Provide a broad geographic and hospital-size economic assessment of reusable isolation gowns compared directly with disposable isolation gowns in healthcare settings and identify factors for evidence-based sustainability decision-making for hospitals and manufacturing firms. The approach uses multi-hospital data on the costs of reusables and disposables, including detailed reusable laundry costs (2021) collected from 137 hospitals, covering laundry, replacements, and transport. A comparison of reusable and disposable isolation gowns is important for the economic perspectives of healthcare organization sustainability decision-making (nurses, personnel, and stakeholders). The study used actual laundry expenditures from 134 widely distributed hospitals in competitive markets across the Eastern U.S. and Canada, along with a field assessment of the number of use cycles. The 2021 annual costs for disposable isolation gowns were also estimated. For U.S. hospital systems (6129 hospitals), selecting reusable isolation gowns yields annual savings of about $740 million, which would cover the average hospital stay of cost of about 270,000 patients per year or about 5400 patients per State in our country simply by choosing reusable gowns over disposables to prevent infections Reusable isolation gowns would account for about 10% of these savings. When comparing annual disposable and reusable costs, disposables were 200% more expensive. The economic advantages of reusable isolation gowns build on earlier environmental improvements and now provide evidence-based data for decision-makers, nurses, hospital stakeholders, healthcare organizations, and service providers of these products. Past research indicates major benefits across eight environmental metrics and shows that the long-term risk of healthcare-associated infections from reusables over 50 years remains negligible.
The demand for sustainable agriculture practices has brought up the necessity for environmentally sustainable raw materials, which may replace conventional petroleum-based agrotextiles. As a result, bio-based agrotextiles become an innovative solution allowing the development of sustainable agricultural practices through the application of new eco-friendly materials. The goal of this review is to perform a comprehensive overview of bio-based agrotextile materials considering their structure (natural fibers and biodegradable polymers), processing methods, functionalization, applications, sustainability performance, and major future research directions. This review shows the opportunities provided by the use of natural fibers such as jute, hemp, flax, coir, and banana in combination with bio-based polymers (PLA, PHA, PBS) for the production of agrotextiles. Woven, knitted, nonwoven, composite materials, and many functionalization approaches (such as UV protection, controlled release, and smart responsiveness) allow for various applications, including mulch, erosion control, and crop protection. According to the findings, such agrotextile materials allow a reduced carbon footprint, improved life cycle performance, and good circular economy aspects. However, some challenges connected with durability control and costs still exist. Possible directions for future research include manufacturing of advanced agrotextiles, development of nanobiotechnology, integration of AI technologies, and circular economy.
Nanobubble technology has recently emerged as a promising approach for improving mass transfer and dye-fibre interactions in textile dyeing systems. Nanobubbles are generally defined as gas bubbles with diameters typically smaller than 200 nm that remain stable in aqueous media for extended periods due to their high internal pressure and surface charge characteristics These unique physicochemical properties allow nanobubbles to influence interfacial processes in liquid systems and enhance the transport of dissolved species, including dye molecules. As a result, nanobubble-enriched dye baths can provide improved dye dispersion and more efficient transport of dye molecules towards textile fibre surfaces. In this study, polyester fabrics were dyed with nanobubble water and with soft water, and the CIELAB colour values, washing, and rubbing fastness values were examined after dyeing. It was found that the washing and rubbing fastness values after dyeing with nanobubble water were very close to those after dyeing with soft water. The effects of dye molecular size, dye concentration, yarn twist level, and yarn linear density on the K/S values were found to be statistically significant. For all parameters, higher K/S values were obtained when nanobubble-containing solutions were used.
