Microfiber is also called fine-denier fibers or ultra-fine fiber. Generally, it refers to fiber with a fineness of 0.3 deniers (5 microns in diameter) or less. Its fineness is 1/200 of human hair and 1/20 of ordinary chemical fiber. Its strength is 5 times of ordinary fiber (durability). And its absorption capacity, water absorption speed, and water absorption are 7 times of ordinary fiber.

History of Microfiber

The 1940s
The origin of the ultra-fine fiber can be traced back to the rayon era of the two-phase structure of imitating wool fiber in the 1940s. DuPont in the United States is the first company to successfully produce synthetic fibers. They used side-by-side compounding to make the fibers self-crimp.
1962-1965
Japan’s Toray, Kanebo, Teijin, Kuraray, and other companies developed special multi-layer structured spinning methods and stripping methods. And they successfully produced their own unique microfibers, such as multi-core, wood grain, radial, and hollow radial.
The late 1970s
In the late 1970s, artificial silk fabric and ultra-high-density fabric appeared on the market. They were made from ultra-fine fibers. Inspired by the analysis of natural fibers, Toray company developed high-molecular aligned fibers. At that time, the fiber was well received by the mainland. And several years later, it was highly praised at the Paris International Exhibition.
After the 80s
After entering the 1980s, the excellent properties of microfibers had been warmly welcomed by the public, which is the base of today’s artificial suede craze.
After the 90s
After the 1990s, many international companies launched fine denier filaments such as polyester, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, and polypropylene. At the same time, terms such as “fine fiber”, “fine fiber” and “superfine fiber” had also appeared. But so far there is no unified definition of fine fiber in the world.
Recent years
In recent years, the Japanese chemical fiber industry generally refers to the fineness of 0.3 dtex monofilaments as superfine fiber. And because composite ultra-fine fibers have properties different from conventional ones, their products have many unusual characteristics that have entered numerous applications.

Production Methods of Microfiber

Direct spinning method: The traditional spinning method is improved by optimizing the spinning process. During melt spinning, the viscosity of the polymer should be appropriately reduced, the purity of the melt should be increased, and the ambient temperature under the spinneret should be reduced to accelerate and increase the uniformity of the cooling air.
Composite spinning method: Composite spinning method can be divided into mechanical (or chemical) stripping method and dissolving (or hydrolysis) stripping method. The former is a split type ultrafine fiber, and the latter is a sea-island type widely used in the market. Both components remain in the fiber after the former is peeled off, while only the island component remains in the fiber after the latter is peeled off.
Sea-island fiber can be made from alkali-soluble polyester chips. And we are now supplying such PET chips to Japan Toray company. For more information, please refer to https://www.polyestermfg.com/alkali-soluble-polyester-chip/.
Other methods
Such as Blend spinning, centrifugal spinning method, turbulence forming method, burst method, fibrillation method, surface dissolution reduction method