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Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an ideal alternative filtering material. However, current functionalization approaches for BC have not been fully discovered industrially as well as academically applying textile processing. This study aims to create a sustainable fabric-like membrane made of BC/activated carbon (AC) for applications in filtration using textile padding method, to protect people from respiratory pandemics.

Fabric-like BC is first mechanically dehydrated then AC is loaded via a textile padding step. The finishing efficacy, properties of fabric-like BC/AC and NaOH pretreatment are analyzed and characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), CIELab color space, color strength (K/S), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm including Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) pore size and volume.

This research results in a fabric-like BC/AC with pore diameters of 3.407 ± 0.310 nm, specific surface area of 115.28 m²/g and an efficient scalable padding process, which uses 8 times less amount of chemical and nearly 30 times shorter treating duration than conventional methods.

Our globe is now consuming an alarming amount of non-degradable disposable masks resulting in massive trash buildup as a future environmental problem. Besides, current disposable masks requiring a significant upfront technological investment have posed challenges in human protection from respiratory diseases, especially for countries with limited conditions. By combining a sustainable material (BC) with popular padding method of textile industry, the fabric-like BC/AC will offer sustainable and practical values for both humankind and nature.

This research has offered an effective padding process to functionalize BC, and a unique fabric-like BC/AC membrane for filtration applications.

The body model which has been utilized in our clothing simulation does not deform and gives a boundary condition for mechanical calculation. To determine the shape of clothing in the case where clothing and body mechanically interact with each other, the body model used for this purpose has to be deformable. In this study, basic techniques for realization of the deformable body model were investigated. A tetrahedron was defined as a fundamental element for mechanical calculation of solid, and it was formulated with ordinal strain. Four kinds of cubes consisting of six tetrahedrons were defined as basic geometrical elements for constructing solids. Two kinds of cantilevers were constructed from the cubes and mechanical simulation was carried out with proper mechanical properties. A method of estimating internal mechanical properties of the human body was tested. The method is a modification of the simulation and is one of inverse problems. Treatment of collision is required for the simulation in which clothing and body mechanically interact with each other. The treatment of collision is based on a triangular element, and the processes consist of its detection and resolution. Simulation of a right cylinder solid wound by fabric like pipe was carried out to check collision treatment.

Dehydrated bacterial cellulose’s (BC) intrinsic rigidity constrains applicability across textiles, leather, health care and other sectors. This study aims to yield a novel BC modification method using glycerol and succinic acid with catalyst and heat, applied via an industrially scalable padding method to tackle BC’s stiffness drawbacks and enhance BC properties.

Fabric-like BC is generated via mechanical dehydration and then finished by using padding method with glycerol, succinic acid, catalyst and heat. Comprehensive material characterizations, including international testing standards for stiffness, bending properties (cantilever method), tensile properties, moisture vapor transmission rate, moisture content and regain, washing, thermal gravimetric analysis, derivative thermogravimetry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and colorimetric measurement, are used.

The combination of BC/glycerol/succinic acid dramatically enhanced porous structure, elongation (27.40 ± 6.39%), flexibility (flexural rigidity of 21.46 ± 4.01 µN m; bending modulus of 97.45 ± 18.20 MPa) and moisture management (moisture vapor transmission rate of 961.07 ± 86.16 g/m²/24 h; moisture content of 27.43 ± 2.50%; and moisture regain of 37.94 ± 4.73%). This softening process modified the thermal stability of BC. Besides, this study alleviated the drawbacks for washing (five cycles) of BC and glycerol caused by the ineffective affinity between glycerol and cellulose by adding succinic acid with catalyst and heat.

The study yields an effective padding process for BC softening and a unique modified BC to contribute added value to textile and leather industries as a sustainable alternative to existing materials and a premise for future research on BC functionalization by using doable technologies in mass production as padding.

The purpose of this study is to identify the print effects produced on selected fabrics due to the adaptation of styrofoam, plastic net and wood as stamp blocks for printing.

The art-based experimental research approach was used to produce and identify the art (prints) produced by stamp blocks on different fabrics using water-soluble print paste.

They stamp block surfaces used in the block printing process produced interesting effects or prints that are uniquely associated with each other. Fabrics such as silver and satin produced shinny print effects coupled with a tough hand or feel as compared to a paperish hand produced on the surfaces of cotton-polyester blend and linen fabrics. The addition of white glue to the paste produced a smooth and embossed-like print effect on fabrics like mercerised cotton and linen. Further results were captured to indicate the hand of these fabrics after printing due to the change in viscosity of the print paste.

The use of calabash and wood surfaces as stamp blocks used in Ghana and the rest of the world is common for printing patterns on fabrics. This study essentially reveals the possibility of using different surfaces for stamp blocks which produce aesthetically pleasing print effects. This when adopted by craftsmen and students would widen the teaching and creative scope in block printing and further produce viable prints for the market using available materials in the environment. These activities would promote and maintain the philosophy of block printing even in the era of advance printing technologies.

