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South Africa’s wool industry plays an important role in the agricultural sector. The wool industry provides a valuable source of income for farmers who practice sustainable farming practices. However, wool farmers face numerous challenges, such as wool contamination, dirty wool and producing good-quality wool. Good-quality wool is determined by fibre diameter, clean yield, vegetable matter and staple length. This study aims to address these challenges.

A multiple regression analysis of price (R/kg) of White wool and Merino wool was applied to four variables fibre diameter: vegetable matter, clean yield and staple length. The analysis was based on the data for the 2009–2019 data from Cape Wools auctions.

Fibre diameter, clean yield and staple length, with exception of vegetable matter, made a statistically significant contribution to the determination of wool price after all other independent variables were controlled for (p < 0.05). A one-unit (micron) increase in fibre diameter resulted in a 0.404-unit decrease in wool price (R/kg). A one-unit (mm) increase in staple length resulted in a 0.022-unit increase in wool price (R/kg). There was no statistically significant association between vegetable matter and wool price. A one-unit increase in clean yield was associated with a 0.111-unit increase in wool price (R/kg).

Since wool fleeces consist of the largest portion of wool shorn from sheep, it is important for wool farmers to focus on wool with low fibre diameter, high clean yield percentage, low percentage of vegetable matter content and good length of the wool.

Since wool fleeces consist of the largest portion of wool shorn from sheep, it is important for wool farmers to focus on wool with low fibre diameter, high clean yield percentage, low percentage of vegetable matter content and good length of the wool.

In a developing country such as South Africa, this study is important for the following reason. It is understanding the wool characteristics that have the most significance influence on the determination of wool price for Merino wool and White wool might effectively help the wool farmers to adapt their production systems to improve the wool characteristics that determine wool price.

This study identified a need for a study to be conducted on all wool classes.

Microfiber is one of the major sources of microplastic emission into the environment. In recent times, research on microfiber has gained momentum, and research across different disciplines was performed. However, no complete study was performed from the viewpoint of textiles to analyse the microfiber shedding behaviour by relating the properties textiles. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the microfiber shedding behaviour in textiles.

Articles on the microfiber shedding across different disciplines were collected and analysed systematically to identify the influencing factor. The influence of laundry parameters is found to be majorly discussed section, yet very few research data is found on the effect of yarn and fabric properties on the microfiber shedding.

Most of the articles listed laundry detergent addition, higher temperature, use of softeners, type of washing machines used and amount of liquid used as the major factors influencing the fiber shedding. Concerning the fiber and yarn characteristics, yarn twist, fiber type (staple/filament), method of production, fabric structure and specific density are reported as influencing factors. Some articles highlighted the influence of ageing of textiles on the fiber shedding.

The review identified the research gap in the textile sector and reports that so far, no research performed on microfiber shedding with the textile parameters. The review further urges the importance of research works to be performed in the textile by considering the fabric and yarn properties.

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of Cordyline Australis fibers as an alternate raw material for textile.

The water retting method was used to extract the fiber. Cordyline Australis fibers were characterized in terms of the morphology of fibers (fiber cross-sectional and longitudinal), fiber chemical functional groups, tensile strength and elongation, fineness, fiber length, moisture regain and friction coefficient.

Cordyline Australis fiber strands consist of several individual fibers. At the longitudinal section, the fiber cells appeared as long cylindrical tubes with a rough surface. The cross-section of the Cordyline Australis fibers was irregular but some were oval. The key components in the fibers were cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The tensile strength of the fiber per bundle was 2.5 gf/den. The elongation of fibers was 13.15%. The fineness of fiber was 8.35 Tex. The average length of the fibers was 54.72 cm. Moisture Regain for fiber was 8.59%. The friction coefficient of fibers was 0.16. The properties of the fiber showed that the Cordyline Australis fiber has the potential to be produced into yarn.

To the best of the author's knowledge, there is no scientific article focused on the Cordyline Australis fibers. Natural fibers from the leaves of the Cordyline Australis plant could be used as an alternate material for textile.

Eri is a short-stapled fibre that possesses an excellent soft feel and warmness to the wearer. Investigation of thermal comfort and moisture properties of Eri silk fabric provides the enhanced commercial scope for Eri silk-based clothing.

To examine the impact of process factors on thermal and moisture properties, three different single knit Eri silk structures were made, each with a different loop length and yarn count. Three different linear densities of Eri silk spun yarn (15, 20 and 25 tex) were selected. Three distinct knitted constructions, including plain jersey, popcorn and cellular blister, were created, along with two different loop lengths.

The novel cellular blister structure has shown appreciable thermal comfort properties than the other two structures. Yarn fineness and loop length were significant with most of the thermal comfort properties.

In recent times the Eri silk production is completely domesticated, so the new demand can easily be met by the producers. This research will create a new scope for Eri silk fibres in sportswear and leisure wear.

This study was conducted to explore the influence of knit structure, loop length and yarn count on the thermal comfort properties of the clothing.

