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Fibres Trace Evidence

Our experienced experts at Key Forensic Services are highly-adept at evaluating complex cases involving breaking / broken glass, while always maintaining their impartiality.

Experts in all aspects of Fibres Trace Evidence

Fibres trace evidence can provide information about whether or not there has been physical contact between people, or whether or not someone was present at the crime scene.

When there is physical contact between people, it may result in fibres being transferred from the clothing of one person to another.
Fibres from someone’s clothing may be left at a crime scene, for example being found on woodwork or glass at the point of entry in a burglary.

The recovery of fibres must take place under carefully controlled conditions to avoid inadvertent transfer of fibres between the suspect’s and the victim’s clothing. Fibres are identified and compared using microscopy and chemical analysis.

The strength of evidence depends upon the number and type of fibres recovered.

Key Forensic Services’ Fibres team is also accredited to help when investigating road traffic collisions.

For example, to determine who was driving a vehicle at the time of a collision, conclusive evidence can be obtained using our Fibre Plastic Fusion (FPF) technique, which is far more effective than DNA analysis or blood pattern analysis.

Within the Fibres Service, we provide:

  • Examination of one item of clothing or two items of clothing if garment-to-garment transfer is being addressed. This examination will typically include recovery of extraneous fibres using tape lifts. It will also include an assessment of the suitability of the item as a potential source of fibres for transfer, and how readily any transferred fibres would be retained
  • Generation of known (reference) samples of constituent fibres from an item and/or clothing as appropriate, and identification of the fibre types contained within the sample
  • Assessment, interpretation and reporting of the significance of the findings, taking into consideration the types of fibres and their commonality, together with their number and general distribution and whether the fibres were transferred in one or two directions
  • Provision of reports or experts’ statements suitable for court presentation
  • Scientific, technical advice and forensic training