1. Fibers & Textiles Natural or Synthetic?

2. Fibers & Textiles • Fiber - the smallest indivisible unit of a textile. • Textile - flexible, flat material made by interlacing yarns or threads.

3. Fiber Classification • Natural Fibers– come from animals, plants & minerals that are mined from the ground.

4. Natural Fibers • Animal Fibers – provide fibers from 3 sources: hair, fur & webbing. • All animal fibers are made of proteins. Silk is made from the cocoon part of the silk moth.

5. Natural Fibers • Plant Fibers – grouped according to the part of the plant they come from. • All plant fibers are made of cellulose. • Include: seed fibers, fruit fibers, stem fibers & leaf fibers. Flax is the fiber used to make linen.

6. Plant Fibers • Seed Fibers – come from the seed of a plant • Cotton - from seed hairs, looks like a flattened, twisted ribbon. A cotton fiber

7. Plant Fibers • Stem Fibers – come from the stem of a plant. • Grow as bundles. • Common examples include: jute, flax & hemp (seen at right).

8. Natural Fibers • Mineral Fibers – neither proteins nor cellulose. • Fiberglass – a fiber form of glass. • Asbestos – naturally occurring mineral. Asbestos as seen with a scanning electron microscope.