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UV protection afforded by textile fabrics made of natural and regenerated cellulose fibres
Abstract
In the last decades the media have highlighted the ozone depletion as major environmental problem resulting in an increase in ultraviolet radiation (UVR)reaching the earth's surface. Besides the beneficial effects of human exposure to UVR, this radiation is capable of causing damage to human population. The healthy lifestyle is becoming widely accepted by the public, and the UV protection provided by clothing becomes the significant subject of interest of the producers and consumers of textile fabrics. Natural cellulose fibres are commonly used in summer clothing due to their excellent comfort properties. However, these fibres have very poor UV protection ability. In this project, the UV protection property of textile fabrics made of natural and regenerated cellulose fibres have been compared and analysed in order to highlight the potential of hemp fibre for the development of more sustainable and healthy functionalized (UV protective)textile products. A group of homogeneous and blended cellulose textile fabrics were manufactured in a knitwear factory, evaluated in terms of the structure, and spectrophotometrically assessed to indicate their UV protection ability. The knitted fabrics merited sun protection ratings of “good” for pure hemp, through “very good” for viscose containing fabrics to ”excellent” UV protection category for cotton based fabrics. Relatively high values of the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF)of the cellulose materials resulted from the interaction of fibre type, yarn geometry, fabric properties and common processing techniques. The increased UVR transparency of the pure hemp fabric, which resulted from hemp elasticity limitations, overcame by blending with other softer and more elastic cellulose fibres (cotton, viscose). The engineering approach proposed in this study was confirmed as an effective way to create more sustainable (more sustainable resource, pollution prevention, energy and cost savings)textile products with high level of UV protection at the knitting production stage avoiding the use of any additional mechanical and chemical treatments. These results revealed that the future application of hemp fibres in textile products with high added-value are promising. A co-ordinated effort of different subjects of the agro- and textile-industry production chain need to continue so as to overcome the limitations associated with hemp production and fibres properties.
... UPF protection ratings are used to categorize items of clothing that are intended to form shield against the sun. UPF can be quantified by Equation (1) [10]: ...
... Natural cellulose fibers (cotton, flax, hemp) have comfort properties but low UV absorption capacity. Literature findings, on the other hand, show that the novel blended knitted fabrics can be produced from specially designed staple/filament hybrid yarns to provide clothing materials with effective UV protection properties [10,17,18]. ...
... Yarn hairiness can also affect the UV protection of the fabric. Yarn twist proved to be an important determinant of the UV protection properties of fabrics through the effectiveness of fiber packing in the yarn as well as through the influence on its surface properties [10]. The bulk quality of the modified lowtwisted yarn produces a porous fabric structure that allows for greater ultraviolet radiation (UVR) transmission [11]. ...
When exposed to UV rays, one of the rays emitted from the sun, for a certain period of time, it can harm the human body. Therefore, people should be protected from these harmful rays, especially children who are more sensitive need extra care as they often spend time outside. This study aimed to design an environmentally friendly seasonal outerwear fabric with high UV protection. To do so, the protection level of rib, half‐Milan, and full‐Milan fabrics manufactured from the yarns made of viscose, cotton, hemp and/or Refibra fiber mixtures is investigated. Additionally, a hybrid yarn feeding scheme is adopted, namely, feeding 4 ends of Ne 30/1 yarn and 2 ends of Ne 30/2 yarn, during knitting process in an attempt to have the benefit of various types of fibers and yarns involved. In the light of the results, an alternative rib‐based structure namely pique rib is developed by employing comparatively more miss stitches in the structure. Generally speaking, the UPF performance of the structures under discussion worsen as the percentage of cotton and/or viscose and Refibra fibers in the yarns increases. Furthermore, it is observed that the amount of the hemp fiber in the fabric is not influential on the UV‐blocking behavior of the fabrics. Finally, the structures knitted using the yarn feeding scheme composed of 4 ends of Ne 30/1 yarn have higher UPF performance than the others, and among all the structures the pique one exhibits the best performance so far as UV protection is concerned.
... Therefore, protecting the skin from excessive exposure to UV radiation is crucial. Avoiding exposure to sunlight during peak UVR, which is in the midday period, and using sunglasses, sunscreen, and UV protection clothing are UV protection measures that are recommended [22]. Thus, the researchers have paid a lot of attention to improving the UV protection properties of textiles [23]. ...
... Cotton fibers are considered one of the most fashionable clothing textiles in the summer due to their excellent properties such as breathability, softness, and comfort for the user. The UPF of cotton fibers is weak [22]. Therefore, the researchers have focused on modifying the cotton fabric surface using UV-blocking agents such as metal oxide nanoparticles ZnO [25] and TiO 2 [26], TiO 2 /SiO 2 nanocomposites [27], azobenzene Schiff base derivatives [28], benzotriazole derivatives [29], and metal complexes based on aniline Schiff base derivatives [8], pyridine acetohydrazide derivatives [30], and pyrimidinethione hydrazide derivatives [10]. ...