The fashion industry is witnessing a major paradigm shift because of the increasing consciousness about the environment and the changing preferences of the consumers. Sustainable fashion and circular fashion have appeared on the agenda because of their importance in reducing the effects on the environment, in addition to keeping pace with the rising demands of consumers. In order to determine the influences of Generation Y consumers on sustainable fashion and circular fashion, there is a need to study the behavior of consumers in terms of fashion purchase and the measures taken by fashion brands to satisfy the consumers' demands generation-wise. Since Generation Y consumers are the generation of people growing up with an intensive idea about the environment and technology, they have distinct demands in favor of clothing items produced in ethical environments, in an eco-friendly manner, and with sustainable fashion trends. PLS-SEM methodology, which includes a survey of 500 individuals aged differently, both male and female, and consumers belonging to a different social status and possessing differing levels of education, is used for analyzing major parameters, such as affordability, brand consideration, use of eco-friendly materials, and digital marketing influences in fashion merchandising. Findings suggest that younger generations (consumers aged 29-32 years) are more concerned with affordability (50%), while older generations (37-above 44 years) are more interested in sustainability and ethical fashion (85%). Seventy percent of women participants are more concerned with making ecologically conscious and socially responsible purchasing decisions compared to men, who are more concerned with the functionality and online marketing of the product. Higher education and income are equally strong predictors of environmentally sustainable purchasing decisions with 91% each. Results indicate the need for the fashion industry to incorporate sustainable principles and transparent product labeling and marketing that are more in line with the preferences of Generation Y.
This study investigated the influence of fabric variant and fabric state on the structural and dimensional behavior of flax double weft knitted fabrics. Two fabric variants were examined: variant I, an unbalanced structure with a 1 & times; 1 rib with a single miss stitch; and variant II, a balanced structure with a 1 & times; 1 rib with a 1 & times; 2 rib. Key structural characteristics, including stitch density, stitch length, weight, and thickness, were analyzed in dry-relaxed (DR) and wet-relaxed (WR) states. Additionally, the dimensional changes following washing were studied. Results showed that variant I had higher stitch density on the back, longer average stitch length, and greater weight and thickness than variant II. These differences reflect the effect of single miss stitches on fabric structure versus the 1 & times; 2 rib in fabric variant II. Washing caused structural relaxation and partial recovery in both variants, with variant I showing smaller dimensional changes and greater overall stability. Both fabrics shrank in length and expanded in width; variant I demonstrated notably reduced widthwise expansion. Statistical analysis confirmed that the fabric variant significantly influenced stitch formation, dimensional changes, and overall stability. These findings suggest that the structure with a 1 & times; 1 rib with single miss stitches (variant I) provides enhanced dimensional control and predictable performance during following washing, making it especially suitable for applications requiring high fabric stability.
Fabric simulation and virtual display are crucial for realistic applications in fashion design, virtual try on, and digital garment rendering. Traditional methods often face limitations of inefficiency, reduced accuracy, and difficulty in capturing detailed fabric deformations. This study presents a comprehensive framework that integrates a large scale dataset, mesh refinement algorithms, and optimization strategies for fabric modeling. A dataset containing 38,913 two dimensional samples and 6350 three dimensional samples was established using a segmentation algorithm to capture dynamic postures and global shapes with realistic fold deformations. For geometric representation, dynamic triangular meshes were refined through quadratic error measures, Hausdorff distance evaluation, and tensor based local reconstruction, enabling accurate preservation of wrinkles and fine details. To further enhance efficiency, vertex clustering and subdivision algorithms were introduced, combined with strain optimization and Lagrange multiplier based constraint handling. Experimental results show that the proposed approach improves mesh quality, reduces geometric errors, and achieves accurate and efficient virtual fabric deformation. These findings demonstrate strong potential for advancing virtual reality technologies through high fidelity, data driven fabric display solutions.
