View Full Version : Help please. Can anyone tell me what fabric this is?
gracebowen
02-19-2018, 14:43
I was given a skirt. It is super water repellent and super comfortable.
I spilled soda in my lap. I rinsed it with water. 5 minutes later it was completely dry and it was never wet on the inside.
I'd like to know what the fabric is so I can buy some to make another skirt and a shirt.
There is no label. It stretches a little bit.
Not 100% on the type of fabric but it looks to have a ripstop type grid. The qualities you cherish may not only pertain to the type of fabric but it's treatment such as water beading off it.
illabelle
02-19-2018, 15:56
Take it to a fabric store and see if they can help you.
My limited experience with ripstop is with nylon, which is fairly slick. Your fabric looks like it has soft frayed ends, which doesn't seem like nylon. Is ripstop only in nylon? I don't know.
Tipi Walter
02-19-2018, 16:09
Looks like a ripstop cotton to me---
41931
grace
Take a lighter and submit the edge of a piece of it to flame.
1. If it melts it is synthetic.
2. If it shrivels up like hair it is wool.
3. If it turns to powder like ash it is cotton.
It looks and sounds like synthetic.
nsherry61
02-19-2018, 18:18
I'm guessing grid polyester if it is highly water repellent. My mom has a polyester table cloth that looks a bit like that that beads up water and doesn't soak through at all easily. It's awesome.
I have a ventilated fishing shirt out of grid polyester. I can hike all day in full sun. When I take the pack off at the end of the day, the middle of the back is barely damp. The shirt is completely dry by the time I pitch camp and have dinner. Probably sooner. Awesome fabric.
Wayne
rocketsocks
02-19-2018, 19:34
Does it burn? Nomex
rocketsocks
02-19-2018, 19:36
nomex fabris images
rocketsocks
02-19-2018, 19:37
https://www.google.com/search?q=nomex+fabris+images&prmd=isnv&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&fir=2rG4Bq2p_5oxhM%253A%252CYsOwfxq4xFUNUM%252C_%2 53BauEt0mLXqIyMaM%253A%252CHV_W0W50ncU5PM%252C_%25 3BSnyVNsZFwr3asM%253A%252C9M0ztpnIcBovqM%252C_%253 BX1eGDCDHmhViiM%253A%252C4yZII5lA4YPSxM%252C_%253B ZsgORBA12u-jVM%253A%252CRMZwPiZQdo9lJM%252C_%253BALxMf_A4ffzA BM%253A%252C9D9DfKZ9hP2UwM%252C_%253BQKZ44kiMUTwg9 M%253A%252CW_bcaQNX3KxZZM%252C_&usg=__nOnNvGon0rFjdVEp5tpDGJYMULM%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiix9qhkrPZAhWumuAKHSaqDeEQ7AkIOA&biw=320&bih=527#imgdii=2TZs1pPlGCc_IM:&imgrc=ZsgORBA12u-jVM:
gracebowen
02-19-2018, 20:34
I'm pretty sure it's a synthetic. I will check into grid polyester fabric.
It’s possible that the fabric also has a Durable Water Repellent finish.
Wayne
I'm going to throw out a guess of linen, treated to be water repellent.
Rain Man
02-20-2018, 01:28
My guess is the feature you describe is the treatment, not the fabric.
That said I'm guessing (1) cotton or (2) polyester.
Hardly any modern cloth is pure cotton, most likely a good portion of synthetics is mixed in.
(and vice versa, most synthetics have some cotton too)
One question is, Nylon or Polyester?
You might be able to discern by burning a tiny piece of.
Nylon gives you a pearl of melted material, which you can drag threads from.
Polyester gives you a pearl that hardens when cooling down - no threads to be dragged.
Polyacryl, another typical addition to cloth, behaves very similar to Polyester.
Be aware: Any burning might produce poisonous fumes.