Showing papers in "International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology in 2019"

Computer vision for automatic detection and classification of fabric defect employing deep learning algorithm

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to focus on the design and development of computer-aided fabric defect detection and classification employing advanced learning algorithm.,To make a fast and effective classification of fabric defect, the authors have considered a characteristic of texture, namely its colour. A deep convolutional neural network is formed to learn from the training phase of various defect data sets. In the testing phase, the authors have utilised a learning feature for defect classification.,The improvement in the defect classification accuracy has been achieved by employing deep learning algorithm. The authors have tested the defect classification accuracy on six different fabric materials and have obtained an average accuracy of 96.55 per cent with 96.4 per cent sensitivity and 0.94 success rate.,The authors had evaluated the method by using 20 different data sets collected from different raw fabrics. Also, the authors have tested the algorithm in standard data set provided by Ministry of Textile. In the testing task, the authors have obtained an average accuracy of 94.85 per cent, with six defects being successfully recognised by the proposed algorithm.,The quantitative value of performance index shows the effectiveness of developed classification algorithm. Moreover, the computational time for different fabric processing was presented to verify the computational range of proposed algorithm with the conventional fabric processing techniques. Hence, this proposed computer vision-based fabric defects detection system is used for an accurate defect detection and computer-aided analysis system.

Kombucha bacterial cellulose for sustainable fashion

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) film, obtained through Kombucha tea fermentation. Design/methodology/approach Kombucha fungus was used to produce BC film under static cultivation conditions. Physical and mechanical properties under the influence of drying temperature and durability of BC material were investigated. Tensile properties were estimated by TINIUS OLSEN H10 KT test machine according to ISO 3376:2011, thickness was measured by DPT 60. BC structure was analysed by Scanning Electron Microscopy Quanta 200 FEG. Findings BC material with excellent deformation properties in wet state were obtained by fermenting Kombucha tea. Due to the presence of fermentation residues, Kombucha film is sensitive to drying temperature. The best deformation properties retain when BC material is dried at low temperature (about 25°C). BC material becomes stiffer and ruptures at lower deformations due to rapid water evaporation at higher drying temperature. It is confirmed that during time, the properties of BC film changes significantly and there may be problems with the durability of products from this material. BC film has an interesting set of properties, therefore its application to fashion industry without further preparation is limited. Originality/value A new approach is based on the evaluation of Kombucha material properties and investigation of BC as new type of material for fashion industry. Some recommendations for Kombucha BC film production are provided, basing on gained experience, experimental results and analysed literature. The advantages and disadvantages of material are discussed in the paper, in order to search for the ways to adapt the new type of material to fashion business.

The effects of elastane and finishing processes on the performance properties of denim fabrics

Abstract: The main factors affecting consumers when selecting denim garments are aesthetic, appearance and fashion. Besides these factors, comfort and performance properties of the denim garments during usage are very important. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of different finishing processes on the performance properties of 100 percent cotton and 98 percent cotton+2 percent elastane denim fabrics.,The research design for this study consists of experimental study. In order to evaluate the effects of finishing on the performance properties of fabrics, eight types of fabrics were selected for evaluation. Rigid, resin, bleaching and softening type fabrics with and without elastane were analyzed statistically.,The results obtained in the study clearly showed that the types of finishing and elastane fiber in the fabric structure had a significant influence on mechanical and comfort properties of denim fabrics.,As a result of the literature review, it was seen that there were limited studies concerning mechanical, functional and comfort properties of denim fabrics together. In this study, the effects of finishing processes on the tear strength, stiffness, drape, mechanical and thermal comfort characteristics were deeply evaluated.

Apparel-based deep learning system design for apparel style recommendation

Abstract: The big challenge in apparel recommendation system research is not the exploration of machine learning technologies in fashion, but to really understand clothes, fashion and people, and know what to learn. The purpose of this paper is to explore an advanced apparel style learning and recommendation system that can recognise deep design-associated features of clothes and learn the connotative meanings conveyed by these features relating to style and the body so that it can make recommendations as a skilled human expert.,This study first proposes a type of new clothes style training data. Second, it designs three intelligent apparel-learning models based on newly proposed training data including ATTRIBUTE, MEANING and the raw image data, and compares the models’ performances in order to identify the best learning model. For deep learning, two models are introduced to train the prediction model, one is a convolutional neural network joint with the baseline classifier support vector machine and the other is with a newly proposed classifier later kernel fusion.,The results show that the most accurate model (with average prediction rate of 88.1 per cent) is the third model that is designed with two steps, one is to predict apparel ATTRIBUTEs through the apparel images, and the other is to further predict apparel MEANINGs based on predicted ATTRIBUTEs. The results indicate that adding the proposed ATTRIBUTE data that captures the deep features of clothes design does improve the model performances (e.g. from 73.5 per cent, Model B to 86 per cent, Model C), and the new concept of apparel recommendation based on style meanings is technically applicable.,The apparel data and the design of three training models are originally introduced in this study. The proposed methodology can evaluate the pros and cons of different clothes feature extraction approaches through either images or design attributes and balance different machine learning technologies between the latest CNN and traditional SVM.

