Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Single Jersey Knitted Fabrics Containing Recycled Cotton Fiber and Fabric Performance

Abstract

This study investigates the life cycle assesment of single jersey knitted fabrics containing recycled cotton and their some performance properties. In the yarn production stage fibers obtained from waste through mechanical recycling (pre-consumer recycle) were used in blends at 10%, 15%, and 20% to produce knitted fabrics. Some performance properties such as fabric stiffness, air permeability, and dimensional change, which are important in the usage properties of jersey knitted fabrics, were compared. Within the scope of the study, the environmental impact of the use of recycled raw materials was evaluated with LCA. According to the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) results, the use of recycled cotton with contributions ranging from 10% to 20% instead of 100% original cotton demonstrated significant improvements in resource depletion (fossil fuels), global warming, ozone layer depletion, toxic impact on human life, toxic impact on freshwater life, toxic impact on terrestrial life, and total water usage.