can you think of any time during your day that you are not touched by fibers?
TRANSCRIPT
CAN YOU THINK OF ANY TIME DURING YOUR DAY THAT YOU ARE NOT TOUCHED BY FIBERS?
CAN YOU THINK OF ANY TIME DURING YOUR DAY THAT YOU ARE NOT TOUCHED BY FIBERS?
Shearing SheepShearing SheepJust like a haircutJust like a haircut
Overdue for shearing
freshly shorn
A professional can shear a sheep inLess than 2 minutes and will removeThe fleece in one piece.
In which season does the Shearing take place?
HorsehairHorsehair
Yak
Yaks are large bovine animals living in the mountainous areas of Asia,such as Tibet, Mongolia, and the Himalayas. To keep warm in thesecold climates, they grow a coarse long hair with an under layer of down similar to cashmere. Yak hair resembles human hair and is sometimes used in hair extensions. WATCH OUT!
OpossumOpossum
The Problem. The Australian Brush Tailed Possum was introduced into New Zealand in 1850’s and with no natural predators their numbers have grown to plague proportions. Government agencies have not been able to eliminate continued significant damage to native forests and endangered wildlife species.
The Solution. Possums fur is an ideal fiber for knitting yarns. A thriving fur industry means an enduring effort to harvest the invasive species, sending funds, jobs and international attention to the very heart of the problem. Knitting yarns almost always feel good in your hands, but knitting with possum yarn feels good on your conscience.
Possum Fiber Yarns are Luxurious and Versatile
SilkSilk
Where does silk come from?Where does silk come from?Silkworms are not worms, but caterpillars
The larvae of moths
The silk comes from their cocoons
Females laying eggs Larva eating mulberry leaves
Growing larger before making cocoon
Trays with silkworms Sorting cocoons
5-8 cocoons reeled at one time
SERICULTURE A labor intensive industry requiring many workers and a carefully controlled environment for the silkworms
Weaving silk cloth
Why is silk so expensive?
110 cocoons for a tie
630 cocoons for a blouse
3000 or more for a dress
Other Bast Plant FibersOther Bast Plant FibersSISAL ABACA
Abaca drying in Costa RicaMost abacá is pulped and used in a variety of specialized paper products including tea bags, filter paper and banknotes. Used for rope and is resistant to salt water damage.
Traditionally used for rope and twine, as well as paper, cloth, wall coverings and carpets. Major production is in Brazil.
Manufactured FibersManufactured Fibers
Man-Made Synthetic
Rayon PolyesterLyocel/tencel AcrylicAcetate NylonLatex SpandexFiberglas LycraSoysilkBamboo
Synthetic Fibers are the result of an extensive research by scientists to increase and improve upon the supply of naturally occurring animal and plant fibers that have been used in making cloth.
Man-made fibers are those that are made artificially, but from from natural raw materials (often cellulose from wood).
Bamboo and SoyBamboo and Soy
Bamboo Fabric This incredible grass is very versatile. Not only a material for floors and furniture, a yummy snack, a Panda bear staple, and a houseplant that even the most negligent of plant owners can’t kill, bamboo is fast becoming an easy fabric choice for fashion designers. Bamboo grows about a yard per day without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. Bamboo is rarely replanted, because it shoots back up after it’s cut down. As a fabric, bamboo has some wonderful natural properties. First of all, the feel of bamboo is amazing, like silk and cashmere combined. It’s also hypoallergenic and many people who typically experience allergies to fabric find bamboo to be a good solution. There are also natural properties in bamboo that make it resistant to bacteria, and therefore also resistant to bacteria-caused odor. The ultimate self-drying fabric, bamboo wicks away water faster than cotton.
Soy silk This material feels just like it sounds, silky, and is derived from the waste used in making tofu. The soy protein is extracted and the fibers are forced out, then cut just as typical fabric would be.
What is Soybu?
Choosing which fibers to wear
Choosing which fibers to wear
Cold weather… Animal fibers INSULATE
Warm weather… Plant fibers “BREATHE”allow air to CIRCULATE