16.1.History and Classifications 329 50 spunod 40 Cotton 30 Polyester 20 FIGURE 16.1.World textile fiber production 1980-2000.Note:Poly- ester means here "noncel- 10 Rayon and acetate lulosic synthetic fibers." Silk≈0.15×109 pounds. Wool 可ax Hemp (Source:U.S.Department of Agriculture Outlook 808182838485868788899091929394Sil9798992000 Board/Economic Re- Year search Service/Nov 2002.) the fleece of the Angora goat (named after the ancient province of Angora,today's Ankara,in Turkey),cashmere wool(stemming from the fine and soft undercoat of Kashmir goats which live in the mountains of Asia),and camel hair (which is collected dur- ing molting).Other specialty animal fibers stem from the llama and the alpaca,which are close relatives of the camel and live predominantly in the high grasslands of the Andes in South America.Further,one uses hair from horses,cows,and angora rabbits.The highest regarded animal fiber,however,is silk,which is spun by a caterpillar as already mentioned above. The third category of natural fibers is comprised of those made from minerals.Asbestos3 is the major member of this group of about 30 crystalline magnesium silicates,of which chrysotile ac- counted for 95%of the world production.Asbestos is no longer utilized for general applications because of its health hazards to the lungs.The fire-resistant property of asbestos was apparently known already to the Greeks and was documented during the first century A.D.by a Roman historian.The Chinese knew about asbestos as Marco Polo reported in the thirteenth century A.D. 3Asbestos (Greek)=indestructible.the fleece of the Angora goat (named after the ancient province of Angora, today’s Ankara, in Turkey), cashmere wool (stemming from the fine and soft undercoat of Kashmir goats which live in the mountains of Asia), and camel hair (which is collected dur￾ing molting). Other specialty animal fibers stem from the llama and the alpaca, which are close relatives of the camel and live predominantly in the high grasslands of the Andes in South America. Further, one uses hair from horses, cows, and angora rabbits. The highest regarded animal fiber, however, is silk, which is spun by a caterpillar as already mentioned above. The third category of natural fibers is comprised of those made from minerals. Asbestos3 is the major member of this group of about 30 crystalline magnesium silicates, of which chrysotile ac￾counted for 95% of the world production. Asbestos is no longer utilized for general applications because of its health hazards to the lungs. The fire-resistant property of asbestos was apparently known already to the Greeks and was documented during the first century A.D. by a Roman historian. The Chinese knew about asbestos as Marco Polo reported in the thirteenth century A.D. 16.1 • History and Classifications 329 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 Year Wool Flax Rayon and acetate Polyester Cotton 50 40 30 20 Textile fiber production in billion pounds 10 0 Hemp 90 91 92 99 2000 93 98 94 Silk 97 FIGURE 16.1. World textile fiber production 1980–2000. Note: Poly￾ester means here “noncel￾lulosic synthetic fibers.” Silk
0.15 109 pounds. (Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Outlook Board/Economic Re￾search Service/Nov 2002.) 3Asbestos (Greek)
indestructible