What Is Milk Fiber Fabric
Posted By admin On 07.10.19A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to fondle a swatch of (by Kollage) made from milk and soy yarns. It provided instant finger delight (I made a mental note to try it as soon as I get a couple projects off of my needles) but. How does that work? How is yarn made from a liquid? Actually, there are a number of yarns that fall into this category.
Olefin fiber is a very strong abrasion and stain resistant and colour fast synthetic fiber.It is a popular fiber for making fabrics for Activewear and sportswear You now have a basic knowledge of what fibers make the fabrics which form such an important part of our lives.
Yarn fibers can typically be categorized as either animal, plant or synthetic (man made). Synthetic yarns can be further broken down into petroleum based (e.g. Nylon, acrylics) or bio-synthetics. Milk yarn falls into the latter category along with soy, and bamboo.
Bio-synthetic yarns include;. Bamboo (from bamboo plants). Banana (from banana trees). Chitin (made from crab and shrimp shells). Corn (made from corn plant sugars). Cupro (made from cotton plant lintels).
Milk (milk proteins). Rayon, tencel and viscose (derived from wood cellulose). SeaCell® (seaweed). Soy (made from soybeans, perhaps leftover from making Tofu) Bio-synthetic yarns are created by cooking cellulose (or polymers) into a slurry and then pumping that slurry through the tiny holes of a spinnarette and voila, fiber filaments are produced that are then spun into yarn.
In the case of milk yarn, milk proteins are the solids in the slurry. In general, synthetic yarns boast of several key benefits including that they can be moth proof (unlike natural fibers), may be hypoallergenic, machine washable and can imitate other fibers’ properties (e.g.
Silky, drapey, woolly). On the flip side, some synthetics can be itchy, most are not as elastic as animal fibers (have less “memory”), they generally don’t “breathe” as well as natural fibers and they don’t have the insulating properties of natural fibers. If you are looking to experiment with some of the bio-synthetics but don’t know what to expect from them, the following may help you decide where to start. Bio-Synthetic Yarn Properties Bamboo Bamboo produces a soft hand (can actually be softer than silk) with a nice drape (can be a bit clingy) and a bit of luster. (I knitted a bamboo top that had the feel of the softest worn-in t-shirt straight off the needles.) It produces a strong fabric that wears well. Bamboo can be harvested off of the plant without killing the plant, is hypoallergenic, a natural antibacterial and has UV protective qualities. It is also biodegradable.
Bamboo is cool and does breathe making it a great choice for summer knits (tops, dresses, skirts). The downside of bamboo is that it loses strength and swells quite a bit in water (not recommended for swim suits) and has a tendency to split (and therefore snag).
Brands/Where to buy? Many yarn suppliers now offer bamboo yarn making it much easier to find. If your LYS doesn’t carry any, you can try any of the major yarn manufacturers online such as, Rowan, or Paton to find a source. Likewise, most online yarn vendors have offerings available (e.g., ).
Banana Banana silk is made from the aged bark (outer layers) of banana palm trees. As with other bio-synthetics, the bark is soaked, broken down to a pulp and the cellulose is extruded to produce the fibers. Women in Nepal then hand dye and spin the worsted weight yarn. Banana silk is aptly named, being silky, and lustrous with a very nice hand.
Great for scarves, shawls, hats and more. Different parts of the banana tree are actually used to produce a variety of fiber for instance the outer layers of bark are used generally for heavier applications such as tablecloths whereas the 3rd layer produces the finest, silkiest fiber suitable for making kimonos.
What Is Milk Fiber Fabric
Brands/Where to buy? Although not as commonly available as bamboo yarn, I was able to find several sources online;, and (I haven’t used these suppliers myself yet). Chitin and Chitosan Interestingly, chitin is derived from arthropod (e.g lobster, shrimp, insect, crab) shells, primarily from shrimp and crab.
Likewise, chitosan is derived from chitin. Having antibacterial and humidity absorbing properties make them a natural additive candidate for sock, underwear (knitted undies?), and sports clothes yarns to name a few possibilities.
HA – this gives a whole new meaning to ‘walking on shells’ Chitin and chitosan are biodegradable. Brands/Where to buy? The best example of chitin in yarn that I can give is Southwest Trading Company’s (SWTC) which is available at many LYSs (wool, cotton, soy and 2.5% chitin). (How ideal for socksa bit of wool and cotton to wick, soy to cool and chitin to provide the antibacterial properties!). SWTC does have a place on their website to find a LYS near you if you need more information. Corn Corn yarn is produced by fermenting simple sugars from corn plants, creating polymers in the process which are then processed as above.
It is much like cotton in that it breathes and wicks moisture well however, it is more resilient (and springy) than cotton making it friendlier on the hands when knitting. Lighter than cotton yet heavier than soy, corn yarn resists odors and stains better than cotton and dries quickly. It’s “easy care” properties makes it a good candidate for knitting clothes for children. Brands/Where to buy? Kollage offers and Corntastic, Southwest Trading Company produces, and Crystal Palace has a corn yarn (some are blends) so you may have great luck at your LYS or check with the manufacturers for a source near you.
