Glass Fiber

Glass fiber (also spelled glass fibre) is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.

Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling. In 1893, Edward Drummond Libbey exhibited a dress at the World's Columbian Exposition incorporating glass fibers with the diameter and texture of silk fibers. This was first worn by the popular stage actress of the time Georgia Cayvan. Glass fibres can also occur naturally, as Pele's hair.

Glass wool, which is commonly known as "fiberglass" today, however, was invented in 1938 by Russell Games Slayter of Owens-Corning as a material to be used as insulation. It is marketed under the trade name Fiberglas, which has become a genericized trademark.

Glass fiber is commonly used as an insulating material. It is also used as a reinforcing agent for many polymer products; to form a very strong and light fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite material called glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), popularly known as "fiberglass". Glass fiber has roughly comparable properties to other fibers such as polymers and carbon fiber. Although not as strong or as rigid as carbon fiber, it is much cheaper and significantly less brittle.