Burn Test
SAFETY PRECAUTION: Burn actual fabric; selvedge edge may not be the same fiber as the main piece of cloth & will give a false reading of content. Always hold small piece of test fiber with tweezers, not with fingers. Hold fiber over water before setting it alight. Do not sniff burnt fiber until smoke dissipates. Do not touch fiber until bead cools. All synthetic fibers should be considered to be a serious drip danger and fume hazard. When set on fire, burning synthetic fabric can sizzle or drip so fast that it curls onto skin or fingernails, causing a nasty burn. If a burn occurs, submerge burned area in ice water immediately. Burn test may not distinguish between cotton and other cellulose fibers. Some fabric may have finishes that affect burn results. Weighted silk (with added chemicals) may react more like synthetic fiber.
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Fiber
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Fiber
Type
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Reaction
to Flame
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Bead
|
After-Flame
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Ash
|
Odor
|
Smoke/Fume
|
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Cotton
|
Cellulose Fiber
|
May flare when lit, burns
|
None
|
Continues to glow
|
Fine, soft
|
Burning paper
|
Gray or white
|
|
Hemp
|
"
|
quickly, bright flame,
|
"
|
flame is removed but does not melt
|
gray ash
|
leaves, or wood
|
smoke; no fume hazard
|
|
Jute
|
"
|
does not shrink from flame
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
Linen (Flax)
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
Ramie
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
Rayon
|
Manufactured cellulosic fiber
|
Burns without flame or melting; may flare
|
None unless there is a fabric finish
|
May glow a bit longer than cotton after flame
is removed
|
Soft, gray ash
|
Burning paper
|
Light fume hazard
|
|
Silk
|
Protein fiber
|
Burns slowly, curls away from flame
|
Dark bead easily crushed
|
Self-extinguishing
|
Dark gritty fine powder
|
Burned hair or charred meat
|
Little or no smoke. No fume hazard
|
|
Alpaca
|
"
|
Burns slowly, sizzles, curls away from flame; may
curl back onto fingernail
|
Brittle, dark, easilycrushed
|
"
|
Harsh ash from crushed bead
|
Strong odor of hair or feathers
|
Dark smoke; moderate fume
|
|
Cahmere
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
Mohair
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
Wool
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
Acetate, Triacetate
|
Burns quickly, can flare even after flame is removed
|
Hard, brittle, uncrushable
|
Melts into very hot bead; DRIP
DANGER
|
No ash
|
Hot vinegar or burning pepper
|
Black smoke; FUME HAZARD
|
|
|
Nylon, Polymide
|
Quick burning due to fabric finish; shrinks to flame
|
Hard, grayish uncrushable
|
Burns slowly & melts; self-extinguishing, DRIP
DANGER
|
No ash
|
Celery
|
FUME HAZARD
|
|
|
Polyester
|
Quick burning, shrinks away from flame; may flare
|
Hard dark round bead
|
Burns slowly, not always self-extinguishing
|
No ash
|
Slightly sweet chemical odor
|
Black smoke; FUME HAZARD
|
|
|
Acrylic, Modacrylic, Polyacrylic
|
Flares at match-touch, shrinks
from flame, burns rapidly, hot
sputtering flame; DRIP DANGER
|
|
Continues melting after flame is removed; self-extinguishing
|
|
Strong acrid, fishy odor
|
Black smoke; FUME HAZARD
|
|
|
© 2003 Griffin Dyeworks & Fiber Arts
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Information is given without guarantee on
the part of Griffin Dyeworks & Fiber Arts.
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