Abstract
This paper aims at the extraction and application of eco- and user-friendly natural gum obtained from Commiphora Africana tree. The result obtained is also compared with fabric treated with a commercial softener of the same concentration. The gum was extracted by puncturing the stem of the plant and the extracted gum was applied directly to 100% cotton fabric through a padding process with different concentrations of extracted gum (i.e., 20 gram per litre (g/l), 25 g/l, and 30 g/l). Another similar fabric sample was treated with a silicon softener of the same concentration. The fabric samples treated with both natural gum and silicon softener were tested for their stiffness, crease recovery, and drapability. The results show that the change in fabric softness depends on the concentration of softener used in both cases. As the concentration of the softener increased, there was a decrease in bending length and drape coefficient for both fabric samples. The drape coefficient of fabric sample treated with natural gum has a comparable result with fabric treated with silicon/commercial softener. Maximum increases in recovery angle were seen in fabric treated with natural gum at a concentration of 30 g/l.
Highlights
Cotton is the main textile fiber that has a distinctive blend of properties, with great strength, long-lasting, smoothness, excellent dyeability, and biodegradability, and it has been used for apparel for several years [1]. e softness of the fabric is an essential comfort property of cotton fabric which is mostly used to describe how the fabric hangs around an object or how it senses upon touching
Fabric samples treated with silicon and natural softeners showed a dissimilar result based on the concentration of applied softener. e higher the concentration, the better the softness of the fabric. e treated fabrics were evaluated for stiffness, drapability, and crease recovery
Previous study showed that the lower the bending length, the better the fabric softness [12]. e bending length is a measure of the interaction between fabric weight and fabric stiffness in which a fabric bends under its weight
Summary
Cotton is the main textile fiber that has a distinctive blend of properties, with great strength, long-lasting, smoothness, excellent dyeability, and biodegradability, and it has been used for apparel for several years [1]. e softness of the fabric is an essential comfort property of cotton fabric which is mostly used to describe how the fabric hangs around an object or how it senses upon touching. Cotton is the main textile fiber that has a distinctive blend of properties, with great strength, long-lasting, smoothness, excellent dyeability, and biodegradability, and it has been used for apparel for several years [1]. Application of softener to textile material can give smoother surface, pleasant handle, good drapability, excellent flexibility, and pliability. Due to such functional reasons, softening agents are used in the finishing of textile fabrics. Softening agents are applied by the users during the laundering of fabric at their homes [3]. Organic softener obtained from plant sources is attracting the interest of researchers as well as finished fabric users
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