Effects of Recycled Fiber Usage and Laundering Processes on the Performance Properties of Knitted Fabrics

It is known that in recent years, major textile and apparel companies in the world have shown a great tendency towards recycled clothing within the scope of sustainability and it has been observed that recycled knitted clothes have started to take place in the product range of many big brands. However, the subject of recycled textiles is a topic that has become popular in recent years and the performance of recycled textiles in end use is not yet known. For this purpose, knitted fabrics were produced from Ne 20/1 open-end yarns with %50 recycled cotton/%50 recycled polyester, %50 recycled cotton/%50 virgin polyester and %50 virgin cotton/%50 virgin polyester yarns in this study. All fabrics were then subjected to laundering processes at two different washing temperatures and then dried in two separate ways for 5, 10, and 20 laundering cycles. These selected variables and recycled fiber contents were evaluated for their influence on fabric performance properties before and after predetermined laundering cycles. Comparative analyses supported with statistical analysis of circular bending rigidity, weight loss after laundering, and dimensional stability properties were carried out. Results demonstrated that interlock fabrics exhibit higher circular bending rigidity and dimensional change percentages than the other fabric types. Additionally, yarn type did not affect fabric stiffness. Dimensional changes in the wale direction were significantly affected by the yarn type and laundering cycle. Moreover, fabrics made of %50 recycled cotton-%50 recycled polyester yarn exhibited less weight loss percentages after repetitive laundering processes which proves their endurance that is comparable to commercial yarns and encourages us to use recycled yarns more commonly.