Technical Polypropylene and Long Staple Cotton

 Textiles are an important part of design. They help create the atmosphere of a room and can shape a space into whatever the designer decides. Because there are so many different uses for fabrics there are many different types, all suited for various indoor and outdoor uses. These fabrics start out as fibers and filaments, that are twisted and woven into the products we see around us. Two of these fibers and filaments are long staple cotton and technical polypropylene.

Long staple cotton is a natural fiber that once cleaned can be twisted into yarn. Cotton can come in two different sizes, long and short staple fibers. Staple fibers are usually measured in inches meaning they are already fairly short but there are still different lengths. Normal staple cotton fibers are around ¾ of an inch which means when it is twisted more cotton has to be added more frequently, making the yarn thicker. Long staple cotton allows for longer strands with less fibers twisted together. This means the yarn is finer which in turn makes the fabric finer. Fabric made from long staple cotton is better for bedding and other similar uses because it is not as bulky or less fine as short staple cotton. It gives the sheets a softer hand.

Technical polypropylene is very different from cotton. Cotton is a natural material while polypropylene is manufactured. It is produced through additional polymerization of propylene which is then added to a catalyst to make the solution into a filament. There are three different structures polypropylene can have because of the methyl groups found in its chemical makeup. The three are isotactic, syndiotactic, and atactic polypropylene. These variations are determined by where the methyl groups are located on the chain. Isotactic polypropylene is used for fibers and plastics because of its high crystallinity. The higher the crystallinity the stronger the polypropylene will be. When made into filaments for textiles it is resistant to most acids and alkalis along with bacteria and mildew making it a good for a lot of different uses. It is most commonly made into packaging material, filters, ropes, and some fabrics.


Isostactic Polypropylene

Syndiotactic Polypropylene

Atactic Polypropylene

While long staple cotton is better for bedding and other linens because of its finer feel, polypropylene is better for more durable, commercial uses.


Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3tfIJveHuA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU0O4htqVzI

Comments

  1. INT323-2021September 13, 2020 at 5:02 PM

    Interesting reading! Olefin is the generic name for polypropylene, a synthetic fiber used to make many different products, including carpet. In the carpet industry, the terms are typically used interchangeably. Olefin has several distinct characteristics as compared to other synthetic carpet fibers.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 16, 2020 at 8:04 AM

    Kelly,
    This post is definitely more challenging to combine a natural fiber like cotton to a manufactured fiber like polypropylene. Overall I think you did a great job managing the two topics. It was interesting to read the immense differences between the two fibers and their uses, which is something we as designers will have to be aware of in interiors. I have linked some additional articles discussing more about Polypropylene and its uses, since we hear so much about cotton, I think learning more about Polypropylene would be beneficial.
    https://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/polymers/pp.aspx
    https://www.ineos.com/globalassets/ineos-group/businesses/ineos-olefins-and-polymers-usa/products/technical-information--patents/ineos_polypropylene_processing_guide.pdf

    ReplyDelete
  3. Erica GonzalezSeptember 18, 2020 at 1:18 PM

    I think you did a great job researching and teaching us more about cotton and polypropylene. It was very interesting to read about how many chain structures polypropylene can be broken into depending on the position of the methyl groups. It's also interesting how many applications it can be used for besides textiles. I found this very informational article on polypropylene and it mentions how it is even used in various medical applications due to high chemical and bacterial resistance.

    https://omnexus.specialchem.com/selection-guide/polypropylene-pp-plastic

    ReplyDelete

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