Synthetic staple is made by spinning a tow, drawing and crimping it, applying a finish and cutting it to length, then shipping it in bales. Carding lines typically run lengths around 38 to 60 mm, airlaid lines use cuts of a few millimeters, and wetlaid lines use roughly 3 to 12 mm so the fibers disperse in water. Length, fineness, crimp and finish together decide how a staple fiber opens, cards and bonds.
This lot of 1.7 dtex by 38 millimeter staple is carding fine, it was the 51 millimeter lot throwing neps.
Bales from one lot still vary, so lay down several bales at once at the opener and blend them before the card.
Also heard as
- staple
- cut fiber
- short fiber
Do not mix it up with
- Filament: A filament is effectively endless and is laid straight from the spinneret, as in spunbond, while staple is cut to a set length.
Related terms
Filament
A fiber of effectively unlimited length, extruded and laid down without cutting, as in spunbond webs.
Crimp
The waviness built into staple fibers so they cling together during opening and carding.
Carding
Combing staple fibers between wire-covered rolls to open them and form an even, mostly parallel web.
dtex
Decitex: fiber fineness unit equal to the mass in grams of 10,000 meters of fiber, the European standard.
Spin finish
Thin coating applied to fibers during manufacture to control friction, static and wettability in processing.