Microfiber
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Microfiber (microfibre in British English) is synthetic fiber finer than one
The most common types of microfiber are made variously of polyesters; polyamides (e.g., nylon, Kevlar, Nomex); and combinations of polyester, polyamide, and polypropylene. Microfiber is used to make mats, knits, and weaves, for apparel, upholstery, industrial filters, and cleaning products. The shape, size, and combinations of synthetic fibers are chosen for specific characteristics, including softness, toughness, absorption, water repellence, electrostatics, and filtering ability.
History
Production of ultra-fine fibers (finer than 0.7
Apparel
Clothing
Microfiber fabrics are man-made and frequently used for athletic wear, such as cycling jerseys, because the microfiber material wicks moisture (perspiration) away from the body; subsequent evaporation cools the wearer.
Microfiber can be used to make tough, very soft fabric for clothing, often used in skirts, jackets, bathrobes, and swimwear. Microfiber can be made into Ultrasuede, a synthetic imitation of suede leather, which is cheaper and easier to clean and sew than natural suede leather.
Accessories
Microfiber is used to make many accessories that traditionally have been made from leather: wallets, handbags, backpacks, book covers, shoes, cell phone cases, and coin purses. Microfiber fabric is lightweight, durable, and somewhat water repellent, so it makes a good substitute.
Another advantage of microfiber fabric (compared to leather) is that it can be coated with various finishes and can be treated with
Other uses
Textiles for cleaning
In
The split fibers and the size of the individual filaments make the cloths more effective than other fabrics for cleaning purposes. The structure traps and retains the dirt and also absorbs liquids. Unlike cotton, microfiber leaves no lint, the exception being some micro suede blends, where the surface is mechanically processed to produce a soft plush feel.[citation needed]
For microfiber to be most effective as a cleaning product, especially for water-soluble soils and waxes, it should be a split microfiber. Non-split microfiber is little more than a very soft cloth. The main exception is for cloths used for facial cleansing and for the removal of skin oils (sebum), sunscreens, and mosquito repellents from optical surfaces such as cameras, phones and eyeglasses wherein higher-end proprietary woven, 100% polyester cloths using 2
Microfiber that is used in non-sports-related clothing, furniture, and other applications is not split because it is not designed to be absorbent, just soft. When buying, microfiber may not be labeled to designate whether it is split. One method to determine the type of microfiber is to run the cloth over the palm of the hand. A split microfiber will cling to imperfections of the skin and can be either heard or felt as it does. Alternatively, a small amount of water can be poured onto a hard, flat surface and pushed with the microfiber. If the water is pushed rather than absorbed, it is not split microfiber.[citation needed]
Microfiber can be electrostatically charged for special purposes like filtration.
Cloths and mops
Microfiber products used for consumer cleaning are generally constructed from split conjugated fibers of
Microfiber is widely used by car detailers to handle tasks such as removing wax from paintwork, quick detailing, interior cleaning, glass cleaning, and drying. Because of their fine fibers which leave no lint or dust, microfiber towels are used by car detailers and enthusiasts in a similar manner to a chamois leather.
Microfiber is used in many professional cleaning applications, for example in mops and cleaning cloths. Although microfiber mops cost more than non-microfiber mops, they may be more economical because they last longer and require less effort to use.[4][5]
Microfiber textiles designed for cleaning clean on a microscopic scale. According to tests, using microfiber materials to clean a surface reduces bacteria by 99%, whereas a conventional cleaning material reduces bacteria by only 33%.
Microfiber cloths are also used to clean photographic lenses as they absorb oily matter without being abrasive or leaving a residue, and are sold by major manufacturers such as
Microfiber is unsuitable for some cleaning applications as it accumulates dust, debris, and particles. Sensitive surfaces (such as all high-tech coated surfaces e.g.
Rags made of microfiber must only be washed with regular
Insulation
Microfiber materials such as PrimaLoft are used for thermal insulation as a replacement for down feather insulation in sleeping bags and outdoor equipment, because of their better retention of heat when damp or wet. Microfiber is also used for water insulation in automotive car covers. Depending on the technology the fiber manufacturer is using, such material may contain from 2 up to 5 thin layers, merged. Such combination ensures not only high absorption factor, but also breathability of the material, which prevents greenhouse effect.
