Which term is used to denote the process of preparing fibres for spinning into yarn and fabric?

Carding is a crucial step in textile production, specifically preparing fibres like wool, cotton, or flax for spinning. Think of it like combing your hair, but on a much larger scale! Before fibres can be spun into yarn, they're often a tangled mess. Carding untangles, cleans, and aligns these fibres, laying them parallel to each other. This process creates a continuous web or sliver of fibre that's much easier to spin into a strong, even thread. Historically, carding was done by hand using hand-held carding tools, but now machines do the job. The term "carding" comes from the Latin word "carduus," meaning thistle or teasel, as dried teasel heads were originally used to comb the fibres. So, when you think about preparing fibres for spinning, remember the image of carefully untangling and aligning them – that's carding in action! The other options, like cordmill, spindering, and milling, relate to other aspects of textile production or different industries altogether, but they don't describe this specific fibre preparation process.