Chitosan is widely considered as a natural polymer and a diverse finish to impart antibacterial property and enhanced dye uptake of textiles. Herein, the authors have investigated the feasibility of using chitosan/starch blend as a thickener in screen printing of cellulosic fabrics with some natural dyes.

The polymeric blend of chitosan/starch was prepared and used as a thickener for screen printing with three natural dye extracts, namely, Curcuma tinctoria (turmeric), Beta vulgaris (beet) roots and Lawsonia alba (henna) leaves on cellulosic fabrics like cotton and viscose. The viscosity and rheological properties of print paste as a fresh and after overnight shelving were examined. The influence of polymeric blends on cellulosic fabrics' print properties was inspected by determining their colorfastness, rubbing fastness, tensile strength and antibacterial activity.

The results depicted that chitosan/starch blend as printing thickener increased the shade depth with good wet and dry rubbing fastness for all the test natural dyes. The antibacterial activity of resultant printed cellulosic fabrics was found to be satisfactory against broad-spectrum bacterial strains.

This study's outcome is the development of chitosan blend thickeners to print the cellulosic fabrics with indigenous natural dyes.

The authors found no previous report on the synthesis of chitosan-based antibacterial blend thickeners with three distinct natural dyes and their application in screen printing of native and regenerated cellulosic fabrics of cotton and viscose, respectively.

The purpose of this research is to design 3D print and analyze mechanical as well as microstructural behavior of interlaced fibrous structures using Dremel 3D45 additive manufacturing (AM) machine.

A series of plain and twill weave fabrics are designed using computer-aided design software Solidworks and printed using fused deposition modeling machines to determine the best model that could be printable. The structures were designed in such a way that the fabricated yarns with pure (PLA) were not sticking to each other in the fabric structure. The specimens were printed in vertical orientation and then tensile and three-point bending (flexural) tests were conducted for twill weave fabrics.

The tests showed that the mechanical strength was higher in the warp direction than in the weft direction. This difference was because of printing of continuous filament-like yarns in the warp direction and staple-like yarns in the weft direction. This orthotropic property of the material was verified by analyzing its microscopic structures via optical microscope.

Future work should include improvement of the structure and exploration of different polymers and their composites to increase the tensile, bending and other strengths to make the 3D-printed structures more flexible and stronger. Future research should also focus on the large-scale manufacturing of 3D printed fabrics.

This paper supports work on wearable 3D-printed fabrics. The 3D-printed fabric will also contribute to new applications and products such as liquid filters.

The research done in this work is new and original. This paper contributes to new knowledge by providing a better understanding of polymers and their 3D printing capabilities to form a complex fabric structure.

This paper investigates financial resilience within selected micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and how it is used as a growth tool amidst coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threats.

An appreciative inquiry qualitative approach using a positive orientation with a case study design instead of the conventional problem-oriented approach was used. It focuses on successful MSMEs that experienced growth amidst the first wave of COVID-19 despite the large number of MSMEs that were affected negatively by the pandemic.

The results indicate that the MSMEs that were growing at an epic rate during COVID-19 exhibited financial resilience due to savings, innovative leadership, financial knowledge, experience and social capital. These businesses maintained client relationships and accessed financial capital.

The study was qualitative based on a few cases.

Business owners/managers should learn financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills and leadership skills and build social capital which are tenets of financial resilience during turbulent times.

The study contributes to the continuity of MSMEs in developing economies during times of uncertainty.

This paper aims to develop at sewing thread during the seam formation may lead to the compression of fabric under seam. In the present study, the model has been proposed to predict the seam compression and calculation of seam boldness, as well as thread consumption by considering seam compression.

The effect of sewing parameters on the fabric compression at the seam (Cf) for fabrics of varying bulk density was studied by the Taguchi method and also the multilinear regression equation is obtained to predict seam compression by considering these parameters. The framework has been set as per the single view metrology approach to measuring structural seam boldness (Bs). One of the basic geometrical models (Ghosh and Chavhan, 2014) for the prediction of thread consumption at lock stitch has been modified by considering fabric compression at the seam (Cf).

The multilinear regression model has been proposed which can predict the compression under seam using easily measurable fabric parameters and stitch density. The seam boldness is successfully calculated quantitatively using the proposed formula with a good correlation with the seam boldness rated subjectively. The thread consumption estimation from the proposed approach was found to be more accurate.

The compression under seam is found out using easily measurable parameters; fabric thickness, fabric weight and stitch density from the proposed model. The attempt has been made to calculate seam boldness quantitatively and the new approach to find out thread consumption by considering the seam compression has been proposed.

The manufacture of garments is important in many countries, not only because of economics but also because of the social and political issues arising from the employment of large numbers of people, often concentrated in particular districts. In addition, the production of textiles is often economically and geographically close to garment manufacture. Indeed some major companies have a policy of vertical integration of the two activities. In Europe in 1990 the clothing industry employed about 1 million people and an extra 0.5 million in the knitting industry. The figures for the UK were 213,000 and 72,500 respectively, with exports increasing in the value of over £2 billion by 1992.