What is the acid test for vegetable fiber?
What is the acid test for animal fiber?
Examine different fabrics to see whether they contain vegetable or animal fibers.
Experiment 45—Difference between Cotton and Linen Fabrics
Examine a real linen towel and a cotton towel. Wet your hands and use both towels to dry them. Notice which of the fabrics absorbs the moisture quicker, or which towel dries the hands better.
Compare a cotton table-cloth and a linen table-cloth. Notice that the linen fabric has a natural gloss, a cool, smooth feel, and launders much better than cotton. The cotton fabric on the other hand gives off a fuzz, and irons dull and shapeless.[29]
Linen is tough and strong, cool feeling, and has a long fiber. Linen cannot be given a cotton fabric finish.[30]
Cotton on the other hand has a weak, short fiber, dull, warm, and non-absorbent. After washing, cotton resembles a limp rag while linen retains firmness and stiffness.
Which fabric absorbs the moisture more readily?
What is the difference in appearance between the two fabrics? Between the fibers of the fabrics?