What "fabric" is your hair? (Just for fun...and better hair handling!)

[my2cats1]

I've read that it is good to think of hair as a fabric and treat it accordingly (as we would never pull and stretch a wool sweater, or dry silk on high heat.)

So my question is: what material is YOUR hair?

My roomate has fine, cornsilk hair that flows like sheer curtains. Mine is heavier and falls solid and a bit coarse.....like denim, maybe. I can get away with an occasional blowdry, but her "silk" hates any rough handling.

What fabric is YOUR hair? :eyebrows:
Do you follow the care instrucitons that would be on the tag (dry clean only, no heat, etc.?) :eyebrows:

[Ravenne]

Oooh. This is fun. Um.. Let's see. Mine's pretty soft. Not too thin but not necessarily thick either. Kinda hangs in chunks. Not really very wispy or flowy. If I had to pick a fabric... I'd say flannel. As far as following the care instructions.. I definitely don't shower in cold water or blow dry. Lol!! But hey, it's a fun metaphor!

[my2cats1]

Ohhhh, flannel! Good one! Soft, but enough "heft" to have a lot of styling options.

I just wanted to say that before I found the LHC, my hair was a damaged scratchy wool ......thanks for all the advice, everybody! You're my fabric softener, apparently.
:)

[Antipodienne]

Mine is heavy but ridiculously slippery and sort of thin, so I'll have to go with satin.

[Roseate]

Steel wool.

[LittleOrca]

On a good day it is a high shine silk and very soft.

On a bad day it is a Fairy Dust fabric (Cotton blend with metallic print over it for shine). It looks nice from a distance, and is still beautiful close up, but it's just not as soft and does not feel the same on the body.

[Tiina]

Silk/wool blend. It is not as thin and drapey as silk but it is far more durable while still quite soft and shiny. A bit of good from both sides. :)

[Aleria]

I'd say mine is cotton. It's fairly durable and soft in it's own way, but will break under high stress. It's kind of ordinary but can still look awesome if used right. It's everyday sort of hair, it doesn't look fancy very well but is great for general life. Oh and it has a funky print, like Batik cotton :p

ETA: missed the second question. Yes I follow the directions: iron (occasionally), air dry (pure cotton will shrink if you heat dry), dyes easily, but warning that dying lighter than it already is is hard and can mess up.

[little_cherry]

Silk-cotton charmeuse...strong, smooth, weighty, shiny.

[swivelhop]

Raw silk, its not all the same, you can make it super shiney or matte natural, if you snarl it up it will fluff to 10x its normal size. Feels slick to the hand but 'stays' in styles. Feed it protien, wash out sweat asap, hang dry, avoid folding (small braids).

[rags]

Silk, definitely. And no, I don't dry clean it! :rollin:

Unless "cobwebs" is a fabric? :D

[swivelhop]

Silk, definitely. And no, I don't dry clean it! :rollin:

Unless "cobwebs" is a fabric? :D

Lovely spider silk, haunting and ethereal. :)

[Ylesque]

Crepe chiffon: lightweight, floaty, and prone to fraying and creasing. :p
And on bad days, it's some kind of cheap polyester sheer: much the same as above, but rougher and more temperamental.
I try to follow the care instructions, but sometimes I cave in and "iron" it :eek:

[swivelhop]

Silk, definitely. And no, I don't dry clean it! :rollin:

Unless "cobwebs" is a fabric? :D

Lovely spider silk, haunting and ethereal. :)

[PrincessBob]

My hair is burlap, rugged, rough and heavy, but doesn't take well to most handling.

[Juneii]

polyester. it can be smooth and soft when new, but if worn many times it pills and fades. It also doesn't wrinkle very much.

[becker]

300 count cotton percale: medium weight, smooth and washes very well.

I hand wash with mild detergent and allow to air dry.

[aksown]

Well, I'm not familiar with all the different kinds of fabric but mine is a delicate one. Perhaps great, great, great Grandma's lace hanky? I wash it gently and infrequently with a non-drying cleanser, let it air dry then put it away until it's time to wash it again. I take it down for special occasions, being very careful to keep it out of reach of children and the jealous. :p

[Barniie]

Mine is wet cotton wool. Fluffy and soft but limp and fine. :)

[Heidi_234]

Steel wool.
Ah. Argh. Huh. Great call. :doh: I'm joining you on this one. My ends feel like sandpaper if I run them between my fingers.

[christine1989]

Mine would probobly be a wool/cashmere blend. It is wiry and has thick strands that have a mind of their own but it is usually very soft and feels nice.

