Cotton Yarn Output

COTTON YARN OUTPUT The figures of the British cotton yarn output were published officially, in a fairly comprehensive form, in the Report of the Third Census of Production (1924) as follows:— British Production of Cotton Yarn in 1924 Counts up to No. 4o 1,009,1 S4,000 lb. k109,090,000 Counts over No. 4o and up to No. 8o 310,037,000 „ 57,026,00o Counts over No. 8o and up to No. 120 ,, Counts over No. 120 3,623,000 ,, 1,946,000 Totals 1,3 78,647,000 lb . 1185,802,000 The International Federation of Master Cotton Spinners' and Manufacturers' Associations publish half-yearly reports of the world's cotton consumption and spindles. From these reports a good idea is obtained of the amount of the yarn output, in every country of the world, by making an allowance for the wastage which occurs in the treatment necessary to convert the cotton into yarn. The numbers or fineness of the yarn spun are not indicated in these returns.

From a comparison of the figures of the yarn output with the consumption of cotton in Great Britain for the year 1924, it is possible to estimate the approximate wastage. Table II. gives figures for the five-year periods 1908-13 and 1921-26. The prin cipal contributors to the world's figures, are included in the fol lowing table. They represent over 7o% of the world's spinning spindles in 1924.

By comparing the figures given in the Third Census of Pro duction (Table I.) with those of the amount of cotton consumed in bales in Great Britain (Table II.), it may be practicable to abstract a conversion figure for determining the amount of yarn produced relative to the cotton consumed in other years with reasonable accuracy. To do this, an estimate of the weight of cotton comprised in the bales consumed during 1924 is first necessary.

The following is an estimate of that weight. Of the 2,718,00o bales consumed in Great Britain, 469,000 are Egyptian of approx imately 750 lb. each, and the rest may approximate to Soo lb. each. The resultant figure is 1,476,250,00o lb. as against the output of yarn for that year 1,378,647,00o lb. being 6.61% less than the cotton consumed. This very low loss is explained by out put, including the yarn which has been remanufactured (spun) from the waste made in processing that cotton.

It would appear from the difference in the mean of the world's consumption with that of its spindles that the world is working harder than it did in 1908-13 to the extent of 1.5%. The output of the cotton spinning industry comprises two structurally dif ferent groups of yarn. These are single yarns and doubled yarns, the latter being made from the former group. It is therefore nec essary to record the figures of output at the spinning stage only, otherwise errors may arise through account being taken of the same yarn twice. Hence all figures are taken as signifying only single yarn.

To identify the products of these two groups it is noted that single yarn is a simple body of fibres bound together by twist. Doubled or folded yarn is made by twisting two or more single or folded yarns together. The magnitude of the work involved in spinning is usually expressed by units of length or weight of a given count produced per unit of time by each spinning spindle.

Some idea of the relative amount of work involved in spinning yarns of different counts is given by expressing such in their approximate relationship. To do this it is assumed that the spin ning twist can only be applied at a fixed rate of speed alike in each case. The customary measure of twist applied in spinning yarn is relatively as the square root of the count. From this it is seen that the time taken to make a given unit length of yarn is of the order when c is the number of the count ; and that taken to Ic make a given unit weight= —= when c is the count of the yarn in question.

For example, if the counts of yarn in comparison are Nos. 16

and 36, then the relation in the time taken to make a similar weight of each count would approximate 16X for the No.

16, and 36X \ for the No. 36, and therefore 64 as against 216

units of time respectively.

Having indicated the relative period occupied by a spindle in

spinning corresponding lengths and weights of yarn, it may be noted that this fundamental factor is subject to some modification in actual practice. The production of yarn becomes increasingly difficult with the increasing count, and the speed of the spinning spindle has often to be modified accordingly.

The most important output is that required for the manufac ture of fabrics in Great Britain and for export in the yarn state. According to the figures of the 1924 Census of Production they accounted for 1,246 million lb. for that year. Some idea may be formed of the portion of the yarn output which is made by the process of doubling into thread or sewings, twine and net yarn, hosiery yarn, lace yarn, etc., from the following particulars taken from the third Census of Production Report.

Doubling.

This report contains references from which it is possible to deduce the quantity of single yarn consumed by the process of doubling. This amounted to I o% of the total yarn output, or 131,862,000 lb. Of that figure the rope, twine, and net trades took, in counts up to No. 40, 1,340,000 lb. to the value of The portion taken for export in the form of finished cot ton thread amounted to 18,095,000 lb. to the value of £7,615,910.

The amount used for hosiery is indicated in the following

terms : The value of hosiery goods, stockings and hose, underwear and fancy hosiery and gloves, of which the chief value is cotton, is £7,650,000. For cotton net lace, lace curtains, piece goods of curtain lace type, etc., the quantity of the cotton yarn used is not stated, but the value of the products is given at £4,795,000. The corresponding goods as given in the Second Census of Production for the year 1895 were valued at £5,313,000.

The following are the names and characters of some of the

principal kinds of cotton yarn:— Carded Yarn.—All yarn is carded, but the designation is used when necessary, to avoid the quality being mistaken for a combea yarn.

. Combed

Yarn.—Indicates that the process of combing has been used in its preparation.

Weft.

Yarn that is twisted in the direction which gives twist markings falling from left to right, with the yarn placed vertically. Twist.—Yarn which is twisted so that its twist markings fall from right to left, when the yarn is held vertically. Doubling-weft.—Yarn of the quality and twist appropriate for doubling.

Ring-twist, Mule-twist, Mule-weft, Ring-weft,

indications of the kind of spinning machine on which the yarn has been made. Ring-beams.—Ring yarn wound upon beams.

Hard-twist Yarn.

