HAIR MANUFACTURES.
Since the beginning of the present century, hair, as distinguished from wool, has been largely manufactured. The chief sources of supply of this class of fibre are the group of animals repre sented by the alpaca, the capriue tribe, the camel, the horse, the ox, and the hog. The chief of these, however, are used so entirely in combination with, or subordinated to, wool and other fibres, or their processes of treatment are so nearly identical with those of the latter, that a description of them will come more naturally under the divisions in which these articles are treated (see Woollen Manufactures—Worsted). Of the above, therefore, it is necessary only to notice the applications of the hair of the horse, the ox, and the hog, and the processes of manufacture through which they pass. The hair from these animals occupies a distinct place in our industries, and is not subordi nated in such a degree as to lose its identity.
The bulk of the hair obtained from these sources is used for upholstery purposes, being manu factured into "curled hair" for stuffing, or hair cloth for seating. The raw material (see Hair) is roughly classified into English and foreign, the former being regarded as the best in quality. Each class is divided into several qualities, according to the purpose for which it is destined. The best English hair is that denominated " hard hair," consisting chiefly of hair obtained from ostlers and stablemen, being tail hair procured in combing. That similarly got from the mane is of a different quality, heing termed "soft" Knackers' hair, or that obtained froln dead animals is much inferior, " dead " hard hair not being more than equal to " live " soft hair. The depreciation which hair undergoes on the death of the animal is such that, when worn-out horses are sent to be slaughtered, the knacker always cuts off the mane and tail previously to the operation.
Horse-hair makes by far the best curled hair, but is not the only sort employed. Cow- and hog-hair constitute a large portion of that which is manufactured into curled hair for upholstery purposes. The former is chiefly procured from home sources, whilst of the latter the greatest pro portion is imported from America, the supply from the continent of Europe having been neglected for several years, owing to the superior quality of that obtained from America. The hogs of the
United Kingdom, owing to their high feeding, do not yield hair in either quantity or quality which renders its collection worth the cost. That yielded by lean animals is always the strongest and most elastic. Imported pig-hair is exceedingly dirty, and requires to be thoroughly washed and dyed before it eau be used.
Both these kinds of hair are mixed with " soft " or mane hair from the horse, in proportions varying according to the quality of the product it is desired to obtain.
Sorting.—The manufacture of hair commences with the process of sorting. This is conducted in a room set apart for the purpose, called the sorting-room. The raw material, having been supplied to the workers, is first separated into long and short hair, the former being carefully reserved for the manufacture of hair seating, fishing-lines, brushes, &c., and the latter for curling. The sorting is next repeated for the purpose of separating the colours. White hair is esteemed the most valuable, being used for special purposes, and the supply being small. A third time this process takes place, this last being for its assortment into qualities. This is very important, and requires nice discrimination and sensitiveness of touch in the sorter, iu order to perform the process efficiently.
Washing and Dyeing.—Each quality is next subjected to thorough washing in cold water, to remove dirt, dust, &c. It is then sent to the dye-room, and immersed for several hours in a dye bath chiefly composed of a decoction of logwood. When removed, it is of a dull-black colour. Further washing and cleansing then take place, the hair being put into large vats containing agitators, through which flows a stream of hot water. This treatment removes the superfluous dye, and further purifies the hair. After removal from the vats, it is passed through powerful Wringing machines, to express the moisture, and spread over the floor of an open room until perfectly dry.
Both classes of hair, long and short, undergo the above processes ; but at this point, the treat ment of the two sorts diverges into separate channels.