Acrylic is a fine, soft and luxurious fabric with a good drape-able
quality. It gives warmth without weight. Acrylic fabric is traditionally a
fall/winter fabric with a resemblance to wool. It dyes well, taking color
beautifully. The fabric breathes, it absorbs and releases moisture quickly.
It is comfortable to wear and is a easy care fabric. It resists moths, oil
and chemicals, and also the sunlight degradation.
Acrylic fabric was first developed by DuPont in 1944 and in 1950 it was
commercially produced for the first time. Initially it was used for outdoor
purposes but with the advancement of technology, acrylic has come a long
way, and is now commonly used in apparel and carpets.
Process of making Acrylic Fabric
Acrylic fabric is produced from petrochemical known as acrylontrile. The
fibers produced from acrylontrile are either dry spun or wet spun. In the
dry spinning process, the polymers are dissolved in a suitable solvent,
which is forcefully pushed into warm air for solidification by the
evaporation of the solvent. After the spinning part is over, it is stretched
hot from 3 to 10 times of its original length and then crimped.
In the wet spinning process, the polymer is dissolved in solvent and
extruded into a coagulating bath. It is then dried, crimped and collected as
tow.
Characteristics of Acrylic Fabric
- It is lightweight, soft, and warm.
- It dyes to bright colors with excellent fastness.
- It absorbs and releases moisture quickly, thus allowing the fabric
to "breathe".
- It is resilient, retains its shape, and resists shrinkage and
wrinkles.
- It has flexible aesthetics for wool-like, cotton-like or blended
appearance.
- It has excellent pleat retention quality.
- It is resistant to moths, oil and chemicals, and sunlight
degradation.
- It is static.
- It suffers from piling and abrasion problems.
Uses of Acrylic Fabric
- Apparel - sweaters, socks, fleece, circular knit apparel,
sportswear, and children-wear.
- Home Fashions - Blankets, throws, upholstery, awnings,
outdoor furniture, rugs/floor coverings.