Twist yarn containing more twist than normal.

Extra-hard Twist.

That which has 6o% more than the normal twist.

Voile

Yarn.—Twofold yarn made of No. 8o to 10o, count of single, with its twist per inch 5.5 x square root of count.

Mock Voile.

Single yarn made to imitate, or a substitute for voile yarn.

Crepe.

Single or folded yarn containing the maximum twist. Gassed Yarn.—That which has been singed, to remove all pro jecting fibres.

Ply Yar

quantities of the output of spinning are required in the form suit able for the following : Belting.—For power transmitting or conveyor services.

Ducks.

For filtering and various processes or mechanical uses, pneumatic tyres, high and low pressure hose for power and fluid transmission.

Cable Cords.

For motor tyres, net making, etc.

Ply Yarn.

For the electrical trades.

The character of the last group is that it consists of supple yarns

of great strength and durability. They are required variously com posed, from a few single, loosely laid to the more or less complex laid doubled yarn, characterized as cable cord.

In this section there has been considerable extension in recent

years. The manufacture of pneumatic tyres alone is a source of demand of no mean magnitude, as to which there does not appear to be any official figures. It is probable that the requirements exceed 25,000,000 lb. annually.

Mixed

Yarn.—There has been considerable activity in this sec tion of cotton yarn output, during recent years. Most of the com binations are used in the production of novelty effects in both woven and knitted fabrics, and other materials. One popular example is that of artificial silk and cotton in combination, used in hosiery, but it is also used in dress and decorative fabrics. The yarn may be of two types; single spun, made from mixed fibres, or it may be a mixture of threads accomplished in doubling. One very useful combination which is designed to eliminate the shrink age common in wool hosiery garments is made on the following principle. A single cotton yarn is combined with one of wool or worsted, by doubling. They are of selected proportions, the aim of which is that the action set up in doubling tends to render the presence of the cotton thread unnoticeable, whilst the feel and the appearance is that of all wool. There is a variety of similar com binations of other fibres or threads with cotton, in which novelty in attractiveness is the aim. Such invariably cost more than the yarn made solely of the more expensive of the two fibres corn bined.

Fancy Yarn.

This designation is used to define certain yarn which does not accord with the conventional lines structurally associated with ordinary yarn production. This product is dis tinguished in two groups: (a) effects in single yarns; and (b) effects in folded yarns.

Group (a) is represented by a number of types of which the

outstanding principle is the development of a thread having some kind of distorted form, surface or covering.

Group (b) presents infinite variations which are due to the

component threads folded together being laid in the common body in contrasting outline through their difference in tension, substance and size.

Union Yarn.

This description is applied to those single yarns which are made of cotton mixed with some other fibre. The most common of such are cotton and wool, cotton and silk, cotton and the staple fibre of artificial silk. Of these the most popular corn bination is the first named, the amount of the cotton ranging from 95% to 5o%, and the wool from 5% to 5o%. The silk com bination is generally about 50%, silk waste or wild silk being usually employed. The amount in the case of "art silk" staple mixture is from I o% to 5o% of cotton.

Coloured-spun Yarn.

That which is made from coloured cot ton which has been dyed or otherwise coloured at some stage of the process before reaching the final stage at the spinning machine. This branch, although small, is generally actively engaged. Its most notable productions are for the hosiery trades, and for the makers of those fabrics composed of flecked, dappled or varie gated coloured effects; also, heather mixtures, grandrelle and mock grandrelle.

Waste

Yarn.—Made from reclaimed waste products. Yarn which has been spun from the reprocessed waste made in the ordinary course of spinning and manufacturing.

Lace Yarn.—Single or folded yarn. The characteristic is that it is a very compact, uniform thread with a clear surface, still, of good colour and strength, free from knots, faults and blemishes.

Conditions of Output.

A brief reference to the conditions under which the yarn output is organized is of economic interest. The method of organizing the cotton-yarn output, common in Great Britain, is to produce and market through a series of indi vidual units, independent or only slightly interconnected, with the result that each particular unit is directed to the conservation of an interest more or less detached from the common interest as a whole, and the elimination of waste.

Hence the yarns produced under such conditions are not so well placed as are those from units which are operated under closer connected links, wherein the action is that of one team, in accom plishing its work with the most rigid economy.

Instead of cotton importing and merchanting, spinning of the yarn, dyeing and finishing, yarn merchanting and marketing, each being a separate and independent business undertaking, they may be all combined in one business. Examples of such combination are found in the general methods adopted by the most active of Great Britain's competitors. Thus, in 1926 65% of the output of the cotton-spindles of Japan was owned and operated by nine con cerns. These concerns are closely linked, buying the raw cotton, and spinning, manufacturing, dyeing, finishing and marketing.

In Great Britain almost the whole of the yarn output is produced in mills spinning restricted ranges of qualities and counts of yarn. This restriction enables specialization of output to be conducted on a mass scale. The business, in the main, is done to order; mak ing yarn for stock is only done when unavoidable, forward con tracts being the ideal form of business. It is the practice to sell to sample. Almost the whole of the labour is piece-work. By this system, each worker directs his exertions largely to making the work as perfect and as automatic as possible by reducing faults and by anticipating and correcting defects, thereby raising the standard of output.

British cotton spinners have directed their efforts to those productions most profitable and appropriate in the changing eco nomic position created by increasing competition. This has led to the spinning of only the better qualities of coarse number yarn from cotton, the rest of these being made from all waste or with a small admixture of cotton ; the spinning of types of yarn in which the high standard of technique secures a better response in the yarn state and in the subsequent manufacturing, dyeing and finish ing. At the same time, attention has been directed to the produc tion of increasing quantities of combed qualities and fine yarn.

(J. Wm.)