Study on enzyme washing process of hemp organic cotton blended fabric

Abstract: At present, the enzyme washing process is widely used in hemp garment in the industry. However, it has many disadvantages. First, it is inefficient and labor-intensive, which can only be produced in small quantities and will take much time for workers to check. Second, its cost is high. The strength loss of the garment is up to 20 percent, with a bad damage. Presently, the enzyme washing process of the gray fabric is not industrialized. The purpose of this paper is to obtain a stable and efficient process for the enzyme washing of the gray fabric.,The whiteness, weight loss rate, strength, dyeing property and fabric style of enzyme washed gray fabrics were studied.,The results showed that the enzyme treated fabric has soft handle, smooth surface, good elasticity and high levelness, as well as low strength reduction rate under the optimized condition of bath ratio of 1:12, cellulase dosage of 0.3 percent, pectinase dosage of 1 g/L, treatment temperature of 55°C, treatment time of 80 min and pH of 6.,First, the process is environment friendly, green and sustainable and, second, it will make the industrialization of the enzyme washing process of gray fabrics, with a high commercial value.

Virtual try-on technologies in the clothing industry: basic block pattern modification

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate basic block pattern modification according to fabric used and the mismatch between 2D and 3D measure lines at bust, waist and hip girths when ease allowance is changed uniformly.,For the investigation, virtual try-on software Modaris 3D Fit (CAD Lectra) was used. The straight shape dress fitting was done using seven cotton and cotton blended plain weave fabrics. After virtual try-on, the mismatch d (dbust, dwaist, dhip) between 2D and 3D measure lines was measured in order to determine base pattern adjustments using different fabrics.,It was found that the position and length of 3D measure lines at bust, waist and hip girths does not match the position and length of corresponding lines in 2D base patterns after virtual try-on due to fabrics deformation, which is related to mechanical properties. It was proved that derived linear equations presenting a relation between mismatch and ease allowance values could be used for basic block pattern modification that 3D and 2D measure lines would coincide during clothing try-on.,This research is limited to cotton/cotton blended woven fabrics and straight dress; therefore, other fabric types and other clothing could be investigated in the future to expand data basis.,The main practical point of the proposed method is that in order to obtain particular 3D ease value in a garment, it can be calculated from 2D ease allowance value and the fabric’s tensile properties using linear equations. The basic block patterns could be modified using this method not only for tested fabrics but also for other fabrics with similar composition, structural and mechanical properties. 3D ease values in garment can be easily checked by using virtual try-on technology without production of real prototypes. The method is applicable for making ready-to-wear or individually tailored clothing.,The proposed method in this paper presented opportunity to modify the basic block patterns of the dress according to the fabric’s tensile properties and 2D ease allowance. The basic block patterns could be modified according to presented linear functions for each tested fabric. The application of this method can fully ensure the interaction between the garment 2D patterns to 3D garment so that a desired 3D garment fitting effect to the body can easily be satisfied by the adjustment of particular fabric characteristics. It offers further possibilities, especially with developing virtual try-on technologies.

Generation of fashionable clothes using generative adversarial networks: A preliminary feasibility study

Abstract: There are various style options available when one buys clothes on online shopping websites, however the availability the new fashion trends or choices require further user interaction in generating fashionable clothes. The paper aims to discuss this issue.,Based on generative adversarial networks (GANs) from the deep learning paradigm, here the authors suggest model system that will take the latest fashion trends and the clothes bought by users as input and generate new clothes. The new set of clothes will be based on trending fashion but at the same time will have attributes of clothes where were bought by the consumer earlier.,In the proposed machine learning based approach, the clothes generated by the system will personalized for different types of consumers. This will help the manufacturing companies to come up with the designs, which will directly target the customer.,The biggest limitation of the collected data set is that the clothes in the two domains do not belong to a specific category. For instance the vintage clothes data set has coats, dresses, skirts, etc. These different types of clothes are not segregated. Also there is no restriction on the number of images of each type of cloth. There can many images of dresses and only a few for the coats. This can affect the end results. The aim of the paper was to find whether new and desirable clothes can be created from two different domains or not. Analyzing the impact of “the number of images for each class of cloth” is something which is aim to work in future.,The authors believe such personalized experience can increase the sales of fashion stores and here provide the feasibility of such a clothes generation system.,Applying GANs from the deep learning models for generating fashionable clothes.