Basketballs
With microfiber-shelled
Other
Microfibers used in tablecloths, furniture, and car interiors are designed to
Microfibers are used in towels especially those to be used at swimming pools as even a small towel dries the body quickly. They dry quickly and are less prone than cotton towels to become stale if not dried immediately. Microfiber towels need to be soaked in water and pressed before use, as they would otherwise repel water as microfiber tablecloths do.[citation needed]
Microfiber is also used for other applications such as making menstrual pads, cloth diaper inserts, body scrubbers, face mitts, whiteboard cleaners, and various goods that need to absorb water and/or attract small particles.
In the medical world, the properties of microfibers are used in the coating of certain fabric sheets used to strengthen the original material.[10]
Environmental and safety issues
Microfiber textiles tend to be
For most cleaning applications they are designed for repeated use rather than being discarded after use.[12] An exception to this is the precise cleaning of optical components where a wet cloth is drawn once across the object and must not be used again as the debris collected are now embedded in the cloth and may scratch the optical surface.
Microfiber products also enter the oceanic water supply and food chain similarly to other microplastics.[13] Synthetic clothing made of microfibers that are washed release materials and travel to local wastewater treatment plants, contributing to plastic pollution in water. A study by the clothing brand Patagonia and University of California, Santa Barbara, found that when synthetic jackets made of microfibers are washed, on average 1.7 grams (0.060 oz) of microfibers are released from the washing machine. These microfibers then travel to local wastewater treatment plants, where up to 40% of them enter into rivers, lakes, and oceans where they contribute to the overall plastic pollution.[14][15] Microfibers account for 85% of man-made debris found on shorelines worldwide.[16][13] Fibers retained in wastewater treatment sludge (biosolids) that are land-applied can persist in soils.[17]
See also
References
- ^ Nakajima T, Kajiwara K, McIntyre J E, 1994. Advanced Fiber Spinning Technology Archived 2020-01-26 at the Wayback Machine. Woodhead Publishing, pp. 187–188
- ^ Kanigel, Robert, 2007. Faux Real: Genuine Leather and 200 Years of Inspired Fakes Archived 2018-10-11 at the Wayback Machine. Joseph Henry Press, pp. 186–192
- ^ "SYNTHETIC SPLIT MICROFIBER TECHNOLOGY FOR FILTRATION " by Jeff Dugan, Vice President Research and Development Fiber Innovation Technologies and Ed Homonoff President Edward C. Homonoff & Associates, LLC
- ^ UC Davis Health System: Newroom. UC Davis Pioneers Use of Microfiber Mops in Hospitals: Mops reduce injuries, kill more germs and reduce costs. Archived 2010-07-06 at the Wayback Machine June 23, 2006.
- ^ Sustainable Hospitals Project, University of Massachusetts Lowell. 10 Reasons to Use Microfiber Mopping. Archived 2007-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ UC Davis Health System: Newroom UC Davis Pioneers Use Of Microfiber Mops In Hospitals. Ucdmc.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved on 2010-12-01.
- ^ a b "Discover Microfiber Clothes and Linens and How to Use and Wash Them". The Spruce.
- ^ a b NBA Introduces New Game Ball Archived 2012-03-17 at the Wayback Machine. NBA.com, June 28, 2006.
- ^ a b Josh Hart, NBA to Take Microfiber Basketball and Go Home Archived 2008-12-12 at the Wayback Machine. National Ledger, December 12, 2006.
- ISSN 0975-1025. Retrieved October 20, 2023 – via NIScPR.
- (PDF) from the original on May 30, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
- ^ Barbara Flanagan, The Case of the Missing Microfiber. I.D., April 22, 2008.
- ^ S2CID 19178027.
- ^ "Project Findings". Microfiber Pollution & the apparel industry. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ O'Connor, Mary Catherine (June 20, 2016). "Patagonia's New Study Finds Fleece Jackets Are a Serious Pollutant". Outside Online. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- from the original on February 10, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
- PMID 15967553.