iTECH
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
MATERIALS
FUSER CHALLENGE:
Wouldn’t it be cool to become an Inventor or Product
Designer? Getting perfect parts and ‘mega’ materials
means thinking about things like strength/flexibility/
absorbency, cost/quantity/availability, ethical-/
cultural-/environmental concerns –and is your idea
traditional/modern/..or cheap?!
Even natural animal hair ‘properties’ are surprisingly
different. What would you use each for?
HAIRY MATERIALS!
Properties
HORSEHAIR
CAMEL HAIR
MOHAIR
✜ Long, coarse, stiff or very fine and
flexible.
✜ Soft , fine undercoat.
✜ Silky, super-soft , luxury yarn.
✜ Inflexible, protective outer ‘guard
hair’.
✜ Durable, resilient, flame-resistant,
dyes extremely well.
✜ Golden tan colour; dyes as easily
as wool.
✜ Warm and insulating yet wicks
moisture and keeps cool.
✜ Thermostatic and insulating.
✜ Does not ‘felt’ like sheep’s wool.
✜ Sustainable, kind product.
✜ Sustainable, kind product.
✜ 6-8 week moult in late spring
✜ Mohair comes from the Angora goat.
✜ Coats, jumpers, weaving, carpet
backing.
✜ Young, fine hair; scarves, hats,
dolls’ hair.
✜ Stiff ‘haircloth’; upholstery, drying
malt in traditional brewing.
✜ Thicker, older hair; carpets, rugs,
coats, furniture.
✜ Texture varies according to breed
and environment.
✜ Protein fibre that absorbs water
slowly and holds it well.
✜ Hard-wearing.
Source
✜ Manes (softer and shorter) and
tails of horses.
✜ Sustainable, kind product.
Uses
✜ Paintbrushes (art or household),
violin bows, upholstery, jewellery,
fishing lines, traditional wallplaster.
✜ Also in ‘climbing skins’ for
randonee skiing.
Fuser
thoughts
✜ I think they stopped using
horsehair wall-plaster in new
buildings because..?
✜ Metal or tile meshes can scorch
drying grain, therefore haircloth..?
✜ Climbing skins..? Why not a
man-made, synthetic material?
CHECK OUT:
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