Help identifying fabric!

[morninglemon]

I recently purchased a midi skirt from Goodwill that is black with a black/gold floral motif, no company or care labels, but most likely from its construction vintage and custom made. It is very well constructed, with a grosgrain ribbon. I didn't realize until I got it home that the fabric seems to be disintegrating! Not in the sense that the weave is thinning, but the raised pattern on it is! The black part of the floral motif is raised, and little black bits are coming off at the touch. When I wear it, I leave a small trail of black dots behind, almost like ground black pepper. I washed it in lukewarm water with a delicates hand-wash laundry soap, and it left a pile of these black bits behind. The nonraised portion of the fabric feels like a crisp taffeta (it is thick and holds its shape); the raised part feels almost rubbery/tacky, like a dried glue or an adhesive like something you'd paint on for grip. Can anyone help? I'd like to prevent this black stuff from coming off, either with heat(?) or a spray.

I've included a closeup of the pattern.

 

[bycinbyhand]

Is this a 1950s skirt? If so, there were some interesting 'novelty fabrics' being fabricated then, many of which really can't stand to cleaning. Or water for that matter. lol They're basically comprised of chemicals. Or early 1970s... and you did say midi, yes! They were fabricating some interesting fabrics then too, many with the backing being a rubbery substance; that substance does NOT age well at all, my experience and degrades into powder.

Not sure what you'd used to keep the black stuff from coming off further... do you have a picture of that?

 

[morninglemon]

I don't have a photo of the black stuff but it really does look like black pepper! I am thinking that the stuff is degrading to powder! I was thinking that some kind of spray like a spray-on protective coating (Scotchgard?) would at least prevent me from needing to wash it again in the future, but I have no idea what might work to keep the black stuff from coming off.
I am thinking it is a 1950s skirt. I washed it last night and it's been drying, so I'll have to see if it survived today. It also has a very musty smell, so I was going to pop it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for a few days

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

The fuzzy raised effect is generally referred to as flocking. From my experience, there is nothing to be done once it starts to disintegrate.

Looks like a 1950s fabric to me. Likely an acetate taffeta, or a blend of some early poly type synthetic, either one could be mixed with rayon.

Putting it in the freezer will probably not take out the musty smell, but it might make your freezer smell funny if any mold spores get into the condenser!

 

[morninglemon]

Yes, I believe that is a vintage flocked fabric. It's not fuzzy though - just feels like a rubber. I purchased this skirt for personal use, so I guess I have to get used to leaving a cloud of black flakes wherever I go when I wear it!
Other than putting it in the sun and letting it air out (I live in an apartment and do not get breezes), what other ways can I get the musty smell out? I'm afraid to spray distilled vinegar since I don't know what the composition is and I'm afraid it might react (or melt!) with the flocking.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

Now that you have made it more clear that the embossed material is "rubbery", then it is not flocking after all. Flocking is fuzzy or velvety. You could call it an embossed novelty fabric. I have come across a few rubbery embossed fabrics from the late 1940s and 1950s and I recall I once sold a pair of short drapes made of that type of thing. They were experimenting with all kinds of chemical substance on fabrics, many of which do disintegrate over time. Believe me, they were not giving much, if any, consideration to people's health when they made these fabrics and fibers.

To be honest, the chemicals used to make that weird rubbery black stuff are 99% sure to be harmful to the human system if inhaled. The petroleum based chemicals, the dyes, microscopic fibers, etc. Personally I would toss the skirt in the trash, so as not to leave a trail of dust and flakes where ever you go. I would not want someone to wear that in my car or sit on my couch!

I bring this up also because this issue has come up several times over the past few weeks on the forums. Folks who have vintage fabrics with mysterious flocking, embossing, or linings which all break down and leave dust or flakes, all asking if the substances could be harmful if inhaled. Someone just asked about this issue again yesterday with another dress with mysterious yellow dust.

Just my personal feelings, but these fabrics should all be thrown away. Take a photo of the fabric or garment, and cut a small piece off that shows some of the pattern, and place it in a plastic baggie, etc., to save it for research purposes.

Once they start to go, there is really nothing to be done.

Also if you have babies or small pets in the house and sit on a chair or couch in that, the pet could also get very sick or worse as they actually lick their fur which has the dust on it. Not to scare anyone, but it is something to consider. Is that dress or skirt worth the risk?

Too bad it is in this condition as it looks lovely.

 

[Pinkcoke]

My thought was also that it is a flocked taffeta fabric. I have a rather grand ballgown with a skirt made of similar fabric. I suspect that most of the flocking has come off (hence the pepper bits everywhere) and you are left with the tacky glue residue on the fabric underneath. I agree these fabrics are generally not made to be washed. I don't know if a dry cleaner would work on them, maybe worth taking it to one you trust and ask their opinion.

 

[morninglemon]

I have discovered it is indeed a flocked taffeta. After I handwashed and left it to dry, I touched it again and the rubberiness has completely disappeared. I assume that it was coated in something what was water soluble, or 60 years of unwashediness left it rubbery and sticky. The raised pattern is now fuzzy to the touch, no longer sticky or rubbery. The taffeta material has softened quite a lot, though still holds its shape. The peppery bits aren't coming off as much (it was like a blizzard pre-wash), now it's down to a sprinkling.

I was examining the pattern, and now wondering if there's any way to expedite the removal (ie disintegration) of the flocking? It is a pretty skirt and so well constructed.