SYNTHETIC FIBRE CONSUMPTION

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27169, 13 October 1953, Page 6

SYNTHETIC FIBRE CONSUMPTION

400 PER CENT. RISE SINCE 1937 REPORT BY AMERICAN COMBINE NEW YORK, October 1. Consumption of man-made textile fibres increased four-fold between 1937 and 1951, according to a study of textile competition compiled by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and released by the Textile Economics Bureau. Consumption of both natural and man-made textile fibres was 6,377,000.000 fibres in 1951, or 35 per cent, more than in 1937. In the 15year period the end-use consumption of man-made fibres increased 993.000.0001 b, or nearly 400 per cent., while the combined gain for cotton. wool, silk and linen was 669.000,000 pounds, or 15 per cent. Trade estimates of consumption from 1951 to date would indicate that the man-made fibres have maintained their gains in the last two years. The du Pont study, it was noted, does not project the end-use figures beyond 1951, nor does it take into consideration the rapid growth of non-cellulosic fibres such as nylon, Orlon, Dacron, dynel. Acrilan and Vicara since ISSI. Big Gain in Industrial Field The study was confined to manmade fibres that are in competition with each other and with natural fibres in the apparel, household and industrial fabrics field. Excluded from the consumption figures were such fibres as hemp, jute, abaca and sisaL These . other fibres reached a consumption figure of 830,000,0001 b.

Man-made fibres made their most spectacular gains in the industrial textile field, according to the study. Of 1,585,000.0001 b of fibre used in this field, the man-made fibre share in 1951 was 26.8 per cent., compared with

a mere 1 per cent, of 1,324,800,0001 b consumed in 1937. Cotton lost ground in the industrial field, its share falling from 94.7 per cent in 1937 to 69.2 per cent, in 1951. Wool’s share held fairly steady at just under 4 per cent, in the comparison years. The greatest gain in the industrial field for man-made fibres was made in the rubber industry, which in 1951 consumed 340,000,0001 b of these fibres. Cotton, however, was still the leading rubber industry fibre in 1951, with a consumption of 375,200,0001 b, or a 52 per cent, share. Use in Apparel In the men’s and boys’ apparel classification, end-use consumption of all fibres rose from 1.056.500,0001 b in 1937 to 1,266.500,0001 b in 1951. Cotton’s share was 72.8 per; cent, in 1951, compared with 76.4 per cent, in 1937. Wool’s share was 15.6 per cent, in 1951, against 19.9 per cent, in 1937. The share of man-made fibres in men’s and boys’ apparel rose from 3.2 per cent, in 1937 to 11.4 per cent in 1951. Women’s and girls’ apparel consumed 804,900.0001 b of fibre in 1951, compared with 580.200.0001 b in 1937. For women’s suits, jackets, skirts, slacks and slack suits, 96.400,0001 b was consumed in 1951, with man-made fibres comprising 49 per cent., as compared with 32 per cent, for wool and 5 per cent, for cotton. In household textiles, 1,401,000,0001 b of natural and man-made fibres was consumed in 1951. compared with 1,014,800 0001 b in 1937. Cotton accounted for 80 per cent, of the total in 1937 and 79 per cent, in 1951. Wool’s share was 16 per cent, and 10 per cent, respectively, while the man-made fibre share was 3 per cent, and 11 per cent