HNW - flame testing

[Ghislaine Fontanneau]

Here are the results of Ghia's flame test on the mystery fabric:

I cut a swatch and took it to the sink and lit that sucker up!  It 
burned for a few seconds after I removed the match, then it gradually 
snuffed itself out.  The fire left behind some very soft, still-fibrous, 
black 'stuff,' still in the shape of the fabric.  It didn't really seem 
like ash.  Only about half an inch of fabric burned, the rest of the 
swatch was un-damaged.  So whatever it is, I think I can take it to sit 
beside campfires.  It doesn't sound very much like wool.

Just out of curiosity, I then dribbled some acetone fingernail polish 
remover on the undamaged part of the swatch.  It looked wet.  That's 
all.

So, any clues about what I have here?  And, can I wash it in the gentle 
cycle?

Thanks, 
Ghia


><<Wool may make a hard seeming ash, but if it crumbles to
>fine gray ash when smashed, it's probably 100% wool or as close as 
makes
>no difference.>>
>
>The real key to identifying wool in a burn test is that it will not 
burn on
>its own -- it will burn as long as you hold a match to it, but when you
>remove the lighted match, it won't continue to burn.
>
>-- one reason that heavy  wool felt was always used to line 
firefighter's
>protective coats.
>
>
>Deborah
>
>
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