#9 - FIBER TO YARN/FABRIC

 Raw Wool to Finished Fabric

I watched the Woolrich Mill Tour video, which showed the process of how their mill turns raw wool into a finished fabric. The process began with bales of raw wool being brought into the mill on a conveyor belt. The raw wool then goes to the dye house, where it is dyed to the correct colors. The dyed wool then goes through the blending process, where it is pulled out in large chunks by workers and thrown into a machine. The machine then separates the wool into smaller pieces. The wool then goes through a process called carding, where it goes through a series of rollers that have spikes and separate the wool further. At the end of the rollers, the wool is gathered into narrow, continuous strands of wool. These strands are laid out on a table and then brought to a machine that turns the continuous strand into yarn. Then, it goes through the plying process, where it is spun onto a large spool. The wool yarn then goes through the process of winding and warping until it is ready to be woven. The yarn is placed on a large loom and goes through the weaving process to create fabric. After the fabric is made, it is washed and dried before going through a final inspection. After it is approved, it can be sold as a finished fabric. 

NFPA 701:

NFPA 701 is the standard for testing the flame propagation for textiles and films. It is mainly used by manufacturers and labs to evaluate materials like draperies, curtains, etc., for fire safety. This standard is especially important for commercial and public areas. There are two main test methods. The first test is for lighter-weight fabrics, and the second test is for heavier-weight fabrics. The second test method also focuses on materials such as vinyl-coated fabrics. These tests both help measure how a fabric reacts to flame. The main law related to this is that all hanging fabrics must meet NFPA 701 when it is required by code. This law is especially important for interior designers to know and consider on projects, especially commercial projects. Interior designers must ensure the fabrics they are choosing for draperies, curtains, etc., meet NFPA 701, not only to meet codes, but also to ensure the safety of their clients. NFPA 701 is most commonly regulated in hotels, restaurants, schools, offices, etc. It is also important to know that upholstery, carpet, and wallcoverings are not included in NFPA 701 and have their own standards to follow. The code requirements are a little stricter in Illinois than in some other states. NFPA is required in all healthcare facilities, commercial facilities, schools, hotels, theaters, etc. It applies to all curtains, draperies, and hanging fabrics. 

One Step Further:

We are also learning about fire safety in our building codes class right now, so I decided to do my one step further on researching how different fabrics compare in a fire. We watched a video in class that compares two rooms: one with synthetic fabrics and one with natural fabrics. I attached the video below. I was amazed to see how much longer it took the natural materials to experience flashover compared to the synthetic ones. I researched flashover more and discovered that flashover occurs when all combustible materials within a room ignite almost simultaneously. This is the moment that a developing fire becomes a room completely filled with fire. When a room reaches this point, it makes it almost impossible for any living thing to survive in. That is why it is so important to be conscious of the materials used and ensure they are protecting the occupants of a building. Some synthetic fibers aren’t bad to use in a fire, but it is important to know how the fabric will respond. Some of the most fire-resistant fabrics are made from synthetic fibers, but are designed to withstand extremely high temperatures. Fabrics such as Nomex and Kevlar are used for fire-retardant clothing. The most fire-resistant natural fiber is wool.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87hAnxuh1g8 

References:

-Don’t Chance Safety. (n.d.). Don’t chance safety. https://www.dontchancesafety.org/

-YouTube. (n.d.). Mill Tour - Raw Wool to Finished Fabric. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AsEkPvXIZI

Extra Credit Links:

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-CPHlLkNTk

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKisFmS3utQ