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Natural Fibre Information

• Fibre is generally defined "as a slender and greatly elongated substance capable of being spun into yarn".[1]. Being derived from plants and animals, natural fibres are a renewable resource often grown or produced specifically to supply man with raw material from which yarn can be made and progressively weaved into cloth.
   
  Each type of fibre has its own distinctive properties and characteristics. Whilst there are many natural fibres, we'll deal specifically here with those that are used predominantly in clothing suited to the tropics and therefore used in the manufacture of the garments that we sell.

• SILK is a natural protein fibre. The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons made by the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared commercially in captivity. A single filament from a cocoon can be as long as 1600 metres (1 mile).[2].
  
  Silks are produced by several other insects, but only the silk of moth caterpillars has been used for commercial textile manufacture. The silk production process has very little impact on the environment as no harsh chemicals can be used on silk.
  
  Silk is excellent for use in warm weather clothing. Silk's good moisture absorbency (up to 11% retention) makes it comfortable to wear in tropical climates as it draws moisture away from the body. Silk is also excellent in the cold because its low heat conductivity tends to keep the wearer warm. Silk is one of the strongest of all the natural fibres; although it does lose some of its strength when wet. Silk has moderate to poor elasticity. For this reason raw silk is often blended with other fibres like cotton, to increase resistance to stretching. Elasticity of the finished garment can also have a lot to do with the actual weave of the fabric.
  
  There are three grades of silk,
  
  (1) Reeled silk – is the unwound filament, makes the finest quality silk,
  (2) Carded or combed silk - made from silk remaining after the reeling process, and
  (3) Noil yarn – a variable textured or "nubbly" silk, made from the remnant fibres
       from the carding or combing process.
  
  Garments using silk noil sold at Climate Classics Clothing offer versatility, wear ability, and most importantly, comfort and affordability.

• COTTON is a natural plant fibre that comes from the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India, and Africa. The soft fibre is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile, which is the most widely used natural-fibre cloth in use today.
  
  Cotton fibre, once it has been processed consists of nearly pure cellulose, a natural polymer. Cotton fibres offer a high degree of strength, durability, and absorbency. Each fibre is made up of twenty to thirty layers of cellulose coiled in a neat series of natural interlocking springs, ideal for spinning into a fine yarns.
  
  Cottons resistance to stretching is good and it is often blended with other fibres to improve all round durability. Cotton also has moisture absorption with up to 10% retention, and actually gets about 20% stronger when wet.[2].

• RAMIE is a plant fibre that has been used since ancient times. Normally pronounced RAY-mee, it is also known commonly as China grass. Ramie is one of the strongest natural fibres and like cotton, exhibits even greater strength when wet. It possesses little elasticity and is somewhat stiff. Ironing sharp creases in fabrics should be avoided. The long, fine ramie fibres are a cellulosic substance as is cotton, linen and other plant fibres’ but is a more porous sieve-like form, providing it with even better absorbency than other cellulose fibres. The raw ramie fibre is silk-like in fineness, and exhibits a natural white colour and so does not require bleaching.
  
  Variations in fibre thickness bear a strong resemblance to the thick and thin appearance of linen. Ramie is softer though with improved dye-ability. Blends are more common than pure ramie with the most typical being 55% ramie/45% cotton.
  
  Because of its high absorbency, ramie is comfortable to wear, especially during warm weather. Other properties include resistance to alkalis, rotting, light and mildew. Resistance to insects is good unless the fabric is heavily starched. The fibre has some natural stain resisting ability with ease of stain/soil removal similar to that of linen, which is better than cotton. Dyes appear to have good wet-fastness in laundering but dark or saturated colours can lose their vibrancy over repeated launderings.
  
  China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea are considered the leading producers of ramie but Brazil, the Philippines and some Indonesian countries are also important producers.[3].

• HEMP - Fibre Hemp is the plant cannabis sativa, which in Latin means “useful hemp”. Hemp use dates back to the stone age with archaeological evidence showing hemp use for clothing in Japan from 10,000 to 300 BC.[2]. It has a very low THC (narcotic) level and is grown for its durable fibre not as a drug. Hemp fibre enjoys wide usage including the manufacture of clothing, canvas, rugs, bags, shoes, paper, and furniture coverings.
  
  The value of hemp has been grossly underrated in modern times, although it has now been more formally recognised a standout performer as a renewable, environmentally friendly, natural resource.
  
  Apart from needing little fertilizer, pesticides or water to grow, hemp is a deep rooted plant which helps prevent soil erosion while its leafy canopy reduces weed growth. It actually improves soil structure. Unlike many plants hemp can be cropped 3 to 4 times a year and grown over and over on the same soil with little nutrient loss.[2].
  
  There are two parts of the hemp stalk, the bast and hurd. Harvesting hemp is similar to that of flax. The bast or fibre can be twisted to form ropes and twine and woven or knitted into a very durable cloth fabric. When Levi Strauss made the first pair of jeans he used hemp for its durability.
  
  Apart from its superior strength, hemp is resistant to mould and mildew, and has an absorbency of 8% moisture retention. This offers a high degree of comfort in warmer climates where perspiration is a problem. Fabric blends comprising at least 50% hemp, block the sun's damaging UV rays more effectively than do many other fabrics.[2].

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