“MADE IN GERMANY.”

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 15 December 1925, Page 7

“MADE IN GERMANY.”

WOOL FROM WOOD PULP. A WARNING TO GROWERS. The announcement of Sir Frank Heath, a visiting British scientist, that Germany is already manufacturing synthetic wool has caused a good deal ot grave thought in Sydney, says the Auckland Herald’s correspondent. He warns growers that they should “strain every nerve” to improve lower grades of natural wool. In an interview in Melbourne, Sir Frank pointed to th e immense loss that had followed the manufacture of synthetic silk. He said that he had staggered the Wool Council by stating that synthetic woo l was arreadv in actual course of production from wood pulp in Germany. He would not claim for the artificial article that it possessed every quality of wool, but it was near enough to it to menace the lower grades of wool to an extent that they wou'd he able to meet the competition when it came, as it assuredly would. He wanted the woolgrowers to use every enedavor to improve the grade of crossbred wools, in order to obtain elasticity of fibre. By this means it- was possible to improve greatly the class of cloth woven from crossbred wools. ANOTHER. SCIENTIST’S OPINION. Commenting on Sir Frank Heath’s statements. Dr. Loftus Hills, a wellknown scientist, said that all chemists admitted the feasibility of producing the wool molecules chemically, but, be added, “the problem of producing a substance which will have all. the chief qualities of wool is one that I think is impossib’e of solution.” He declared, however, that Australia would do well to heed Sir Frank Heath’s warning. At Sydney University there are several specimens of synthetics woolleii fabric developed from cotton. There is a square of cream woollen cloth that from its closeness and texture might he a patch of cream cricketing flannel. - Pinned to it is a square of stiff, rough, open-textured cotton fabric, that is coarse to th e touch and almost transparent. The first piece of cloth was developed from a piece like the second. Then there is a patch of green-flow-ered cotton fabric. And pinned to it is a square of soft woollen c'oth of the same colour and pattern. Again it is a case of origin and result. Professor Kenner, of the Organic Chemistry School, obtained these specimens a few months ago from Basle, in Switerland. In an interview, Professor Kenner said that the process of developing synthetic wool was a discovery of the last year or so. A group of eho/nists were operating the process for the Philana Company at Basle. Details of the treatment had not all been published, but the broad prineip'e, said Professor Kenner, was the treatment of cotton with very highly concentrated nitric acid. PROPERTIES OF THE PRODUCT. It was claimed for the new synthetic product, he said, that it increased hv 50 per cent, the resistance of the cloth to tearing. It was also declared that it reinforced by from !200 to 300 per cent, the resistance oF cloth to friction. The warming properties of the material, too. were claimed to he substantially increased. The feel of the cloth, too, was held more closely to resemble woollen than cotton c'oth. The originators of the process had declared that blouses, underclothing and other garments had been made and worn, and that their wearing and washing qualities had proved to he faultless. It was claimed that the material did not shrink in the wash. Those associated with the product. Professor Kenner said, were declaring, in addition, that philana cloth may he destined to fil| a similar new position in relation to wool as that which artificial si'k now holds in relation to silk. For technical reasons it was stated this process could only be carried out in large chemical works. Professor Kenner said that he has exhibited the specimens and discussed . the process with his organic chemistry c’ass. He has also shown them to members of the Royal Society. As the warming quality of synthetic wool is I declared to he equal ' to that of real woo', the possibilities, should the pro-ic-ess become commercially workable, are very far-reaching.