Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-06
FINDS ADULTERATION
IN TEXTILE FABRICS
RESEARCH DIscLosEs MUCH
SHODDY
Many Samples Shown to Contain Cot
ton, Though Goods Were Sold
as Wool--Sik Also
Adulterated

NV YORK, Sept 4.-Adulteration
of textile fabrics has furnished the
subject for a year of research work by
Miss Nellie Crooks, a Teachers col
lege student. She has just made re-
port showing how she conducted tests
with many samples of goods that
proved to be largely cotton.
The absence of any standards in the
manufacture of textiles is discussed In
the report, which is in part as fol-
lows:
Is the establishment of standards
in the textile industry necessary?
If necessary, can they be estab-
lished?
The word textile has been used to
cover such a large and indefinite field
of instruction that limitation of the
subject for my purpose is necessary
1 shall use the term as including the
study of all fibers and the woven goods
produced from them, considered from
the point of view of the consumer.
There are in different parts of the
country eight or ten textile schools for
the training of designers, chemists and
other workers in textiles. These schools
take the point of view of the manufac-
turer rather than that of the con-
sumer. AS a silk manufacturer has
expressed 1t, 1.-THE best manufacturer is
the one who is the most Slick who
can weight his goods the most without
showing" Or, as a student In a tex
tile school said to a visitor: "Our
teacher Is so clever he can spin wool
and cotton together SO they can never
be detected" Our training should aim
to educate the consumer so he may
look deeper than the face value Of the
goods he wishes to buy, and will de-
mand that material be what it Is rep
resented to be.
Women Chief Buyers
According to the United States CEN
BUS more than $500, 900 was expend-
ed for textile goods in 1900. 1t Is es-
timated that 80 or 80 per cent is bought
by women, this expenditure represent
ing about 16 per cent of the average
family income. What have women as
basis for judging when buying, not
only clothing, but household furnish
ings? Only the ignorance of unframed
clerks. whose assurance of "all woop
or "all silk" Is so often taken as au-
thoritative, to the undoing of the pur-
chaser. Textile purchases form an i'm
portant part Of the institutional budg-
ct, but at present there is no guiding
theory to aid the institutional man
ager, only local experience and tradi-
ton, so that the newcomer must learn
at the expense of the institution.
When the industries were In the
home. women spun and wove their own
materials and knew of what they were
made. They were taught to Judge
goods, and our careful grandmothers,
when they bought materials, could tell
of what they were composed. With the
manufacture of snowy substitutes has
come the debasing of judgment, so that
honest value is no longer demanded.
Instead of using the genuine wool. as
In earlier days, many a manufacturer
now makes his woolen yarn by mixing
q small part of good wool with shoddy
(wool made from old rags once used),
and other cheap filling. These are
placed in layers and are mixed while
passing through different machines be-
fore spinning. In the finished goods
the thickness of pile may be increased
by short ends, which are sprinkled on
the goods after weaving. These mat
down and become part of the cloth In
the finishing process. In linen goods a
process has been discovered within the
last few years whereby the short ends
or refuse Of the fax can be spun into
thread that has every appearance of
being composed of long fbers.
Silk is much adulterated; 70 per cent
of tin can be used in weighing. A
poor quality of cotton is often used in
high priced gods. Since these clever
tricks are resorted to to cheaper the
cost of manufacture and to give poor
goods the appearance of desirable ma
terial, Is 1t not true that public opinion
should be aroused to demand stand
ard Of value in the textile business?
During the last year I have spent
some time in investigating the problem
Of hosiery. I have found that buyers
Judge the goods by weight, feeling, size
and number of threads. and elasticity
of the woven material. AS far as 1
could ascertain they trust entirely to
their trained experience, and make use
of no objective tests. There is no
standard in the general trade to which
the goods must conform.
Government Has Tests
The United States war department,
however, has very dennite and exact |
specifications for yarn, wool, color, |
and weight of the goods |
to be furnished for soldiers use. In |
contracting for supplying stockings to
the soldiers manufacturers must con-
form to the specifications and the goods |
must meet the tests. Samples of yarn |
are standardized, and the finished goods
must meet the standard; exact tests
of weight, fiber, composition, fastness
of color, and method of manufacture,
as reinforcing the heel and toe, must |
be met. II standards can be established |
and enforced for the protection of the |
soldier, why not for the civilian? But |
we shall never have textile standards |
In the general market until people de-
mand that goods are labeled for what |
they are, as is done in England.
For convenience, the study of textiles |
may be divided into four divisions: |
The historical, the artistic, the hygien-
ic, the economic.
Complete economic value of piece of
textile includes, of course, not only |
durability but also every other char
acteristic for which person is willing |
to pay: as style, artistic effect and hy-
gienic qualities. Today style rules the
market. The manufacturer aims at |
unique products and the buyer seeks |
the latest style. Emphasis should turn |
toward forming public choice regard |
ing what Is of real value in itself
The reason lay so much stress on
laboratory work is that I think 1t |
should be taught in the schools, since 1t
will give a sound basis to the study of
textiles. 1t opens a new field to the |
student of chemistry and biology. The
student will work at problems that in
terest him. There is also large and |
field for research work for
the advanced student in chemistry. For |
instance, collecting data regarding the |
wearing qualities of material when sub
ject to friction, dampness, ETC.. would |
be a basis for estimating the cost of |
clothing. Food investigation has led |