Eliminate Hairiness on Glass Fiber Cloth: Proven Techniques & Equipment

Glass fiber cloth is produced at scale, and the high‑speed weaving process often leaves short fibers—commonly referred to as hairiness—on the fabric surface. During primary and secondary desizing, residual slurry hardens and becomes brittle during the subsequent burn‑off step. This brittle residue increases friction on the desizing wheel, causing slight slips and loosening of the cloth. The resulting friction can break individual warp and weft yarns, releasing tiny fibers that stick to the cloth surface and create a persistent hairiness problem.

• Why hairiness forms

Through extensive post‑processing research, our team discovered that installing a hairiness dust collector between the sending/storage rack and the take‑up seat of the processor effectively removes these unwanted fibers. The collector is positioned at the sending and storage rack section because this area involves the most roller contact, where the untreated cloth is still hard and brittle. At this stage, breaking fibers readily accumulate, so early removal is essential before the cloth reaches the upper treatment liquid.

After the entire treatment sequence, the glass cloth is considered finished. However, the post‑treatment process can still generate hairiness, making a dedicated dust collector crucial to maintaining a clean surface.

• Hairiness Dust Collector

The cloth‑surface hairiness dust collector is suitable for a wide range of fabric characteristics, especially ultra‑thin blends. It operates on a combined blowing‑and‑suction principle: a controlled airflow blows the cloth surface, while suction pulls hairiness and dust away into a collection chamber. This cycle efficiently separates lint from the fabric without inducing surface vibrations that could compromise transmission or winding quality.

Key benefits include:

• Superior dust removal and surface cleanliness
• Improved fabric quality and reduced downstream defects
• Lower washing requirements, significant energy savings, and reduced overall cost

For more details, see Glass Fiber Fabric Production Process.