How Many Types of Fibres are There

Introduction

Fibres can be broadly classified into two main types. They are Natural fibres and synthetic fibres. Fibres play quite an important role in our day-to-day lives. But here, we are not talking about the fibre we consume as food. Rather, we are discussing the fibre we can touch and feel. From being the material our clothes are made of to making paper, fibre has a wide variety of uses. Also, fibres are not limited to just one kind. There are different types of fibres as well. Fibres in Chemistry are fascinating and easy to understand.

Natural Fibres

Natural fibres are those fibres that are derived naturally from plants and animals. So, Natural fibres can be further classified into plant-based natural fibres and animal-based natural fibres. Plant-based natural fibres include cotton, silk, linen, jute, bamboo, etc. Some plant-based natural fibres that have been recently developed include Pinatex and Tencel, which are derived from eucalyptus pulp.

Synthetic Fibres

Certain chemical processes are used to make synthetic fibres. In the process, a polymer, which is the constituent of fibre, is extracted using special equipment and then later converted into the synthetic fibre we can use. Synthetic fibres are popular nowadays because it is easy to mass produce. Some examples of synthetic fibres include Rayon, Nylon, Polyester, and Acrylic.

Benefits of Natural Fibres

There are many great benefits to using natural fibres. Here are some important ones:

1. They are durable: This is because the basic component of natural fibre is a substance called cellulose. This is why most of the plant-based natural fibres are very strong.

2. They are eco-friendly: Natural fibres have a smaller impact on the environment as compared to synthetic fibres. But there are exceptions.

3. Hypoallergenic: This means that some natural plant-based fibres have unique antibacterial properties.

4. They are good insulators: This means that natural fibres trap heat very well. So, we can use them well in cold temperatures.

Benefits of Synthetic Fibres

Here are some unique benefits of synthetic fibres.

1. They are cheaper: Synthetic fibres are cheaper than natural fibres. Natural fibre can be pretty costly.

2. They are resistant to stains: Synthetic fibres are resistant to stains and damage.

3. They are waterproof: synthetic fibres do not absorb water.

Disadvantages of Natural Fibres

Cotton uses up too much water. Almost 2700 litres of water is used to make one cotton shirt. Also, millions of silkworms are killed for making silk, which is unethical.

Disadvantages of Synthetic Fibres

Since synthetic fibres are not biodegradable, what happens is that they break up into smaller pieces called microplastics and find their way into oceans and the food chain. This can cause harm to the environment and even to us humans.

Conclusion

In the end, both natural and synthetic fibres are useful to us. And each has its own set of pros and cons. Each type of fibre has its unique properties as well. It is up to us to use them wisely and make sure no harm is done to the environment in the process.