Due to the lack of UV-protective properties for cotton textiles and the potential of cotton textiles to cause microbes to their users, we synthesized benzimidazole Schiff base derivative (BZI) namely N-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methyl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)methanimine and their V(III), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) complexes as UV protection and antimicrobial agents for cotton textile. Several techniques investigated these compounds: ¹H, ¹³C NMR, IR, UV–Vis, elemental analysis, DTA, and TGA. The Schiff base ligand behaved as a bidentate ligand. The prepared ligand and its complexes are used to treat the cotton fabrics (CFs) by immersing the fabric in the solution of the samples under ultrasonic. The treated cotton fabrics were investigated using IR and SEM-EDX analysis. The UPF values of the treated cotton fabric were obtained. The results showed that the cotton fabric treated with Fe(III) and Cu(II) complexes had excellent UV protection with UPF values of 50+. The disc diffusion method evaluated the treated cotton fabric’s antimicrobial activity. The antifungal activities of the treated CFs demonstrated that the Co(II)-BZI-CF was active on C. albicans with an inhibition zone of 12 mm, while the other samples were inactive on C. albicans and A. flavus. The V(III)-BZI-CF and Fe(III)-BZI-CF had no activity against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria while the other samples gave an inhibition zone of between 10 to 17 mm. Unlike previous studies that primarily focused on either UV protection or antimicrobial properties of metal complexes separately, this research integrates both functionalities by synthesizing benzimidazole Schiff base metal complexes and applying them to cotton textiles, demonstrating enhanced UV protection and selective antimicrobial activity.
... The UV rays are not strong enough to affect deep biodiversity, but they can cause mutations in species composition, and species with poor protection can get harmed at an early stage of their life. UV radiation promotes the deterioration of both natural and synthetic polymers (Kocić et al. 2019). In the case of humans, the power of penetration of UV radiation is very low. ...
... The UV transmission factor of woven and knitted fabrics is associated with the cover and gauge of the fabric; closer and tighter structures with fewer pores result in less transmission (Wilson et al. 2008). UV rays that contact textiles are partially reflected, absorbed, and transmitted over the fibers and interstices, and the optical porosity of a fabric inhibits its probability to furnish UVR protection (Saravanan 2007;Kocić et al. 2019). According to Krste Dimitrovski et al. (Dimitrovski et al. 2010), the UV protection level of fabric can be determined by its designs and constructional parameters. ...
The ultraviolet rays from sunlight pose a natural hazard to human health and can cause serious health problems. Some medical artificial lights also emit ultraviolet radiation. Unprotected human skin exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light can cause serious health problems, including skin aging, photosensitivity (rash), erythema (redness of the skin), and melanoma (skin cancer). To protect human skin from UV radiation, UV-blocking or protective products are used. According to medical professionals, UV protection products must be safe, chemically inert, non-irritating, non-toxic, and resistant to light, and completely block the replication of UV rays. Sunscreen cream/lotion products are used for UV protection, but these products cannot provide complete protection. According to experts, one of the most efficient strategies to avoid sun damage is to wear protective gear. Researches are going on the manufacture of smart textiles that can be deployed as a protective shield with an adornment look to wear. Therefore, researchers have paid great attention to the development of fibers with anti-ultraviolet function. This review discusses the upshot of UV radiation on textile materials in particular cotton fabrics. It also describes the correlation between ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) and the physicochemical and structural properties of cotton fabrics. This review focuses on the manufacturing of UV protective cotton fabrics by applying UV absorbers and nanoparticles, their application process, and effects.
... Hemp is a fully biodegradable, low-input, fast-growing, and high-yield crop (Gedik & Avinc, 2020) that requires minimal pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers (Muthu & Dhondt, 2021), and its extensive root system significantly reduces the need for irrigation (Zatta et al., 2012). Moreover, hemp fabrics are non-allergenic (Kostic et al., 2008), offer good UV protection (Kocić et al., 2019), and have excellent thermal conductivity, which facilitates heat transfer between the human body and the textile, helping to keep the wearer warm in cold temperatures and cool in warm temperatures . In a recent report on reducing the impact of textilebased goods purchased by the city of New York, prepared by the Local Law 112 Task Force (Gabriel et al., 2024), the benefits of using hemp fibre include biodegradability, renewability, strength, natural mildew and pest resistance, hypoallergenic nature, potential reduction of soil erosion and its value as in crop rotation. ...
Fur as a status-affirming adornment has been historically significant in fashion. There are three main categories of fur and fur-like materials: animal-based, synthetic, and next-generation (next-gen) fur. Animal-based fur is controversial and associated with ethical and environmental concerns, including animal welfare and the use of toxic chemicals. Synthetic fur is typically made from fossil-fuel-derived polymers like acrylic, which successfully mimic the properties of animal hairs in fur, such as aesthetics and touch. These non-renewable, fossil carbon-based fur replacements do not biodegrade, contributing to the plastics crisis in landfills and through fibre shedding. Next-gen furs made from bio-based, regeneratively sourced materials could mitigate this problem because the shed fibres would biodegrade naturally. This paper reports on preliminary findings from an ongoing study investigating the potential benefits of using hemp fibre as the hair in next-gen fur. Extensive material experiments demonstrate that hemp fibre can be used to produce a visually pleasing, appealing-to-touch, fur-like surface. Further research will investigate the base materials of next-gen furs, as well as the scalability of these new materials.