[maria_asa]

Mine is like silk chiffon: Very thin and fragile, frays easily, compacts to nothing and change colour depending on the light.

[jackiesjottings]

Slightly worn silk! It is silky but slightly wavy so not quite a sleek as silk.

[Othala]

Another steel wool here!

[luxepiggy]

Oh this is fun! My hair would definitely be Wolford Satin Touch 20 Stay-Ups! Shiny & smooth, doesn't snag too easily, wrinkle (curl) resistant, usually stored rolled up (in a bun) and silicone makes it practical for daily wear!

Most amusing (^(oo)^)v

Care instructions:

30 degree gentle wash cycle
do not bleach
do not iron
do not dry clean
do not tumble dry
30 degrees is a bit chilly for a full shower, but I do rinse with cold water at the end! I don't bleach or (flat) iron, although I do dry shampoo! Sometimes I get impatient and sneak in a little bit of drying, but only until it's not dripping anymore.

I even roll it up in a towel after washing just like when I wash my Wolford stay ups! :p

[haibane]

An old, worn silk-scarf, very soft and comfy, worn see-through in some parts, but still with some shine. I wash and dry it with great care, but I wear it (down) way too often. :o

[kitschy]

Mine is wool. Keeps me protected from the cold and damp. Durable, but prone to shrinkage. Do not agitate when wet, air dry. Turns yellow if exposed to bleach.

[Ludde]

kitschy :)

I'd say mine is like dog coat; both warm dog wool and straight smooth cool outer coat hair. All in a variety of colours.

[sunshine-locks]

Satin.
Glossy,thin,smooth and fairly durable
And i follow most of the care instructions :)

[Yozhik]

What a great thread idea!

As for myself: linen.

Fairly thick, with good heft and fall, but not completely smooth. It can look very nice, but it wrinkles easily, and doesn't travel well without special care.

Wash gently, separately, and allow to air dry on a flat surface :)

[Pixna]

Quilted flannel. Strange, I know. But imagine running your fingers over it. Soft, a bit of a nap, and kind of bumpy, too. :)

Oh, and I'm wash 'n wear. :D

[WaitingSoLong]

I guess satin. I confess I do not know many materials.

[Angela_Rose]

A linen-cotton blend. Strong and sturdy, easy to handle, comes in a really neat color, can have a little shine to it (if you use the right cotton), and washes best in cold.

[BlackfootHair]

Tibetan Lamb's wool. (http://blog.awsumgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/trapezebrun2w.jpg) :) soft, curly, and fly-away.

Wash with gentle detergent. Cones necessary. Fabric softener always. Air dry. Do NOT bleach, iron, or any other means of mechanical styling. Doing so may cause breakage.

:D

[BattahZ]

Not really a fabric, but the new bag I got yesterday makes me think my hair is like kidskin :) When cared for, it's wonderfully soft and pretty, and is a lot stronger than it looks. But with prolonged neglect it can get kind of ratty, so regular maintenance is critical.

[JenniferNoel]

Polyester, most likely. My hair doesn't really hold up to a lot of fabric textures, and it certainly isn't anywhere near silk. Each strand is about as thick as a... eck... must I... pube, but smooth on the surface, sleek and wavy, and easy to handle. Thick but not coarse. Basically, your general hennaed hair. Naturally it's not too much different though.

[chelseamichelle]

My hair is very fine, soft and fluffy. It doesn't have too much weight to it and needs to be handled VERY carefully.

Cashmere? Yes, something along those lines :P

[dfotw]

Mine is wool. Keeps me protected from the cold and damp. Durable, but prone to shrinkage. Do not agitate when wet, air dry. Turns yellow if exposed to bleach.

This sums up my hair perfectly. Wool. Scratchy against the skin sometimes. I follow the care instructions, save for washing in cold water! Except when forced by sheer necessity, I looooooove my hot shower! :D

[RedStripe]

Slightly worn silk! It is silky but slightly wavy so not quite a sleek as silk.

That about describes mine too, but I have very wispy ends, so I guess they would be something like the very fine fringe that you see attached to silk shawls.

[Masara]

Viscose. A bit of a sheen. Looks light and delicate but is actually hardier than it looks. Packs down to nothingness (I'm thinking of a particular viscose dress I bought many years ago and I just wear and wear)

Washing instructions? Do not tumble dry.

[Blueglass]

Silk, raw silk and some steel wool grays that are really difficult to handle.

[SurprisingWoman]

White cotton.

Soft, strong but still bio-degradable so it requires care.

