MECHANICAL AND COMFORT PROPERTIES OF HANDWOVEN FABRICS PRODUCED FROM COMBINATIONS OF VIRGIN AND RECYCLED YARNS

Abstract

The mechanical and comfort properties of handwoven fabrics produced from combinations of virgin and recycled yarns were studied. Six handwoven fabrics were developed using 30 Ne recycled polycotton (rPC) yarn in the weft and 2/60 Ne virgin cotton (CO), 150/200 D polyester (PES), and 2/30 Ne polycotton (PC) yarns in the warp. The fabrics were developed in 1/1 plain and 1/3 twill weave structures. The developed fabrics were assessed for mechanical properties, including tearing strength, breaking strength, abrasion resistance, pilling resistance, flexural rigidity, crease recovery, dimensional stability and fibre release during laundering. The comfort properties such as vertical wicking, air permeability, and water vapour permeability were also determined to assess their suitability for apparel applications and other potential end uses. The findings indicate that PC–rPC fabrics had superior strength and durability, while CO–rPC fabrics exhibited better comfort properties and PES–rPC fabrics showed a balanced overall performance. With respect to weave structure, twill-woven fabrics presented higher tear strength and fibre fragment release, while plain-woven fabrics showed better abrasion resistance. The results confirm that recycled yarns can be effectively used in woven fabrics, meeting performance requirements with optimum quality, thereby promoting circular textile production.