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This paper aims to deal with the thermal resistance of multilayer nonwovens. The effect of fibre denier, cross-sectional shape and positioning within the layers were analysed with respect to the thermal resistance. Moreover, effect of compression on thermal resistance of the multilayer nonwoven structure have also be studied.

The study involves multiple layering of thermal bonded nonwoven webs and the effect of fibre denier and positioning of different nonwovens from the hot plate. To avoid the increase in thermal resistance because of the air gaps between layers, the nonwovens were enclosed within an acrylic frame to compress them to a thickness of 12 mm. Compressional behaviour of the nonwovens were tested at a rate of 5 mm/min with peak compressive load of 50 N. Multilayer nonwoven assemblies were tested for thermal resistance with compressive pressure of 3.5 gf/cm² and compared with that tested at zero pressure.

In the study, three-layered nonwoven structure, provided better thermal resistance than their single component counterparts. The structural characteristic of the multilayer nonwovens affected the conductive, convective and the radiative heat transfer. In a multi-layer nonwoven, the top most layer should have the finest fibre as possible. Second preference may be given to the middle and followed by bottom layers in terms of fibre fineness. However, fine solid fibres performed poorly in terms of compression and recovery resulting in poor thermal resistance under compressive load.

The experimental approach of controlling thickness while evaluating the thermal resistance will help in nullify the effect of air gaps between the layer interface, thus focussing on the effect of fibre denier and the positioning of nonwovens. This paper also discusses the unique properties of fine solid fibre and hollow fibres and their role in providing better thermal insulation for extreme cold weather applications.

Kapok was well-known for its oleophilic properties, but its mechanical properties and morphology impeded it from forming suitable absorbent materials. This study aims to demonstrate the process of creating an oil-absorbent web from a blend of treated kapok and polypropylene fibers.

Kapok fibers were separated from dried fruits, then the wax was removed with an HCl solution at different concentrations. The morphological and structural changes of these fibers were investigated using scanning electron microscopy images. The blending ratios of kapok and polypropylene fibers were 60/40, 70/30 and 80/20, respectively. The fiber blends were fed to a laboratory carding machine to form a web and then consolidated using the heat press technique. The absorption behavior of the formed web was evaluated regarding oil absorption capacity and oil retention capacity according to ASTM 726.

The results showed that the HCl concentration of 1.0% (wt%) gave the highest wax removal efficiency without damaging the kapok fibers. This study found that oil absorbency is influenced by the fiber blending ratio, web tensile strength and elongation, porosity, oil type and environmental conditions. The oil-absorbency of the web can be re-used for at least 20 cycles.

This study only looked at three types of oils: diesel, kerosene and vegetable oils.

When the problem of oil spills in rivers and seas is growing and causing serious environmental and economic consequences, using physical methods to recover oil spills is the most effective solution.

This research adds to the possibility of using kapok fiber in the form of a web of non-woven fabric for practical purposes.

Warp yarns undergo various types of complex stress during the weaving process; namely tensile, cyclic-extension, compression, bending and abrasion. The capacity of the yarns to withstand these stresses is termed as their weavability. The prediction of weavability is exploited to extract first-hand information about the expected performance of yarns in weaving. This critical review article discusses several approaches that are adopted by the researchers for the prediction of warp breakages in weaving; namely, empirical, statistical and instrumental. The recent developments in the field of prediction of warp breakage rate in weaving are summarized. The research work that is currently being pursued in the attachment of a microprocessor based shedding device in a constant tension transport (CTT) instrument for the prediction of the weavability of spun yarns is highlighted.

The incidences of skin cancer have been rising worldwide due to excessive exposure to sunlight. Increase in exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight results in skin damage such as sunburn, premature skin ageing, allergies and skin cancer. Medical experts suggest several means of protection against ultraviolet radiation, including use of sunscreens, avoidance of the sun at its highest intensities, and wearing clothing that covers as much of the skin surface as possible. This paper provides insight on how UV absorbers can be efficiently used with textile material to protect human skin from harmful UV radiation. The manufacturers of various UV absorbers and their commercial products are reviewed and discussed. The interacting mechanism of UV absorbers with textile clothing for providing UV protection and an evaluation of the performance of UV absorbers are summarized.

The tensile properties of spun yarns are accepted as one of the most important parameters for the assessment of yarn quality. Tensile properties contribute to the performance of post spinning operations; warping, weaving and knitting, hence their accurate technical evaluation carries much importance in industrial applications. This article presents a novel approach of classification of tensile properties into static and dynamic, based on the disposition of yarns during tensile testing. The definition of dynamic tensile properties and instruments utilized for their assessment are briefly discussed. Several theoretical and experimental work pursued on the static and dynamic tensile properties of ring, rotor, air-jet and friction spun staple yarns are critically reviewed. The article also throws light on the significance of exploitation of spun yarn dynamic tensile properties in industrial applications. The various material, spinning and testing parameters that influence static and dynamic tensile properties are summarized. The reported empirical equivalence of static and dynamic yarn strength of spun yarns is revealed. Current research work in the thrust area of spun yarns that are subjected to dynamic conditions is introduced.