Last longest when washed in water no hotter than necessary to clean, must be rinsed well but will feel best when there's a softening agent in the rinse water. If it starts to look a little dingy can be brightened by exposing to sunlight and adding a little bluing in the rinse water.

;)

[baaaad_kitty]

Satin perhaps. or some silk/satin blend. My hair's very slippery and needs lots of fabric conditioner or else it's gonna go dry. It can take some damage, but only to an extent.

[HikerTrash]

Rayon. Sometimes it feels just like these shiny Indian rayon pants I have. Other times it feels more like the rayon pants I have that shouldn't have been washed but were and now don't feel silky and smooth anymore.

[khan]

Oooh. This is fun. Um.. Let's see. Mine's pretty soft. Not too thin but not necessarily thick either. Kinda hangs in chunks. Not really very wispy or flowy. If I had to pick a fabric... I'd say flannel. As far as following the care instructions.. I definitely don't shower in cold water or blow dry. Lol!! But hey, it's a fun metaphor!

Yep, me too. I thought the chunks were just my weirdness.

[kmoc123]

At this moment, like a felted wool tendrils...lol...I like it to be brushed out and silky, but lately it has been sorta fuzzy...

[HintOfMint]

Cashmere with a silk satin or charmeuse lining. It's soft but thick, and the underlayer is really fine and straight.

[MissManda]

My knowledge of fabrics is limited, but here it goes...

I think my hair is some kind of silk cashmere blend. My hair is very soft, shiny, and thick and is not too heavy, nor too light. My individual hairs are somewhat on the fine side but are much stronger than they appear. It has a nice sheen to it and can appear very sleek and silky or very soft and fluffy and feels wonderful against the skin. Oh, and it also makes for wonderful insulation in the wintertime and it really makes you want to snuggle into it. I can't wear it (down) in summertime!

Some days, it feels more cotton-y, but that's mostly on the damaged ends.

I use a gentle detergent, wash/rinse in cool water, leave it out to air dry, and I do not dry clean or use heat on it.

What a wonderful thread! :cheese:

[MandyBeth]

Individual strands are like cobweb thread - thin, easily broken with too much handling, happiest without heavy coatings.

Tho' all together? Got me. What's like that, but doesn't compact at all.

[Henrietta]

It's hard to tell... I cannot say "silk", though I'd really want to. Maybe silk with 20% of cotton?
I follow the instructions- no heat;)

[MissManda]

Individual strands are like cobweb thread - thin, easily broken with too much handling, happiest without heavy coatings.

Tho' all together? Got me. What's like that, but doesn't compact at all.

Alpaca or angora, perhaps? :)

That is my guess. Again, I'm not super-familiar with the varieties of fabric. ^^

[pepperminttea]

An old Victorian gown. Soft and fragile, but also heavy and thick; something that feels like it's own weight will break it if you hold it in the wrong way.

[Ruce]

Is sandpaper an option? The length of my hair is the defintion of 'awkward' and has a complete mind of its own, and no section of hair falls into a perfect wave. There are some noticeable waves around my face, but the ends are absolutely crazy and almost seem to curl straight upwards, while other parts of it curve so far inwards I look like a spade from a pack of cards! If I run my fingers down it, you can easily feel the hairs that aren't behaving and seem to be falling sideways across my head.

I'm hoping this problem is solved as it grows longer (might make a thread about that) but at the moment, my hair does something new every day.

[TrudieCat]

Wool tweed. Warm, heavy, strong, and feels a little rough. Works well and feels good in winter; not so great during hot, humid summers.

[littlenvy]

lol Egyptian Cotton 80% and nylon/polyester blend 20% at the top which turns to 20% cotton and 80% nylon/polyester blend at the bottom :rolleyes:

For REAL!

[PiroskaCicu]

I think my hair is silk but I have LOTS of it. It is very "fluffy" because I have so much hair. It is fine, lustrous, soft, shiny, can be different colours in different lights, changes colour with sunlight.... :) I have to treat it with delicate care. If not it can end up looking dull with ripped ends that look thin.

My little sister has hair that is an even finer silk but sadly she treats it very poorly! It ended up looking torn and matted at waist length and she had to cut it all off to shoulder.

[cubedcoley]

I would really LOVE to write satin or silk, but I am afraid to say it is just plain old cotton. Resilient to tears or breaking but on high heat will frizz and pill as a cotton knit shirt would out of a dryer. YES! I finally figured out my hair looks BETTER with no dryer-fry on it and much more body in the long run when it is "line dry only." or, every now and then I turn on low heat for a 5 minute "toss around" with the dryer, and "remove promptly" to avoid wrinkles or frizz in this case! :)

[girlcat36]

Definately gauze. But a silk-cotton blend gauze.