Cupro Cupro is derived from the lintel (short downy fiber surrounding the seed) of cotton plants much like many of the bio-synthetics by extruding cellulose into filaments. Curve-hugging and “drapey”, Cupro breathes like cotton and yet has the feel of silk when next to the skin making it an ideal choice for many purposes including linings, camisoles, dresses and tops. Brands/Where to buy? Cupro is tougher to find., and (2% blend), offer a couple of Cupro yarns. If you know of others, let me know and I’ll add them to the list. That’s it for now (Part 1).
I’ll cover the rest of the list in my next post. I’ll also be covering animal (some really great luxury fibers amongst them) and plant fibers in other posts. In the meantime, have you had any experiences with these fibers? What do you like most (or least) about them? Trackbacks/Pingbacks.
April 9, 2010 Milk yarn? How does that work? (Part 1). August 24, 2010 our series on yarn fibers (see also Milk Yarn? How does that work? Part 1), I have the great pleasure to begin looking at animal fibers.
Some of my most favorite yarns fall. April 2, 2013 three-quarter sleeves and drapey quality of the milk yarn (yes, it’s an 80% milk / 20% cotton blend) make for a very feminine. December 11, 2013 started with the part-milk yarn.
Yes, she assured us, milk can be an ingredient in yarn! Check out this post by Knit be Nimble for a good write-up about. July 29, 2014 And then, inspired by this article about high-tech yarn, we talk about unusual yarns. We mention the Yarn Sisters pearl yarn, the Habu metal core yarns, and this Knit Be Nimble article about biosynthetic yarns.
In addition to apparel, the fibers are particularly suitable for use in home textiles, the automobile industry and medical technology, and they offer advantages as well for thermal insulated seat covers or hygienic diaphragms. With interest in, and the use of, these textile fibers growing, supply is challenged to meet the demand. Natural materials and ecological awareness is significant today, with “green-and-clean” more emphasized in fashion collections. Qmilch (Qmilk) is a new fiber based on the milk protein casein. Using an efficient and ecological manufacturing process, the casein fibers are produced using renewable and natural resources and fewer chemical ingredients during the process. Waste not, want not Making use of “side streams”—byproducts that inevitably arise in the manufacture of a product—are becoming increasingly important, especially the use of waste streams in the agricultural and food sector, which are seen as offering great potential.
Qmilk uses a waste product from the dairy industry. More than two million tons of milk are discarded every year in Germany alone for not meeting the criteria as drinking milk. This raw milk is not usable in the food sector but has major potential as a valuable and renewable ingredient, which is insufficiently utilized currently.
Soy Milk Fiber
For many people, the issue of sustainability is a criterion in their purchasing decisions. New methods based on “white biotechnology” and “zero waste” concepts are on trend. Besides, many innovative biopolymers are derived from side streams. The demand for textiles is steadily increasing, and there is quite a bit of research into new alternatives.
The company understands this and believes that, above all, these new products must have a positive health aspect and be produced sustainably. Additional benefits During the production process, water consumption is reduced to a maximum of two liters of water in a maximum of five minutes of processing time, without accumulating any additional raw materials and waste.
Milk Silk Fabric Define
Additionally, it is produced at just 80 degrees Celsius, which also saves energy. Qmilk fibers can be categorized like the protein fibers in silk and wool, and combine the benefits of natural and industrial fibers. Casein, the milk protein, is based on 18 of the 22 known proteinogenic amino acids and it has an extremely high glutamine and calcium content. At about 20 percent, no other protein contains as much glutamine as casein. Because the fiber has a smooth surface, fabrics made from it can naturally prevent skin irritations, making it attractive for garments, but it can be more versatile than that. Depending on customers’ requirements, Qmilk fiber can be modified in its optics and properties for many textile surfaces. Additionally, its moisture management function prevents the growth of bacteria by 99 percent and promotes temperature regulation that can suppress allergens.
Although Qmilk does not use any added antibacterial treatment, it has natural antibacterial effects against E. Coli and even Staphyllococcus aureus, and is resistant to fuels, making it suitable for a range of products in the clothing, home textiles and technical markets. Qmilk takes up color very easily; even a colorization during the process is possible. It has a soft hand, comparable to silk, is naturally lightweight, machine washable and temperature stable to 200 degrees Celsius. It also has passed the B2 standard flammability test and is resistant to UV rays. Qmilk can also mix well with other fibers.
A 20 percent blend with other textile fibers improves a fabric’s performance and allows unique combinations in performance characteristics. Using the benefits of natural and man-made fibers, these fibers show that textile requirements can be met with resource-saving and eco-friendly production based on waste products. New high-tech textiles are the materials of the future and will need to comply with high sustainability standards. Most prevalent is the trend toward biodegradable fiber materials from biopolymers. The demand in eco-friendly products is rising and, due to the increasing scarcity of resources, many researchers are looking to novel fiber alternatives. Qmilk fibers offer a viable alternative in the marketplace.
Is based in Hannover, Germany. The company will start with a production mill of 1000 tons/year in 2014. Anke Domaske is managing director.