Kenaf/Cotton Blends for Textiles

Abstract

This project focuses on a bastfiber that may have the potentialforffurther development in the United States. Kenaffibers were extracted/processed by different methods to determine the most feasible process for extracting the best quality fibers. Properties including bundle tenacity, elongation, and gum content were measuredforfibers extracted by the processes. Fibers from some of the processes were made into yarns, and yarn quality tests were performed. There were differences in fiber properties due to extraction, but the yarn quality tests did not reveal significant differences. Therefore, selection of afiber extraction process may be most dependent on the cost and simplicity of the process. Feasibility of using the kenaf‐blend yarns in knitted and woven structures also was investigated. Kenaf‐blend yarns were incorporated into a knitted fabric made on a mechanical system and in the weft direction of a handwoven sample. The woven and knitted structures that were made supportfurther product development work using the bast fiber kenaf in production of textiles.