In this study, flower-like copper sulfide/reduced graphene oxide (CuS/RGO) composite multifunctional photocatalysts were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method, exhibiting outstanding microwave absorption and photocatalytic performance. The morphology, specific surface area, surface chemical state, microwave absorption properties, and photocatalytic activity of the composites were systematically characterized. The results revealed that the photodegradation performance of the flower-like CuS/RGO-20% composite was remarkably enhanced, showing a 3-4 fold improvement compared to pure RGO and pure CuS. Notable, the CuS/RGO composite demonstrated superior photocatalytic activity, attaining a methylene blue (MB) degradation efficiency of 76.8% under visible light irradiation within 120 min. Furthermore, the flower-like CuS/RGO-20% composite exhibited excellent photodegradation stability, retaining an MB removal rate exceeding 80% even after five consecutive cycles. In parallel, the multifunctional CuS/RGO composite displayed exceptional microwave absorption capabilities, achieving a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of -28.4 dB at a thin thickness of 3.5 mm and a frequency of 6.4 GHz, along with a broad effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 3.52 GHz. This study offers valuable perspectives for the design of multifunctional photocatalysts aimed at the remediation of textile dyeing wastewater.
The textile industry is economically vital but generates substantial wastewater, necessitating effective management for environmental sustainability. Green-synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles offer promising solutions for remediating textile dye wastewater due to their contaminant degradation potential. In this study, bacteria were isolated from wastewater sample collected from textile industry through a streaking and spreading technique. The bacterium was identified through 16S rRNA which appeared to be Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and it was further fermented for 7 days to extract its metabolites for the synthesis of Fe2O3 nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were synthesized by using FeCl3 as a precursor and characterized via FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopy, SEM, and EDX, revealing a size of 25 nm and the presence of various functional groups. Metanil yellow was identified as the predominant dye in the wastewater through GC-MS analysis. The dye degradation activity demonstrated that Fe2O3 nanoparticles achieved 93.04% degradation of metanil yellow. The synthesized nanoparticles were also analyzed for anti-inflammatory activity with 96% inhibition of protein denaturation and antioxidant activity with 97.63% inhibition of free radical scavenging. Therefore, this study aims to contribute toward the development of effective and sustainable strategies for the remediation of textile dye wastewater, thereby advancing environmental sustainability in the textile industry.
The female court attire during the Tang Dynasty was splendid in color and worthy of research and reference. In this study, this type of attire was categorized according to social status, occasion, and occupation. The color features of each attire were extracted using a clustering algorithm and analyzed with the COLORO system. The results showed that the color schemes of female court attire were closely tied to social status and occasion. Noblewomen favored red tones, while the maidservants' attire was dominated by dark blue or brown hues. The color schemes also adhered to the principle of "coloring according to the master or occasion." Additionally, a ChatGPT model was utilized to generate innovative color schemes. Three evaluation metrics, color harmony, artistic appeal, and historical appropriateness, were applied to assess the color schemes. Ultimately, this color-matching method has proven to be effective. These conclusions not only improve the theoretical system of clothing color schemes during the Tang dynasty but also provide a digital application pathway for contemporary Hanfu design.
This study investigates the impact of varying moisture levels on the perceived color appearance of polyester fabrics through a controlled psychophysical experiment involving human observers and instrumental colorimetric assessments. A total of 27 fabric samples across 9 color families and 3 depths of shade were evaluated under 3 moisture conditions: dry, 20% wet, and 120% wet. Observers performed paired comparisons using the AATCC Gray Scale for Color Change and categorical judgments of lightness, brightness (chroma), and hue shift. A total of 9720 assessments were thus obtained. Intra- and inter-observer consistency was assessed using STRESS indices and Cohen's or Fleiss' Kappa coefficients. Results showed that lightness was the most reliably judged perceptual attribute, with high consistency across and within observers, while brightness and hue judgments were more variable. Exploratory analysis revealed that higher moisture contrasts led to stronger perceived color differences, with directional hue shifts typically occurring along the red-blue directions. One-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests confirmed statistically significant differences between all moisture level comparisons. Instrumental color differences (Delta E00, Delta L, Delta C, Delta H) exhibited moderate correlation with observer ratings (r = 0.5812), with the highest agreement observed for lightness (70.21%), followed by brightness (38.72%) and hue shift (27.98%). These findings highlight the limitations of relying solely on instrumental data when evaluating color under variable moisture conditions.
