Advances in Research 19(6): 1-8, 2019; Article no.AIR.50552 ISSN: 2348-0394, NLM ID: 101666096 Evaluation of Quality and Assurance Parameters of Mulberry Silk Waste and Viscose Blended Knitted Fabrics by Using ‘Fabric Assurance by Simple Testing’ (FAST) Technique Shikha Bajaj1* and Sandeep Bains1 1Department of Apparel and Textile Science, Punjab Agricultural University, India. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between both the authors. Authors Shikha Bajaj and Sandeep Bains designed the study. Author Shikha Bajaj performed the statistical analysis. Author Sandeep Bains wrote the protocol. Author Shikha Bajaj wrote the first draft of the manuscript and managed the analyses of the study. Author Sandeep Bains managed the literature searches. Both the authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/AIR/2019/v19i630137 Editor(s): (1) Dr. Martin Kröger, Professor, Computational Polymer Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Switzerland. Reviewers: (1) Chun Yang, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. (2) P. Lalitha, Avinashilingam University, India. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle3.com/review-history/50552 Received 19 May 2019 Original Research Article Accepted 02 August 2019 Published 08 August 2019 ABSTRACT Fabric handle is one of the influential properties for any fabric and is a guiding factor for optimum selection of textile materials for specific end uses. The paper deals with objective analysis of knitted fabrics for fabric hand. Present attempt was made on four knitted fabrics, blended in proportions of 50% mulberry silk: 50% viscose and 40% mulberry silk: 60% viscose, each in two different counts. Fabric Assurance by Simple Testing (FAST) was utilized for determination of properties which is precisely associated with apparel construction and its lastingness. Fabric samples were subjected to tests for obtainment of dimensional stability, formability, low load extensibility, bending rigidity, compression and shear rigidity. Knitted fabric blended in proportion of 50% mulberry silk: 50% viscose in 20 Nm count was found to be most feasible to large scale production and garment construction. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]; Bajaj and Bains; AIR, 19(6): 1-8, 2019; Article no.AIR.50552 Keywords: Apparel; fabric; knitted; mulberry; quality. 1. INTRODUCTION blended knitted fabrics. Dimensional stability, formability, extensibility, bending rigidity, shear Textile industry is one of the biggest industry in rigidity and compression have been measured by the world with large textile manufacturing base using Fabric assurance by simple testing. [1]. The immense progress in the past decades has not only produced high technology textile 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS goods but has also given way to considerable experimentation and testing. Quality has grown Four types of fabrics were knitted by using into a prime requirement in today’s competitive blended yarns of two different yarn counts, each market and can be assessed to a large extent in two different blending proportions viz. 50% from the performance of the product [2]. mulberry silk: 50% viscose and 40% mulberry Objective evaluation of the textile materials is a silk: 60% viscose. Blended knitted fabrics were indispensible tool in the present textile trade. utilized for present course of experimentation. There is a huge rise in production of quality goods due to mechanization. In order to reap The property of fabric hand was determined by satisfactory performance in the clothing using Fabric assurance by simple testing (FAST). business, an assertive specification in relation to The process involved use of tensile testing the critical fabric quality has to be retained. Thus machine called extensometer, which measured determination of these aspects objectively is the force generated when the fabric specimens crucial [3]. The fabric hand is one aspect of passed through a ring [10]. Apart from this, importance to the fashion industry and cantilever bending tester and a cloth thickness consumers, which plays a vital role in guiding gauge were also utilized. Fabrics were subjected consumer’s purchase decision [4]. Customers to FAST in both wale-wise and course-wise intuitively examine fabric hand to characterize directions for all parameters except compression, and determine quality and its applicability for a weight and shear rigidity. definite end use. The property can be assessed The procedure included four steps of by mechanical and electronic equipments and by examination. FAST‐1 provided a figure for fabric human experts by utilization of psychophysical or thickness with micrometre