Identification of Natural Fibers by Burning Test

Identification of Natural Fibers by Burning Test


Cotton

When cotton is brought near the flame it scorches and ignites readily. In the flame it burns quickly with yellow flame. Upon removing from flame it continues to burn rapidly and shows afterglow. It emits a smell of burning paper. The Ash is light, feathery and grayish. If the ash is black it denotes mercerized cotton.

Linen

Linen like cotton when brought near the flame scorches and ignites easily. In the flame it burns slower than cotton with yellow flame. Upon removing from flame it continues to burn with a smell of burning paper. The ash residue is feathery and gray.

Wool

Wool when brought near the flame smolders. In flame it burns with small and slow flickering flame. Also in flame it sizzles and curls. When removed from flame it ceases to burn. The Odor is like that of burning feather or hair. It gives crisp, dark and irregular shaped ash that can be crushed easily.

Pure Silk

Pure silk smolders when brought near the flame. In the flame it burns slowly with sputtering. When removed away from flame it continues to burn but with difficulty and ultimately extinguishes. The smell that is emitted is like that of burning feathers or hair but it is less pronounced than wool. It gives out a round, crisp, shiny black beads that can be crushed easily.


Weighted Silk

Weighted Silk smolders when brought near the flame. In the flame it burns with a glow. When removed from flame the burned part becomes briefly incandescent then it slowly chars. The smell is like that of pure silk i.e. burning feather or hair. The ash brings a screen like skeleton of original sample.

The following guide is very handy in identifying the fibers by burning test:

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13 things to ensure while cutting

Cutting Room Procedures ( Image Source)

 1. Knife guard should be adjusted according to the height of the lay.

2. The correct position of the blade, its sharpness and the reciprocating speed of the machine should be ensued.

3. Cut the lay of fabric by propelling the cutting machine on the marking line with accuracy.

4. Projections for each pattern section should be provided to facilitate the sorter in numbering the cut sections.

5. Provide notches at appropriate places with required depth.

6. Mark the position of pockets, embroidery, logo etc. by drilling small hole through the lay with correct drill bit .

7. Frayed, serrated, fused or scorched edges, ripped or pulled yarns, overcut and undercut should be avoided while cutting.

8. On Bend knife machine, use ready patterns aided by appropriate fixtures for carrying out precision cutting.

9. Sections which need to be cut individually (e.g. checks to be aligned in the front panel) are to be respread and folded by aligning the checks/stripes.

10. Use appropriate fixtures to ensure the matching of the folded sections.

11. Discard the cut scrap into the caster bins positioned near the table.

12. Tie the cut lay along the cut sections of the master marker in a bundle.

13. Erase the splicing and the end marks after the spread is cut and bundled.

Safety Instructions in Handling Cutting

a. Areas near cutting tables should be clearly marked, and their access restricted should be restricted by barriers.

b. On motorised and automatic cutting tables the warning signals should be fitted to indicate when blade is in motion.

c. The machine ideally should be fitted with automatic adjustable guards to fully cover the exposed part of the cutting blade.

f. The five finger chain blades should be available to all the operator working on knife and should be worn on all times during cutting work.

g. There should be a regular check on the condition of the light, guard, and table fittings.

h. Only fully trained operatives should be allowed to work on knives.

i. The operators' standards should be checked against the published operating practice on a regular basis and should be corrected wherever a deviation is found.

j. There should be an effective cleaning system in operation that prevents build up of fluff, fly and off cuts, thus reducing fire, health & trip hazards?

A complete of list of safety measures can be found here


For those who want to go in for technical details they can click here for round knife and here for straight knife .

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The Sari- Some Facts, Methods, Techniques and Measurements

The Sari has not lost its appeal in modern India. Despite the growth of Women Western and other modern outfits, the charm of Sari remains. 

A users manual on How to Wear a Sari can be found here or here . A visual guide to various styles is presented here.

An amazing classification of  Different Saris of India can be found on the site of Indiangarment.com. You can find a complete manual of Indian Saris here.

A very nice manual on the measurement for various Indian garments such as Churidars, Parallels, Sharara, Lehnga Chunni or Ghahgra Choli and blouses is given on the same site.

And of course, an interesting concept of Automatic Sari is also given.

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Animation- Weaving Principles and Fabric Structure

1. Relationship between Draft, Peg Plan, Denting Plan and Design- Click Here

2. Weave and Color Combination - Click Here

3. Principle of Double Cloth Formation- Click Here

4. Principle of Tubular Fabric - Click Here

5. Double Cloth based on Exchange Principle- Click Here

6. Principle of Terry Towel Weaving- Click Here

7. Principle of Weaving Leno Fabric- Click Here

8. Principle of Weaving  Velvets and Corduroys- Click Here

9. Principle of Jacquard- Click Here

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