2020 FOCUS TOPIC

ANIMAL FIBERS

WOOL - Wool has become Mother Nature’s miracle fiber with multiple benefits. It is an excellent insulator and body temperature regulator. Wool is hygroscopic and hydrophobic at the same time. This means wool can easily absorb and release moisture and can absorb vapor at up to 36% of its dry weight without feeling damp or clammy (which is twice as much as cotton and thirty times as much as polyester). It allows moisture (perspiration) from the body to evaporate (wick) through the fabric, keeping the skin dry and comfortable. Wool fiber even has self-cleaning and dirt neutralization properties. Wool retains its shape, is durable and wrinkle resistant. Source.

MERINO WOOL - Merino wool has finer fibers than wool. The merino wool fibers are between 14.6-24.5 microns. A micron (μm) is one millionth of a meter; the finer the micron, the softer the fiber. It is renowned for its next to skin softness, which is why it’s very suitable for underwear, t-shirts and long sleeves. Merino wool offers superior stretch properties than coarser types of wool, creating an elasticity that always returns to its original natural shape, making it ideal for movement and mobility. In addition to these benefits, merino wool protects from UVA and UVB rays without any additional fabric treatment. Source.

ALPACA - Alpacas are free-running animals living at a 13,000 ft. altitude in the Andes. To survive, the South American Alpacas have an adaptable semi-hollow fur, enabling it to remain cool in the scorching mornings and warm during the freezing nights. This insulating fiber also has wicking properties, transferring moisture outwards where it is spread over the surface of the fibers, accelerating evaporation. Due to extreme solar radiation in the Andes, the fiber has also acquired UV resistance, protecting the skin from sun damage.

YAK - The yak is a long-haired cow native to the Himalayas, Mongolia and Central Asia. Its wool is naturally soft and has evolved to protect from the region’s frigid temperatures. As a clothing textile, it feels sumptuous, looks sublime and is 30% warmer than sheep’s wool. In addition to being 1.6 times more breathable than cashmere, this all-natural material has plenty of other benefits woven into its fibers, including odor-resistant and anti-microbial properties. Additionally, the way it is sourced has a much lower impact on the planet.

CASHMERE - Cashmere wool comes from the cashmere goat, which is native to Tibet and Northern India. It is sorted according to its natural colors: White, gray or brown. The raw fiber is de-haired to separate the fine soft cashmere from coarse and non-usable hair. The fineness of each strand of cashmere is typically between 7-19 microns, with an average of 14 microns defined as an industry standard. This fineness gives cashmere its trademark silky texture. Cashmere fibers are cylindrical, soft, silky, smooth, resilient, moisture-absorbing and particularly warm.

PEACE SILK - Peace silk is the non-violent process of silk breeding and harvesting. It allows the completion of the metamorphosis of the silkworm to butterfly so that no animal has to suffer or die. In order for the caterpillars to grow inside the cocoon and then hatch out of it, the production of peace silk takes about 2 weeks longer than conventional or organic silk. Since the caterpillars destroy the silk thread during hatching, the fibers must also be completely woven together by hand. This means that the threads are not continuous, resulting in a less delicate texture and a duller shine than conventional or organic silk. Because of this complex process, peace silk is about twice as expensive as conventional or organic silk. Source. Peace silk has the same skin-friendly benefits as conventional silk: It has anti-aging properties by moisturizing the skin and accelerating the cell renewal process, it is hypoallergenic, it does not attract dust mites, and it is a natural fungal repellent. By avoiding the accumulation of bacteria, silk has natural anti-odor properties. Source.

ORGANIC SILK - In contrast to the conventional silk industry, organic silk farms do not grow their mulberry trees in monocultures, but in mixed cultures. Furthermore, no pesticides or artificial fertilizers are used in the production of organic silk. Organic silk is also free of heavy metals and chemical treatments. Source.