This work highlights the optimization of the consumed amount of sewing thread required to make up a pair of jeans using three different metaheuristic methods; particular swarm optimization (PSO), ant colony optimization (ACO) and genetic algorithm (GA) techniques. Indeed, using metaheuristic optimization techniques enable industrialists to reach the lowest sewing thread quantities in terms of bobbins per garments. Besides, the compared results of this research can obviously prove the impact of each input parameter on the optimization of the sewing thread consumption per pair of jeans.

To assess objectively the sewing thread consumption, the optimized sewing conditions such as thread composition, needle size and fabric composition are investigated and discussed. Hence, a Taguchi design was elaborated to evaluate and optimize objectively the linear model consumption. Thanks to its principal characteristics and popularity, denim fabric is selected to analyze objectively the effects of studied input parameters. In addition, having workers with same skills and qualifications to repeat each time the same sewing process will involve having the same sewing thread consumption values. This can occur in some levels such as end of sewing, the number of machine failures, the kind of failure and its complexity, the competency of the mechanic and his way to repair failure, the loss of thread caused by threading and its frequency. Seam repetition due to operator lack of skill will obviously affect clothing appearance and hence quality decision. Interesting findings and significant relationship between input parameters and the amount of sewing thread consumption are established.

According to the comparative results obtained using metaheuristic methods, the PSO and ACO technique gives the lowest values of the consumption within the best combination of input parameters. The results show the accuracy of the applied metaheuristic methods to optimize the consumed amount needed to sew a pair of jeans with a notable superiority of both PSO and ACO methods compared to experimental ones. However, compared to GA method, ACO and PSO algorithms remained the most accurate techniques allowing industrials to minimize the consumed thread used to sew jeans. They can also widely optimize and predict the consumed thread in the investigated experimental design of interest. Consequently, compared to experimental results and regarding the low error values obtained, it may be concluded that the metaheuristic methods can optimize and evaluate both studied input and output parameters accurately.

This study is most useful for denim industrial applications, which makes it possible to anticipate, calculate and minimize the high consumption of sewing threads. This paper has not only practical implications for clothing appearance and quality but also for reduction in thread wastage occurring during shop floor conditions like machine running, thread breakage, repairs, etc. (Kawabata and Niwa, 1991). Unless the used sewing machine is equipped within a thread trimmer improvement in garment seam appearance cannot be achieved. By comparing and analyzing the operating activities of the regular lock stitch 301 machine with and without a thread trimmer, a difference in time processing can be grasped (Magazine JUKI Corporation, 2008). Time consumed in trimming by a lockstitch machine without a thread trimmer equals 3.1 s compared to 2.6 s by a thread trimming one. Hence, the reduction rate in the time processing equals 16.30%. This paper aimed to implement the optimal consumption (thread waste outstanding number of trials). Unless highly skilled workers are selected and well-motivated, the previous recommended changes will not be applied. The saved cost of the sewing thread reduction can be used to buy a better quality of fabric and/or thread. However, these factors are not always the same as they can vary according to customer's requirements because thread consumption is never a standard for sewn product categories such as trousers, shirts and footwear (Khedher and Jaouachi, 2015).

Until now, there is no work dealing with the investigation of the metaheuristic optimization of the consumed thread per pair of jeans to minimize accurately the amount of sewing thread as well as the sewing thread wastage. Even though these techniques of optimization are currently in full development due to some advantages such as generality and possible application to a large class of combinatorial and constrained assignment problems, efficiency for many problems in providing good quality approximate solutions for a large number of classical optimization problems and large-scale real applications, etc., are not applied yet to decrease sewing thread consumption. Some recent published works used statistical techniques (Taguchi, factorial, etc.), to evaluate approximate consumptions; conversely, other geometrical and mathematical approaches, considering some assumptions, used stitch geometry and remained insufficient to give the industrialists an implemented application generating the exact value of the consumed amount of sewing thread. Generally, in the clothing field 10–15% of sewing thread wastage should be added to the experimental approximate consumption value. Moreover, all investigations are focused on the approximative evaluations and theoretical modeling of sewing thread consumption as function of some input parameters. Practically, the obtained results are successfully applied and the ACO method gives the most accurate results. On the other hand, in the point of view of industrialists the applied metaheuristic methods (based on algorithms) used to decrease the amount of consumed thread remained an easy and fruitful solution that can allow them to control the number of sewing thread bobbin per garments.

No study was published about the tensile properties of different sections of multicount yarn. Hence there was a need to conduct a detailed section-wise tensile study of fancy multicounty yarn. The purpose of this study is to identify the different sections of the same multicount yarn and test them separately.

Multicount yarn with slubs were prepared on a ring frame with the Amsler Textile Effect System. Different yarn sections from each multicount yarn are identified as fine normal, fine slub, medium normal, medium slub, coarse normal, coarse slub and the changeover sections. These sections are tested for the breaking load and breaking elongation. Broken ends of the yarn sections are also studied, and these broken ends are classified as sharp broken end, tapered broken end and slipped broken end. A study is also conducted on the location of break or the place of break at the changeover sections.