resolution. FAST‐2 psychological methods [5]. Respondents may calculated the values for fabric bending length contradict, however, in their subjective and bending rigidity. FAST‐3 measured fabric evaluations of properties, even when the specific extensibility at low loads and shear rigidity. marking levels are provided, and these contrasts FAST‐4 was utilized for measurement of may lead to discrepancies in their judgment [6]. dimensional stability, involving relaxation To fill this void, objective evaluations are shrinkage and the hygral expansion [8]. Three considered better for assessment of such readings were obtained for each sample, while properties. In the past, Kawabata system of testing individual criterion. Mean was calculated evaluating hand values was developed which for three readings for the final value. Below measured the fabric handle with accuracy; mentioned methods were utilized for judgement however, the experimentation is highly of various parameters. cumbersome and time consuming [7]. In this view, FAST system of fabric handle evaluation 1. Dimensional stability: Extent of dimensional system has come into picture, which is much deformation of knitted fabrics was evaluated by simpler than Kawabata evaluation system and computation of parameters like relaxation experimentation cost is also less. Fabric shrinkage and hygral expansion. Assurance by Simple testing (FAST) was developed by CSIRO (Division of Textile Relaxation shrinkage: Dimensional Industry, Australia) [3]. The test determines change in fabric was measured by properties which sharply define ease of garment calculating the percentage change in construction and its durability [8]. This test dimensions after relaxation of fabric after method is based on correlations between a knitting. Relaxation was carried out at number of subjective evaluations of fabric handle room temperature. (like smoothness, firmness, fullness, crispiness Hygral expansion: It was measured by and hardness) and corresponding mechanically calculating the reversible change in detectable Figures [9]. In the present study, dimensions of fabric after moisture content authors have intended to evaluate fabric hand of is altered. 2 Bajaj and Bains; AIR, 19(6): 1-8, 2019; Article no.AIR.50552 Relaxation shrinkage = L1-L3 kept constant for all the yarns (10 twists per L1 inch). All the fabrics were knitted in plain jersey Hygral expansion = L2-L3 structure. L3 Developed knitted fabrics were assigned codes Where; for ease of discussion and understanding (Table 1). Fabric knitted in 50% mulberry silk: 50% L1 = Length of dry relaxed fabric. L2 = length of viscose yarn and 15 Nm count was called S1 and wet fabric after relaxation in water and L3 = fabric made in 40% mulberry silk: 60% viscose in length of dry unrelaxed fabric [11]. the same count was assigned code S3. In case of 20 Nm yarn count, codes S2 and S4 were the 2. Bending rigidity: Bending lengths were assigned to fabrics with 50% mulberry silk: 50% calculated and converted into bending rigidities viscose and 40% mulberry silk: 60% viscose (BS 3356-1961). FAST 2 instruments worked on respectively. cantilever principle. Table 1. Coding of developed fabric 3. Formability: Compression was applied on the proportions fabric and its ability to withstand the same in its own plane was measured. It was obtained from Blending Yarn Code both FAST 2 and FAST 3 equipments. proportion count Nm assigned 50% mulberry silk: 15 S 4. Extension percentage: Extension in the 1 50% viscose fabric was measured by applying various loads 50% mulberry silk: 20 S viz. 5 gf/cm, 20 gf/cm and 100 gf/cm. It was 2 50% viscose computed by using extension meter. The 40% mulberry silk: 15 S property is associated with looseness of fabric. 3 60% viscose 5. Compression: Under this parameter, 40% mulberry silk: 20 S4 thickness of the fabric was calculated under 60% viscose various loads. Compression meter was used for Dimensional stability this purpose. i) Relaxation shrinkage: It is evident from Surface thickness: Surface thickness is Table 3 that highest values for relaxation defined as the difference between the shrinkage were calculated for fabrics S values of thickness at the two 2 2 and S , however, there was not much predetermined loads viz 2 gf/cm and 100 3 2 difference found among the figures of four gf/cm . The pressure at which thickness knitted fabrics. Relaxation shrinkage in the was measured was controlled by adding direction of wales was found to be weights to the measuring cup [11]. significantly higher than that of course Relaxed surface thickness: The values of direction. Since the gap between two surface thickness when viewed against the crossing points in the direction