What is Fibre in Clothing
Silk
| Property | Characteristics |
| Microscopic appearance | Triangular prism-like structure |
| Length | Continuous filament |
| Colour | Usually off white, and also shades of pale beige, brown, and grey |
| Lustre | Excellent |
| Strength | Good |
| Elasticity | High |
| Resilience | High |
| Moisture absorption | Good |
| Heat | Sensitive and gets decomposed |
| Flammability | Burns at 165°C / 330°F |
Rayon
| Property | Characteristics |
| Microscopic appearance | Striations seen in viscose and high strength rayonIf delustred, scattered specks of pigment can be seen |
| Length | Filament and Staple |
| Colour | Transparent unless dyed |
| Lustre | High |
| Strength | Fair to excellentRegular rayon has fair strengthHigh tenacity types have good strength |
| Elasticity | Regular rayon: lowHigh strength rayon: good |
| Resilence | High wet strength rayon is better |
| Moisture absorption | Higher than natural celluloseFibres swell in waterWeaker when wet |
| Heat | Loses strength above 148°C / 300°FDecomposes between 176°C / 350°F and 204°C / 400°F |
| Flammability | Burns rapidly unless treated |
| Electrical conductivity | Fair – static charge can be reduced with special finishes |
Acetate
| Property | Characteristics |
| Microscopic appearance | Striations farther apart than viscose rayonLobed cross-section |
| Length | Filament and staple |
| Colour | Transparent unless dulled by pigments |
| Lustre | Bright, semi bright or dull |
| Strength | Moderate, less than rayon when it is wet |
| Elasticity | Not very high, similar to rayon |
| Resilience | Poor |
| Moisture absorption | 6%, little strength loss when it is wet |
| Heat | Ironing temperatures of 135°C / 275°F are satisfactory |
| Flammability | Slowly combustible |
| Electrical conductivity | Good |
Nylon
| Property | Characteristics |
| Microscopic appearance | Very smooth and even |
| Length | Filament and staple |
| Colour | Off white |
| Lustre | High natural lustre that can be controlled |
| Strength | Exceptionally high |
| Elasticity | Exceptionally high |
| Resilience | Very good |
| Moisture absorption | 3.8% |
| Heat | High resistance, melts at 250°C / 482°F |
| Flammability | Melts slowly Does not support combustion |
| Electrical conductivity | Low, generates static |
Polyester
| Property | Characteristics |
| Microscopic appearance | Smooth, even, rod like, different cross sectional shapes |
| Length | Filament and staple |
| Colour | White |
| Lustre | Bright or dull |
| Strength | Good to excellent |
| Elasticity | Fair to good |
| Resilience | Excellent |
| Moisture absorption | Less than 1% |
| Heat | Softening or sticking temperature is above 204°C / 400°F |
| Flammability | Burns slowly |
| Electrical conductivity | Accumulates static charges |