PLANT FIBERS

ORGANIC COTTON - Cotton clothing is soft and stretches easily, making it a comfortable fabric to wear. The high moisture absorbent effect of cotton generates a great cooling effect. However, since moisture is absorbed to the inside of the fiber, drying times are low, which can cause a chilling effect. Cotton is hypoallergenic, which is ideal for sensitive skin. It’s also easy to wash, and won’t produce static cling.

KAPOK - Kapok fiber is a natural and soft silky fiber with a significantly homogeneous hollow tube shape, offering great thermal insulation. Eco-friendly brands use it as an alternative padding to down and synthetic fibers, referring to it as ‘plant-down’. Kapok is one of the few sustainable rainforest products due to the fact that it grows naturally in the rainforest and does not require tending to and upkeep by humans. It is also wild-harvested, and kapok does not need to be treated with chemicals, as it is naturally healthy and safe. Kapok fibers are strong and durable. The fiber is naturally hypoallergenic, anti-microbial, and dust mite-resistant. The kapok fiber naturally repels moisture, giving it great drying times and making it unsuitable for mold, mildew, and bacteria to thrive in. Source 1. Source 2.

HEMP - Apart from the environmental advantages of hemp, such as no necessity for irrigation & herbicides in cultivation, hemp is inherently antimicrobial - as little as 15% hemp combined with a neutral material such as polyester will kill 99.9% of present staph bacteria. In blends with cotton, it will fully inhibit further bacteria growth. Hemp is thermo-conductive and therefore feels very cool on the skin. It is a very light and strong natural fiber at the same time; it is resistant to degradation from sun and salt water and can protect the user from UV radiation. As a partially hydrophobic fiber, it naturally repels water.

LINEN/FLAX - The main benefit of wearing linen is the coolness it provides during hot weather. It has excellent heat conductivity properties, as linen quickly allows heat to escape. It is claimed that the heat conductivity of linen (which is similar to hemp) is 5 times higher than wool and 18 times higher than silk. Alongside its cooling qualities, linen has excellent hygroscopic properties and can absorb up to 20% of its weight and yet still remain dry. Linen is renowned for its durability, being twice as durable as cotton. With its resistance to fungi and bacteria, it is naturally anti-odor and it is anti-allergenic. Source.

ABACA - Known as Manila Hemp, Abaca is a leaf fiber belonging to the banana plant family. The plant has great economic importance, being harvested for its fiber extracted from the leaf-stems. Abaca is one of the strongest natural fibers. The abaca plant grows without the need for large amounts of water or pesticides. It helps stop erosion, and is now being used to replace fossil fuels in clothes. The fibers are pulped and then made into a thin but strong paper. The paper is then cut into thin strips and twisted into a fine yarn. The result is a soft and very lightweight, but also strong, resilient and long-lasting fabric, which has antibacterial, thermoregulation and moisture control properties. Furthermore, Abaca protects from UVA and UVB rays without additional fabric treatment. Source.

EMBEDDED INGREDIENTS WITH ADDED FUNCTIONS FROM NATURE

Most of the natural additives can be embedded in synthetic as well as in natural man-made fibers, i.e.  cellulose-based Viscose or Lyocell. The In Yarn Naturals have a more durable performance. Plant-based and organic mineral-based ingredients can be embedded in the fiber as well as for use in natural finishings.

PLANT-BASED INGREDIENTS

ROASTED COFFEE GROUNDS (FOOD WASTE)- The coffee bean swells while being roasted, which means that the space inside the bean expands. These micropores of roasted coffee grounds absorb odors and reflect UV-rays. In their S.Café® fabric technology, Singtex integrates coffee grounds into the surface of polyester yarn, changing the characteristics of the filament, offering up to 200% faster drying times compared to cotton.

