Today’s Wonder Fabrics Have Come a Long Way From Pre-World War II

In the good old days, there were cotton, flax, wool and silk. They were gathered, spun, woven, dyed--and sewn into clothing and fabrics for the home.

Today there is an alphabet jungle of fabrics, improved naturals as well as synthetics and blends, more than 100 in all. Multiplied by brand names, there are thousands of names--names that often find their way onto hang tags, labels, garments and other products.

Among today’s wonder fabrics are Lycra, carbon fiber and polypropylene. Lycra is Du Pont’s stretch fabric used for swim suits and active wear that feels like a textile but stretches like elastic. Carbon fiber--Du Pont calls it Kevlar--is the stuff that makes bullet-proof vests bullet-proof. Polypropylene, in concert with Lycra, has swept the active-wear market. It is also a mother’s dream. Because it whisks moisture away from the body, it helps keep baby bottoms dry, and in conjunction with cotton it may soon rid the world of sweaty socks.

It is described as “the only growth fabric in the industry.” David Parkes says while its properties truly are amazing, there are some major drawbacks: It is heat sensitive, which means it can’t be ironed, and it has to be dyed in its raw state rather than by clothing manufacturers.

Under Development

Parkes, president of the Polypropylene Council of America, says Anaco Fibers is in the late stages of developing a process to print polypropylene.

“Printing (dying) is important,” Parkes says. “People want color.”

The issue of heat sensitivity came home to British seamen in the war over the Falkland Islands in 1982. Parkes says the insulated underwear they wore in their ships’ boiler rooms melted from the heat of battle-caused fires and had to be surgically removed.

That incident is the exception.

“By the time it starts to melt,” says Parkes, “you’re so damn hot you shouldn’t be that close (to the heat) anyway.”

The proliferation of fabrics began early in the century with rayon, based on cellulose. Then just before World War II came nylon, a polymid fiber and the first true synthetic. While it was a miracle fabric to be washed and dried and worn without ironing, it did not absorb moisture.

Scientists scurried to their labs and came up with all kinds of ways to build air pockets into yarns to make nylon more comfortable. Early names included Ban-Lon, Tycora, Taslan, Tactel and Agilon. Today there’s a nylon hybrid called Antron that has many of the characteristics of silk.

10 Types of Cotton

There are at least 10 types of cotton including Supima, the one with an extra long staple which makes it stronger and more comfortable with each laundering.

Among fabrics or yarns made from animals, wools dominate, but there are many others that help elevate the human comfort level: alpaca, Angora, camel hair, cashmere, mohair and vicuna, to name a few. The most recent entry is Cashgora which, according to the International Wool Textile Organization, is “the first new natural textile fiber of the last 100 years.” It is a cross between the cashmere and Angora goats found in Australia and New Zealand.

The most expensive is musk ox hair combed from animals found only in Alaska and Canada. Sweaters and scarfs made of musk ox yarns are said to be the warmest and most sensuous imaginable. No wonder. Says Roger Markay of Yarn Sales Corp., “It costs about six times more than cashmere.”

Markay says musk oxen are found in Alaska, with a few in northern Canada. The hair is sent to the continental states to be spun, and the yarn then is returned to Alaskans, who make it into knitwear for the tourist trade.

No Shrinkage

Acrylics, synthetic fibers under names such as Acrilan, Orlon, Creslan and Zefran, offer many of the qualities of wool but without some of wool’s drawbacks. Acrylic fabrics can be laundered without worry of shrinkage. Because they are not as absorbent as many of the animal fibers, stains are easier to remove, and because they are non-allergenic, they are favored by allergy sufferers.

Polyester is a versatile fabric that has lost its early stigma. Like nylon, it can be textured and engineered for various end uses. It adds shape to garments made from blends with wool, worsteds, cotton or linen so they look better for longer.