Investigating the adoption of apparel m-commerce in the US market

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to empirically determine the key factors influencing the US consumers’ intentions to use apparel m-commerce.,An enhanced consumer’s apparel m-commerce adoption model was developed through integrating the existing e-commerce/m-commerce theories (i.e. theory of reasoned action, Technology acceptance model and diffusion of innovation theory). The investigated factors included nine independent variables – perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease-of-use, subjective norm (SN), personal innovativeness traits, security and privacy concerns, compatibility, observability, trust and past non-store shopping experience (PE), and five control variables – age, gender, education level, income level and ethnicity. The dependent factor is consumer’s intention to use (IU) apparel m-commerce. The primary data were gathered by an online survey of US consumers via Amazon Mechanical Turk. In total, 317 eligible responses were received. The applied statistical techniques were factor analysis and multiple regression analysis.,The results show that the US consumer’s IU apparel m-commerce is significantly affected by PU, SN, compatibility and PE and education level. Overall, 67.3 percent of variation in the US consumer’s IU apparel m-commerce is explained by the developed model, which suggests a high explanatory power.,Companies should provide those functions and features on their mobile websites that enable consumers to easily find the products wanted and complete transactions efficiently. Companies should particularly target the consumers with innovativeness traits and/or those having prior non-store shopping experience. Enhancing the trust in m-commerce among the US consumers with higher education level could help companies attract more potential users. Elderly, female or lower income consumers could be the next business opportunities for apparel e-tailers.,As one of the first efforts made to understand the emerging apparel m-commerce phenomenon, this study empirically determined the key factors influencing the US consumer’s IU apparel m-commerce.

An investigation on performance optimization of r-PET/cotton and v-PET/cotton knitted fabric

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to compare the bursting strength, bursting distension, air permeability and wale wise wicking rate properties of recycled polyester (r-PET) and virgin polyester (v-PET) raw materials from which single jersey knitted fabric samples are manufactured. Meanwhile, numerical optimization method was used in predetermined parameters to determine the optimum r-PET and v-PET blend ratio and yarn manufacturing technology. In the optimization analysis, the average values of the important yarn and fabric properties inspected were taken as a target according to the 50 percent proportion of r-PET and v-PET fiber for both compact and ring yarn manufacturing technology.,To encourage the use of value-added textile products produced from recycling PET bottle with the focus of social responsibility is a condition that should be evaluated within the scope of waste management. The recycling of PET bottles and finding new opportunities for the uses in different field are crucial for both contributing environmental economy and conserving natural energy resources. The most important alternative ways is to use the r-PET fiber from recycling PET bottle in textile industry. In this study, 19.7 tex r-PET/cotton and v-PET/cotton-blended compact and ring spun yarns were produced at different blending ratios at the same production parameters.,Results showed that blend type, blend ratio and yarn manufacturing technology have statistical significance effect on bursting strength and air permeability. Besides, it was found that blend type has no significance on wale wise wicking rate unlike other parameters. Optimization analysis indicated that single jersey knitted fabric with v-PET/CO 58.62/41.38 percent compact yarn had higher desirability with the value of 0.72.,At the present time, r-PET fiber is blended in small amount (approximately 5–15 percent blend ratio) with both cotton and polyester together. In addition, it is possible using different fiber blend types instead of cotton and polyester according to the usage area. The most important question is to determine the amount of r-PET proportion. In other words, both optimum yarn/fabric quality parameters should be ensured and at the same time life cycle of the apparels should not be short when the optimum r-PET proportion is taken into consideration.

A fuzzy logic apparel size decision methodology for online marketing

Abstract: Purpose Beside the development of technology and accessibility, ease of use, ability to reach various products and compare many products at the same time make online shopping even more popular. Despite the great advantages provided by online shopping for either consumers or retailers, there are certain issues that must be solved to improve online shopping advantages. Finding right size is one of the biggest barriers against apparel online retailing. Since the use of apparels is directly related with fitting, choosing right size is becoming more critical for retailers and consumers. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the solution of the problem. Design/methodology/approach For the study, the specific size measurements of male shirts (collar, shoulder, chest, waist, arm length in cm) from four different sizes (small, medium, large, x-large) and from eight different brands were collected and stored in a database. Totally, weight, height and body measurements (collar, shoulder, chest, waist and arm length in cm) of 80 male candidates, between the ages of 18 and 35, were measured individually. These data were then used for experiments. Findings Any product with known measurements can be compared with users’ body measurement based on fuzzy logic rule and the best-fitted size can be selected for users. Similarly, using the proposed web design, users are able to see desired products on users with similar body type. Originality/value In this study, a new mathematical method based on fuzzy relations for apparel size finder is proposed. Beside, this method can group users based on body measurements in order to find people with similar size.

Effects of clothing ease and body postures on the air gap and clothing coverage

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of clothing ease and body postures on the size and distribution of the air gap as well as the body coverage with the clothing. Design/methodology/approach Visual and quantitative analyses were conducted using a 3D body scanner and Geomagic Software. The air gap size and clothing area factor (fcl) in three test coverall and seven selected postures were calculated and compared. Findings The results indicated that both the clothing ease and body postures had a strong effect on the air gap and clothing coverage, especially the more complex the postures, the wider the range of influence. Nevertheless, these effects varied over body regions, being stronger at the lower body than the upper body. The air gap size at the left side of the body was generally larger than the right side. It was also found that the clothing coverage was linearly correlated with the air gap size and could be employed as an indicator to evaluate clothing protective capabilities. Practical implications The findings suggested that greater attention should be paid to the protection and flexibility at the lower body and asymmetrical distribution of the air gap should be considered in the future air gap modeling. Originality/value The outcomes provided useful information to improve the protective clothing and develop more realistic air gap models to simulate the heat and mass transfer.

