Burn Tests:
Use a butane lighter to melt or ignite an unknown fiber to determine its type. Never use a match. The purpose of using a butane lighter is to avoid masking the odor of the burning fiber since the butane flame is odorless.
* Acrylic:
Melts and shrinks from an approaching flame and ignites quickly. In the flame, burns rapidly with bright, sputtering flame with a lot of smoke. When withdrawn from the flame, it continues to burn, melts, and drips. It has an acrid odor and results in a hard, irregular black bead.
* Cellulose:
Cellulosic fibers, such as cotton, burns and the ash crumbles – as do protein fibers such as wool and silk.
* Corterra:
Similar to polyester.
* Cotton/Linen:
Cellulosic fibers such as cotton and linen ignite readily with an approaching flame and scorches. Once in the flame, it burns rapidly with yellow flame. When pulled out of the flame, it continues to burn rapidly with a red afterglow upon extinguishing. Smells like burning paper. Its burned residue is a gray to charcoal colored light feathery ash, which easily crumbles.
* Nylon:
Melts and shrinks from an approaching flame. In the flame, melts and burns slowly and is smoky. Once out of the flame, burns slowly and tends to self-extinguish. Burning nylon smells like celery. Its burned residue is a hard, shiny brown or gray bead.
* Polyester:
Melts and shrinks from an approaching flame. In the flame, melts and burns slowly. When withdrawn from the flame, it burns slowly, melts and drips. Has a slightly sweet smell. It produces a hard, shiny black or brown bead.
* Polypropylene (Olefin):
Melts and shrinks from an approaching flame. In the flame, it melts and burns. When withdrawn from the flame, it continues to burn. It has a candle wax odor and produces a tough, tan bead.
* Protein:
Protein fibers, such as wool, burns and the ash crumbles – as do cellulosic fibers such as cotton.
* Rayon:
Scorches and ignites readily with an approaching flame. In the flame, burns rapidly with a blue flame. When withdrawn from the flame, continues to burn rapidly with a red afterglow when the flame is extinguished. Smells like burning paper, leaves a gray to charcoal color light feathery ash.
* Silk:
Curls away from an approaching flame. In the flame, it burns slowly and sputters. Weighted silk glows red. Out of the flame, it is self-extinguishing or may burn very slowly and smells like singed hair. Its residue is round, shiny black beads, easily crushed. Weighted silk has the skeleton of the original fiber.
* Wool:
Chars and curls away from an approaching flame. In the flame, it burns slowly and unevenly. Once pulled out of the flame it is self-extinguishing. It smells like burning hair. It has a brittle, irregular black ash. As with cotton and linen, protein fibers’ ashes readily crumble.