Narrative: Takeout
Off-white turtleneck sweater
Medium
Made in China
86% acrylic, 12% nylon, 2% spandex

Actually a generic name to a class of polymers called alphaic polymers. Nylon is a synthetic fiber of a class of synthetic polymers developed in early to mid 1900’s. It was the world’s true first synthetic fiber. It is formally attributed to DuPont and Dr. Wallace Carouthers deemed the father of polymers. It is made by repeating bonds and is frequently referred to as a polymide. Nylon fibers specifically are made in a process known as “melt spinning”; syrupy polymer (adipic acid and hexamethylene diamine) solution produced then extruded through a spinneret. When fiber strings emerge they are cooled by air and stretched over rollers to stabilize molecular chains and strengthen the fibers. It was intended to replace silk and substituted for it in WWII including parachutes, flak vests, and vehicle parts including tires and that initiative enhanced speed of research and development.  Currently joins rank with polyester in inexpensive mass manufacturing of goods – in 2010 & 2011 the global consumption of nylon was 4 Billion tons annually in filament yarn as well as fibers.

Spandex fibers are produced in four different ways: melt extrusion, reaction spinning, solution dry spinning, and solution wet spinning. All of these methods include the initial step of reacting monomers to produce a prepolymer. Once the prepolymer is formed, it is reacted further in various ways and drawn out to make the fibers. The solution dry spinning method is used to produce over 94.5% of the world's spandex fibers. The first step is to produce the prepolymer. This is done by mixing a macroglycol with a diisocyanate monomer. The two compounds are mixed in a reaction vessel to produce a prepolymer. A typical ratio of glycol to diisocyanate is 1:2. The prepolymer is further reacted with an equal amount of diamine. This reaction is known as chain extension reaction. The resulting solution is diluted with a solvent to produce the spinning solution. The solvent helps make the solution thinner and more easily handled, and then it can be pumped into the fiber production cell. The spinning solution is pumped into a cylindrical spinning cell where it is cured and converted into fibers.

I'm pretty sure I purchased this at a department store but don't recall when or where. It has been with me for at least six years.