The current status on 3D scanning and CAD/CAM applications in textile research

Abstract: In order to present a significant usage of the computer-aided design (CAD)/computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems in the apparel and textile industry, the current literature has been observed. Although the CAD/CAM systems have also been increasingly applied to all fields apparel and textile manufacturing for the last few decades, improving the precision, productivity and the organization of the information flow, they have not been fully utilized in these industrial fields. The paper aims to discuss these issues.,The paper is structured in three main sections showing the vast applicability of the CAD/CAM systems, the benefits provided by them and the future trend in their development.,Although the initial development of the CAD/CAM systems strived to completely eliminate manual and time-consuming operations, they have not been accepted in practice due to their inflexibility at making changes and the time needed for regenerating a complex parametric model. The textile and apparel industries show slow progress in acquiring the CAD/CAM systems.,This CAD/CAM technology enabled the customization in the design process according to individual needs and directed the textile and the apparel industry to moving into new directions such as the mass customization to personalization. The paper makes clear that although this technological concept is rather old, the use of the CAD/CAM systems will inevitably broaden in terms of applicability to new production stages.

The use of poly(amido)amine dendrimer in modification of cotton for improving dyeing properties of acid dye

Abstract: Cotton being an anionic fiber can be dyed with direct, reactive, vat and sulfur dyes but cannot be dyed with acid dyes due to their chemical differences. But there are certain advantages of acid dyes like acid dyeing is the simplest method than the other classes of dyes; and it offers various intense and bright shades. So, the purpose of this paper is to focus on acid dyeing of cotton fabric after its chemical modification.,Such modification of cotton fabric has been achieved using poly(amido)amine dendrimer (PAMAM) treatment. The current work is based on the synthesis of a full-generation PAMAM dendrimer (G0) and its application onto the cotton fabric for modifying the cotton substrate by the exhaust and padding method.,The treatment of the dendrimer on cotton fabric has been analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The dyeing results in terms of color strength of the treated cotton fabrics are compared with those of conventional acid dyed silk fabric. The fastness assessments such as wash, light and rubbing fastnesses after dyeing of treated cotton fabrics are also performed and found to be satisfactory.,This paper can be used in the application of synthesized poly(amido)amine dendrimer in acid dyeing of cotton.

Impact of test parameters on the water vapor permeability of textiles

Abstract: Purpose Unlike other materials, textiles associate with aesthetic and mechanical properties such as flexibility and removability that allow them to be deployed or folded as required and which make them good candidates for clothing and furnishing but also, eventually, for other applications such as building. Actually, the clothing should ensure appropriate heat and mass transfers between the human body and its environment in order to maintain the thermo-physiological comfort. For that, it is important to determine water vapor permeability (WVP) of textile. Several normalized procedures with variants depending on the nature of the tested material exist to measure the WVP. One of the methods used is the “dish method” described by the British Standard (BS 7209). The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of the test parameters on the WVP measurements. Design/methodology/approach Consequently, WVP of different textiles was measured while varying several parameters like: nature of fabrics, air layer thickness, vapor pressure gradient and air velocity. Findings A decrease in the WVP values was observed with an increase in the air layer thickness and the number of textile layers. On the other side, an increase in the water pressure gradient induces an increase in the WVP value. Finally, it was also observed that air velocity has an impact on the WVP measurements. Originality/value In addition to intrinsic properties of fabrics, i.e., nature of fiber, woven structure, the influence of the several extrinsic properties, i.e., the influence of the air layer thickness, the number of textile layers, the vapor pressure gradient and the air velocity, on the WVP were investigated. Some researchers have already investigated the impact of these parameters on the WVP measurement separately. However, this study presents a difference from other studies that it takes into account the influence of the both intrinsic and extrinsic properties on WVP. In addition to these, this work combine several extrinsic properties which are presented separately during other studies. The first time, in this study the influence of the air velocity on WVP was investigated. Results on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic fabrics showed a great variation in the results when varying the location of the cups inside the climatic chamber. This is the reason why future studies look at studying more deeply the effect of air velocity on the WVP properties on different types of fabrics by connecting WVP values with air velocity values. It is also planned to make tests with the rotation device and by fixing the value of the temperature and RH. The objective will be to obtain reliable values that do not take into account the effect of air velocity.

Effect of compression pants on EEG spectrum

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of wearing compression pants of varying pressure levels on the wearer’s attention/concentration to investigate the appropriate level of compression for sport performance and confirm whether this methodology is feasible as a means of evaluating sportswear functionality.,After wearing compression pants of varying compression levels, spontaneous potentials were analyzed by calculating the spontaneous electroencephalography (EEG) indices: relative low beta (RLB) power spectrum ((12~15 Hz)/(4~50 Hz)), relative mid beta (RMB) power spectrum ((15~20 Hz)/(4~50 Hz)), and ratio of sensory motor rhythm to theta waves ((12~15 Hz)/(4~8 Hz)). The activation of brain waves was mapped and visualized from EEG data using BioScan-Map (BioBrain Inc., Daejeon, Korea).,The influence of pressure levels on brain waves was confirmed: RLB power, RMB power and RST varied by experimental clothing. CP3, the compression pants that applied moderate pressure (1.57±0.41 kPa), was associated with a relatively higher level of attention/concentration – i.e., the results confirmed that sports compression pants that apply approximately 1.0~2.0 kPa to the area between the thighs and shins are improve attention/concentration. It was further confirmed that EEG is a useful tool for evaluating the psychophysiological effects of functional apparel.,Unlike preceding studies that considered only alpha waves and the effects of clothing on comfort, this study investigated the influence of compression garments on attention/concentration.

