Which Fabric is the
Most Stain Resistant?
Chelsea Liu
Grade 6
2004
Nuuanu Elementary School
1
Table of Contents
Title page
Table of Contents
Project Title
Statement of Purpose
Hypothesis
Research
Overview of Cloth
Cotton
Nylon
Polyester
Materials
Procedure
Observations/ Results
Conclusion
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
2
Which
fabric is
the most
stain
Resistant?
3
Statement of Purpose
HOLLY MOLLY!!! The reason for me choosing this topic is the fact that I can stain my
clothes on purpose! The thing that I expect to discover by investigating the chosen topic is to
reveal what type of cloth would be the most stain resistant. Then I could find out what clothes
would be ok to wear when doing messy things.
4
Hypothesis
My hypothesis of the fabric that would be the most stain resistant is the 100% cotton because
I’ve had some experiences with stains on my 100% cotton t-shirts. When we washed it most of
the stains came out. 5 a3s6 th5n2 that c6tt6n w643d be the 06st sta5n res5stant beca4se the
fabr5c 5s 0ade 6f t5ght3y s-4n thread.
5
Research
I.
Overview of Cloth
TRY THIS QUICK EXPERIMENT!! Take a microscope and look at your sleeve, you
will discover that it is not only one piece of fabric. It is finely spun thread. 1
Some fabrics are loosely twisted yarns. The other threads in other fabrics are fine, smooth
and twisted tightly. 2
To make fabrics from fiber it first must be spun into yarn. Before the weavers begin to
spin the yarns, it would be put into machines to be cleaned. Man-made fibers don’t need
to be cleaned because they would be cleansed while in manufacture. Cleaned fibers are
carried on moving belts to big rollers that flatten the fibers. The fibers would come out to
be light, wide, and rather thick. This is carried on to other machines. One machine shapes
the fiber into a loose rope called a sliver. After that, a number of slivers are brought
together to mix the fibers. Another machine takes the fiber rope and goes to a machine
that gives it a small twist. That step is called roving. Then they twist the fibers in several
ways to make yarn or thread.3
How to Make Cloth
Cotton yarn goes to the weaving mill on bobbins or beams. One of the types of yarn
comes on the beams. The ends of the threads are attached to the harnesses of the power
looms. The thread that is called the warp will run lengthwise in the cloth that will be
made. The yarn that is to be used as filling is brought to the weavers. This type of yarn is
on the bobbin. There may be as many as a thousand warp threads and fillers. 4
In-order to do plain weaving the harness of the loom would have to be rigged because it
would lift every-other thread. Fabrics are woven in great lengths and cut into the length
wanted before rolling them on bolts. 5
In-order to make cotton seersuckers the weavers set the machine so that the thread will
run in only one direction.6
Dyeing and Finishing
1
Cloth from Fiber to Fabric, page 7
Cloth from Fiber to Fabric, page 7
3
The New World of Fabrics, page 64-65
4
The New World of Fabrics, pages 66-67
5
The New World of Fabrics, pages 66-67
6
The New World of Fabrics, pages 66-67
2
6
Plain-woven cloth that would be sold as white goods has to be bleached chemically
before it is ready for finishing. This process is done in a separate department in a weaving
mill. 7
To make colored fabrics several procedures are used. Some cloth is woven of pre-dye
yarns. Other fabrics are dyed or printed after weaving.8
Most cloth, dyed or bleached is treated with water and heat or with chemicals. 9
All fabrics are put through a machine that sets the warp and filling threads more firmly.10
Designs on Fabrics
In-order for weavers to weave they need to figure out a pattern, even on the easiest
weave. If the pattern considers dyeing, the weaver will need to do the draw the pattern in
color. Other women figure out the pattern on a handloom. Weavers have many kinds of
yarn that is colored.11
Other kinds of designs also have to be made for printed fabrics in color. For one kind of
fabric printing, each design is sketched on a group of copper rollers. The copper rollers
have as many colors as the color needed in the design.12
Let’s take a closer look at different kinds of fabrics.
7
The New World of Fabrics, pages 69-70
The New World of Fabrics, page 70
9
The New World of Fabrics, page 70
10
The New World of Fabrics, page 70
11
The New World of Fabrics, page 71
12
The New World of Fabrics, page 71
8
7
II.
Cotton
Look at what you’re wearing. It’s probably made out of cotton because 80% of the
world’s fabrics are woven from cotton. The word cotton comes from the Arabic word
“kotn.” 13
Cotton grows on a bushlike plant. It’s a fluffy white fiber that is spun into cloth. 14
WOW, WEE!!! Did you know that the American belt stretches from Georgia to
California? America is the greatest producer of cotton in the world. 15
Did you know that one of the greatest American cotton was a fiber that stuck stubbornly
to the seeds? All the seeds needed to be separated by hand. Because the process of
cleaning cotton took so long, the price of cleaned cotton was a dollar a pound. 16
WOW, I’M SWEATING!!! Making cotton is a lot of work because there are so many
steps. The first thing you would have to do is pick the fibers. When all fibers are picked
you need to gin the seeds. Ginning is when the fibers are separated from the seeds. Then
you need to process the seeds. That’s when the seeds go into the crushing mill. Finally
the cotton is bagged for people to buy. 17
13
Cloth from Fiber to Fabrics, page 88
Cloth from Fiber to Fabric, page 88
15
Cloth from Fiber to Fabric, page 88
16
Cloth from Fiber to Fabric, pages 89-90
17
Textile Fabrics and Their Selection, pages 225-227
14
8
Today there are six types of cotton. The most valuable type of cotton is a long-figured
cotton. This cotton was first raised on the sea island. Now very little of this cotton is
raised. 18
18
Cloth from Fiber to Fabric, pages 92-93
9
III. Nylon
Did you know that nylon is best known for the man-made fibers and fabrics? Scientists in
their laboratories of Du Pont Chemical Company discovered this.19
THAT’S IT! ? THAT’S ALL IT IS? !
