Nylon and Rayon were the start of the synthetic revolution but although synthetics have come a long way since then I still don't believe that anything compares with natural fibres.
The fields normally abound with sheep and when the cache was first placed it was a box encased in windblown wool from the fences. When recently replaced there were no sheep and no discarded wool. Shame really. It was a nice idea.
Cotton Each flower falls after only 3 days leaving behind a small seed pot, known as the boll. Each boll contains about 30 seeds, and up to 500,000 fibres of cotton. Each fibre grows its full length in 3 weeks and for the following 4-7 weeks each fibre gets thicker as layers of cellulose build up the cell walls. While this is happening the boll matures and in about 10 weeks after flowering it splits open. The raw cotton fibres burst out to dry in the sun. As they lose water and die, each fibre collapses into what looks like a twisted ribbon. Now is time for harvesting.
There are many different qualities of Cotton ranging from short staple length fibres to luxurious Sea Island Cotton and Egyptian Cotton. This latter is a type and is not necessarily all cotton from Egypt.
It has unique qualities and it is easy to see why it is the most popular and best selling fabric in the world.
It is soft
It breathes
It absorbs body moisture
It is comfortable
It is strong and durable
It is versatile
It performs well
It has good colour retention and is easy to print on
It wrinkles easily
It is easy to care for, easy to wash
It is a natural resource that is fully renewable
Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuna, alpaca, and camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits.
The quality is determined by the length of the staple fibre and the number of crimps per inch in that fibre.
Wool has several qualities that distinguish it from hair or fur: it is crimped, it is elastic, and it grows in staples (clusters). It has special qualities.
It gives off heat when wet.
It resists bacteria.
It is fire resistant.
It is cool in the summer yet warm in the winter.
Unlike bedding that uses plucked down feathers, a sheep grows a coat of wool annually and is not harmed during shearing.
Wool surpasses synthetic fill in terms of quality and durability.
Wool is a sustainable product.
Linen is another natural fibre with benefits.
Strength: Linen is a durable fibre and is two-three times as strong as cotton. It is second in strength to silk. It gives the same comfort like Cotton fibre.
Elasticity is the extent to which a fibre can be elongated or stretched and then returned to its normal condition and size. Linen is the least elastic natural fabric.
It is resilient and will return to its original condition after crushing.
Linen is quite stiff and wrinkles easily.
It is very absorbent and increases its strength when wet.
It conducts heat at a rate five times as high as that of wool and 19 times as that of silk.
It is a comfortable fabric. Being a natural vegetable fibre it has huge Air Porosity hole, which make the linen clothes very comfortable to wear.
It is crisp and therefore does not require starching, and it has a natural lustre.
It is resistant to Allergy,
Silk comes from silkworms, or more specifically the Bombyx mori silkworm, or B. mori as it is commonly referred to. The silk fibres are extruded by the worm when it ready to make a cocoon and eventually change into a moth. Only enough moths are produced to lay eggs for the next generation of silkworms. B. mori silkworms are no longer found in the wild, as they are all domesticated and are used in the production of silk. They eat only one thing, the leaves of mulberry trees. When it comes time to make its cocoon, the worm produces one long continuous thread and wraps it around itself. The silk fibre is typically about a kilometer long for each silkworm. There are different types of wild silkworms that exist, and in India silk fibre is produced from some of them. Most of that silk has a rougher texture than that produced by B. mori. Synthetic fabrics like rayon have long been made to try and duplicate the texture and feel of silk, but there is nothing quite like the original.
It accepts dye colours very well.
It is luxurious and has been a symbol of wealth and power for centuries.
It is light in weight and flexible.
It can be stretched up to 25% and will return to its former shape.
It is cool in summer and warm in winter.