This research aimed to reduce fabric frictional noise to enhance wearing comfort, as such noise can be bothersome. This goal was achieved through chemical surface treatments, specifically cross-linker treatment and silicone softener treatment. Frictional noise from the treated fabrics was generated, recorded, and analyzed using a frictional noise generator, fast Fourier transform, and sixth-band analysis to determine the total noise level. A novel aspect of this work is the use of psychoacoustic characterization to evaluate the fabric frictional noise by calculating Zwicker’s parameters using the Brüel and Kjær application. In addition, the mechanical properties were tested using the Kawabata compression and surface testers, with data comparison achieved using Student’s t-test. The results showed that softeners are more effective than cross-linkers in reducing the total frictional noise level, loudness, and fluctuation strength. However, cross-linkers are better at reducing sharpness. Neither treatment affected the roughness of the frictional noise. In summary, both easy-care and softener treatments help reduce discomfort and produce less loud and sharp fabric frictional noise.

Polyacrylonitrile/ mesoporous silica (SBA-15) composites were synthesized using needless electrospinning technique, where, different dispersing agents were examined for better deagglomeration of silica particles in starting formulations and distribution in the electrospun composite nanofibers. Silica nanoparticles increase the specific surface area from 68.7 to 98.5 m 2 /g and the tensile strength from 0.61 to 1.22 MPa of PAN nanofibers. Three different dispersing agents including BYK W-9010, BYK W-980 and BYK W-966 were used and the best was optimized for better deagglomeration of silica sub-micron particles in composite nanofibers. PAN composite nanofibers also increased thermal stability up to 650 °C than pristine PAN nanofibers due to hydrogen bridges present between nitrile groups of PAN and silanol groups of fillers.

Electrospinning (ES) is a versatile and diverse technique to fabricate nano and micro fibers that could be utilized as drug delivery systems. The aim of this research was the fabrication and characterization of drug loaded nanofibrous scaffold produced by single-needle ES using poly(Ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(ethylene glycol-400) (PEG) and to investigate the potential of this material as a drug delivery system. A model drug, Ibuprofen (IBU), was used. Ibuprofen is a medicine that is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Two concentrations of IBU, 5 wt% and 7 wt%, were incorporated for the ES of PCL and PCL/PEG nanofibers. Characterization of nanofibers was done by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Water Contact Angle Measurements. The impact of IBU on nanofibers’ properties such as morphology, diameters, hydrophilicity, and tensile strength was investigated. Finally, the drug release kinetics of IBU from nanofibers was analyzed and their percentage release efficiency of IBU (RE%) was determined by UV-vis spectroscopy during 24 h.

Fabric friction generates sounds that can be expected or uncomfortable depending on the application. Indeed, acoustic properties of fabrics depend on many parameters like the weave pattern or the surface roughness and according to these properties, sounds will be differently perceived by human ear. This study establishes a list of 16 attributes and the corresponding references and also a method step by step to train the panel to evaluate and characterize textile products. An example of application is presented to show the differences or similarities between samples with different friction speed. Therefore, this work represents a step toward the standardization of the approach to the sensory analysis of fabric friction sounds and can be applied to different space products. Practical ApplicationsSensory analyses are a way to objectively characterize the attributes of different products, especially textile products. Determining whether products fulfill established criteria for some attributes is important for quality control, ensuring consumer trust or drawing some correlations between mechanical and acoustic/mechanical properties. The present study aimed to set up a standardized method for the sensory analysis of fabric friction sounds of fabrics. The sensory approach developed has enabled the sensory characterization of various fabric friction sounds using the selected descriptors, making it possible to establish a sensory profile. The follow-up study will focus on the correlations between instrumental and sensory approach. In addition, different surface treatments (softener, cross-linker) will be used in order to observe their influence on the sensory profiles.

In this study, a bi-layer scaffold combining polyurethane nanofibrous and silicone membrane layers was produced. Chemical, morphological and physical properties of the scaffolds were determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analyses, respectively. The surface properties were examined with the contact angle test. To evaluate the encapsulation and release behaviour of the scaffolds Rhodamine B and Nile red were used as model drugs. Further, the cytotoxicity and cell proliferation investigations were carried out using mouse embryonic fibroblasts cell lines. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazoyl-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and SEM were used to investigate the cell viability and cell-scaffold interactions, respectively. The results of the study were evaluated in order to develop a bimodal drug release system that has the potential to be used in tissue engineering applications.

