Margaret Frey
Expertise in Fiber Spinning

Would you like to be able find fabrics made from biodegradable and renewable sources? Have you wondered if there might be a use for cotton fabric scrap generated during cutting? Professor Margaret Frey conducts research which may affect the types of fabrics available to you in the future

Professor Frey's area of expertise is fiber spinning. One of her interests is forming fibers from renewable or reclaimed resources. She would like to make use of reclaimed cotton, that is, waste generated during the processing cycle, such as short fibers pulled out during carding, yarn waste, and fabric scraps from cutting rooms. Reclaimed cotton fibers are presently used in high quality paper and cotton fabric scrap is shredded for spinning into yarn. Professor Frey intends to dissolve the cotton and spin it into new fiber just as wood pulp is dissolved to make rayon and lyocell (Tencel). She has been experimenting with a variety of solvents for cellulose that would enable her to produce a high modulus cellulose fiber, meaning a strong fiber with very low stretch or deformation.

Another aspect of cellulose fiber spinning Professor Frey has been investigating is production of extremely fine fibers, called nanofibers, using a technique called electrospinning. Electrospinning relies on electrical forces rather than mechanical forces to form fibers from liquid polymers. It requires the identification of very particular solvent properties for cellulose and this is the issue Professor Frey is addressing in her laboratory. Nanoscale fibers have industrial applications in air and water filtration, protective clothing for chemical and pesticide workers who need to be protected from small particles, agricultural technology, and composite formation.

In addition to conducting research, Professor Frey teaches the introductory textiles course, Fabrics, Fibers and Finishes, and a course in Structural Fabric Design.

Some questions you might ask Margaret Frey:

• How does fabric structure, i.e., knit, woven, nanofiber, affect the final performance of the garments or sewn products that I plan to manufacture?
• What environmentally sound options do I have when choosing fibers or fabrics for my sewn products business?
• What options are currently available for reuse or recycle of fabric cutting scrap?