Alpaca fibre (hair)

Fibre from the fleece of the alpaca (Lania pacos).

Alpaca Stitch

A 1 x 1 purl-links stitch that is knit so that the courses run vertically instead of horizontally as the fabric comes off the knitting machine. A garment made with an alpaca stitch is not always 100 alpaca; it can be made of other natural or manufactured fibers.

Alpha Cellulose

One of three forms of cellulose. Alpha cellulose has the highest degree of polymerization and is the chief constituent of paper pulp and chemical dissolving-grade pulp. (Also see BETA CELLULOSE and GAMMA CELLULOSE.)

Alpha metric

A number (or value) given by the product of the twist level in a yarn (turns/unit length) and the square root of its count (direct system) or the inverse square root of its count (indirect system).
note 1.. The twist factor is directly related to the angle of twist helix the surface fibres have in a yam for the same packing density. The higher the twist level, the greater is the helix angle and the larger the twist factor.
note 2: The purpose of the twist factor is to calculate the level of twist to use in spinning, in order to maintain the same angle of twist helix and similar yam characteristics when the yarn count is changed.
note 3.. Twist factor may also be applied to rovings and plied yams.

Alpha metric

A number (or value) given by the product of the twist level in a yarn (turns/unit length) and the square root of its count (direct system) or the inverse square root of its count (indirect system).
Note 1.. The twist factor is directly related to the angle of twist helix the surface fibres have in a yam for the same packing density. The higher the twist level, the greater is the helix angle and the larger the twist factor.
Note 2: The purpose of the twist factor is to calculate the level of twist to use in spinning, in order to maintain the same angle of twist helix and similar yam characteristics when the yarn count is changed.
Note 3.. Twist factor may also be applied to rovings and plied yams.

Alsimag®

Registered trademark of American Lava Corporation for ceramic materials. These materials are used in guides and discs on textile processing machines and fiber manufacturing equipment.

Alternating Twist

A texturing procedure in which S and Z twist are alternately inserted in the yarn by means of a special heating arrangement.

Alumina (fibre)

A fibre of aluminium oxide. (See also ceramic fibre and Classification Table, p.401.)

Amazon fabric

A light-weight dress fabric with a full, soft handle made from worsted (usually merino) yarns as warp and soft-spun worsted or woollen yarns as weft. The weaves employed are 5-end satin or 2x1 twill, a typical construction for the satin structure being 35 x 17; R22/2tex x 48tex.

Ambient Conditions

See ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS.

American cloth

A lightweight, plain-weave fabric, usually of cotton, coated on one side with a mixture of linseed oil and other materials so as to render it glossy and impermeable to air or water.

American cord

A tubular woven cord usually of satin construction.

American cord

A tubular woven cord usually of satin construction.

Amine End Group

The terminating (-NH2) group of a nylon polymer chain. Amine end groups provide dye sites for polyamides.

Amorphous

Noncrystalline lacking regular geometrical shape. Used to describe certain regions in polymers. © 2001 Celanese Acetate LLC