determining fabric content
#1
Last spring I believe I saw a thread on here about how to tell if fabric is 100 percent cotton. It involved fraying the cut edge just a bit but I don't remember the detail. Would like to go back to Walmart and look over the $5 table if I can figure this out. Anybody know this trick?
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 20,306
Don't know about the fraying edge, but the burn test I have heard and tried.
Light it on fire if it burns it is cotton if it melts it is a blend with polyester
Maybe someone else knows another way
Light it on fire if it burns it is cotton if it melts it is a blend with polyester
Maybe someone else knows another way
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: chicago, IL
Posts: 9,589
Originally Posted by sharon b
Don't know about the fraying edge, but the burn test I have heard and tried.
Light it on fire if it burns it is cotton if it melts it is a blend with polyester
Maybe someone else knows another way
Light it on fire if it burns it is cotton if it melts it is a blend with polyester
Maybe someone else knows another way
:lol:
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,325
Originally Posted by Tink's Mom
Originally Posted by sharon b
Don't know about the fraying edge, but the burn test I have heard and tried.
Light it on fire if it burns it is cotton if it melts it is a blend with polyester
Maybe someone else knows another way
Light it on fire if it burns it is cotton if it melts it is a blend with polyester
Maybe someone else knows another way
:lol:
#9
The 'scrunch test', this is not 100% to be certain but a good guide non the less, pure cotton does crease a lot when scrunched up and held tightly in the hand, Rayon does this too but Rayon is usually a little thinner to the feel, than cotton. Poly/cotton does not scrunch up so much, it bounces back a little better, also Poly/cottons usually look the same on the back as the front, where as cottons are usually printed on the surface and on the back you can see the white of the fabric in places. These tests are a good guide when you can't 'burn down the shop' and after a while you can tell the difference quite well. The 'burn test' is what they use in the textile industry to be 100% sure, my Dad was a textile chemist and this is the method they were taught to use.
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