It was found that the twist of yarn at slub sections was lower than the twist at normal sections. In spite of the low yarn twist at slub sections, the breaking load of the yarn was higher at slub sections than at normal sections by 12 to 30 per cent owing to the presence of more number of fibres that share the breaking load. The breaking load at the changeover section (normal to slub and slub to normal) was found to be higher than that at normal section and lower than at slub sections. No significant difference was found between the breaking load of the two changeover sections (normal to slub and slub to normal). The majority of breaks in normal yarn sections were of the tapered broken end type and the majority of breaks in slub yarn sections were slipped broken ends.

Efforts are taken to identify different sections of the same multicount yarn with the help of specially designed square black board and tensile study of these sections are carried out.

The purpose of this paper is to optimize the linear densities of polyester yarn and filament for inner layer and elastane for middle layer with cotton yarn outer layer in plain knitted plated structure for hot and dry environment clothing.

Three levels of polyester yarn linear densities (11.1, 8.4 and 5.6 Tex), filament linear densities (0.8, 1.55 and 2.3 Decitex) and elastane (0, 4 and 8 percent) with 14.75 Tex cotton yarn have been used to knit 15 single jersey plated fabrics based on Box and Benhens experimental design with same loop length. Three cotton–elastane core-spun fabrics were also produced. All the fabrics were analyzed for moisture and ergonomic comfort properties and wet fabric coefficient of friction.

The increase in elastane content and yarn linear density decreases water vapor and air permeability; the increase in filament linear density decreases wicking rate and water absorbency. The optimum solution is 5.55 Tex polyester yarn of 0.8 Decitex filament as inner layer and 14.75 Tex cotton yarn as outer layer which gives good heat and moisture transfer without stickiness.

The implication of this paper is to study thinner polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene fabrics with more micro pores as skin contact layer for quicker heat and moisture transfer.

Outward wickability of sweat from the skin is the prime requirement of all skin contact layer fabrics.

It shifts the social attitude of most comfortable fabric to polyester–cotton plated for hot and dry climate.

This paper employs a more practical method for the selection of fabric.

In recent years, oil spill pollution has become one of the main problems of environmental pollution. Recovering oil by means of sorbent materials is a very promising approach and has acquired more attention due to its high cleanup efficiency. Compared to synthetic fibrous sorbents, the use of natural fibers in oil spill cleanups offers several advantages including environmental friendliness, degradable features and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, studies on developing sorbents using natural fibers for oil spill cleanup applications have become a research hotspot.

This paper reviews the work conducted by several researchers in developing oil sorbents from fibers such as cattail, nettle, cotton, milkweed, kapok, populous seed fiber and Metaplexis japonica fiber. Some featured critical parameters influencing the oil sorption capacity of fibrous substrates are discussed. Oil sorption capacity and reusability performance of various fibers are also discussed. Recent developments in oil spill cleanups and test methods for oil sorbents are briefly covered.

The main parameters influencing the oil sorption capacity of sorbents are fiber morphological structure, fiber density (g/cc), wax (%), hollowness (%) and water contact angle. An extensive literature review showed that oil sorption capacity is highest for Metaplexis japonica fiber followed by populous seed fiber, kapok, milkweed, cotton, nettle and cattail fiber. After use, the sorbents can be buried under soil or they can also be burned so that they can be vanished from the surface without causing environmental-related issues.

This review paper aims to summarize research studies conducted related to various natural fibers for oil spill cleanups, fiber structural characteristics influencing oil sorption and recent developments in oil spill cleanups. This work will inspire future researchers with various knowledge backgrounds, particularly, from a sustainability perspective.

This paper aims to investigate on composite fabrics to develop the improved sleeping bag using trilayered textile structures. A thermal comfort analysis of fabrics is essential to design an enhanced type of sleeping bag.

In this study, optimizing thermal and permeability properties of different combinations of trilayer composite fabrics was done. The inner layer was 100% wool-knitted single jersey fabric. The middle layer was polyester needle punched non-woven fabric. The outermost layer was nylon-based Core-Tex branded waterproof breathable fabric. Five variations in wool-knitted samples were developed by changing the loop length and yarn count to optimize the best possible combination. Two different polyester non-woven fabrics have been produced with the changes in bulk density. Twelve trilayer composite fabric samples have been produced, and thermal comfort properties such as thermal conductivity, thermal absorptivity, thermal resistance, air permeability and relative water vapour permeability have been analysed.

Among the 12 samples, one optimized sample has been found with the specification of 100% wool with 25 Tex yarn linear density having 4.432-mm loop length inner-layered fabric, 96 g/m² polyester nonwoven fabric as the middle layer, and 220 g/m² Nylon-Core tex branded outermost layer. All the functional properties of the composite fabric are significantly different with the knitted wool fabrics and polyester nonwoven fabrics, which have been confirmed by analysis of variance study.

This research work supports for producing sleeping bag with enhanced comfort level.