Cotton flax fabrics for new generation clothing by ARS
Leading premiere scientific organization Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and engineers have made a cotton-flax denim blend that will make jeans more comfortable to wear even in summer heat.
During hot summer weather, classic blue jeans can feel heavy under the weight of absorbed moisture.
Denim is one of the largest commodity fabrics produced in the world. Flax is nearly three times stronger than cotton, making it among the strongest natural fibers known. Clothing materials, such as woven denims and knitted fabrics made from these particular cotton-flax blends, could be compared to a new, nonwrinkling form of linen.
At the ARS Cotton Quality Research Station in Clemson, S.C., mechanical engineer Jonn A. Foulk has been working with technicians to blend cotton with flax to create new yarns. The specific ratio of the new blends imparts "moisture management" to woven denim and knitted fabrics. The work is being done at the station's model, state-of-the-art spinning facility.
Adding flax to clothing fabric helps keep skin cool partly because the flax improves moisture wicking, the ability of fabric to pull moisture away from the skin. Another value-added feature is air permeability, the ability of fabric to dry quickly. The researchers are evaluating cotton-flax blends for use in athletic performance and other apparel.
The Clemson station's researchers are also embedding flax fibers into polymers to create composite materials and nonwoven sheets for various industrial uses.
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