Chapter IV: Conclusion

To sum up, the adulterations most likely to be found and the tests for them are as follows:

METHOD OF ADULTERATION

1. By combination. Use of other fibers than the one indicated by the name of the material. Example, cotton in woolens, cotton in linens, etc.

2. By substitution. Selling one fiber under the name of an entirely different one. Example, mercerized cotton sold for silk or linen.

B

FIG. 5]

3. By increasing the weight of a material. a, Cottons and linens with starch; b, silks with metallic salts and dyes.

4. By giving a finish which is deceptive. a, Heavy pressing or calendering an ordinary cotton to imitate mercerizing; b, finishing cotton to look like linen; c, printing paste dots on cotton to produce the effect of embroidered dotted swiss.

5. By use of made-over yarns. Example, shoddy in woolens, also addition of short wool, felted in surface.

TESTS FOR ADULTERATION

1. Examination of cloth to see if all threads are alike, and to distinguish kind of thread.

2. Examination of individual threads.

Cotton: short fibers, ends appear fuzzy in thread.

Wool: short fibers, decidedly kinky and stiff.

Silk: long straight fibers with luster; if spun silk, fibers short;
thread looks more like cotton; breaks more easily than reeled silk.

Linen: strong threads; high luster; when broken ends very uneven and
straight.

3. Burning tests: a, cotton burns quickly with flame; b, wool burns slowly, chars, gives off odor of burnt feathers; c, silk burns slowly, leaves small crisp ash, and when weighted leaves more ash; d, linen, similar to cotton.

4. Linen if without much starch, becomes translucent when treated with olive oil; cotton remains opaque.

5. A mixture of cotton and wool when wet, wrinkles more than pure wool.

6. A careful examination of the finish of the material. Observe if alike on both sides, if the apparent beauty of the material is due to finish or to good quality of material.

Finally, the best grades of material are generally what they seem to be; although this does not always hold true in silks, nor in materials where the effect is more important than the wearing quality. Expensive broadcloths, worsted suitings, expensive table linens, good cottons, do not pose for more than their true worth. It is when one turns to novelties, to silks and to inexpensive materials that one needs to be most vigilant. Be sure the inexpensive is not cheap, unless you want a material, cheap in wearing quality and appearance, as well as in cost.

OTHER POINTS IN BUYING

Aside from the question of whether the buyer is getting the kind of material she pays for as to character of the fiber, there are other things to be considered in choosing textile fabrics.

The weave affects the appearance and often the wearing quality of cloth. A close twill weave makes a firm, durable material, while the loose basket weave gives quite a different effect and is frequently lacking in firmness. The satin or sateen weave makes a beautiful surface especially in linens or silks, but may cover up defects in the hidden threads. Fancy weaves in cotton novelties, in shirt waist materials and in fancy mulls, etc., often leave loose threads which become soiled easily and may not be as attractive after washing. A cloth with a very heavy cross thread or filling, and a very fine warp, or vice versa, may split because of the great difference in the strength of the threads.

Sometimes figures are woven in such a way that when the cloth is finished each figure has short ends of thread. For example, in weaving madras curtain material, the filling thread which makes the figure, jumps from one figure to another, and after the material leaves the loom the loose threads are cut off of the back of the material. Often these short pieces wash out or the ends become rough and fuzzy looking.

In choosing a material from the large variety on the market the first thing to be determined is the use to which it is to be put, then determine what is appropriate to that use. The cloth which is suitable for a street suit is obviously not suited to the party gown, neither are laces of dressy waists appropriate for working clothes. Clothes that are to be worn constantly need to be of material that will stand frequent cleaning. In materials used in house furnishing certain ones must be cleaned often, and unless one can afford to pay frequent cleaner’s bills, washable materials are better for curtains, bed-spreads, table-covers, etc. The cost is the next point to be considered, and that must necessarily be determined by one’s purse. It is not always economy, however, to buy the inexpensive things, for, as we have seen, the inexpensive articles are more likely to be the cheap ones. With our desire for continual change, our love of novelty and fad we have become very extravagant. So long as the fashion demands new garments every few months and women attempt to follow the styles, they must choose inexpensive materials unless they have a large amount of money, and care nothing for wearing quality. In the end, however, the woman who buys carefully, makes use of conservative styles which do not change every few months, and chooses handsome material, is not only more economically, but also usually better dressed.

The hygienic properties of materials should be carefully considered. Those next the body should be able to care for the perspiration and the excretions of the skin. Woolen and silk are best suited by their physical structure to do this, but wool is too warm and too irritating to many people, and does not wash well, while silk is too expensive. Many kinds of cotton underwear have been manufactured which by their structure aid in absorbing moisture. Underwear knitted or woven with meshes containing large enclosed air spaces is more hygienic than closely woven cotton garments. The air spaces in the mesh material are non-conductors of heat, and also ventilators. The closely woven garment does not allow a change of air next the skin and becomes clammy when moist. Garments which come in contact with the outside air must be more closely woven to keep out the wind. Two layers of lighter weight material are warmer than one layer of thick because of the non-conducting air between. Heavy clothes are bad for the body because of the extra load which must be carried about.

Finally, in choosing materials, if one is to have the greatest pleasure from them and give one’s friends the greatest pleasure, color and design are very important. Colors should be suitable to the use, and to the person who is to wear the material. Bright colors make one conspicuous, and are exciting; dull ugly colors are depressing, while soft rich colors are elegant, becoming, and in good taste.

Designs should fit the place in which they are to be used. Rugs should be so designed that they serve as a background to the furniture of the room as well as add richness in color and some variety. Materials which are to hang in folds should have designs which do not depend on smoothness of surface in order that they may be effective. For clothing, designs should be inconspicuous, modest stripes, dots and plaids being most successful, except on very soft thin materials when larger and less conventional designs may be used.

To be an intelligent buyer it is necessary then that the woman knows before she purchases a piece of cloth just where it is to be used, just what she can afford to pay for it, what she should be able to get for that amount of money and then be able to tell whether the piece of cloth she buys is really what it is represented to be. At the present time the rush to the bargain counter, the enormous amount of cheap, poor material manufactured, and the great waste in dress, all go to prove that there are many women who are not intelligent buyers.

When women demand a better quality of materials and refuse to buy the cheap things, the manufacturers will cease to produce worthless things. Perhaps however, before that day arrives, the thoughtful workers of the land will have succeeded in passing a pure textile law, which shall do for our cloth what the pure food act is doing for our food supplies; then the honest though ignorant buyer will be protected, but it will still be her part to demand good, artistic and useful materials.

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Transcriber’s note

Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice.

Spelling was retained as in the original except for the following changes:

“certain nses, but” “certain uses, but”