Is the More Expensive Cotton Cloth More Durable?
Researched by Jennifer E. 2002-03	PURPOSE  HYPOTHESIS  EXPERIMENT DESIGN  MATERIALS  PROCEDURES  RESULTS  CONCLUSION  RESEARCH REPORT  BIBLIOGRAPHY  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The purpose of this experiment was to discover which woven 100% cotton was stronger.

I became interested in this idea when I realized some of my clothes wore out before others, and wanted to find which tee shirts were stronger.  I wanted to know if tees that were less expensive were weaker than those that were expensive? The reason I wanted to perform this experiment was because I realized people could be wasting their money purchasing expensive clothing, when they could simply buy more durable clothes for a smaller price. The information gained would help consumers.

My hypothesis was that the more expensive tee shirt would prove more durable. 

I based my hypothesis on the common sense assumption that any company that produced clothing priced their products according to how much they were worth. I believed that tees of greater price would have better material put into them and should be worth more money.

The constants in this study were:

• The amount of tee shirts in each group
• The textile of the tee shirts (cotton)
• The amount of time the sandpaper was rubbed against the shirts
• The grit and type of sandpaper

The manipulated variable was the type of woven cotton cloth.

The responding variable was the durability of the cloth in the tee shirts. 

To measure the responding variable I recorded the amount of light coming through the tees using a light intensity probe attached to a computer.

1. Purchase two woven, 100% cotton tee shirts. One pricey, the other cheep.
2. Take the less expensive tee shirt, and measure the amount of light coming through the tee. 
3. Record your results.
4. Sand the less expensive tee for 30 seconds on a area.
5. Repeat step 2.
6. Repeat step 3.
7. Repeat step 4 in the same 10cm by 10cm area.
8. Repeat step 2.
9. Repeat step 3.
10. Take the expensive tee shirt, and measure the amount of light coming through the tee. 
11. Record your results.
12. Sand the expensive tee for 30 seconds on a 10cm by 10cm area.
13. Repeat step 7. 
14. Repeat step 8.
15. Repeat step 9 in the same area
16. Repeat step 7.
17. Repeat step 8.

The original purpose of this experiment was to determine which tee shirt had more durability: the $5.00 tee or the $3.00? 

There wasn’t much difference between the two shirts after either 30 seconds of abrasion or 60 seconds of abrasion.  However, the less expensive tee did not withstand the abrasion as well as the more expensive tee.  This was true after 30 seconds of sanding and after 60 seconds of sanding.

See my table and graph

My hypothesis was that the more expensive tee shirt would prove more durable. 

My hypothesis was accepted because the more expensive tee shirt, Michael Morgan, proved more durable after 30 seconds of abrasion and after 60 seconds of abrasion.

Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if other types of fabric, like silk or wool, would have the same results.

If I were to conduct this project again I would use a bigger variety of tee shirts to experiment with. I would also do more trials for each type of shirt. I wonder if the light probe I used was the best way to measure durability.  Perhaps using a tool that measured thickness would have been better.
 

RESEARCH REPORT INTRODUCTION Cloth may be one of the most important inventions in the world. Cloth protects us from the elements, and without it, we may find ourselves too cold, too hot, or unprotected from the environment. Cloth can be used for many different things. Cloth doesn’t even have to be worn. It can be made into bed linens, and covering for food, furniture, or windows. There is no end to the uses of cloth. COTTON  There are many different types of cotton. Cotton is from the mallow family. The most destructive insect to cotton is the bollworm. The most popular cotton factories and harvest areas are in China and the U.S. India, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan, produce cotton, though not as much as China and the U.S. Together, these countries produce most of the world’s cotton.  THE GROWTH PROCESS  In order to grow, cotton is planted in a warm climate. Cotton is planted in rows, and emerges from the ground after a week. The cotton plants look like they have thorns, much like a rose plant. In only two weeks, cotton can be as tall as 2 feet high. The cotton balls look like fluffy, delicate marshmallows and look as soft as clouds. HARVESTING After the cotton is tall enough, a huge machine drives over it, and harvests the cotton by ‘plucking’ it from the plant.  Or, the cotton owners can hire people to pick the cotton by hand. The cotton is then taken to a factory. The first cotton factory in America was in New England. COTTON TO CLOTH The cotton fiber is examined, and everything that isn’t cotton lint (cotton plant leaves, etc.) is taken out of the ‘cotton pile’ (where all the cotton is placed). The cotton is then woven into thin yarn, and rolled onto a spool. Then, the cotton yarn is woven into cloth, and at first looks like spider webs. When the cotton is finished being woven together, if you look closely the fabrics look like small squares. CLOTH TO TEE SHIRTS Then, the cloth is transported to a clothing factory. There, the cloth is cut and sewn together to take the form of a tee shirt or other garments.  The tee shirts then go to stores, and then to consumers.  OTHER FABRICS Cotton is sometimes mixed with wool, polyester, and/or other products that could work for a cloth. Or, cotton is mixed with other kinds of cotton to make a better product.  FRICTION Friction is everywhere around us because of gravity. Friction is when two or more things rub over each other. When you walk, your feet and the sidewalk create friction. In space, your feet can not create friction because there is no gravitational force. When a car’s tires drive over the asphalt, friction is at work. Sanding the sandpaper over the tee shirts made friction, causing the abrasion that I measured to test durability.  SUMMARY Cotton is an important fiber. It is strong and comftorable. Consumers normally prefer cloth that is durable and resistant to abrasion.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bealieu, Robert J. "Textile," World Book Encyclopedia, 1999. Benford, Gregory "Friction" World Book Encyclopedia, 1989 Block, Ira "Wool," World Book Encyclopedia, 1999. Paterson, Katherine  "Weaving," Lyddie, 1992 Richard, Martin  "Clothing," World Book Encyclopedia, 1999 Smitt, C. Wayne  "Cotton," World Book Encyclopedia, 2002.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my family, friends, and science teacher, for helping me accomplish this project.

• My mom provided transportation and providing all the materials I needed, when I needed them. Also, my mom pushed me to accomplish my experiment. 
• I would also like to thank Mr. Newkirk for taking personal time to help me. I know without him, I never would have been able to finish my experiment.
• Last, I would like to thank my family and friends for encouraging me to succeed.

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