The revival of natural dyes has once again revolutionized the globe with its aesthetic charm and sustainable behavior. In this study using central design and MW treatment for a selection of dyeing conditions, the binary mixture from walnut and henna as an anthraquinone source of dye has been appraised for silk. Using an extract of 5 pH from binary powder (3 g + 3 g) at 70 degrees C for 65 min having 3 g/100 mL of salt has given better yield (K/S = 6.20), which was enhanced after MW treatment up to 6 min (K/S = 6.66). Color fastness was formed by using Fe+2 (pre 3%, post 1%, meta 2.5%), Al+3 (pre 1.5%, post 3%, meta 1%), and Tannic Acid (pre 3%, post 1%, meta 3%) as inorganic mordants onto silk. In comparison, using bio sources, extracts of clove (pre 3%, post 1%, meta 3%), cinnamon (pre 2%, post 1.5%, meta 2.5%), myrobalan (pre 2%, post 2.5%, meta 1%) and red sumac (pre 3%, post 1%, meta 3%) has given colorfast shades also. The ISO standards for colorfastness to light washing and rubbing have shown good to excellent results that reveal the potential of MW treatment, eco-friendly mordanting process, and statistical tool addition for process optimization.
The development of an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring garment that ensures monitoring accuracy, convenience, and wearing comfort is crucial for enabling timely diagnosis and prevention of heart disease. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the monitoring principles and historical evolution of ECG monitoring garment, delineates the preparation methods for textile electrodes, summarizes the evaluation techniques for ECG monitoring garment, and examines various factors that influence monitoring performance and garment durability, including the electrode material, size, shape, position, fixation method, pressurization mode, and contact pressure between the electrode and the skin. The results showed that the hybrid electrode made from multiple materials demonstrated better overall performance. Additionally, most existing studies focus on single-lead ECG monitoring, with the study subjects primarily consisting of healthy men. Therefore, future research should focus on developing textile electrodes that are flexible, skin-friendly, highly elastic, and cost-effective; examining the combined effects of textile electrodes and garment structure on ECG monitoring performance; and quantifying the relationship between body characteristics and electrode positions across varying body shapes. These conclusions provide critical insights for the enhancement of electrode design, structural optimization, and size grading in ECG monitoring garment.
Accurately predicting lower body dimensions in older women is essential for improving garment fit and wearing comfort. However, challenges in data acquisition and the morphological variability among older adults complicate this task. To address these issues, this study adopts a classification followed by modeling strategy, using a small set of key anthropometric inputs to estimate critical lower-body measurements relevant to pants pattern construction. Anthropometric data were collected from 217 women aged 60-80 in Northeast China, capturing 34 lower body parameters. Principal component analysis was performed to reduce dimensionality and extract six primary body shape factors. A two-step clustering method was then applied to determine the optimal number of body types and to analyze their morphological characteristics. Subsequently, stepwise linear regression models were developed for each body type using stature, weight, and abdominal girth as predictor variables. The results demonstrate that the proposed models achieved good prediction accuracy. Overall, this research provides a data-driven foundation for customized pants pattern development and intelligent production of garments tailored for older women.
The growing population, better living conditions, fast fashion, and shorter life of garments are causing more textile waste. Post-consumer garment waste (PCGW) is now a major threat to the environment and human health, making recycling essential for circular economy and sustainability. In this study, PCGW was mechanically recycled into fibers, which were mixed with polyester fibers to make carding webs using a blow room-integrated carding machine, and then it was heat-pressed. One, two, and four layers of carding webs were used to make the four different types of mats. Morphological analysis, tensile properties, moisture management properties, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the developed mats to confirm its potential for the desired application. Among all the developed mats, four-layer-based mat exhibited the highest breaking force and elongation which is (29.12 +/- 0.79) N, at extension 23.96%. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed the good arrangement of fibers in the mat with average fiber diameter (13.79 +/- 0.73) mu m. A moisture management test (MMT) confirms it can resist water to some extent with bottom surface wetting time slower than top (10.296 s). Also, one-way transport capacity was found to be 798.676. For the feasibility study, the produced mat was also used to make a bag. This paper contributes to the advancement of circular textiles by offering a new approach that converts PCGW into usable products like bags, demonstrating the commercial and environmental viability of textile recycling.
