Animal fibre definition and types | study science

Animal fiber

 Animal fibres are the natural fibres that can be sourced to animals. These fibres are usually made up of different kinds of proteins. The most popular examples of animal fibres include silk and wool. 
It is important to note that animal fibres that are extracted from different animals usually have different properties. The textile fibres that are derived from animals are usually animal fibres. They are basically hair, fur, skin or secretions of animals. The animals are raised as fiber animals. 
Sheep, camel, goat and rabbit are the commonly used animals for providing animal fibers which are very soft in texture.
 

Examples of animal fibres

  1. Wool

Wool is possibly the oldest fiber known to humans. The wool mostly obtained from sheep  but also from alpacas, camels, and goats. The wool yielding animals bear a thick coat of hairs on their body.



Steps for wool production

  • Shearing: Firstly the fleece (hair) of sheep is removed. This process is called shearing.
  •  Scouring: The sheared (removed) hairs are then cleaned by washing into tanks to remove grease and dirt. This process is called scouring.
  • Sorting: Cleaned hairs are then sent to factory here separation of different textures of hairs takes place. This process is called sorting.
  • Picking out blurrs: Blurrs are the small fluffy fibres which are picked out from hairs. These fibres are again cleaned and dried.
  •  Dyeing: The fibres are then dyed into various colours.
  • Rolling into yarn: The fibres are straightened, combed and then finally rolled into yarn (thread).

    2. Silk

Silk  is also a natural textile. Silkworm spin the silk fibers. The rearing of silkworm for obtaining silk is known as sericulture. Silk is the strongest of all natural fibers.There are many different varieties of silkworm. The mulberry leaf eating silk worms gives the softest silk fibers. Wild silkworms fed with other leaves like Oak tree leaves give out rougher silk.




The female moth lays eggs, from which hatch larvae which are called silkworms or caterpillars. They grow in size and when caterpillars are ready to enter next stage they called PUPA, it first weaves a net to hold itself by silk fiber and that covering is known as cocoon.
    
    Development of PUPA into moth continues inside cocoon. Thread is obtained form cocoon for the silk moth.



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