ALGAE/SEAWEED - Seaweed is pure and rich in essential substances such as vitamins, trace elements, amino acids and minerals. The substances found in seaweed hydrate the skin and help to activate cell regeneration, which in turn can help to relieve skin diseases, reduce inflammation and soothe itchiness. Its high level of antioxidants protects the skin against harmful free radicals, which damage our skin cells. Ingredients of Seaweed are for example embedded in SeaCell™LT and MT – a Lyocell-based wellness fiber using raw and organic algae from Iceland. The collect of seaweed is certified as sustainable harvesting. The natural moisture level of the skin enables an active exchange of those beneficial substances between the fiber and the skin, providing a noticeable sense of wellbeing. Source.

CAFFEINE - Caffeine can dehydrate fatty cells. This minimizes the appearance of cellulite. The antioxidants contained in caffeine can attack these free radicals and eliminate them.

ALOE VERA - The soothing and anti-microbial properties of aloe vera help to disinfect wounds and are popularly used in helping to heal sunburn. It is renowned for its hydrating properties and is a fantastic source of vitamins C and E, which are renowned for their ability to help protect the body against potential harm from free radical molecules. Aloe vera promotes the production of collagen to keep skin healthy, and has resultantly, anti-aging properties. The Aloe Vera provides the fabric a soft touch, with silky features. Source. The functional fabric brand M.I.T.I spa has created, for example, a fabric collection with embedded natural ingredients such as aloe vera and caffeine by using the cosmetic fibers from NOVAREL. They combine the benefits of compression with the functions derived from the embedded natural extracts in the yarn by combining the compression of a high stretch warp knit fabric with molecules of caffeine to help control the orange peel effect and cellulite.

ARGAN OIL - Originating from the fruit of the argan spinosa tree from Morocco, argan oil contains vitamin E and fatty acids offering numerous benefits for skin protection, creating a feeling of comfort and hydration which helps fight against dry skin. Source.

ORGANIC- & MINERAL BASED INGREDIENTS

OYSTER-SHELL (FOOD WASTE) - The so-called seawool fabric is made from upcycled oyster shell, which is sustainably collected from oyster farms in Taiwan, and embedded in recycled polyester from PET bottles. Seawool naturally prevents odor caused by bacteria growing on the fabric, keeping the fabric and garment smelling fresher. Seawool is antistatic, soft to the touch and provides natural insulation, keeping the body warm in cold temperatures.

OCEAN COLLAGEN - Ocean collagen peptides are made of upcycled fish scale (food waste) and have moisturizing, hypo-allergenic and natural deodorizing properties: The Taiwanese textile company UMORFIL has created a fiber out of recycled fish scale food waste and upcycled it into textile ingredients, creating at the same time a skin-friendly material suitable for hypoallergenic skin. The collagen peptide of the recycled fish scales can be embedded in polyester (Umorfil T), in nylon (Umorfil N6) and in viscose (Umorfil Beauty Fiber). Source,

JADE - Jade has very low thermal conductivity, meaning it absorbs heat very slowly and would take a long time to warm up even in hot conditions. Therefore, fabrics featuring jade can remain cool, relative to your body, for an extended period of time. Source.

ACTIVATED CARBON - Activated carbon with its billions of micropores, has a very huge internal surface with remarkable moisture absorption and odor control properties. It can be applied on the surface of the fabric by direct application and also by embedding the particles into the fiber. Source. Activated carbon can be generated from various raw materials such as wood, coal, coconut or also rice husk. It is a natural renewable resource derived mostly from food waste. It keeps clothes comfortable, fresh and odor-free. Source.

TRIPOROUS - Triporous is a porous carbon material with a unique microstructure made from rice husk, a by-product of food production. In addition to micropores (2 nm or less) found in conventional activated carbon, many mesopores (up to 50 nm) and macropores (50 nm or more) that are larger than the micropores are present in a complex form. This allows the material to deliver the property of easily adsorbing large molecular weight substances, which up to now was difficult with conventional materials. By combining tripourous powder and rayon, triporous can be made into a fiber for long lasting deodorizing. Source.