Jeans Pai Nai, Spotlight on Jeans Fashion
Moisture Management: Myths, Magic, and Misconceptions
A study done by the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University looked at physical human response to exercising in a synthetic garment, which claimed improved thermoregulatory and moisture management properties, and compared this to a traditional cotton garment.
The results showed that there was no physiological, thermoregulatory, or comfort sensation advantage to wearing the synthetic designed to promote evaporation compared to the cotton garment when exercisers wore them under moderate heat conditions.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this project was to produce moisture management performance fabrics in 100% cotton. Moisture management performance, as defined under the project, is rapid wicking (fast rate of absorbency) with a reduced absorbent capacity and rapid drying for end uses where moderate-to-heavy perspiration is likely.
The goal was to show that 100% cotton performance fabrics could be developed using thin fabrics and various chemical treatments. The fabric structures and treatments were selected with commercial feasibility in mind. The knowledge generated can be used to expand the use of cotton or cotton blends in athletic apparel and related applications.
Just as performance synthetic fabrics are making inroads into general wearing apparel markets, performance cotton fabrics may also have broader applications.
EXPERIMENTAL
One approach taken here attempted to reduce the amount of water absorbed, without reducing the fast wicking, by filling the lumen of the cotton fibers to reduce the internal sorption capacity by about 20% of the overall sorption capacity. Initially, five fabrics were produced to duplicate the fabric construction of a synthetic benchmark performance fabric as closely as possible with 100% cotton. Table I lists the sample identification and the yarn and fabric specifications. Fabrics 1-5 were Swiss pique constructions and fabric 8 was a single crosstuck pique.
Scouring and Bleaching
The fabrics were scoured with three different formulations using the same processing procedure. Based on analysis of extractable and on wetting and wicking results, a formulation was selected as the first step before evaluating moisture management of several fabric constructions.
The scouring process was carried out in a jet machine as follows. The scour formulation consisted of 2.0 g/L surfactant/detergent, 2.0 g/L soda ash, and 2.0 g/L sequestering agent. The fabric was added at 27C (80F). The bath was heated to 82C (180F) at a 5C/min (10F/min) ramp rate and held for 30 min. An overflow rinse was used at 71C (160F) for 10 min. The bath was then drained, filled, and another overflow rinse was used as above, followed by draining.
All samples were then bleached using the following procedure. The bleach formulation included 0.75 g/L stabilizer, 1.0 g/L sequestrant (EDTA), 2.0 g/L caustic soda (50%), 6.0 g/L hydrogen peroxide (35%), and 1.5 g/L surfactant. The jet bath was filled at 27C (80F). Using a 2C/min (4F/min) ramp rate, the fabric was bleached at 100C (2l2F) for 30 mm. Wash warm, then add 0.5 g/L acetic acid and run at 60C (140F) for 10 min, followed by draining and unloading.
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