Fibers are the smallest unit of textile material with a length much greater than its diameter. There are natural fibers from plants like cotton and silk, synthetic fibers made by humans like nylon and polyester, and mineral fibers from materials like asbestos and fiberglass. Fibers can be identified through tests like burning, solubility, and chromatography. Fiber evidence must be carefully collected and packaged separately at crime scenes to avoid cross-contamination. A solved case from 1992 involved fiber evidence matching fibers found on victims to those in a suspect's apartment.

1. Fibers Carolina bonnet Nicole Salvador Period 4

3. The type and length of the fiber used, the type of spinning method and the type of fabric construction all affect the transfer of fibers and sign of the fiber association.

5. Cotton

6. Wool

7. Cashmere

9. Nylon

10. Acetate

11. Acrylic

12. Spandex

14. Rockwool

16. Visual 

17. Weave Patterns Plain- Simplest most common Weave Twill- looks like stair steps. Satin-creates long floats interlacing. Passes over 1 or more yarns.

18. Testing fibers Burning- How fibers burns, odor, color of flame & color of smoke. Thermal Decomposition- gently heating to break down the fiber to the basic monomers. Chemical Test- Solubility & Decomposition. Dyes Components that make up dyes can be separated and matched to an unknown. Chromatography is used to separate dyes. * (7,000 diff. dye formulations)

19. Packaging evidence When collecting fibers, You must be very careful. As this evidence is difficult to be seen with the naked eye. It is important to have somebody at the scene to specifically look for these clues. Each piece of clothing that could contain relevant fibers and should be bagged separately in paper bags. *Every item must be bagged separately to avoid the chance of cross-contaminating the actual evidence. *All articles such as carpets, rugs, and bedding should be individually folded and packaged to protect the fiber evidence. *If a fiber has to be removed to keep it preserved, It should be removed with forceps and placed in a small sheet of paper. *Once its folded and labeled, it should be put in another container to keep it safe.

20. Solved Case In 1992 a police expert, Francis X. Callery, testified that 3 strands of hair found on the clothing of a victim, 14-year-old Shamira Bello, matched that of Mr. Henriquez. fibers were also found on three victims. These matched those in a vacuum cleaner in Mr. Henriquez's apartment or on a spool of red thread that due to other testimony had been in his apartment. Four weeks later after the trial Mr. Henriquez, a 31-year-old livery-car driver, was accused of killing three young victims whom he became friends with, in his Bronx neighborhood: Shamira Bello, Jessica Guzman, 10, and Lisa Ann Rodriguez, 21.

21. Test Your Knowledge What is Chromatography used for? What is the simplest most common weave? __________ is the Most durable fabric and is man made and very light weight. Can fibers be spun together with other fibers? What type of fiber is Spandex?

23. The End My Little Monsters!!!