Burning a small sample of cloth gives about the same result as burning the fiber. The closeness of the weave may somewhat retard the rapidity of the burning. This is one of the best and most reliable tests for the housewife.

Cotton: Since cotton is cellulose, it burns like paper or wood. Cotton material burns rapidly and with a steady yellow flame leaving a gray ash without residue.

Wool: Wool burns much like hair, smouldering and becoming extinguished often. Woolen material leaves oily, gummy globules as a residue.

Silk: Since silk is an animal fiber, it burns much like wool, although more rapidly, with a blue leaping flame. It leaves an oily, gummy globule. Unless silk material is weighted, when burned it is similar to the silk fiber. If the silk material is heavily weighted, the burned fabric leaves a shell-like residue slightly smaller than the sample. This remaining shell is the weighting which does not burn easily; it crumbles at the slightest touch. More satisfactory than lighting a silk sample is to place the sample on a tin dish and set it in a very hot oven. The silk will burn away leaving the weighting in the shape of the original sample.

Linen: Since linen is a vegetable fiber, it burns in much the same way as cotton. It is slightly less inflammable than cotton, because it has more oil; it leaves about the same ash.

Union goods: In testing union goods, or materials made of several different fibers, the problem is more difficult. In this case the material is frayed and both the warp and the filling tested separately. To carry the test still further, both the warp and the filling threads may be untwisted and the various fibers in each yarn tested.