Fabric ID and problem cause

[roro]

See photos - What fibre is it in this curtain, and what do you think is the probable cause of the loose fibres

The fibre does not dissolve in sulphuric acid, formic acid or sodium hypochlorite. It shrinks quickly from flame but eventually will catch fire and burns quickly When extinguished there is a fairly hard, black bead.
Back of fabric

Front of Fabric

Problem

 

[Nate The Great]

The hardness of the black bead sounds like synthetic fiber to me.. As for being drapery, I'd lean towards sun degradation.. While I'm of no use as I've never had first hand dealings with drapery other than smelling OMS when I was 5years old watching my parents clean it..

How old is the fabric?

 

[Mikey P]

sun rot

 

[Cleanworks]

Sounds like acetate.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Sounds like acetate.

Agreed.

Acetate is the only regenerated cellulose fiber that melts to a hard bead.

If you want to do a chemical test, it breaks down in acetone.

Sun damage is my guess.

 

[Bryce C]

Agreed.

Acetate is the only regenerated cellulose fiber that melts to a hard bead.

If you want to do a chemical test, it breaks down in acetone.

Sun damage is my guess.

I've been reading bits about acetate here and there. Was just reading further into burn tests earlier tonight and noticed that the description of acetate on burn tests seems hard to distinguish from synthetic fibers. What I've learned about the fiber so far is that it is a man made natural fiber similar to viscose. It is weak when wet, prone to distortion, sensitive to oxidizers, and is destroyed when exposed to acetone, acetic acid, and alcohol.

Any tips on how to identify it short of chemical testing any suspicious fiber that burns quickly, melts, and smells like vinegar or is that the ticket? Are neutral pH cleaning agents, warm to the touch water, encap spotting, fast drying, and minimal agitation safe boundaries to clean that fiber within?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I've been reading bits about acetate here and there. Was just reading further into burn tests earlier tonight and noticed that the description of acetate on burn tests seems hard to distinguish from synthetic fibers. What I've learned about the fiber so far is that it is a man made natural fiber similar to viscose. It is weak when wet, prone to distortion, sensitive to oxidizers, and is destroyed when exposed to acetone, acetic acid, and alcohol.

Any tips on how to identify it short of chemical testing any suspicious fiber that burns quickly, melts, and smells like vinegar or is that the ticket? Are neutral pH cleaning agents, warm to the touch water, encap spotting, fast drying, and minimal agitation safe boundaries to clean that fiber within?

Fortunately, acetate is rarely encountered in upholstery fabrics. Outside of exposure to chemistry rarely used today, it could watermark or have colorfastness issues.

Your final paragraph here well outlines the best approach to any sensitive fabric, or one that has unidentifiable fiber content

 

[Bryce C]

Fortunately, acetate is rarely encountered in upholstery fabrics. Outside of exposure to chemistry rarely used today, it could watermark or have colorfastness issues.

Your final paragraph here well outlines the best approach to any sensitive fabric, or one that has unidentifiable fiber content

Thank you Jim that is very helpful. I'll add premisting with distilled water and dye tests to the approach if I ever come across it or just don't know.

 

[Kay Dee]

Likely very late on this, but this looks to me like polyester.

 

[Mikey P]

Likely very late on this, but this looks to me like polyester.

Virtually every upholstery fabric these days is polyester so that's a very safe bet...