Investigation of sewing and water repellent performance of outdoor clothing
International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology
ISSN: 0955-6222
Article publication date: 8 July 2019
Issue publication date: 2 September 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Durability of textile materials under wet conditions has become very important in recent years. The water repellency performance of fabrics should be maintained in the seam areas. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of water repellent agents and sewing threads on the seam and water repellency performance properties of woven fabrics.
Design/methodology/approach
100 percent polyester woven fabrics were treated with three different water repellent finishing agents (silicone, fluorocarbons with 6 and 8 carbons) and then sewn with different sewing threads (unfinished/water repellent finished polyester/cotton corespun and polyamide filament). Afterwards, mechanical properties, seam performance and water repellency properties of these materials were measured.
Findings
The effect of finishing which was statistically significant on seam strength only in warp direction was significant on seam elongation and efficiency in both warp and weft directions. Seam strength, seam efficiency, seam slippage and seam pucker of fabrics sewn with polyamide threads were higher than others. The fluorocarbons applied to the fabrics gave higher water repellency values than silicones. In addition, as the chain length increased in fluorocarbons, water repellency performance increased. Sewing process reduced water resistance of fabrics; however, water repellent finish applied to the threads increased water resistance of fabrics.
Originality/value
As a result of the literature review, it was seen that water repellency property of a wear were studied in only seamless areas of fabrics. Originality of this study is that the water repellency properties are also analyzed in the seam areas of the fabrics and evaluated together with the seam performance characteristics.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Division of Scientific Research Projects (Grant No. 2014/3-55 M). The authors are grateful to Coats/Turkey, Matesa Textile and Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Division of Scientific Research Projects for supporting this study and Associate Prof Dr Hatice Kübra Kaynak for contribution to hydrostatic pressure test.
Citation
Erayman Yüksel, Y. and Korkmaz, Y. (2019), "Investigation of sewing and water repellent performance of outdoor clothing", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol. 31 No. 5, pp. 693-704. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCST-09-2018-0119
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited