Most cited article - PubMed ID 39144938
Assessment of the effects of the use of preconsumer cotton waste on the quality of rotor yarns
The study investigated and analyzed the contamination of the fabric surface due to cotton waste yarn woven into the weft. The impact of cotton waste proportion and cleaning methods on open-end rotor yarn quality, using blends from 100 to 0% cotton waste mixed with virgin cotton fibers were investigated. The study proves that cotton waste can be effectively incorporated into yarn production without significantly compromising fabric properties, supporting the sustainable use of recycled fibers. The innovative cleaning channel W increases fiber yield but also raises contamination levels, leading to a higher number of detected impurities on the fabric surface. The classification method for dust and trash particles significantly affects the contamination evaluation, though contamination trends remain consistent. The classification of dust and trash particles by the maximal Ferret's diameter is preferred based on the obtained outputs from the realized experiment. Additionally, while the size of dust particles decreases as the cotton waste proportion decreases, trash particle size is unaffected by the cleaning channel or waste ratio in the weft yarn. In the case of the binary portion, contaminant levels decrease as cotton waste content in weft yarns is reduced, with the lowest found in cleaning channel A, followed by C and W. Surprisingly, dust and trash particles contribute to the binary portion equally. It leads to the recommendation connected with optimizing fabric quality, the final treatment should focus mainly on eliminating the visual impact of larger contaminants. The reason is that smaller particles can be mostly removed during pretreatment because they are not firmly fixed in a woven structure. The results also highlight the link between fabric contamination and potential health risks from respirable dust particles in the workplace, underscoring the need for effective control during processing to protect workers and ensure stable production not only in weaving but also in the following processes.