FoCo system: a tool to bridge the domain gap between fashion and artificial intelligence

Abstract: The deficiency of the mapping between fashion color (FoCo) value and linguistic color expression causes the difficulty of machine-based fashion understanding tasks that are heavily associated with color matching. The purpose of this paper is to propose the FoCo system and construct it with four steps, in order to bridge this gap.,The color distribution in HSB color space is analyzed to estimate the rough number of color categories. Similar color values are grouped to obtain the initial HSB value range for each color category. The intra-category color differences are calculated to determine their final HSB value ranges and Pantone color is used for fine-tuning.,With practical applications in mind, the FoCo system is designed as a hierarchical structure with three layers.,The FoCo system is designed as a hierarchical structure with three layers: color units for color matching-related tasks, color categories for style analysis tasks and color tones for color recognition tasks. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the FoCo system.

Research on mutual relationships of flange ring and traveler on ring spinning system

Abstract: Purpose Ring spinning is the most widely used spinning method at present. In the spinning, ring and traveller are the two important components of the twisting process. The properties of ring and traveller have a direct relationship with the yarn qualities and spinning speed. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to study the mutual relationships of flange ring and traveller system by taking the 6802-type traveller with rectangular structure, BU-type traveller with toxoplasma structure and 772-type traveller with corrugated structure as examples. Design/methodology/approach First, the theoretical calculation models of force and inclinations of the traveller are given, and calculation methods of corresponding key parameters referred in the models are presented. Then, by using SolidWorks software, models of the three kinds of traveller straddling on the PG1-4254 type ring are built, and the traveller and ring are simulated by using ADAMS software. By using MATLAB software, the force and inclinations of the traveller during the rotation around ring are simulated. Finally, the spinning experiments are made. Findings It is shown that the abrasion of 6802-type traveller is the most serious, and corresponding yarn evenness and hairiness is the worst. The abrasion of BU-type traveller is the slightest, and corresponding yarn evenness is the best. The yarn spins by using 772-type traveller has the least hairiness. Originality/value In the paper, the mutual relationships of flange ring and traveller system have been studied. For giving analysis of force and inclinations of the traveller, calculation methods of the key common parameters are presented. By using SolidWorks software, the physical models of the three kinds of traveller straddling on the PG1-4254 type ring are built. And then, the force and inclinations of the traveller during the rotation around ring are simulated by using MATLAB software. At last, the spinning experiments are made to analyse the simulation results.

The influence of basalt fabrics modifications on their resistance to contact heat and comfort properties

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present the influence of modifying the fabric surface made from basalt fibers by the magnetron sputtering of chromium and aluminum layers on its resistance to contact heat and comfort properties.,In order to modify the surface of basalt fabric, the process of physical deposition from the gas phase was used. It relies on creating a coating on a selected substrate by applying physical atoms, molecules or ions of specific chemical compounds. The trial of modification was carried out using the magnetron sputtering method due to the material versatility, application flexibility and ability to apply layers on substrates of various sizes and properties.,The findings obtained regarding the heat resistance to contact heat and thermal insulation (comfort) properties show different values depending on the type of metal deposited and the thickness of coating layer. It was found that the modification of basalt fabric surface at the micrometer level changes the tested parameters.,This paper presents the results of resistance to contact heat and thermal insulation properties only for the twill fabric made of basalt fiber. The surface modification of fabric was carried out using the chromium and aluminum of two values of layer thickness (1 and 5 µm).,So far, no tests have been carried out to modify the surface of fabric made from basalt fiber yarns using the magnetron sputtering method. In addition, it has not been studied, how the modification of fabric affects its resistance to contact heat and thermophysiological properties.

The effects of elastane and finishing properties on wicking, drying and water vapour permeability properties of denim fabrics

Abstract: The liquid water and water vapour transfer properties of fabrics play an important and decisive role in determining thermal comfort properties of clothing systems. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effects of fabric composition (98 percent cotton–2 percent elastane and 100 percent cotton) and finishing treatments (rigid, resin, bleaching and softening) on the wicking, drying and water vapour permeability (WVP) properties of denim fabrics.,The research design for this study consists of experimental study. Two fabric compositions (98 percent cotton–2 percent elastane and 100 percent cotton) and four finishing treatments (rigid, resin, bleaching and softening) were evaluated to see the effects of elastane and finishing treatments on wicking, drying and WVP properties of woven denim fabrics. Results were analysed statistically.,Experimental results showed that the transfer wicking, drying and WVP values of denim fabrics were significantly influenced by fabric weight, fibre composition and finishing treatments.,The wicking ability of sweat from the skin to the outer environment of a skin contact fabric layer is the primary requirement.,As a result of the literature review, it was seen that there are some studies in the literature about comfort properties of denim fabrics, but there is no study concerning the water vapour transmission, wicking and drying properties of denim fabrics.

