NEW WOOL ADULTERANT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3581, 17 September 1920, Page 3

NEW WOOL ADULTERANT.

A vegetable fibre, really a Chinese

grass grown in the hear! ov the Celestial Empire, seems likely to be a, very useful commodity in the textile world. As far as is known, it is the only vegetable fibre which has a serrated edge

like wool and after many experiments by leading Huddersfleld firm of manufacturers, seven leading textile men have formed a company, and- are at present engaged in marketing the raw material after being treated. The j Bradford correspondent of the Sydney ! Morning Herald says he has handled ' the stuff and was surprised with the j results. It appears that this grass j grows two qualities of fibre on the j same stem. The roots and the lower ' portion of the grass are coarse, resembling about 46's quality, while the top portion is .equal to 64's quality. That is a very unique feature. It' is taken and treated, the colour becoming a passable white. The price is 14Ad for the "crossbred,'' and 24d per lb for the finer quality, which resembles merino. It will never equal wool, and it "is doubtful if it could be manufactured by itself, except into a very thick yam. It is really a wool adulterant, and. will ever remain such. There is not the elasticity in the fibre that there is in wool, but the vegetable fibre being separated, it mills all right in the fabric. The best results are obtained when mixed with wool. The wool adulterant being very much oheapar than either cotton, niungo or shoddy, it seems destined to occupy a very, useful position, and after the first prejudices of manufacturers have been overcome it should be a useful commodity. If dyes all right, and the ; fabric seen impressed one very favour- j ably indeed.