Thread: I have Heard of the Burn Test. What fabric do you have?

I use a match to burn a small piece of fabric inside an aluminum pie plate. If the residue is hard, then it is synthetic. If it is ashy, it is organic. Once I bought some gorgeous fabric in a clear plastic bag at a garage sale. When I pulled it out, it looked like a silky polyester. I used the burn test and it turned out to be silk! It had a cute lime green/pink daises and I made a short nightshirt and a matching robe. It washes and dries like a dream. Great for traveling, too.

I learned this in 4H years ago. I use it when I want to know if garage sale fabric is cotton or part polyester.

I have been doing this for a long time, because a lot of the fabric of my DM's is poly-cotton blend and other fibers. She made clothing all her life. I inherited a lot of fabric that I will probably not use....haven't decided if I want to go back to garment sewing.

Great link, thank you! Saving that one in favorites. I've tried the test, but still wasn't sure what some fabrics were. This gives real specifics.

Thanks for the heads up on this. Printing it and putting it in my notebook.

Did that in college years ago. I think it was part of an exam to identify fabrics.

I had never heard of this. Thanks for the link! I have several mystery fabrics that I need to try this on.