National Clothesline

There is often a need to identify the fiber content of a fabric when no labeling is found on the garment.

Many fibers have look-a-likes, making visual identification difficult. Some look-a-likes have entirely different cleaning and spotting characteristics.

It is not necessary to distinguish between fibers such as cotton and linen since they share similar characteristics.

Some manufacturers mislabel garments as drycleanable but may have unserviceable trimmings. Being able to identify the fiber content gives the cleaner the option of wetcleaning.

Some types of rayon are washable and others are not. Distinguishing between the two rayons is very important when the garment does not contain care instructions. Cleaners may also be faced with ambiguous labels such as “Spot Clean Only, Do Not Dryclean or Wash.”

Once the fiber content is determined, the option of wetcleaning or drycleaning can be selected.

Burn test. A fiber sample can be removed from an unexposed area of the garment. On shirts and blouses this may be difficult, but you can usually find a fabric sample from inside the pocket.

On knit fabrics with no seams or loose yarns, you can pick off the surface nap and roll it between your fingers to form a small yarn. You can take a small yarn sample and hold it with a tweezers or between your fingers.

Burn the sample with a match and note the way it burns or melts. Smell the sample and then attempt to crush the sample when cool. Fibers differ in these characteristics.

Floatation test. Some fibers will react differently when placed in water. Some will float while others will sink.

Chemical test. Using chemicals to distinguish the fiber will identify the fiber.

Solubility. Determining dye solubility can be used to distinguish between real suede and imitation suede.

Acrylic and wool are look-a -likes. Manufacturers can crimp and bulk an acrylic staple fiber to resemble wool. It is important when labels are not available to identify the fiber.

Wool is not easily wetcleanable while acrylic is. Wool can be blocked in finishing while acrylic can not.

Burn test. Acrylic yarn will burn rapidly and not be self-extinguishing. It burns with a yellow flame, purple base and orange tip. It leaves an irregular black bead which is difficult to crush. It has an acrid odor. Wool will sizzle and be self-extinguishing when the match is removed. It leaves a black irregular bead which can be crushed between your fingers when cool. It smells like burning hair or feathers.

Floatation test. If you drop acrylic fiber and wool fiber in a glass of water acrylic will sink while wool will float.

Chemical test. Put ammonia on wool and it will yellow while acrylic will not.

Manufacturers can make polyester microfiber to imitate silk. This means that the polyester fiber can be made as thin or thinner than real silk.

When I tested Micromattique for DuPont, I found that many fabric experts have difficulty distinguishing polyester from real silk.

Microfiber polyesters are often used in garments with “Spot Clean Only” labels. Determining whether a garment is polyester gives you the option of wetcleaning.

Burn test. Silk fiber will sizzle similar to wool when a match is held to it. It leaves a hard, black bead that can be easily crushed when cool. It smells like burning hair or feathers.

When a match is held to polyester, it is difficult to ignite and is self extinguishing. It tends to shrivel from the flame. When cool, it leaves a melted, round bead that can not be easily crushed. Polyester has a pungent odor.

Chemical test. When ammonia is put on silk it will yellow while polyester will not.

It is important to identify acetate, especially in velvet. When a velvet pile contacts water, the pile will be permanently crushed.

Fading on acetate is permanent and can not be corrected. Customers may spill alcohol on acetate. It will usually result in a permanent discoloration. Oily type paint removers can not be mixed with water when spotting an acetate garment.

Burn test. Acetate will sputter, melt and fuse. It will leave a hard black bead that is difficult to crush when cool.

Chemical test. Put a drop of acetone on acetate and it will dissolve.

Manufacturers produce two different rayon fibers. One rayon is viscose which can not be wetcleaned. The other is high, wet modular rayon which is more durable and can usually be wetcleaned.

Burn test. When a match is held to rayon, it burns similar to cotton and linen. It burns with a yellow leaping flame and has a creeping ember when the match is removed. It leaves a light fluffy ash that can be crushed. It smells like burning paper.

Strength test. Take a strand of fabric and wet it. Pull the strand; the ease to which it breaks determines its characteristics.

Viscose rayon, which can not be wetcleaned, loses 80 percent of its strength when wet and therefore breaks easily.

Cotton fiber and high wet modular rayon becomes stronger when wet and does not break easily.

There are imitation suedes and leathers that look similar to real suedes and leathers.

Solubility test. This is the easiest way to distinguish real suede and leather from imitations.

Put volatile dry solvent on a Q-tip and rub an unexposed area.

Real suede and leather will always lose and transfer color to the Q-tip while imitation suede and leather will not.