Geeta MahaleAnjali A.Kulkarni2016-10-262016-10-262007http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/82229The present study entitled “Quality Characteristics of Viscose Rayon and Eri Silk Union Fabrics” was carried out in 2005-07 at Dharwad with the objectives, to explore the possibilities of weaving union fabrics from Viscose Rayon with Eri silk, to assess the mechanical and functional properties of the union fabrics, to evaluate the tactile properties of union fabrics and to study the economic feasibility of the union fabrics. Viscose Rayon as warp with three different yarn counts viz., 2/40s, 2/60s and 2/80s as weft were interwoven on a semi-automatic power loom to produce union fabrics. While the control sample was woven using Viscose Rayon as warp and weft. The experimental results revealed that, union fabrics woven with coarser yarn count had better cloth cover than control sample. Objective evaluation of the test samples inferred that Viscose Rayon x Eri silk of 2/40s (VRE1) exhibited greater mass per unit area, cloth cover, thickness, bending length, weft-way tensile strength and thermal insulation value with least weft-way elongation percentage and air permeability. However, all union fabrics showed greater resistance to abrasion with severe pilling. The drape co-efficient was least in control sample, Viscose Rayon x Viscose Rayon (VR). In case of subjective evaluation, most of the respondents opined that all the union fabrics were slightly stiff to handle, heavy with slightly uneven surface in texture. In general, majority of the respondents preferred (VRE2) whose cost of production was also found to be lower as compared to other union fabrics.Thesis