How To Distinguish Natural Fibers From Chemical Fibers?

Cotton, hemp, wool, and silk are common natural fibers. Chemical fibers are including polyester fiber, spandex, acrylic, these ingredients are very common on the washing water label of our clothes.

The identification methods of fiber generally include touch, visual inspection, combustion, microscopy, dissolution, drug coloring, and infrared spectroscopy. In the actual identification, it is often necessary to use multiple methods together, and the results will be obtained after comprehensive analysis and research.

First, use the burning method. Light a piece of yarn or a small corner with a lighter. For example, the smell of burning cotton is similar to that of burning paper. Burning wool is a smell of burning hair, while burning chemical fiber is just a smell of glue. Touch the burnt surface after burning, the ashes of natural fibers are powdery, and they will disperse into granules when they are kneaded. Chemical fiber burning is rubber ball after burning, it can't rub it loose. If it is a natural fiber, use a microscope to identify various plant fibers and animal fibers. If it is a chemical fiber, it is distinguished one by one by combining the differences in the melting point, specific gravity, refractive index, solubility and other aspects of the fiber.

When identifying mixed fibers and blended yarns, it is generally possible to confirm with a microscope that several fibers are contained in them, and then use appropriate methods to identify them one by one. For fibers that have been dyed or finished, it is generally necessary to perform dyeing and stripping or other appropriate pretreatments before it is possible to ensure reliable identification results.