Understanding Fiber
What is a denier?
Denier is the unit of weight, most commonly used in the United States, which measures the thickness of a filament yarn. Denier is the weight in grams of 9,000 meters of yarn. As the number gets larger, the yarn becomes thicker, as the number gets smaller, the yarn becomes finer.
What is decitex (dtex)?
It is the weight in grams of 10,000 meters of yarn. Decitex is primarily used in European and Asian countries for measuring filament yarn.
What is a microfiber?
Generally speaking, if a unit of filament yarn is below 1 denier it is called a microfiber. For example, if a 70 denier yarn has 98 filaments, this would be a microfiber.
Understanding Nylon 6.6 (Polyamide 6.6)
Nylon 1.14 specific gravity
Nylon 6 = softening point of 180deg C.
melting point 215deg C -220deg C.
Nylon 66 = softening point of 230deg C -235deg C
melting point 250deg C -260deg C.
Understanding Meryl
What are the main differences between Meryl and other nylons?
The difference between Meryl and other nylons is two fold and can best be summarised as: 1) A guarantee of the highest quality, and 2) The support of a globally recognised and universally respected brand together with Nylstar’s unrivalled experience, technical ability and its growing range of services.
This premium synthetic fiber was developed from its inception to equal the touch and comfort of the best natural fibres. We have been producing nylon 6.6 since 1953 making us the oldest and most experienced producer in Europe. Today, over 60 years of innovation later, Meryl remains the premium synthetic fiber of choice but with an array of designed-in performance properties. Even what you may refer to as ‘standard’ Meryl yarns have been designed to meet and exceed the specific needs demanded by our customers and the market. Meryl truly is the best of both worlds, the fantastic comfort of natural fibers with endless possibilities to tailor it to the needs of the future.
Meryl fibres are only produced in Blanes and are not made by any partners or licensees. All Meryl fibres are made under the same roof to the same exacting standards. This means that if you use Meryl in your products you can be assured that the yarn was produced to the highest standards by Nylstar in Blanes and from that point on it can be traced throughout he supply chain to the end garment. Meryl is a guarantee of consistent quality.
What are the primary advantages of Meryl Microfibers?
The most important advantage is the comfortable feeling or the «soft hand» to the consumer. Also, it is possible today to manufacture high-performance water resistant fabrics by weaving Meryl microfibers into a high density structure.
What are Meryl characteristics?
1) Superior softness: The name Meryl was first used in 1996 as the name for Nylstar’s Premium microfibers. The name soon became synonymous with the luxuriously soft touch customers came to expect from Meryl. For this reason Meryl has long been the choice for lingerie.
2) Superior Stretch and Recovery: 1) Stretchable comfort. With its inherent stretch, Meryl works with elastomers to give a more comfortable overall stretch to fabrics. 2) Non-deforming – Meryl has an excellent inherent elastic recovery, (without any elastomer). Garments return to their original shape and you won’t end up with sagging or bagging meaning the garment stays looking new.
3) Excellent moisture management: Probably the single-most important feature of any fabric used in sportswear. Meryl fibres are hydrophobic, meaning they have a very low affinity for water and dry quickly. However their ability to absorb a small amount of moisture (around 4.5% of their mass) ensures that skin stays feeling dry.
4) Superior dye-ability & run-ablity: More vibrant colours with greater colour fastness, and a greater efficiency and lower waste in fabric and garment production.
5) Meryl FD yarns offer high UV protection
6) Inherent Odor Control: Meryl yarns naturally inhibit the growth of odour causing bacteria in textiles
7) Anti-static properties: That prevent the discomfort of static charge and unsightly ‘clingy’ garments.
Meryl main characteristics include light weight, high strength and softness with good durability. Even when wet, Meryl’s overall strength may decrease only about 15%. And, that is minimal compared to most other natural and synthetic fibers. Meryl also dries very quickly when wet. Its proven ability to withstand abrasion is more than 20 times greater than wool and more than 10 times greater than silk or cotton. The versatility of Meryl in activewear, athletic equipement and outdoor garments has been established.
