Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1909 — CLOTH FROM IRON AND STONE. [ARTICLE]

CLOTH FROM IRON AND STONE.

A Wool Made in Electrical FurnaceFabric From old Ropes. Cloth of gold the fairy books describe; cloth of iron is a real product of the mills. Iron cloth is used largely today by tailors for making the collars of coats set fashionably. It is manufactured from steel wool by a new process and has the appearance of having been woven from horsehair. - Wool whi"h n°" Q, ~ g qw the. hack, of a sheep is being largely utilized on the Continent for making men’s suits. It is known by the name of limestone wool and is made in an electric furnace. Powdered limestone mixed with a certain chemical is thrown into the furnace and after passing under a furious blast of air is tossed out as fluffy, white wool. After coming from the furnace, the wool is dyed and finally made into lengths of cloth. A pair of trousers or a coat made from this material can be burned or damaged by grease and is as flexible as cloth made from tlie sheep’s wool. Some time ago an English clothing manufacturer succeeded in making a fabric from old ropes. He obtained a quantity, of old rope and cordage and unravelled them by a secret process into a kind of rough cloth. A suit of clothes made from it and worn by the manufacturer himself proved strong in the extreme and kept its color well. It is said that a number of goods sold by some of the best London tailors at low prices are made of old ropes.