What are the benefits of SOYSILK® brand fiber and how does it differ from other fabrics?
* SOYSILK® brand fiber contains natural anti-bacterial agents which can restrain the growth of certain types of bacteria and is therefore considered a very sanitary fiber
* SOYSILK® brand fiber has the softness and smoothness of cashmere but isn’t hazardous to the environment
* SOYSILK® brand fiber is beautiful to look at and has excellent wearability
* SOYSILK® brand fiber has the same moisture absorption as cotton but with better moisture transmission, making it more comfortable and sanitary
How is SOYSILK® brand fiber manufactured?
SOYSILK® brand fiber is manufactured using new, cutting edge bioengineering technologies. It is produced by extracting proteins from the residual oils of soybean cake – a liquid “batter” is created and cooked, then the fiber is produced by wet-spinning and stabilized by acetylating, and is then cut into short staples after curling and thermoforming.
What is the washability of SOYSILK® brand fiber?
SOYSILK® brand fiber can be washed in home washing machines and air dried. It is not recommended for commercial/industrial washing machines. In textiles, SOYSILK® fabrics are known to be wrinkle-free and have little to no shrinkage.
How does SOYSILK® brand fiber affect the environment?
SOYSILK® brand fibers are part of the new class of green textiles. Soy fibers provide the environment with a unique “cradle-to-cradle” approach – coming from the earth and being wholly biodegradable. SOYSILK® brand fibers contain no petroleum and all products are manufactured to be eco-friendly. In addition, the United States is currently the largest exporter of soybeans in the world.
Who is behind SOYSILK® brand fiber?
SOYSILK® is the registered trademark of South West Trading Company, the nation’s leading provider of SOYSILK® brand environmentally friendly yarns. For more information about SOYSILK® visit the company’s Web site at www.soysilk.com