I just found out that nylon is basically made of coal, air and water or in scientific terms,
carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen.20
When the nylon was produced scientists found out that it could be made into fine filaments,
which were strong and elastic.21
On December 18th, 1926 Charles Stine the director of Du Pont took the first steps down the
very long road to create nylon.22
On October 27th, 1938 Charles Stine unveiled the world’s first man made fiber. He
introduced nylon to the women. In 1939 he announced that he created the fabric nylon at the
New York World’s Fair.23
Nylon can be made into filaments that are strong, as thin as a spider web and it is still made
with natural fibers.24
St5ne be35eved that h5s –r6gra0 w643d be s4ccef43. He needed t6 h5re 0en that were 5n
the5r res-ect5ve f5e3ds. 25
5n the end 6f 1927 St5ne had 8 0en 6n the 16b t6 d6 f4nde0enta3 research. 6ne 6f the 0en
was a th5rty year 63d 5nstr4cter fr60 Harvard 4n5vers5ty na0ed Wa33ace H40e Car6thers.26
Carthers was w6r25ng at D4 –6nt f6r n5e years.
19
The New World of Fabrics, page 60
The New World of Fabrics, page 60
21
The New World of Fabrics, page 60-61
22
http://www.kathysnostalgiabilia.com/lemlson.htm
23
http://www.kathysnostalgiabilia.com/lemlson.htm
24
http://www.kathysnostalgiabilia.com/lemlson.htm
25
http://www.kathysnostalgiabilia.com/lemlson.htm
26
http://www.kathysnostalgiabilia.com/lemlson.htm
20
10
11
IV. Polyester
Polymers in a laboratory that worked for duPont made polyester. One day a man named
Carothers discovered that alcohols and carboxyl acids could be combined to form fibers
27
Polyester is a chemically made fiber, different from man made fiber. Polyester is woven
with two different kinds of yarn, textured yarn and undeterred yarn. 28
People believed that polyester might become the world’s most important fiber. 29
Polyester staple fibers are appropriate for blends. The blends of 50 to 65 percent polyester
and cotton have become popular in men’s, women, and children’s clothes. 30
OH NOO!!! Polyester today is still said to be a cheap and an uncomfortable fiber. 31
27
htt://Schwartz.eng.auburn.edu/polyester/history.html
Textile Fabric and Their Selection, pages 366-367
29
Textile Fabric and Their Selection, page 369
30
Textile Fabric and Their Selection, page 369
31
htt://Schwartz.eng.auburn.edu/polyester/history.html
28
12
Materials
-
Laundry detergent
100% cotton
100% nylon
100% polyester
Mud
Ketchup
Orange Highlighter
Chocolate Fudge Syrup
Camera
Washing Machine
Measuring cup or spoon
13
Procedure
1. Gather Materials.
a. Kirkland Laundry Detergent from Costco
b. Fabrics (100% nylon, cotton and polyester)
c. Mud
d. Ketchup
e. Orange Highlighter
f. Chocolate Fudge Syrup
g. Washing Machine
h. Measuring Cup, spoons and a teaspoon
i. Camera
j. Display Board
2. Stain each fabric with the same quantity of mud, orange highlighter, ketchup
and chocolate fudge syrup. (1 teaspoon each)
a. Use measuring cup or spoon to pour staining materials slowly onto the
fabric.
b. Let each fabric sit for about 24 hours.
c. The fabrics will be in the same room, the same amount of light and in
the same temperature.
3. Wash the fabric
a. Rinse excess mud, ketchup and chocolate fudge syrup off with cold
water. (did NOT rub)
b. Wash the fabrics all together in the same washing machine, at the
same water temperature, same speed, and the same type of laundry
detergent
c. Compare the fabrics to see if which fabric is the most stain resistant.
d. Test experiment a couple times once with cold water wash and then
again with warm water.
4. Put display board together.
14
Observations/Results
15
Conclusion
16
Bibliography
1)
Buehr, Walter.
Cloth: from fiber to fabric, written and illustrated by Walter Buehr. New
York, W. Morrow, 1965.
2)
Eberle, Irmengarde, 1898The new world of fabrics. New York, Dodd,
Mead [1964]
3)
Wingate, Isabel Barnum
Textile fabrics and their selection/
Isabel B. Wingate, June F. Mohler. - - 8th ed.
- - Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice – Hall,
c1984
17
Acknowledgements
18