I am often asked how to tell the fiber content in a garment that no longer has tags. My answer is always burn it!

Set aside an area with some small non flammable receptacle, a baking dish or ashtray will do nicely. You will also need a flame and long tweezers or kitchen tongs, perhaps. Have water nearby… just in case!

Each fabric has its own burn characteristics, how it burns, what it smells like as well as the nature of the leftover ash.

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• Cotton, Hemp, Rayon, Ramie, Linen: Burns, but does not melt. Has the odor of burning paper, leaves, or wood. Residue is a fine, feathery, gray ash.
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• Silk: Burns, but does not melt. Shrinks from the flame. Has the odor of charred meat. Residue is a black, hollow irregular bead that can be easily to a gritty black powder. Is self-extinguishing, i.e., it burns itself out.
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• Wool, and other Protein Fibers: Burns, but does not melt. Shrinks from the flame. Has a strong odor of burning hair. Residue is a black, hollow irregular bead that can be easily crushed into a gritty black powder. Is self-extinguishing, i.e., it burns itself out.

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• Man-Made fibers melt into a bead and give off black smoke.

After a while you will learn to trust your fingers and who knows, maybe it is all about color for your project anyway.