What are azlons?
Azlons are regenerated protein fibers. Proteins are molecules made of long chains of amino acids found in plants and animals. Azlons are known as regenerated because proteins are taken from natural sources and reformed into usable fibers. Historically, many sources of animal and plant proteins were used such as eggs, gelatine, feathers, seafood waste, peanuts, corn, and soy. However, many of these fibers were commercial failures. The most popular azlons were made with proteins from milk.
The History of Azlons
In the 1930s as nations prepared for World War II, there were major concerns about shortages of a vital resource: wool. Wool would be critical for creating clothing and household textiles for millions of soldiers and civilians when normal supply chains would be severely disrupted. These shortages encouraged scientists to develop new fibers like azlons.
They developed a system in which proteins were dissolved in a liquid, extruded into the desired shape, and cured to alter the final properties of the fiber.
Azlons remained popular from their creation in the 1930s until the 1950s. After WWII there was a surplus of wool, dropping the price, and making azlons unnecessary. The 1950s also saw the rise of fully synthetic fibers which further made azlons obsolete. Food shortages also continued long after the war. Sources of protein such as corn, soy, milk, and peanuts were needed for food, rather than clothing.
The Lost Fibers
So why were these fibers lost? One of the main issues with these fibers is that they had poor wet strength. This means when they were wet, such as during laundering, they became much weaker and more likely to break. This flaw led to azlon fiber objects to fall apart during normal use. Therefore, many textiles did not survive to the present day.
Azlon fibers are also hard to identify. Many of these fibers feel like wool, the material they were designed to replace. It’s likely that there are examples of azlon fiber objects in museums and private collections that have simply been misidentified. Under a microscope, it is easy to identify wool from an azlon fiber (see images below). Scientists would require further testing such as Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to separate the azlon fibers from other synthetic materials. All of this testing would require a lot of time, resources, and staff that many museums don’t have to spare.
It can also be difficult to investigate modern fiber because researchers need to delve into the world of chemical producers. The brand names of azlon fibers vary depending on the company, country, and time period in which they were made. This makes it difficult to identify and research these materials. Many of these companies have archives, but their condition, quality, organization, and ease of access varies wildly. All of these factors obscure the history of azlon fibers from the 1930s-50s.
Azlons Today
But this is not the end of azlon fibers! As more consumers are turning away from synthetic fibers because of environmental concerns, azlons have made a comeback. Nowadays, these fibers are often made soy or milk rather than the myriad protein sources in the past. Wet strength is also less of a concern for these modern azlons. The fibers have been altered and sometimes combined with synthetics to avoid this issue. I’m excited to learn more about these modern azlons. How exactly are they manufactured? How do feel when handspinning? How will these fibers age and degrade over time? More research is definitely needed!
Are you interested in crafting with azlons or would you rather stick with more traditional materials? Do you know of any historic textiles made with azlons? Comment below or contact me at spinsterconservation@gmail.com!
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