Microfibre cloth. Coloured scanning electron micrograph of a synthetic microfibre cloth used to clean spectacle lenses. This nylon-polyester com- posite contains bundles of extremely thin fibres that have partly split into individual strands. The wedge-shaped fibres are so thin that they can scoop up the fine layer of oil and dirt that accu- mulates on spectacle lenses - unlike other fabrics which merely spread the oil around. Their soft texture prevents scratching, which also makes them suitable for polishing coated plastic lenses. This is a cross-section of a cloth, made by freezing in liquid nitrogen and cutting with a very sharp raz- or blade. Magnification x1000 at 8x9 inch size.