Structural color and photocatalytic property of polyester fabrics coated with Ag/ZnO composite films

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to prepare structural colors of fabrics coated with Silver/Zinc Oxide (Ag/ZnO) composite films by magnetron sputtering and analyze the relationship between the colors and the thickness of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) film in Ag/ZnO composite film and the photocatalytic property of the fabrics coated with Ag/ZnO composite film.,Ag/ZnO composite films deposited on polyester fabrics were prepared by magnetron sputtering technology. The structural colors of textiles coated with Ag/ZnO composite films and the relationship between the colors and Ag/ZnO composite films were analyzed, and the photocatalytic property of Ag/ZnO composite films was also discussed.,The results indicated that the colors varied with the thicknesses of the ZnO film in Ag/ZnO composite films. The reactive sputtering time of ZnO film was 5, 8, 10 and 14 min, respectively, and the colors of the corresponding fabrics were purple, blue, blue-green and yellow. Meanwhile, the polyester fabrics coated with Ag/ZnO composite films showed the excellent photocatalytic properties, and silver (Ag) films deposited under the ZnO films in Ag/ZnO composite films could also improve the photocatalytic activities of ZnO films, and the formaldehyde degradation rates was 77.5%, which was higher than the 69.9% for the fabrics coated only with the ZnO film.,The polyester fabrics coated with Ag/ZnO composite films not only created various structural colors using change the thicknesses of the ZnO film, but also achieved the multifuctionality, which will have a broad application prospect in textile fields.

Fabrication of 3D printed garments using flat patterns and motifs

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to encourage the generation of 3D printed garments by developing a new software to open new potential of whole garment production in the fashion field. Design/methodology/approach The authors developed a 3D printed garment design software using flat patterns and design motifs, to allow fast and easy generation of a 3D printed garment. Users can generate motif-based design easily using various user interfaces. Findings A 3D printed garment could be printed not only by expensive SLS type printers but also by affordable FDM type printers with a simple assembly process using the software developed in this study. Originality/value Newly developed 3D printed garment design software enables the users to generate 3D printed garments easily using flat patterns and design motifs, without having to go through a complex and arduous 3D modeling process using commercial CAD systems.

Body shape classification and block optimization based on space vector length

Abstract: Considering two-dimensional features in the body shape classification system cannot fully reflect the three-dimensional (3D) morphological characteristics of human body. The purpose of this paper is to propose a 3D feature based method to characterize and classify the upper body shape of women, and then obtained the corresponding garment block and improved the fitness of clothing.,In this study, the [TC]2 3D scanner was used to obtain human data, and 15 layers of cross-sections of young females’ upper body were extracted. In total, 240 space vectors were obtained with the center of the bust cross-section as the original point. By using the principal component analysis and K-means clustering analysis, the body shape classification based on the space vectors length was realized. The garment block corresponding to three body types was obtained using the 3D scanning data and the cross-section convex hull, and compared with existing garment block and evaluated fitness of the blocks.,In total, 11 main components used to characterize the 3D morphological features of young women were obtained, which could explain 95.28 percent features of young women’s upper body. By cluster analysis, the body shape of women was divided into three categories. The block of three body types was obtained by the construction of the convex hull model.,This paper investigates a classification method of the body shape based on space vector length, which can effectively reflect the difference of surface shape of human body and further improve the matching degree of human body and clothing.

Removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution using high performance calcium alginate/activated carbon membrane

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to purify the wastewater in the garment industry.,The preparation of the calcium alginate (CA)/activated carbon (AC) composite membrane was achieved by vacuum freeze-drying and the cross-linking reaction between sodium alginate and CaCl2. Effective parameters in the methylene blue (MB) adsorption such as temperature, dose, contact time and pH were discussed. The adsorption properties of the composite membrane were investigated by isotherm, kinetics and thermodynamic analysis. The adsorption equilibrium data were described by the adsorption isotherm Langmuir model and the Freundlich model. The pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion equations were selected to evaluate the kinetics. The thermodynamic study described that the adsorption reaction was spontaneous and exothermic.,The AC/CA membrane is an efficient and powerful adsorbent to remove MB in printing and dyeing wastewater, and provides a new idea for the selection of adsorption materials for industrial printing and dyeing wastewater.,The composite membrane research on CA and AC can provide new ideas for the research of these kinds of materials.,The paper contributes to its wider and convenientapplication in wastewater treatment.,Studies on the combination of CA and AC into adsorption membranes and for the removal of dyes from printing and dyeing wastewater have not been reported. A novel composite material is provided for treatment dyeing wastewater in garment production. The composite membrane research on CA and AC can provide new ideas for the research of these kinds of materials and contribute to its wider and convenient application in wastewater treatment.