Anthraquinone dyes are extensively used in the textile, cosmetic, and food industries because of their bright colors, stability toward chemicals, and resistance against fading. Yet their large-scale application has resulted in great environmental problems. Anthraquinone dyes are extremely recalcitrant, that is, resistant to natural degradation processes, and have toxic impacts on aquatic life and human health. Traditional dye removal methods like adsorption and chemical oxidation tend to be inefficient and expensive, which has necessitated novel approaches. Enzymatic bioremediation is a novel method that has gained popularity due to its sustainability and high catalytic efficiency. This research examines the potential of two enzymes from Flavobacterium sp.9AF-Putative Multifunctional Dye Peroxidase DyP2 and Glycoside Hydrolase Family 5 Protein-to perform degradation through in silico approaches. Molecular docking showed that DyP2 has greater binding affinities for Solvent Green 3 (-12.1 kcal/mol), Vat Blue 6 (-11.4 kcal/mol), and Reactive Blue 19 (-11.3 kcal/mol) than Glycoside Hydrolase Family 5 Protein. Interaction analysis showed that DyP2 has stronger hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds with pollutants, indicating its better catalytic ability for dye degradation. These results present DyP2 as an attractive biocatalyst for remediation of anthraquinone dye, which has potential for enzyme-based applications in industrial wastewater treatment and conservation.
The choice of apparel used in outdoor sports activities, and regular exercise, can have a profound influence on the thermal perceptions and comfort of the wearer. People perform different types of exercise, many of them outdoors. Some activities, such as hiking, cycling, and rockclimbing can include several bouts of high activity followed by rest periods (stop-go sports). Current test standards and research articles can capture the dynamic behavior of different fabrics during water uptake and spreading using thermal testing equipment, but do not reflect the multiple cycles of activity and rest experienced in stop-go sports. Therefore, in this work we have modified an existing sweating guarded hot plate test protocol (SGHP) to enable the thermal performance of three fibers - polyester, cotton, and wool - to be differentiated for stop-go sportswear. By controlling the sweating and non-sweating durations on the SGHP, multiple cycles of work-rest could be explored. It was also found that the duration of work and rest also had impacts on the patterns observed in the heat flux curves (p = 0.00001), especially for the polyester sample. Using R2 to determine variability, data reflected that wool offered a steadier state in cooling throughout the entire test while polyester and cotton exhibited large shifts in cooling between the work and rest periods. Overall, this work has demonstrated a method to evaluate different fabrics, via differences in cooling behavior, during several work-rest cycles. Area-under-the-curve and thermal buffering capacity metrics can provide valuable information that could help manufacturers of sporting apparel choose the most effective fabrics for their sporting scenarios. For ideal data results, at least one standard time sequence work-rest should be included and further could be adapted to better represent the scenario being considered.
