How Is Acrylic Yarn Made?
The result of the chemical synthesis of coal, air and water, synthetic yarns like acrylic are born in manufacturing environments rather than on ranches or in a field. Acrylic fibers were created by chemists looking for replacements for natural rubber during World War II. Yarn manufacturers use acrylic fibers to mimic almost any natural fiber, or to create novelty yarns like eyelash, boucle or fur.
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History
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Nylon, the grandfather of all synthetic fibers, has been manufactured since 1935. In the United States, DuPont began manufacturing Orlon, the first acrylic fiber in 1950. Acrylic fiber is now manufactured worldwide, and acrylic fiber is used in many textiles, including carpet, clothing, as well as craft yarn.
Raw Material
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Petroleum products in the form of plastics are the raw materials for acrylic yarn. Its chemical base is between 85 and 90 percent vinyl cyanide. Each manufacturer adds other chemicals that give their acrylic fiber unique characteristics.
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Manufacturing Process
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The plastic material is heated or treated chemically to create a liquid, which is then forced through a nozzle covered with tiny holes, called a spinneret. The filaments that emerge from the spinneret are dried and then carded to align the fibers. The final step is to spin the fibers into yarn.
Spinning and Blending
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Yarn manufacturers can spin the prepared acrylic fibers into many types of yarn. For craft yarn, it can be spun into very fine strands that are plied together. Some manufacturers add acrylic fiber to other synthetic fibers like nylon or polyester. Or they blend it with natural fibers like wool and cotton.
Characteristics of Acrylic Yarn
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Acrylic yarn does not shrink, attract moths or get moldy. It has some elasticity and wicks away moisture. When combined with wool, the resulting yarn is machine washable. Cotton and acrylic yarn is lighter than 100 percent cotton yarn and will not shrink. However, acrylic yarn has a lower melting point than cotton or wool, so don't iron it.
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References
- Photo Credit yarn image by Petar Atanasov from Fotolia.com