The use of chicken feather fibers as filling material in Winter clothes for heat insulation purposes

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate if the fibers obtained from chicken feathers have a possibility to be used or not used in Winter outerwears as a filling material in terms of thermal insulation parameters. Design/methodology/approach In the study, thermal properties of the heat-resistant interlining samples produced from the chicken feathers fibers were analyzed in comparison with the samples produced from the industrial filling materials. Findings In the study, it was revealed that the use of chicken feathers fibers as filling material in Winter outerwears was possible. Practical implications The use of chicken feather fibers in Winter outerwears as a filling material will be an extremely low-cost alternative to pile flies of water birds which are sufficiently expensive filling materials. Social implications A significant portion of the chicken feather, which is released as a by-product in the production of chicken meat, is destroyed as industrial waste by digging or burning. Some of this product is used in the production of such cheap products as poultry feed. In the case of the production of fibers from the chicken feather, the use of these fibers as a filler in Winter clothing along with environmental protection will allow the use of this product for the production of products of higher cost. Originality/value The use of feathers’ material as a filling material in Winter outerwears has been known since ancient times. Due to the rough structure and low elasticity of chicken feathers, chicken feathers are not the best raw material for this purpose. This study revealed that it is possible to use chicken feathers as a filling material in terms of heat protection. The study is original in this respect.

Conjoint analysis of consumer preferences for dress design

Abstract: Purpose In the process of designing new clothes, designers should identify specific user groups’ preferences and attitudes toward certain types of design, ascertain the design elements that make clothes popular in the market, and combine these elements to devise the best clothing design scheme. The purpose of this paper is to discover which design elements influence dress purchases and how age affects consumers’ choices in regard to these elements. Design/methodology/approach This study uses conjoint analysis in dress design to provide an effective method for designers to identify consumers’ preferences. First, the important attributes and attribute levels of dress design were determined. Next, the experimental samples for the attitude measurement chart were generated by orthogonal design. Finally, the data of 318 samples were analyzed by conjoint analysis to determine consumers’ preferences. Findings The results revealed that the “silhouette” attribute is the most important decision criterion for dress purchase, followed by the “dress length” attribute. In contrast, the “waistline height” attribute is perceived as least important. The study also identified the dress design features’ preferences of consumers of different ages. According to the results of the analysis, user groups’ preferences and acceptability regarding different design features were revealed, and the favorite dress design portfolio for age-specific consumers was obtained. Originality/value Currently, there is little information in the literature about consumers’ preferences regarding dress design. In this study, the use of conjoint analysis reveals and visualizes complex statistical results. This research approach is also applicable to the design and decision-making processes used for other apparel, and it can help designers better incorporate different users’ needs into clothing design.

A comparative study of knitted strain sensors fabricated with conductive composite and coated yarns

Abstract: The use of conductive yarns or wires to design and construct fabric-based strain sensors is a research area that is gaining much attention in recent years. This is based on a profound theory that conductive yarns will have a variation in resistance if subjected to tension. What is not clear is to which types of conductive yarns are most suited to delivering the right sensitivity. The purpose of this paper is to look at strain sensors knitted with conductive composite and coated yarns which include core spun, blended, coated and commingled yarns. The conductive components are stainless steel and silver coating respectively with polyester as the nonconductive part. Using Stoll CMS 530 flat knitting machine, five samples each were knitted with the mentioned yarn categories using 1×1 rib structure. Sensitivity tests were carried out on the samples. Piezoresistive response of the samples reveals that yarns with heterogeneous external structures showed both an increase and a decrease in resistance, whereas those with homogenous structures responded linearly to stress. Stainless steel based yarns also had higher piezoresistive range compared to the silver-coated ones. However, comparing all the knitted samples, silver-coated yarn (SCY) proved to be more suitable for strain sensor as its response to tension was unidirectional with an appreciable range of change in resistance.,Conductive composite yarns, namely, core spun yarn (CSY1), core spun yarn (CSY2), silver-coated blended yarn (SCBY), staple fiber blended yarn (SFBY) and commingled yarn (CMY) were sourced based on specifications and used to knit strain sensor samples. Electro-mechanical properties were investigated by stretching on a fabric tensile machine to ascertain their suitability for a textile strain sensor.,In order to generate usable signal for a strain sensor for a conductive yarn, it must have persistent and consistent conductive links, both externally and internally. In the case of composite yarns such as SFBY, SCBY and CMY where there were no consistent alignment and inter-yarn contact, resistance change fluctuated. Among all six different types of yarns used, SCY presented the most suitable result as its response to tension was unidirectional with an appreciable range of change in resistance.,This is an original research carried out by the authors who studied the electro-mechanical properties of some composite conductive yarns that have not been studied before in textile strain sensor research. Detailed research methods, results and interpretation of the results have thus been presented.

