2023-12-24 17:17:25
The textile universe is very diverse and is basically made up of three large groups of fibers: natural, artificial and synthetic. Natural fibers come, as their name indicates, from natural sources, mainly from plants and animals. Thus, for example, cotton is derived from the seeds of the cotton plant, wool is derived from the fur of sheep, and silk is produced by silkworms.
Man-made fibers are created from modified natural cellulose. In this way we have rayon, which is manufactured from the cellulose of wood, which is subsequently processed and reconstituted. Thirdly, we have synthetic fibers, made from chemicals and polymers derived from petroleum. Examples of this type of fibers are nylon and polyester.
Many of the garments we usually wear are made with mixtures of the three groups of fibers, which allows us to combine the best characteristics of each one. For example, a fabric may have the softness of cotton and the strength and durability of nylon.
One of the most common textures used in the manufacture of t-shirts and sheets is cotton-polyester, which combines the softness, comfort and breathability of cotton and the durability and ease of care of polyester.
The key is in hydrogen bonds
Although we do not see it, a cotton T-shirt is made up of cotton fibers, which in turn are composed of molecular chains (mainly cellulose, a polymer of long glucose chains) connected by hydrogen bonds. When creating the t-shirt the yarn is woven into the fabric, the fibers and polymers stretch and twist, stressing the hydrogen bonds that hold the fabric together.
Cellulose has a chemical structure that gives it hydrophilic properties, allowing clothing to easily absorb moisture, such as sweat, keeping us dry and comfortable.
When we wash cotton garments, stress is relieved, the heat energy and agitation to which the garments are exposed during washing and drying break the bonds, the polymers are free to relax and return to their natural size. In turn, the fibers, threads and fabric shrink, which means that when we pick up the garment from the washing machine we are unpleasantly surprised to see how it has shrunk.
Preventing our clothes from shrinking is very easy
To prevent the garment from shrinking during washing, all we have to do is check the manufacturer’s label and do not wash it at a temperature higher than that indicated there. As simple as that.
Our experience shows us that not all garments shrink equally easily. Those made with cotton or wool do it more easily because they absorb more water, so we must use cold or warm water when washing them. At the opposite extreme are polyester and nylon, which absorb less water and are more resistant to heat.
A final curiosity, the origin of cotton is for some scholars about 8,000 years ago in India, while others argue that its beginnings must be sought in pre-Columbian cultures. In classical antiquity (Greco-Roman), although cotton was known, it was not cultivated; the Greeks called it bombyx, a term that was also used to refer to silk.
If we go to the other end of the planet, it is considered that a variety of cotton – Gossypium hirsutum – was cultivated in the territory occupied by present-day Mexico about 8,000 years ago.
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