How Do
Aurifil Threads Meet Quilter's Expectations?
... Very Carefully.
There are 4 very important criteria:
The Origin of the Raw Materials:
The
term “Egyptian cotton” is usually applied to the extra long
staple
cotton produced in Egypt and favored for the luxury and upmarket
brands
worldwide. Cotton was introduced to Egypt in the 19th
century, where the
weather conditions and the rich soil enabled the
production of
better long
stapled cotton. Nowadays, the Egyptian Mako cotton is recognized
as the
best in the world. Cotton is currently cultivated in 20 countries
around
the world, but for our type of product, we use the classified
Egyptian
thread and particularly the extra long staple quality. For Aurifil
customers, the Cotton Mako philosophy is a guarantee of the pursue
of the
best cotton harvest grown annually in the world, taking into
consideration: - staple length - fiber thickness - good maturity.
Aurifil
is constantly in touch with producers, which enable them to select
and
purchase the most excellent crop grown in the world. It is very
important
to choose the cotton seeds: they are usually chosen between the
long
staple cotton (seed with different characteristics originate
different
type of cotton) along with the production area, as climate and
soil all
together with humidity and heat, influence the development of the
harvest.
The limited production of Extra Long Staple cottons, particularly
the ones
suitable for cotton Mako enhances its exclusivity.
The Twist:
In spinning, separate fibers are twisted together to bind hem into a stronger, long yarn. Characteristics of the yarn vary, based on the material used, fiber length and alignment, quantity of fiber used and degree of twist. What does “twist” mean: The direction in which the yarn is spun is called “twist” and the yarns are characterized as Z-twist or S-twist according to the direction of spinning. Tightness of twist is measured in TPI (twists per inch or turns per inch). 2 or more spun yarns may be twisted or plied to form a thicker yarn. Generally, hand spun single plies are spun with a Z-twist and plying is done with a S-twist. Twist is the force that consolidates the fibers and plies of thread. If the twist is too low the yarns may fray and break – if it is too high, the resulting liveliness in the thread may cause snarling, looping, knots or spillage. After much research and experimentation, Aurifil has found the best processing to avoid these kinds of mishaps, to the great satisfaction of quilters.
The Weight:
The yarn count expresses the thickness of the yarn. The yarn count number indicates the length of yarn in relation to the weight: “the finer the yarn, the higher the number”. The yarn number for cotton yarns is based on the number of 840-yard hanks in a pound. The convention for indicating plies: two-ply 50 will be 50/2 and will be twice the weight, length for length of single ply 50 yarn.
Dye:
Before
dying any cotton, we need to proceed to its mercerization. What is
mercerization: it is a treatment for thread mostly used to give
cotton a
lustrous appearance. . Mercerized cotton is a cotton thread that
has been
treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The thread is given a
caustic soda
bath that is then neutralized with an acid bath. This treatment,
after
removing all impurities and fuzz, increases luster, strength,
affinity to
dye, gives resistance to mildew and also reduces lint. Cotton with
long
staple fiber lengths respond best to mercerization.
Why
Aurifil threads do not tangle or break: Aurifil is very
careful with the twisting and finishing process, which eliminates
thread
fraying and tangling and we all know how important this is to
quilters!
