As one of the answers of how to use petroleum waste products efficiently, the microfiber emerged as a way to take something that was useless and turn it into a product that everyone could use. Here is some background on the development of microfiber and some of the uses for the material.

During the middle twentieth century, the manufacture of synthetic fibers began to expand into new areas. One of the breakthroughs of the era was to take the sludge that was left over after oil had been refined and turn it into a synthetic fiber that could be used in upholstery. The process of refining this waste product yielded a substance known as polypropylene, which could in turn be processed into a thin olefin fiber. Olefin fibers were ideal to use in the production of car upholstery, home and office carpeting, and even some draperies. Olefin fibers caught on in a big way during the 1970’s, with such companies as Hercules, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware producing their own branded form of olefin fiber, which was dubbed Herculon®.

Continued experimentation allowed for the use of polypropylene to develop an extremely fine fiber that was less than the one-denier standard of the time. Referred to as microfiber, this extremely thin but surprisingly resilient fiber could be used for a number of textile applications that the broader weaves of olefin fibers were simply not suited for.

Microfiber has the excellent wicking properties. That is, the microfiber material will absorb moisture and oils rather than allow them to set on the surface of the material. This wicking moisture property makes microfiber ideal for such things as footballs and basketballs, as the sweat from the player’s hands will not make the ball slippery and harder to hold.

Microfibers are also used for various types of cloth where absorption of water is desirable. For instance, cleaning cloths for home dusting, cleaning glass, and detailing cars are often made of microfiber material. The microfiber cloths also leave behind no residue of lint or dust, which makes the material ideal for waxing a car. However, it is important to note that microfiber material will pick up dust and lint and absorb it. This means that it is a good ideal to wash the microfiber after each use, so that there will be no residue to be deposited the next time you dust or wash windows with the cloth.

Microfiber is often used in other textile applications, such as tablecloths, sheer draperies and curtains. The stain repelling ability of the microfiber blend in these types of products makes them very attractive to many homeowners, as well as restaurants and other types of businesses that prefer to use materials that are both good looking and serviceable.

While the use of microfiber for clothing has been around for some years now, there are those that object to its use, specifically because it is not a natural material and because it is flammable. Also, some people may not be comfortable wearing a garment made from microfiber material.