Sensibility and response keywords of users according to posting types of fashion Instagram: Focused on Koreans’ fashion brands

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the post type of the official account of the Korean fashion brands on Instagram and to analyze the images and keywords according to the use of the hashtag in it. This study also will provide data of how fashion brands use the new media of Instagram and how they promote it.,This study investigated the types of postings and keywords of hashtag(#) of fashion brand’s official Instagram account in order to analyze the post type and keyword. In total, six apparel brand companies were selected, with two in each of three categories (classic casual brand, outdoor sports brand and designer character brand), and seven types of postings were classified (lookbook and product, collection, broadcasting ads, brand issue, sensibility pictures, sponsorship and event). The frequencies were collected according to their types that were confirmed by four fashion major specialists.,First, the proportion of the types of postings varied according to the characteristics of the brand. Second, the six brands used keywords of a symbol because it is important to convey brand identity. Third, the sensibility keywords of each brand were investigated, and one of the designer character brands used only practical keywords without sensibility keywords. Fourth, this study examined the number of Instagram hashtags and hearts to determine if the reaction was in alignment with the marketing trends of the company’s official Instagram account and consumers. One of the classic casual brands, one of the outdoor sports brands and both designer character brands showed a high proportion of types of posts on Instagram that well matched with consumer response. As a hypothesis of this study, it was supported that the posting types of images and hashtags will be different according to the characteristics of brand.,Instagram is the fastest growing social network service (SNS) globally, especially among young adults. Instagram is noted for its strong SNS marketing but it has not been well researched in the apparel industry. The study results will help improve the brand image and promotion by using official Instagram account in the apparel industry.

Strength, fatigue and bagging properties of plated plain knitted fabrics containing different rates of elastane

Abstract: Elastane yarns contribute significant elastic properties to all types of fabrics and these properties for very important for wears including tights, sportswear, under wear, casual wear, swimwear, corsetry, etc. in terms of appearance, comfort and duration of wear. The paper aims to discuss this issue.,It is investigated with this study strength, fatigue and bagging properties of plated plain knitted fabrics containing different rates of elastane.,The study showed that single jersey, not having elastane and having the lowest fabric tightness, has the lowest bursting strength, the highest fatigue loading values in high extensions, the lowest fatigue height values and the worst bagging behavior. On the contrary of single jersey, full elastane fabric has the exact opposite characteristics considering the fabric properties examined.,Fabric with 1×1 elastane and fabric with 2×1 elastane is similar, and these fabrics show bagging behavior better than single jersey and worse than full elastane fabric whereas the other properties of these fabrics are close to full elastane fabric.

Development of thermo-regulating fabrics using PCM microcapsules with poly(methyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate) shell and n-alkane core

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to prepare microencapsulated phase change materials (PCMs) and apply them to cotton and wool fabrics for developing thermo-regulating fabrics. Design/methodology/approach Microencapsulated n-hexadecane and n-octadecane with poly(methylmethacrylate-co-2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate) shell was prepared. Microcapsules were fabricated using oil-in-water emulsion polymerization method. Their chemical structure, microstructure, thermal energy storage properties and thermal stability were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, polarized light microscope, differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analyzer, respectively. The mean particle size was tested by a particle sized instrument. The microcapsules were applied to the wool and cotton fabrics using pad-dry-cure method. The thermo-regulating property of the fabrics was evaluated using the T-History test. The distribution and durability of the microcapsules on the fabrics was investigated with scanning electron microscopy. Findings Spherical microcapsules with p(MMA-co-HEMA) shell and n-alkane core have been produced successfully. n-hexadecane in microcapsule solidifies at 14.8−15.6°C with the latent heat of 65.6−129.8 J/g and melts at 16.7−16.9°C with the latent heat of 67.6−136.9 J/g. Microencapsulated n-octadecane solidifies at 25.8−26.3°C with the latent heat of 74.1−106.2 J/g and melts at 26.8−27.4°C with the latent heat of 80.3−113.4 J/g. The microcapsules have enough thermal stability to the temperature of 150°C that was applied during the fixation of microcapsules on the fabric. The thermo-regulating effect of the microcapsule-incorporated fabrics has been proved by the T-history test. Originality/value PCM microcapsules with p(MMA-co-HEMA) shell and n-hexadecane and n-octadecane core have been produced and their usage to produce thermo-regulating textiles have been proved. To determine the thermo-regulating property of the fabrics treated with these new PCM microcapsules, a T-History system has been designed.

Fast clustering of male lower body based on GA-BP neural network

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to improve the prediction accuracy of the body shape prediction model and provide some reference value for the design of underwear.,The body size data of 250 male youths is measured to analyze the body shape of the lower body. And there is a total of 56 measurement items, which are clustered by GA-BP-K-means, K-means, optimal segmentation method for ordered samples, wavelet coefficient analysis, regression analysis and Naive Bayes Algorithm. Finally, a test male sample of an unknown body shape was clustered to verify the superiority of the GA-BP-K-means.,This paper presented the key factors for body shape clustering, and experimental results have shown that the GA-BP neural network model is higher in speed and precision than other algorithm prediction models.,It was clarified which is the key to body shape clustering. At the same time, the GA-BP-K-means algorithm can promote the popularization and application of the prediction model in body shape clustering.