Large defects in the congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are treated by prosthetic materials, most frequently polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), with high complications. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel electrospun double-faced prosthesis that will minimize these surgical complications. Polyamide 6 (PA-6) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofibers were prepared by solution electrospinning, and room temperature vulcanized silicone (RTV) was used in electrospinning by dip-coating to develop a double-faced membrane. The results demonstrate that the duration of electrospinning and thickness of silicone layers influence the morphology of the bilayer scaffolds. Electrospun bilayer polyamide 6/silicone and thermoplastic polyurethane/silicone scaffolds are fabricated as potential substitutes for prosthetic membrane applications in this study. The morphology, topography, mechanical, and biological properties of these electrospun meshes have been reported to make adequate conclusions in in vitro studies. The morphological characterizations show two distinct layers of electrospun and silicone layer which can mimic the morphology of PTFE prosthesis. However, the mechanical results of the developed TPU/Silicone membrane demonstrate improved mechanical properties. In addition, the biological tests confirm the biocompatibility of the developed prosthesis.

Due to increasing public awareness and the growing perception of social cognizance about the environment, the textile industry has focused on producing environmentally friendly products, with the environmental impact of a textile product being evaluated as a key point/factor/area for sustainable development. The aim of this study was to obtain empirical data concerning the environmental impact associated with the life cycle of dental scrubs. The dental scrubs used in this study were the most commonly available products on the French market. They were made of different compositions of fabric (100% cotton and two blends of cotton/polyester) and assumed to be manufactured in two different countries (Tunisia and China). The environmental impact was analyzed to determine which of these scenarios has the best ecological assessment in terms of material and manufacturing site by applying the main principles of the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and by using Simapro® software in order to quantify the impacts of the different stages of the life cycle. The results show that the 35% cotton and 65% polyester scrub has less environmental impacts than the other two, especially for aquatic and terrestrial pollution. The majority of the environmental impacts are found to be much more limited when the scrub is made in Tunisia than when it is from China. The results obtained can be used as reference information when considering the ecological aspect of medical clothing or for the development of new dental workwear that will provide the best possible ecological balance.

At present, it is unclear how ergonomic factors of underwear affect men’s work, lifestyle, physiology and psychology, and whether the demand factors of some special groups will affect the development of underwear. This study analyzed the underwear preferences of male groups working in Chinese and European universities from the perspective of ergonomics. The survey results confirm that ergonomic factors significantly affect men’s preference for underwear, including subjective style preference and objective comfort. These problems come from style structure, materials, functional design and size standards. In general, this typical male group needs underwear with good support in standing posture and good comfort in sitting state. This study also provides important information and evidence for the analysis and prediction of group characteristics and demand-oriented product development. Designing underwear products according to consumer needs and avoiding waste of resources from inefficient development has a positive impact on the green development and recycling of textiles.

This work aims to determine the amount of sewing thread required to stitch a specific length of woven fabric using two cover stitch types of class 600. In fact, two different methods, geometrical method and a multi-linear regression method, are proposed, to select the best one for the prediction of thread consumption in order to help industrialists to evaluate accurately the consumed amount of sewing threads.

Hemiplegia is the lifelong paralysis, caused by brain stroke that affects one side of the body. Stroke exerts a great threat to patient's health and lives, and hemiplegia after stroke may severely affect their activities of daily life including self-dressing that causes fatigue and frustration and ultimately ended with "dependence on others." This situation damages the sense of dignity, especially for women, while independently dressing intimate apparel like bra. The research through the design approach is used as the conceptual framework to design and evaluate bra for the women with hemiplegia. Three design criteria were identified from which specifications were developed, and their interrelationships explored through an interaction matrix. This article presents a research work on improving bra design, adjusted to the special needs and demands of an individual with hemiplegia, by using bi-layer knitted fabric, magnetic fasteners, and shape-memory alloys. The findings of the current study showed that adaptive bra design offers independence, concealment of the disability, and comfort and psychological contentment. This adaptive bra promotes the harmony between functionality and esthetics.

PurposeThe paper aims to present the design, validation and integration of a universal fabric gripper. Flexible material handling is one of the most challenging problems occurring in the field of manipulator robots. Because textile products shape and properties can widely vary, each textile and each technological operation should have its own specialized gripper. The objective of the work described here is therefore to design a universal gripper able to grip and transfer every kind of textile.Design/methodology/approachThe design objectives are the ability to handle panels of varying shapes and sizes without material deformation and/or folding, and the easy integration with commercially available manipulator robots. To answer initial requirements and increase the textile gripping reliability, we opted to combine three different gripping technologies: vacuum, intrusion and pinch.FindingsEach system was first validated independently through static tests. The vacuum technology offers a high reliability to handle impermeable materials. The intrusion technology is reliable for the manipulation of high porosity materials, while the pinch technology shows good results for all soft fabrics when combined with the vacuum technology. Then, the limits of the new gripper in terms of gripping capacity, compressed air consumption and characteristics and limitations of the flexible material handled were put in evidence using a robot arm. An automated selection program of the gripper based on the material characteristics has also been developed and implemented.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified need to design a universal gripper able to grip and transfer every different kind of cut textile.

