Synthetic fabrics
Synthetic fabrics do not come from plants or animals. They are made of chemicals, and the chemicals usually come from oil. There are many different synthetic fabrics. Nylon, polyester, Spandex, and Gore-Tex are some of the most important ones. They are light and strong. They can stretch and fit close to the body, so they are often used for sports clothes, for example, shirts and shorts for cyclists.
Wool
People have always worn clothes made of wool, especially in cold countries. The wool comes from sheep, alpacas, and other animals. There are different types of wool. In some wool, the threads are thin. This wool is used to make sweaters and scarves. Thicker threads are used to make blankets and carpets. We can make seven sweaters with the wool from one sheep.
Silk
The first silk was made in China about 5, 000 years ago. The secret of silk is a tiny animal, called a silkworm. The silkworm makes a thin thread and wraps the thread around its body. In two or three days, the silkworm can make about 900 meters of thread. Then people take the thread and wash it.
People weave the silkworm’s thread and make silk. Dresses made of silk move easily when the person walks. Silk clothes are comfortable because silk is very soft.
Cotton
Most shirts, t-shirts, jeans, socks, and underwear are made of cotton. Cotton clothes are good in hot countries because the air goes through the fabric and keeps you cool.
Cotton plants grow in fields. The white balls on the cotton plant are picked and washed, then they are made into cotton threads. Most of the word’s cotton is grown in China, India, and the USA.
Answer the questions.
1. What types of wool exist?
2. Why do we need wool?
3. Why is silk fabric so specific?
4. If we don’t have a silkworm can we substitute this animal for production silk or fabric close to this one.
5. What is the specific of cotton?
6. What is the process of making cotton?
7. Is it hard to make cotton? Why?
8. How is synthetic differ from other fabrics?
9. What fabric is better (natural or synthetic)? Why?
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