How does Meryl perform when Dyeing?
Colors dye rich and vibrant with a superior color fastness that manufacturers and consumers can count on. Meryl has an excellent resistance to dirt, alkalis, decay, mold and most common organic solventes. Meryl is able to withstand moderately high temperatures without losing strength.
What is Wicking?
Wicking is an efficiently designed system for dispersing perspiration throughout the fabric which results in rapid evaporation of perspiration and body vapor. Meryl’s Microfibers are wicking fibers.
Why is wicking important to the wearer of the garment?
Because of the wicking activity, the garment stays dry and comfortable to the wearer.
Why is Meryl nylon more white than other nylons?
Meryl uses a grade of TiO2, especially selected to minimize polymer degradation under heat. The good yellowing performance is due to:
– Meryl has more whitening than other nylon 6.6 yarns due to an exclusive batch polymerisation process.
– The very high purity of the monomers used in our raw material.
– The delivery by transfer pipe, assuring a very small storage time of the polymer, and therefore with a low opportunity to absorb oxygen (cause of yellowing).
– A very good polymer management during spinning and the quality of spinning avoiding as much as possible contact with air to prevent oxidation.
– Polymerization temperatures in a continuous process are usually higher than in Meryl batch polymerization process, and this has an impact on the yellowing tendency.
Understanding Quality
Quality vs Quantity
We give value to slower and more traditional processes when they give better products. For instance, we have maintained the original double step process for flat yarns (FDY vs. FOY). Quality starts with your ingredients and Nylstar only uses premium European polymers for the production of it’s yarns.
What is Meryl Lab?
Meryl Lab offers scientific support in the form of material analysis, testing, investigation and the provision of supportive scientific data. Meryl Lab is responsible for analysing and guaranteeing the quality of garments that use Meryl yarns or fabrics. Customers trust garments with Meryl features and hangtags: that is why brands like Oysho, Lolë or Reebok include Meryl hangtags.
Understanding Fabrics Functionality
What is the difference between waterproof and water repellent?
Simply, water repellent indicates that water beads on the fabric. Waterproof is the degree of water pressure that can be applied to a fabric, yet still keeps the water on the outside of the fabric.
Will a fabric be waterproof even after the water repellent finish has partially worn off?
Over time water repellent finishes tend to wear off. Yet, if the fabric is fully coated and seam taped securely you can expect the garment to be waterproof for an extended period of time.
Is water repellency related to moisture permeability?
Yes, water repellency is closely related to moisture permeability. If water repellency is poor, water will layer on the fabric surface, which eventually prevents moisture vapor from the inside being released to the outside of the garment.
What is dew condensation?
When the humidity level between the fabric and the wearer rises to 100%, the vapor condenses and changes into drops of water. This condition of drops of water sticking to the inside of the garment is called «dew condensation.» Also, when cold air touches the surface of a garment and the temperature of the garment suddenly changes, the difference between the temperature inside and the temperature outside of the garment relates to the dew condensation level. If a fabric does not have a dew condensation control system to inhibit the difference in temperature inside versus that outside of the garment, the dew condensation will occupy the micropores and prevent the garment from being comfortable to the wearer during temperature changes.
Other F.A.Q.
What is the importance of a high density woven fabric?
The main purpose is for water/wind proofing and to still allow the fabric breathability since it is uncoated.
What is lamination?
In the process of lamination, membrane is bonded to the fabric with adhesive by applying pressure and heat.
What is coating?
Coating consists of spreading a layer of polyurethane resin directly onto the fabric.
Which is more durable, fabrics with coating or fabrics with lamination?
It is difficult to say. The difference is that coatings come off gradually while delamination happens more rapidly, once the fabric begins to delaminate.
What is pilling?
Small knots are produced by individual fibers working out of the yarns during the use. They are on the surface of fabric.
How does pilling reduce or not form?
The yarn is subjected to a twisting process without giving up softness.
What does it mean UV Protection?
The streching of a fabric during the use, perspiration or water during use affect the sun protection factor. Meryl Nateo can reach UPF 80 of the UV 801 Standard.