This research investigates the impact of stone washing treatment on denim fabrics. Garments were washed at different conditions, and then the bagging behavior properties and the mechanical properties using the Kawabata evaluation system KES-FB of the treated and untreated denim fabric were analyzed and investigated. Furthermore, to predict the appearance and the bagging ability of denim fabric, the significant contribution of the inputs/outputs parameters on the bagging behavior is discussed using the principal component analysis (PCA) technique. Thanks to this method, the numbers of the influent parameters were reduced at a percentage of 45.71%. The results show the accuracy of the linear regression method to predict the bagging behavior in the experimental design of interest. Moreover, the R-2 ranged from 83.6% to 92.7%, traduces that the obtained models seem effective and can help industrials to explain the effect of washing treatment in the bagging behavior of denim fabric.

This work deals with determination of rapid and precise methods to predict the amount of sewing thread needed to sew a garment using different chain stitches of the class 400 (from 401 to 407 chain stitches). At first, to avoid unused stocks, sewing consumption value was determined using a geometrical method (based on different chain stitch shapes). The prediction of the sewing thread consumption was proposed as a function of the studied input parameters, which are fabric thickness, stitch density, yarn linear density, and stitch width. Then, a statistical method based on the multilinear regression was studied. Geometrical and statistical results were discussed. Based on the R-2 range, we concluded that the geometrical method is more accurate than the statistical one (from 98.16 to 99.19% and from 97.30 to 98.51%, respectively). Thus, this result encourages industrialists to use geometrical models to predict thread consumption. Also, all studied parameters, contributing to the sewing thread consumption behavior, were investigated and analyzed. The result shows that the most important parameters affecting thread consumption are stitch density followed by stitch width and fabric thickness. The yarn density has a low contribution on the thread consumption value.

Wound care is as aged as the mankind. Different kind of woven and nonwoven dressings are being used for all types of burn wounds. Many of the researchers worked on the non-adherent dressings. Achieving the non-adhesiveness compromised on many other factors such as exudates absorption, leaching of paraffin oil/wax into the wound, healing process, and antibacterial properties etc. This research work fulfills almost all the gaps with low cost. Gauze dressings coated with paraffin oil were impregnated with different combination of sodium alginate, chitosan, PVA and honey. Besides this silver was also used to enhance the antibacterial properties. SEM was used to analyze the surface morphology before and after applying different biocompatible materials (alginate, PVA and chitosan) in combination with honey and silver salt. Comfort properties (stiffness and moisture management) and antibacterial efficacy of developed samples was evaluated by following the standard test methods. Independent t-test proved significant difference between the stiffness results depending on the drying method. But the t-test results showed that there was no significant difference of drying method on the overall moisture management capability (OMMC). All the developed gauze dressing pads (GDPs) showed good antibacterial against both gram positive (S. Aureus) and gram negative (E. Coli) bacterial strains, but the combination of chitosan, silver and honey has shown larger zone of inhibition for both strains. Thus, on the behalf of the antibacterial activity, stiffness, and moisture management the dressing with composition; chitosan+ silver+ honey can be the best choice for partial thickness burn wounds.

Rapid and precise methods (geometrical and statistical), which aim to predict the amount of sewing thread needed to sew a garment using different over-edge stitches of class 500 (501, 503, 504, 505, 512, 514, 515, and 516), have been provided. Using a geometrical method of different over-edge stitch shapes, sewing consumption value was determined to avoid the unused stocks for each stitch type. The prediction of the sewing thread consumption relative to each investigated over-edge stitch was proposed as a function of the studied input parameters, such as material thickness, stitch density, yarn diameter, and seam width (distance between the needle and the cutter and the distance between two needles). To improve the established models using a geometrical method, a statistical method based on multi-linear regression was studied. Geometrical and statistical results were discussed, and the coefficient R2 value was determined to evaluate the accuracy of the tested methods. By comparing the estimated thread consumption with the experimental ones, we concluded that the geometrical method is more accurate than the statistical method regarding the range of R2 (from 97.00 to 98.78%), which encourages industrialists to use geometrical models to predict thread consumption. All studied parameters contributing to the sewing thread consumption behavior were investigated and analyzed in the experimental design of interest. It was concluded that the most important parameter affecting thread consumption is the stitch density. The material thickness and the seam width (B1) have a little impact on thread consumption values. However, the seam thread diameter has a neglected effect on thread consumption.

Fabricating scaffolds with biomimetic architectures is an important step toward engineering functional tissues. Electrospinning is a popular approach for creating nanofibrous substrates in which the filaments resembling the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) can provide topographical cues to cells directing their growth. One of the major challenges in electrospinning is tailoring the spatial organization of the filaments. To overcome this challenge, a hybrid static collector was utilized to form distinct filament organizations. The filament organization was characterized using image processing based on the Fourier Transforms Method. The effect of different filament orientation ratios on cellular growth is discussed.

