A Material World Trivia Quiz

Answer: Flax

Flax is considered the oldest of natural fibers. Linen which is made from flax was one of the most used cloths for the burial shrouds of Egyptian Pharaohs.
There are seven stages in the production of linen which are: planting of the flax seed, harvesting the flax plant after it has turned brown, retting the plant (soaking it in water to loosen the fibers, can be soaked in ponds), beating the fibers which separates them, scutching which is a scraping of the fibers, spinning, and then weaving.

Answer: Rayon

Cotton and linen are not quite as absorbent as rayon. This characteristic of rayon, enables it to absorb dyes more easily allowing it to produce deeper and richer colors. There are two types of rayon, viscose and cuprammonium. Viscose rayon, uses sodium hydroxide and carbon disulphide in its
manufacture. Copper and Ammonia are the chemicals used in cuprammonium rayon.

Answer: Flannel

Because of its wool content, flannel is most often chosen to make clothing for cold weather activities as well as for warmth and comfort in bedding and sleepwear. Flannel is also associated with Grunge Bands such as Stone Temple, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam, as you may have seen, some of these band members are known for wearing flannel shirts.

Answer: E. I. duPont de Nemours

Commonly touted as the most used man-made fibers in the United States, polyester was first produced in the United States by the E. I. duPont de Nemours Company in 1953. Pure polyester products are most often less expensive than those made from synthetic polyester. Two of the best properties of polyester in its pure state is that it is very wrinkle and stain resistant.

Answer: Forty

There are approximately forty breeds of sheep for wool production. Fine Wool Sheep, such as the Rambouillet, due to its fine fibers, account for fifty percent of fine wool products. Rambouillet Sheep are a relative of the Merino family of sheep which are the most common breed of sheep in the United States. Long Wool Sheep which aptly produce large long fibers are most commonly found in England, Scotland, New Zealand, and the Falkland Islands. Carpet Wool Sheep produce a very coarse quality of wool. Icelandic, Navajo Churro, Scottish Black Face, and Icelandic are common breeds of Carpet Wool Sheep in the Unites States. Needless to say, the wool of the Carpet Wool Sheep is used mainly in the manufacture of, dare I say, carpets. No, I was not going to try and pull the wool over your eyes.

Answer: Fibers from fish scales

Qualities of natural fibers include being soft, durable, breathable, and do not change color from UV light. Synthetic fibers are made from inorganic material and can be ultra sheer, lightweight, and fast drying. To my mind, only mermaids, in their imaginary form, could be considered as having natural fibers from 'fish scales'.

Answer: Chiffon

Chiffon comes from the French word for cloth or rag. It is a synthetic fiber which is usually combined with silk or cotton. Chiffon is a lightweight slippery fabric that is difficult to cut and sew. Baft is an inexpensive coarse fabric. Cheviot is a coarse heavy plain worsted wool. Definitely not a common bridal fabric, Gabardine is made from a closely woven synthetic with cotton or wool.

Answer: Serge

Serge, a versatile twilled wool fabric can be made from either wool, silk, or cotton. Many military uniforms have a silk serge lining while the outer part of the garment is made of wool serge. It is thought that serge had its origins in China, and by the ninth century made its way to Greece.

By the 1500s, France was a predominant maker of serge. The Andre Family of Nimes, using this durable strong fabric for their village workers, called this fabric, "serge de Nimes", which was soon shortened to the familiar word we know now as 'denim'.

Answer: Vicuna

The vicuna is a relative of the llama and alpaca which is found mainly in the alpine areas of the Andes Mountains. Its wool is soft and fine and provides excellent insulation. Adding to its worth is it golden brown to a warm deep fawn color. Sacred to the Inca of Peru, only their royalty was allowed to wear vicuna.

In modern day Peru only limited commercial harvesting of the vicuna wool is allowed. Following ancient tradition, a "chaccus" program, (communal roundup) has been implemented in Peru. Once captured, the vicunas are sheared, returned to the wild, and cannot be sheared for another two years.

Answer: Hemp

Obtained from the stem of the hemp plant, hemp is similar to flax. Both plants have fiber in their stalks. Coarse and strong, hemp is not a very absorbent fabric. Compared to cotton, growing hemp requires fewer pesticides making it more environmentally favorable to grow. Rope, cardboard, and paper are byproducts of hemp. The leaves and blossoms of the hemp plant are not used in the manufacture of textiles,(said by this author tongue in cheek).