If you are in the very early stages of fabric sourcing, you may have trouble identifying the fibers that make up your fabric. In this case, the fabric burn test can be really helpful.
Normally, natural fiber is highly flammable. The flame does not spit. After burning, it smells like paper. And ash is easily crushed. Synthetic fiber shrinks rapidly as a flame approaches. It melts and burns slowly. There is an unpleasant smell. And the rest will look like a hard bead. Next, we will introduce some common fabric fiber with burn test.
1, Cotton
Cotton ignites and burns quickly. The flame is round, calm and yellow. The smoke is white. After the flame is removed, the fiber continues to burn. The smell is like burnt paper. The ash is dark gray, easily crushed.
2, Rayon
Rayon ignites and burns quickly. The flame is round, calm and yellow. There is no smoke. After the flame is removed, the fiber continues to burn. The smell is like burnt paper. Ash will not be much. The remaining ash is light gray color.
3, Acrylic
Acrylic shrinks rapidly when approaching a flame. The flame spits and the smoke is black. After the flame is removed, the fiber continues to burn. The ash is yellow-brown, hard, irregular in shape.
4, Polyester
Polyester shrinks rapidly when approaching a flame. It melts and burns slowly. The smoke is black. After the flame is removed, the fiber will not continue to burn. It has a chemical smell similar to burnt plastic. The remainder forms round, hard, melted black beads.
5, Nylon
Nylon shrinks rapidly when approaching a flame. It melts and burns slowly. When burning, small bubbles form. The smoke is black. After the flame is removed, the fiber will not continue to burn. It has a celery-like, chemical smell. The remainder forms round, hard, melted black beads.
The main purpose of a burn test is to identify whether a fabric sample is made from natural or synthetic fibers. Flame, smoke, smell and ash help us identify the fabric. However, there are some limitations to the test. We can only identify a fabric fiber when it is 100% pure. When several different fibers or yarns are mixed together, it is difficult to distinguish the individual elements.
In addition, post-processing of the fabric sample may also affect the result of the test. For any inquiry, please feel free to contact with us. We will be very enthusiastic to serve you.
Post time: May-07-2022