[HintOfMint]

Ah I forgot to add, "lay flat to dry."

[darkwaves]

Great game -- I'd love to play, but my hair is not like any fabric I know! (And yes, I sew -- and even have a discount fabric-buying-card from the local store.)

Anything woven has far more heft and weight and stability than my hair... So I tried to think yarn instead (I knit, too) but I give up there as well...

My hair is fine and silky some days but woolly on others, but overall, does not feel like anything animal or artificially made.

[Hiriel]

Hm, bamboo? Bamboo feels a bit like something in between cotton and silk - my hair is quite soft, but not silky. And it doesn't need much washing.

[lorenaluo]

My hair is burlap, rugged, rough and heavy, but doesn't take well to most handling.

[In2wishin]

My hair is cotton sateen: durable and not very soft but it maintains a shiny look even after some abuse.

[JulietCapulet]

Merino wool.

[MoniChaos]

Mine is jersey, like a regular t-shirt oder sweater.
Not particularly complicated, somewhat smooth and absorbent, and retains the shape it dried in.

[Schipperchow]

How creative! I'm not well-versed in fabrics & their care instructions. But I think mine would be a cotton, linen blend with a touch of wool (approx. 50:45:5). Shrinks when wet. Avoid drying on high heat.

[Herb]

Plain, straight up cotton. :)

[AgnesONutter]

My hair would be cashmere. It is incredibly soft and warm. Prefers a cold, gentle washing and to air dry, preferably supported in a bun or wrap rather than hanging to bring out the curls. Perhaps there is a bit of silk thrown in too for the shine and slipperiness, and to make it harder to care for. It definitely is a rather loose weave, prone to snagging and breaking.

[Speckla]

Mine is a silk/cotton blend.

[Daniella123]

steel wool?? oh no!
mine is definitely.. not treated as silk.. all the time anyways
I can be rough with it but at least I don't treat it like a pair of jeans anymore (seriously)

[Charlotte:)]

*touches satin pillow case, and then touches hair* We've got a winner!

[Katurday]

Nylon. Shiny, durable, difficult to dye, and rough if you touch it the wrong way, but slick and slippery in the right direction.

[Sagi1982]

Mine's canvas, I think...

[spidermom]

Spider web, of course.

[torrilin]

My hair looks and acts rather like the coarsest of the luster longwools. Sadly, I do not have the awesome ringlets that a Wensleydale or Teeswater gets. Instead, it's more like one of the ultra-low crimp luster wools.

[squiggyflop]

My hair is cotton sateen: durable and not very soft but it maintains a shiny look even after some abuse.
ditto for my hair

[AspenSong]

Mine's definitely on the satin/silk-front I think. Fine and soft, but I've got to be gentle with it...it snags or tangles easily if I'm not careful and it loves to slip out of any sort of updo, bun or braid I put it in.

[zen_oven]

Burlap. LOL. Okay, not really. Maybe a silk/wool blend. Mostly soft but with some coarseness, and some heft.

[lillithnight]

my hair is cotton and wool with a very light touch of silk. I treated it more like cotton and my hair seems to like it that way. :)

[aenflex]

Burlap!! :) Denim :) Cheesecloth!
Seriously though, my hair is moderately course, I don't think I can ever get to 'satin' or 'chenile'. I can dream, though.

[Neneka]

Silk of course but I would like it to be something like cotton or maybe leather.

[Fairlight63]

Spider web sounds about right.

[irishlady]

Mine is a satin/cotton blend.

It's not too light, but not too heavy, and can handle the very occassional blow dry on low heat, but doesn't cope under very rough handling.

[akuamoonmaui]

silk/cotton blend.

Tendency to color fade
Will show damage if not cared for properly.

[jojo]

mine is crushed velvet its thick and soft to the touch with a wave going on but need special attention when washing

[klcqtee]

Rough, holds its shape, hides dirt pretty well...I'd say I'm tweed. I'm not really sure if that's a legitimate fabric, or if it's a way fabric is woven, but that's what I'm going with. Oh, plus it stays wet FOREVER.

[eezepeeze]

Cashmere. Too scratchy to be cotton or silk, but still soft and manageable enough not to be regular wool. so, I'll stick with cashmere. it also requiresextremely gently handling, so no heat, few washes, gentle cycle, etc.