STAPLE FIBRE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22358, 23 March 1938, Page 15

STAPLE FIBRE

INCREASING PRODUCTION

BIG ADVANCE LAST YEAR

(VSOV OTJB ova COKftBSrOITDBKT.) LONDON, March 2. The ■ rapid growth of the fibre Industry during the last year is reviewed in the latest wool intelligence report of the Imperial Economic Committee. It points out that almost the whole of the world output of staple fibre emanates from those industrial countries which are- also large wool consumers, and that production offibre in these countries was almpst twice as great in 1937 as in the previous year. Output in Germany rose from 90,000,0001b to about 200,000,0001b in 1937, resulting in the country displacing Italy as the world s largest producer. This increase forms part of the Four-Year Plan for attaining a higher degree of national self-sufficiency, and has been brought about largely by Government encouragement. Direct measures included the enforced utilisation of staple fibre in uniform cloths, ihe demand by the textile industry in 1937 was so keen that a quota system was introduced, with a system of allocation similar to that for imported raw materials. It is understood that the greater part of the staple fibre .produced is of cotton staple length for use on cotton machinery.

Activity in Japan The increase in Japanese production In 1937 was even more striking than in Germany. Output rose from about 8.000. in January to about 18.000. monthly during the last four months of the year. The total for the year is not available, but it is known to be more than 150,000,0001b. Staple fibre has increasingly replaced cotton in the manufacture of native garments. Its cheapness as compared with wool has also favoured its use in mixtures with the latter. In 1937, a Government decree was issued requiring wool kimonos and blankets for domestic consumption to contain from 20 to 30 per cent, staple fibre, and as from the beginning of February, 1938, this decree was extended to cover serge, hosiery, etc. After the beginning of February, 1938, it was made compulsory for nearly all cotton yarn, and all cotton piece-goods and hosiery, to contain at least 30 per cent, staple fibre, when intended for domestic consumption. Under the stimulus of these two decrees the use of staple fibre in mixtures should increase considerably in 1938. Italy and Great Britain The chief expansion in Italian production took place in 1935 and since the beginning of 1936 the increase in output has been relatively slow. Nevertheless, production for 1937 up to November totalled 151,834,0001b —easily a record for the country. Nearly a quarter of this quality was exported. Figures for the consumption of various materials by the wool industry in Italy show that there was a further advance in the substitution of staple fibre f-r wool during 1937. Although Great Britain was the fourth largest manufacturer of staple fibre last year, the amount was very much smaller than that of the three chief producing com tries, being 33,120,0001b. This was an increase of more than 6,000,0001b on the 1936 figure. Over 90 per cent, of the United Kingdom product is of cotton staple length and is spun into yarn on cotton machinery. There was also an-increase in staple fibre production in the United States last year, the total being* 20,100,0001b as compared with 12,300,0001b a year earlier.