Performance of woven fabrics for absorbent applications

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the performance of woven fabrics developed using modified cotton fabric, where the weft yarns consist of roving and the warp yarns are conventional spun yarns, aiming to enhance absorbency and moisture transport properties in functional absorbent textile products. Two weave structures - plain and twill - were produced with varying weft densities of 5, 7, and 9 picks/cm, using roving yarns with a yarn count of Ne 1.1 in the weft direction. A comprehensive set of standard tests was conducted, including air permeability, thermal conductivity, abrasion resistance, pilling grades, tensile strength, dimensional stability, fabric friction, fabric roughness, and moisture management performance. Two-way ANOVA was used to examine the relationships between fabric structure, pick density, and the measured performance properties, while a radar chart was employed to evaluate and compare the samples by integrating their physical, mechanical, and tactile characteristics. T9 (Twill – 9 picks/cm) ranked as the top-performing sample, followed by P9 (Plain – 9 picks/cm) and T5 (Twill – 5 picks/cm). However, based on moisture-management indicators, specifically the One-Way Transport Index (905.2%) and Overall Moisture Management Capacity (0.98), T5 showed the highest absorption efficiency, T5 optimizes moisture functionality, illustrating a trade-off between mechanical/tactile properties and moisture-management performance.