Cloth that burns like cigarette paper?

[Naphtali]

I prefer wool for my outer clothing layer partly because it is resistant to burning and melting. I remember people with whom I would camp cussing like sailors when sparks from a campfire would melt their synthetic fiber shirts, pants, and jackets.

What I want to identify is natural fiber cloth that is consumed, say, as close to the way cigarette paper burns itself into near nothingness. Among natural fiber cloths might be cotton, hemp, linen, flax (different from linen??). There are probably more, but my knowledge of cloth approaches zip.

What natural fiber cloth burns most nearly completely?

 

[coloradoclyde]

Not sure what you are trying to accomplish.... :idunno:

Here's a burn chart. http://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/Burn-Test-Chart.html

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Sounds like you might be looking at reproducing black powder cloth cartridges, such as that on the .52 Sharps.

You should know they were linen, that was treated with potassium nitrate just as magician's flash paper is, or the thicker "pro-glow" paper. The boiling of the cloth in water with a good amount of KNO3, then air drying, made the cloth cumbust more thoroghly, and quickly. It's the same process that is used when making cotton cordage into slow-match, but the concentration of KNO3 in the water is much higher.

LD

 

[Billnpatti]

I'd say that cotton would be the best answer to your question after looking at the thing that Colorado Clyde posted. There were other fabrics on his list but of those, cotton, linen, silk and wool would be the ones most likely to be used in the making of clothing. The other natural fibers such as hemp and jute would not likely be used for clothing. Not for me, anyway. The rest were synthetics. Of those that were appropriate for clothing, the one most likely to meet your parameters appears to be cotton.

 

[necchi]

What natural fiber cloth burns most nearly completely?

All of them.
The "completeness" of the burn is determined by the thickness of strand and density of the fabric weave.
Like anything that burns (oxidizes) there is a need for airspace (enough oxygen) to be available for full consumption.
Char-cloth as an example;
Cotton Monks cloth makes an excellent char-cloth, easily catches a spark and burns hot,, a comparable thickness of cotton denim fabric not so much even a thin cotton pillowcase or bed sheet doesn't because the weave is more dense.
Adding KNO3 certainly helps as it is an Oxidant.