IT is difficult to imagine the world of Work Study without the urbane ubiquity of Russell Currie, whose death on 28 August we deeply regret to record. Although he had been officially in retirement for a year or two his presence was immanent in any important gathering of those who had so long looked to him for the leadership that was always forthcoming. We can fittingly borrow an epigram he coined at the London Congress in 1963 as apt at this time. ‘The sun shone to greet your arrival; the skies weep for your departure.’

NO document issued by the National Board for Prices and Incomes is of more importance to people engaged in work study than Report 83 on Job Evaluation. It lists nine definitions by various authorities but contents itself with a fairly simple one; the comparison of jobs by the use of formal and systematic procedures, set down on paper and adhered to as distinct from rule of thumb methods, with subsequent analysis determining the relative positions of jobs in a wage structure.

Inter-fibre cohesion is regarded as an important property of assemblies, such as slivers, made of wool or any other fibres, with respect to the processing in carding, drawing (gilling) and spinning. In this paper, the results of the multiple regression analyses, and their validation, are presented to show that a strong relationship exists between the sliver cohesion (measured as sliver tenacity and sliver specific energy-to-break in a long-gauge tensile test) and a combination of the standard wool properties, such as bulk, mean fibre length (Barbe), mean fibre diameter and medullation content, used for the objective blend specification of New Zealand wools for marketing and processing.

In recent times, stretch denim garments have become very popular amongst consumers as the garment is able to provide body fit and body comfort at the same time. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of abrasion on the change in surface appearance, mass loss and ultimate tensile properties of the stretch denim fabric in different directions (warp, weft and biased).

After abrading the fabrics in three different directions (warp, weft and biased), the loss in ultimate tensile properties, mass loss and surface appearance has been investigated in the respective directions of abrasion (warp, weft and biased). The study also encompasses the effect of different types of stretch yarn with varying levels of elastane content on such unidirectional abrasive damage.

It is seen that with the same level of abrasion cycles, the fabric's response in terms of mass loss and loss in ultimate tensile properties are different in different directions. The mass loss due to abrasion in biased direction is found to be minimum. The loss in ultimate tensile properties due to abrasion was highest in the weft direction. It is also found that the higher mass loss due to abrasion does not always result in a greater loss in ultimate tensile properties. The composition and the structure of the weft yarn significantly affected the extent of the mass loss and the loss in ultimate tensile properties during abrasive damage.

The impact of abrasive damage in terms of mass loss and loss in tensile strength along the different directions of denim fabric has not been explored till date. Abrasion of fabric can be done both in multi-direction (Lissajous motion) as well as in uni-direction (linear motion). The multidirectional abrasion provides a holistic or comprehensive idea of the fabric's response to the abrasive damage but does not take into consideration the fabric's anisotropic response to the abrasive damage. Most of the earlier investigation related to abrasive damage of denim fabric has been done in instruments where the motion of the abrader is multidirectional (Lissajous) in nature. For greater depth of understanding about the fabric performance under abrasive damage along the various direction (warp, weft and biased), unidirectional abrasion is conducted in this study.

Composites based on fiber are commonly used in high-performance building materials. The composites mostly use petrochemically derived fibers like polyester and e-glass, due to their advantageous material features like high stiffness and strength. All the same, these fibers also have important shortcomings related to energy consumption, recyclability, initial processing expense, resulting health hazards, and sustainability. Increasing environmental awareness and new sustainable building technologies are driving the research, development, and usage of “green” building materials, especially the development of biomaterials.

In this chapter, the natural fiber evaluation approach is applied, which covers a diverse set of criteria. Consequently, the comparative assessment of diverse natural fiber types is applied through the use of an expert decision system approach. The best performing fiber choice is made by comparatively evaluating the materials related to green building. The proposed fiber can be used and applied by green building material manufacturing companies in various countries or locations as a reference when selecting the fiber with the best performance.

In recent times, the usage of elastane-containing denim garments has increased, as it provides fit and comfort both at the same time. The purpose of the study is to understand the effect of abrasion on the durability of comfort related to body movement and shape retention property of the stretch-denim fabric.

The paper investigates the effect of abrasion on the initial tensile properties, recovery and resilience properties of the stretch-denim fabric. Further, to analyse the effect of the composition of the elastane yarn, three different types of elastane yarns having different types of sheath (covering) fibre, structure and different levels of elastane content have been used in the weft.

The comfort related to body movement and the shape retention properties of the stretch-denim fabric got affected due to abrasive damage. The elastane yarn composition and structure played an important role in determining the extent of the change in such properties during abrasion. The fabric with a higher level of elastane content suffered a greater loss in shape-retention properties due to abrasion. The extent of mass loss in stretch-denim fabric does not always correlate to the extent of loss in the comfort and shape-retention properties.

Most of the earlier studies have investigated the effect of abrasion on the durability aspect of the stretch-denim fabric. In a practical scenario, the stretch-denim garments are rarely discarded due to tearing or change in appearance but mainly due to bagging, i.e. distortion in shape after usage. Thus, the study on the combined effect of the abrasion and cyclic loading on the comfort and shape-retention properties will help to predict the performance of the apparel during usage.