Microfibre
Also known as: Microfiber, Fine fibre
Ultra-fine chemical fibre below 1 dtex, often from polyester or polyamide, used for soft technical fabrics.
Description
Microfibres are synthetic fibres with a fineness below 1 dtex — less than 1 gram per 10,000 metres of fibre. That makes them significantly finer than silk (about 1.3 dtex) and cotton (about 1.5–2 dtex). The raw base is usually polyester (micropolyester) or polyamide, more rarely cellulose.
The extreme fineness results in a velvety hand, high capillary action, large surface area and strong pick-up of dirt and water. Textile applications range from sports and functional wear to cleaning cloths and artificial leather backings (e.g. Alcantara®). A fine microfibre fabric feels like peach skin or suede.
- Fibre fineness < 1 dtex
- Soft, velvety hand
- High capillary and cleaning action
- Basis for many artificial leathers
A drawback is the increased tendency to shed microplastic particles during washing — modern trapping filters and closed washing systems mitigate this effect.
Properties
| Fibre fineness | < 1 dtex |
|---|---|
| Raw material | Polyester, polyamide |
| Hand | velvety, peach-skin-like |
| Typical use | Sports, artificial leather, cleaning |
Related product categories
Sources & references
3- Wikipedia: Microfibre Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfiber
- OEKO-TEX OEKO-TEX Association https://www.oeko-tex.com/
- Textile Exchange Textile Exchange https://textileexchange.org/
