Development of silk-polyurethane core spun and covered yarns to prepare stretchable fabrics for apparel use
Loading...
Date
2011-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Stretchable fabrics have the miraculous ability of stretch in accordance with our body movements. These fabrics are currently most popular in fashion apparel. Stretchable apparels are very comfortable and fit better to the shape of body. The stretchable property in these types of fabrics is generally due to insertion of elastomeric yarns made using polyurethane fibre. Silk is the one of the most elegant textile fibre all over the world. But, silk fabrics possess very little natural elasticity due to which they cannot take body shape well. Therefore, in the present study stretchable fabrics of mulberry silk were prepared using elastomeric cover spun yarns and stretchable fabrics of eri silk were developed using elastomeric core spun yarns. Before conducting experimental work a survey of silk weavers was conducted in Varanasi, (U.P.) India, to know the current trends in silk weaving. Core spun yarns were made using eri silk and polyurethane fibres on ring spinning system and covered yarns were made using mulberry silk and polyurethane fibres on hollow spindle covering machine. Due to the particular requirement of staple length fibres in ring spinning; eri silk was selected for making core spun yarn while covering process allow the use of filament fibres; mulberry silk was used for this. Stretch percentage of both types of yarns was varied to 250, 300 and 350 percent by changing the polyurethane draft ratio, to see the effect of yarn stretch on physical properties of yarns and resultant fabrics. Finding of survey showed that silk handloom weavers were facing many problems like low wages, competition with powerlooms, lack of advanced technologies, lack of government support and very little product diversification. Core spun yarns of eri silk were having significantly greater yarn count, strength and elongation percentage when compared to control yarn. There was an increase in count and strength, and decrease in polyurethane content percent, as the yarn stretch percentage was increased. In case of stretchable covered yarns of mulberry silk, strength of yarns increased with increase in per cent stretch while polyurethane content, yarn denier and elongation percentage was decreased with increase in yarn stretch. All these yarn samples were used in weft direction to made stretchable fabrics of silk. There was little problem in handling and weaving of cover spun yarns on loom, but core spun yarns acted like normal silk yarns. Stretchable silk fabrics showed some excellent properties like high stretchability in weft direction, higher strength, crease recovery, abrasion and pilling resistance; which are highly desirable for apparel fabrics. Fabrics were easily dyeable with acid and reactive dyes which indicate that polyurethane insertion in fabric does not hinder fabrics dyeability. Fabrics were assessed aesthetically beautiful by the consumers. Stretchable silk fabrics are costlier than plain silk fabrics but are acceptable due to some of the desirable properties were added like stretchablity, good strength and aesthetic appeal. Theses fabrics may offer new opportunities for handloom weavers to develop various novel products of silk.
Description
Thesis-PhD
Keywords
silk, textile fabrics, apparels, polyurethane, spun yarns, stretchability, textile weaving