You'll notice the superwash wool burns similarly to the wool, but the ashes curl inward and are slightly melted. Sometimes fabrics are made up of more than one fibre, which will make them a little harder to identify but by looking closely as the fabric burns, you will be able to pick out various traits that will give you an idea of the contents of the blend. Polyester and nylon smell sweet when burnt, like chemical marshmallows, while acetate and acrylic develop more of a vinegar scent. Some even drip down or form long, hard strings. Synthetic fibres behave much like plastic when exposed to flame. There will be the scent of burnt hair in the room.Ĭellulose fibres catch quickly, burn bright, and leave behind powdery ashes and a burnt paper scent. The ash tends to bead up, but crush easily when touched. Fabrics tend to fall into three categories: animal fibres (such as wool and silk), cellulose fibres (such as cotton, linen, and viscose), and synthetic fibres (such as acrylic or polyester).Īnimal fibres are slow to catch, and do not continue burning for long once removed from the flame. Once you’ve gathered information about the way your fabric has burned, you can begin to deduce what kind of fabric you have. Do they fall apart when you touch them, or do they stay hard? Are they congealed onto the fabric? Please be careful when examining the ashes, as they may still be hot or contain embers. What shape are they? They may ball up or be powdery. When your fabric is finished burning, examine the ashes. Are the flames bright? Is it burning quickly, or does it smolder out? Does the fabric simply melt as the flames sputter along? What smell does the smoke give off? Once your fabric does light, look at the flames. Does it curl away from the flame? Does it catch immediately, or take a while to light? As you bring the fabric and the flame together, note how the fabric reacts. Once you’re all set up in a ventilated area, it’s time for the exciting part! To begin, light your candle, or hold your lighter in one hand and your fabric in tweezers in the other hand. I recommend pieces that are about 2 x 3 inches, but really any size that is large enough to hold onto with your tweezers while leaving plenty to be exposed to the flame is good. Your fabric swatches! You’ll need some strips of the fabric you wish to test.The Core Fabrics burn test chart, which will help you identify your fabric - get it below!.Synthetic fibres can give off harmful fumes, and burning fabric in general can smoke up a room. Burn tests should be done in a space with plenty of ventilation. Just for extra safety, I like to keep a glass of water nearby to extinguish any flames in the case they get out of control. It's also a good idea to conduct burn tests over the sink, just in case. It’s best to have a ceramic, glass, or other fireproof dish under your burn testing area. Dropping flaming fabric onto a flammable surface – or even worse, your fabric stash – could spell disaster. Some fabrics can burn unexpectedly quickly, and tweezers ensure your fingers stay safe from the flames. A flame source. We use a lighter, but you can also use a candle if you plan on testing multiple fabrics so you don’t have to keep striking your lighter.To prepare for your burn test, you will need:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |