Chapter 241 Static Electricity Fuels My Destiny! Even My Clothes Are Cigarette-Like!

Qin Xiangxiang's factory produced a "rag-like" fabric that already had the prototype of fleece. Fleece was a fabric that became popular in the 1990s, and it is not yet available. The technology for it is also very crude.

"This has potential. You should further refine and improve it." Li Jianzhi supported his wife's textile factory in producing fleece. If the technology advances further in the future, it would be even better to produce coral fleece!

Qin Xiangxiang gripped the "rag" tightly. "This? How can this possibly have any future?"

Li Jianzhi: "If it were made even softer, it would be a very good winter fabric."

Then there was only one drawback, which was its "anti-static" ability. This first-generation fleece was warm in winter, but it was definitely the king of static electricity.

Especially for synthetic fiber fabrics like these, if they haven't undergone antistatic treatment, it would be a disaster.

Li Jianzhi once saw a friend buy this kind of synthetic fiber fleece winter duvet cover. In winter, he didn't dare to lift his hands to "shake the duvet". With this kind of fabric, if you pick up your hands and shake it lightly, you can feel Pikachu's 100,000 volts. Crackling and popping, your hands will be numb with electricity.

"Dad, did Mom bring old towels home?" Li Xiaopang asked without holding back when he saw the new fabric from the textile factory.

He was worried that his mother had brought these home to make clothes for his chubby brother.

If we're talking about hardship, it's definitely Little Fatty's turn to suffer. Besides him, his family consists entirely of younger sisters, and his father can wear military uniforms. So, this... subpar fabric is clearly being used on him to make clothes.

Li Jianzhi said with a ruthless grin, "This is for making a coat for you."

Qin Xiangxiang: "?"

She just wanted to broaden her family's horizons; their factory's research on new fabrics had failed.

She would never use this rag-like fabric to make a coat for her son; it's an eyesore!

Li Xiaopang yelped, "I don't want such an ugly coat!"

"Don't be fooled by its appearance, it's very warm, it's fleece, I guarantee you won't want to take it off once you put it on. Dad will personally sew it for you!" Li Jianzhi was well aware of his own skill level. He wouldn't waste ordinary good fabric, but this kind of failed rag was perfect for him to practice on.

Li Jianzhi: "Son, Dad is going to show you his fatherly love!"

"Mom! Help!"

“Every time, I feel overwhelmed by my father’s love, which is as heavy as a mountain.”

"A child with a mother is a treasure. Otherwise, if I had followed this deadbeat man, I would have starved to death on this island."

Qin Xiangxiang said, "Since it's Dad's love, then let's accept it."

Li Jianzhi: "Son, let's make clothes together. It doesn't matter if the fabric is ruined. It's good for developing your hands-on skills."

After some time, the "fleece" they trial-produced—Qin Xiangxiang adopted this name—finally no longer resembled a rag; its fluffy fleece surface was somewhat like cashmere.

"At least it's not a rag anymore."

"It's cheap, warm, and durable... This synthetic fiber can not only imitate silk, but also cashmere and wool. There will be all sorts of fabrics in the future!"

Professor Shen nodded: "The future is very promising! In five or six years, the annual output of synthetic fibers will be even more astonishing! Ordinary people will be able to wear such clothes."

"This fleece, wow, it's so thick and warm."

...

Soon, Qin Xiangxiang and her team discovered another obvious drawback of fleece: it was prone to static electricity.

As soon as she put on the clothes, Qin Xiangxiang was shocked and bristled: "This fabric bites!"

Professor Shen: "We do need to think of ways to address the static electricity problem and increase the anti-static properties of the fabric, but that would increase costs."

"It is very warm."

The advantages and disadvantages are both obvious. Synthetic fiber materials are not breathable, do not absorb water, and are prone to static electricity... However, all the disadvantages outweigh one thing—they are cheap.

Cheap and warm, what more could you ask for?

Feiyan Textile Factory produced a batch of double-breasted short coats in the style of workers and peasants, made of imitation woolen fabric, with large lapels, imitation woolen fabric as the outer lining, and removable artificial fleece as the inner lining.

This coat is inexpensive, simple, warm, and durable!

Assistant He: "These clothes look good and are reasonably priced. Why don't we contact the local commerce department and sell them at the local supply and marketing cooperative?"

This simple, worker-peasant style double-breasted coat is affordable, warm, and should be very popular in China.

Seven-yuan pigskin shoes are not durable and easily deformed, but many people would rather buy seven-yuan pigskin shoes than spend money on leather shoes that cost ten or twenty yuan. Isn't that just because they are poor?

At such a low price, even obvious flaws are tolerable.

“That works! The factory workers can buy them too, at cost price. I can bring a few for my friends and family.”

...

Although it's prone to static electricity, the people at Feiyan Textile Factory don't mind wearing this coat. It's warm, stylish, and affordable. What more could they ask for?

"Factory manager, I think these clothes will be in high demand and short supply!"

"Should we expand production capacity? Our own internal supply, as well as the nearby villages and towns, can buy up all of our products."

Qin Xiangxiang yawned: "No need to rush, we'll make as many as you need, it's all made from scraps anyway."

Assistant He: "I'm worried that we won't have enough scrap materials in our factory."

Qin Xiangxiang: "?"

"It can't be that bad, let's take it one step at a time."

Assistant He: "Also, Director Xie just called me and said he wanted to buy some down vests for the crew. It's too cold filming in winter, and the actors can't stand it. But the crew doesn't have enough money to buy many down vests, and they even wanted to borrow some. So I recommended this new coat from our factory to Director Xie—it's good quality and inexpensive!"

"It was designed by you personally, Factory Director."

Assistant He: "Send it over to Director Xie for inspection first. Although this clothing is prone to static electricity, its warmth is unparalleled!"

"And it's in this worker-peasant style, which everyone likes."

Qin Xiangxiang said, "Assistant He, you are really smart."

People are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat. There was a slight sense of unease about this. She just wanted to be a peaceful and unassuming person and didn't want to be in the limelight too much. Otherwise, she would be exchanging advanced production experiences every day. The shadow of her former model worker award was looming over Qin Xiangxiang.

As the factory director, she has to go around giving speeches.

In the north, it was already the dead of winter, and Director Xie led the crew of "Song of Steel" to film the key scene of steelworkers producing and building in the cold wind and snow.

They underestimated the cold of this winter. The cotton-padded coats they had prepared were no match for the biting cold. The actors' teeth chattered as they delivered their lines, and their breath was thick and white, like steam rising from a steamer basket of buns in winter.

To prevent the actors' breath from affecting the camera, they often had to hold a piece of ice in their mouths when they spoke, which made many actors feel unbearably cold.

"Director, it's too cold, you need to put on more clothes!"

Director Xie recalled the down vests from Feiyan Textile Factory, saying they would keep the costumes warm. The production manager, however, looked dejected: "The budget is almost gone, we can't afford many down vests."

Director Xie sighed: "Actors aren't made of steel. Buy a few outfits for the main actors."

He called Feiyan Textile Factory, wanting to buy a batch of down vests and hoping to negotiate a lower price. Assistant He on the other end of the line answered his call and recommended the factory's new worker's and peasant's overcoats, which were good quality, inexpensive, and warm.

Director Xie was both surprised and doubtful: "Is this coat really warm? For this price?"

"Director, how about we send a batch over for you to try on first? You can wear one and see how it looks before deciding whether you want it or not. If you don't need it, just return the clothes so it won't affect your filming."

"Okay, okay!" Director Xie had no choice but to agree, deciding to give it a shot.

Soon, a batch of clothes was delivered to the "Song of Steel" production team. Director Xie asked the actors to pick up their costumes, but the actors were not very happy.

"Will this outfit be okay? The director said he'd get us some down vests. I heard from a relative in Shanghai that down vests are really warm!"

"Now it's become a short coat, and it's super cheap! But...but doesn't it let in the wind?"

The actors in the crew all considered this batch of winter coats to be cheap goods, a helpless move due to the crew's limited budget.

When they unloaded a canvas-packed package and opened it, they found a series of navy blue, thick, double-breasted short coats with large lapels, brass buttons, and crisp, attractive cuts, exuding a worker-peasant style.

"The clothes are really nice!"

"But the price is so cheap... could it be that they cut corners?"

They thought it was a cheap item, but when they handled it, the crew was stunned. "So heavy?! Is this material free?"

Director Xie grabbed a piece of clothing and exclaimed, "This is heavier than anything from a state-owned department store!"

Wearing it, a heavy warmth enveloped my body, frozen in the cold wind, shielding me from all the harshness outside. Exclamations of surprise rose and fell.

"These clothes are so warm!"

"This is a coat made of high-quality materials."

Many people put them on immediately and were reluctant to take them off, their faces beaming with smiles. However, not long after, they felt the crackling static electricity.

"Hey, there's electricity! This clothing is electrified!"

...

Even if it generates static electricity, many people are reluctant to take it off. So what if it generates static electricity? Just minimize friction!

The assistant director joked, "Look! Look at the sparks on these clothes! This is the fire in the hearts of our working class! The clothes are even electrified! This effect is more realistic than foreign special effects!"

Everyone else in the crew was amused; they found joy even in such difficult circumstances.

Upon hearing his words, Director Xie suddenly had an inspiration: "Let's use this outfit as a costume!"