Plant and Animal-Based Fiber Characteristics

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary, definitions, and characteristics related to plant-based cellulose fibers and animal-based protein fibers.

Cellulose fibers

Made primarily of cellulose, a carbohydrate polymer of glucose.

Seed fibers

Natural fibers that grow from the seed of a plant, like cotton.

Bast fibers

Natural fibers obtained from the stem of a plant, such as flax.

Leaf fibers

Natural fibers obtained from the leaves of a plant.

Supima cotton

A high-quality variety of cotton known for its extra-long staple fibers.

Upland cotton

The most common variety of cotton characterized by medium staple fibers.

Biodegradable

Able to decompose naturally by microorganisms, making it environmentally sustainable.

Extrusion fibers

Natural protein fibers formed by a process such as silk from silkworms.

Wool fiber structure

Includes components like cuticle, cortex, and medulla.

Silkworm

The insect from which silk protein is obtained.

Carding

A mechanical process that brushes and aligns fibers.

Ginning

The mechanical process used to separate seeds from cotton fibers.

Cuticle

A thin waxy layer that protects the fiber surface.

Retting

The process of rotting away pectins to separate fibers from flax stems.

Rippling

Removing seeds from flax stalks.

Hackling

The process of combing flax fibers into long, smooth strands.

Tow fibers

Shorter, coarser flax fibers.

Line fibers

Long, fine flax fibers.

Crimp

Natural waviness of wool fibers.

Sericulture

The cultivation of silkworms for silk production.

Throwing

Twisting silk filaments into yarn.

Scouring

Cleaning wool to remove lanolin and dirt.

Biodegradable properties of silk

Silk is renewable and naturally biodegradable, but traditional sericulture methods may kill silkworms.

Dimensional stability

The property of fibers being prone to wrinkling and having minimal elasticity.

Sunlight resistance

The ability to resist damage from sunlight, weaker than protein fibers.

Environmental impact of cotton cultivation

High water and pesticide requirements unless grown organically.

Moisture absorbency in animal fibers

Animal-based proteins have excellent moisture absorbency, making them comfortable in cooler weather.

Elasticity of wool

Wool has good resiliency and wrinkle resistance.

Fulling

A controlled shrinkage process to make wool denser.

Shearing

Removing fleece from sheep during grooming.

Grease wool

Wool in its natural state before cleaning.

Cultivated silk

Silk produced from domesticated silkworms with a smooth filament.

Tussah silk

Silk obtained from wild silkworms, known for being coarser and less uniform.

Biodegradability of wool

Wool is renewable and biodegradable but has a significant environmental footprint from methane production.

Maintenance guideline for cotton

Washing should be done in hot water; drying can be tumble-dried.

Maintenance guideline for silk

Preferred to dry clean but gentle hand washing is possible.

Mildew resistance of cellulose fibers

Cellulosic fibers resist moths and mildew but can mold if damp.

Strength of cellulose fibers when wet

Stronger when wet, unlike animal proteins which weaken.

Fiber length terminology

Refers to fiber lengths such as short, medium, long, and extra-long.

Bale

A compressed package of cotton fibers produced after ginning.

Environmental sustainability of flax

Flax requires fewer chemicals and less water compared to cotton.

Wool sourcing

Obtained from various animals like sheep and alpaca.

Animal protein fibers

Made of protein such as keratin in wool and fibroin in silk.

Composition of cellulosic fibers

Made primarily of carbohydrate polymers.

Guidelines for washing wool textiles

Should be washed gently in cool water to avoid felting.

Heat resistance of animal fibers

Animal fibers are poor conductors of heat, providing insulation.

Long staple cotton

Cotton fibers that are longer and finer, such as pima cotton.

Silk sources

Silkworms and spiders are common sources of silk protein.

Environmental concerns of wool production

Wool production requires land and water and can have high methane emissions.

Silk maintenance guideline

Avoid wringing and exposure to high heat.