Low-stress mechanical properties are essential in enhancing comfort, durability, and aesthetic attributes. These properties significantly influence fabrics' overall performance and tactile comfort in various applications. Meta-aramid yarn was used to develop the fire protective station wear of various weave structures like plain, basket, and ripstop. The linear density of the yarn was 29.5 Tex, and three different PPCs (picks per centimetre) of 15.7, 18.1, and 20.5 were considered for the manufacture of the fabrics. The low-stress mechanical properties such as tensile properties (tensile linearity and tensile energy), shear properties (shear hysteresis (2HG and 2HG5) and shear rigidity), bending properties (bending rigidity, bending hysteresis), and compressional energy were investigated using the Kawabata evaluation system (KES). The effect of weave structures on the low-stress mechanical properties of various fabrics was analysed. The linearity of the tensile load extension curve (LT) and the tensile resilience (RT) increased with the increase in weft density for all the weave structures. It was observed that increasing the PPC from 15.7 to 20.5 improved the linearity of the load-extension curve, with LT values rising from 0.38 to 0.58 for plain weave, and increased tensile energy (WT) from 3.55 to 7.3 g.cm/cm2 for plain weave and from 3.32 to 6.55 g.cm/cm2 for basket weave. Surface roughness (SMD) also decreased, with values dropping from 10.39 mu m to 8.81 mu m for plain weave. A complex relationship between weave structure and PPC needs to be considered when optimizing the design and performance of station wear fabrics.
Azo dyes, widely used in the textile industry, are toxic, persistent, and resistant to natural degradation, causing significant water pollution and disrupting aquatic ecosystems. This study investigates the enzymatic biodegradation of these pollutants using laccase, tyrosinase, and peroxidase MSP1 from Grifola frondosa. These enzymes, known for their broad substrate specificity, can catalyze the breakdown of complex aromatic structures, making them promising candidates for eco-friendly azo dye removal. Protein sequences were retrieved from NCBI, and physicochemical analysis confirmed structural stability (instability indices <40). Molecular docking with 14 azo dyes identified Congo red as the best-binding substrate, with docking scores of -10.1 (laccase), -10.6 (MSP1), and -11.3 (tyrosinase). Interaction analysis revealed hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces (1.75-5.42 & Aring;) supporting effective binding. Protein-protein interaction scores were high (0.82, 0.88, and 0.84), and STRING co-expression analysis indicated gene clusters involved in azo dye metabolism. These results suggest that combining these enzymes could synergistically enhance azo dye degradation. Future work should focus on enzyme engineering, experimental validation, and scale-up for industrial wastewater treatment.
The release of microplastics from the textile industry is a significant environmental concern. While the release of microplastics during the laundering process and within wastewater treatment plants has been extensively studied, there is still a pressing need for a standardised sampling protocol to assess microplastic release across various matrices involved in different textile production processes. In this report, we propose a comprehensive sampling protocol targeting four types of samples derived from textile production processes: sludge, wastewater, dust, and air. We also provide a detail method for the extraction and analysis of microplastics from these samples, including the separation of microplastics from collected textile samples through cellulose dissolution, oxidation, and oleophilic extraction processes, as well as heat treatment for air samples. This is followed by automated methods for quantifying microplastic fibres. The proposed protocol provides an efficient, effective, straightforward, cost-effective, and safe approach for analysing and monitoring textile-related microplastics.
This research aimed to verify embroidery parameters for manufacturing high-performance dry transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS) electrodes for future applications in soft-good end products. The embroidery parameters were verified by measuring and calculating surface resistance and signal-to-noise values for manufactured electrodes. Parameters explored in this study included different conductive threads, stitch patterns, stitch densities, and fabric grain-to-stitch orientations, using a Melco (R) Amaya Bravo Single Head 16 Needle Embroidery Machine. The chosen embroidery parameters were guided by Goncu Berk's work in "Design of a wearable pain management system with embroidered TENS electrodes." An additional aim of the study was to measure the performance of developed e-broidery TENS electrode samples after laundering stresses, following AATCC Test Method 61. The surface resistivity and signal-to-noise values of e-broidered electrodes were measured pre- and post-laundering. The surface resistivity values were again measured and compared to the pre-laundering data. Findings support that core-spun conductive thread stitched parallel to the bias grain is recommended for longevity and reduced impact of laundering. This study of embroidered TENS electrode performance provided crucial insight into better understanding life span and viability as a future "smart" medical wearable device.