With the development of society and increasing demands, the design of male underwear should conform to human ergonomics. However, some special delicate aspects related to morphological features of the male body need to use computer technologies for generating a digital replica of real bodies, with textile materials instead of real objects from the perspective of satisfying increasing needs. This article aims to apply three-dimensional (3D) simulation technology in compression clothes design. We have proposed the method of material precision simulation, body avatar establishment, and virtual underwear design. In this study, multiple 3D software to establish avatars of male bodies with different morphological features are used first. Secondly, the conversion of the Kawabata Evaluation System for Fabrics results in a digital library of knitted materials to be explored, which are mainly based on elastic characteristics and compression performances. Then, we conducted a series of try-on tests with average size avatars, which are created using 3D scanning technology, and evaluated the pressure and comfort using a new method we recommended. Finally, the results of the virtual and actual tests are compared. All digital replicas achieve the same results as the real ones. This study can promote the application of 3D simulation technology in male compression underwear design by operating a digital replica instead of real objects.

This paper aims to provide rapid and precise methods to allow industrials to predict the amount of sewing thread needed to sew a garment using different lockstitches of class 300 (301, 301/301, 304, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, and 315). To avoid unused stocks for each stitch type, a sewing consumption value was determined using a geometrical method of different lockstitch shapes. Furthermore, the relationships between overall geometrical models of the studied lockstitches of class 300 were developed. Indeed, based on the geometrical model of lockstitch type 301, all theoretical models proposed were investigated and proved to be accurate. Moreover, referring to the findings, the prediction of the sewing thread consumption relative to each investigated lockstitch was proposed as a function of the studied input parameters. To improve the established models using geometrical technique, a statistical method was conducted. In addition, based on multi-linear regression, compared geometrical and statistical results were discussed and the coefficient R2 value was determined to evaluate the accuracy of the tested methods. By comparing the estimated thread consumption with the experimental ones, we concluded that the accuracy of the models is significant (R2 ranged from 93.91% to 99.10%), which encourages industrialists to use geometrical models to predict thread consumption. Therefore, the accuracy of prediction using the geometrical method is more accurate than the statistical method regarding the range of R2 (from 92.84% to 97.87%). To classify the significance of all studied parameters, their contributions to the sewing thread consumption behavior were analyzed in the experimental design of interest. It was concluded that the most important parameters affecting thread consumption are stitch width, stitch density, and the gap between two needles. The thickness of fabric has a low contribution to the thread consumption value, whereas the effect of yarn count can be neglected.

Protection for the respiratory system has become a need of the day due to increased air pollution. Different nonwoven filter media have been incorporated into filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs). However, the performance of these systems could be improved further by the addition of finer nanowebs. The effect of the addition of intermediate media (nanowebs) on the comfort of FFRs also needs to be studied, as comfort can affect the performance of wearer. In this study, electrospun polymeric nanowebs were incorporated between layers of commercially available nonwoven fabrics to improve its filtration performance. The effect of the addition of polymeric webs between the layers of nonwoven filter media on the comfort properties was also studied. It was concluded that the addition of nanowebs remarkably improved the filtration capability of filter media. Also, it was found to have mixed impact on comfort properties of the resultant composite filter media; air permeability was reduced from 58 to 50 mm/s, while the filtration efficiency was improved along with thermal and water vapor permeability. Thermal conductivity was increased from 30.5 to 39 [(W/cm °C) × 104]. Water vapor permeability increased from 1.70 to 2.04 [(g/s mm2) × 108].

This work deals with prediction of the quantities of sewing threads required to sew a garment using cover stitches for the different classes of 600 (602, 605 and 607 cover stitches) by performing a rapid and precise methods (Geometrical and statistical). Sewing consumption value was estimated based on the geometrical method of different cover stitch shapes to prevent inventory of stocks for each stitch type. In the prediction of the sewing thread consumption for each investigated stitch, it was assumed that the consumption is a function of the input parameters, such as material thickness, stitch density, yarn linear density, and seam width. In addition, a statistical method based on multi-linear regression was established. The coefficient R-2 value was determined to evaluate the precision of the geometrical and statistical methods. By comparing the theoretical thread consumption with the experimental ones, it is concluded that the geometrical method is more accurate than the statistical method regarding the range of R-2 (from 98.78% to 99.38%), which encouraged industrialists to use geometrical models to predict thread consumption.The input parameters contributing to the sewing thread consumption behavior were studied and analyzed. It was concluded that the most important parameters influencing thread consumption are stitch density followed by seam width. Both yarn density and material thickness have a low contribution to the thread consumption value.