... Hemp bast fibre is a more sustainable replacement for traditional natural and synthetic fibres in the textile industry [4]. Hemp fibre textiles offer excellent protection from ultraviolet rays [58,123]. Hemp fibres are also useful for textiles because they have good thermal conductivity, which is necessary for heat transfer in summer and heat retention in winter [104]. ...
Background
The growing demand for eco-friendly food and industrial products have renewed interest in industrial hemp which is a low-cost, biodegradable, sustainable, and multi-purpose plant. Many countries in Europe and Asia have changed their laws to take advantage of the tremendous benefits that industrial hemp present. However, the development of the sector in Scotland is very slow due to stringent laws. The goal of the present study is to present policymakers with economic data on the current and potential market opportunities for industrial hemp, trends in new product development, and the state of the hemp supply chain. This study entails desk-based research primary and secondary data analysis. Primary data were collected from farmers in Aberdeenshire and Scottish borders, and secondary data were collected from the FAOSTATS Office of National Statistics and the Global New Product Database.
Results
The results of this study show that the opportunities from hemp seed and fibre are vast: hemp can sequester more carbon dioxide than traditional crops can, improve soil biodiversity, extract toxins from soil through phytoremediation, be used as an eco-friendly insecticide and pesticide, and provide an excellent source of protein, fibre and micronutrient vitamins and minerals, as well as a range of bioactive phytochemicals. The GNPD reveals that over 4000 hemp-based products have been launched worldwide. However, the supply chain for Scottish-grown hemp faces significant bottlenecks. The sector lacks a well-established market route, faces a high licensing costs, lacks hemp seed-pressing centres, etc.
Conclusion
This study is relevant because it is the first study to provide a comprehensive analysis of the industrial hemp sector in Scotland. This study makes time-bound recommendations to grow the hemp sector in Scotland, which include regular extension services, easy access to licences for production, the establishment of a hempseed and fibre processing plants, and seed production centre.
... The functionalization of textile materials, including those intended for personal protective equipment, can be done by physical or chemical surface modifications as well as by the application of nanoparticles to obtain certain protective and functional properties [1][2][3][4][5]. The extensive research efforts in this respect have included the development of extensible elastomeric fibers, such as polyester-based elastic fibers and shape memory coatings [6][7][8], the functionalization of high-performance polymer fibers by nanoscale modifications [9][10][11], as well as the fabrication of 3D textiles, nanoporous structures, and specially designed textile-based composite structures for im-proved protection against mechanical hazards [12][13][14]. ...
The effect of SiO2 (0.5–2.5 wt%) with a particle size of 1–5 μm on the rheological and tensile properties as well as cut resistance of aramid fabrics coated with a thin layer of silica-containing latex was investigated. The rheological properties of the latex were assessed based on the dependence of viscosity on shear rate. The developed polymer coatings belong to the group of nonlinear, shear-thinning viscoelastic fluids, since their viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate. A 40% increase in cut resistance was obtained with increasing SiO2 content in the latex.
... In addition, the average UVA and UVB transmission values of CF were both around 4.0 %, while they decreased sharply to around 0.18 % (UVA) and 0.09 % (UVB), respectively, which were both much less than 2.5 %, and the average UVA and UVB values of CF-BCQ further decreased to 0.16 % (UVA) and 0.06 % (UVB), respectively when the CBQ concentration reached 50 mg/mL (Fig. 3c). In addition, The UPF value increased from CF (29.7) to 47.2 (CF-BCQ) when the CBQ concentration reached 10 mg/mL, and the UPF value of CF-BCQ was up to 210.9 when the CBQ concentration reached 50 mg/mL (Fig. 3d), which indicated that CF-QAS showed "excellent" UV protection performance according to UPF ratings and protection categories (UPF >40 and transmission <2.5 % are rated as excellent UV protective material) by EN 13758-2 (Kocić et al., 2019). In addition, the higher the CBQ concentration, the better the UV protection of CF-CBQ, and this positive correlation is consistent with previous work (Gao et al., 2017;Zhang et al., 2023). ...
Cotton fabric (CF) is closely related to human life, while its inherent porous structure makes it unable to effectively shield the strong ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and its superior hygroscopicity provides a favorable environment for microbes, resulting in microbes' proliferation on CF. The UV irradiation and microbes' proliferation affect the service life of CF and harm seriously human health. Therefore, developing antimicrobial and UV-blocking fabrics is for the well-being of human. Herein, a novel reactive monochlorotriazine terminated quaternary ammonium salt and benzophenone derivative (BCQ) was synthesized to covalently bind onto CF to fabricate an antimicrobial and UV-blocking CF without compromising its intrinsic physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. The antimicrobial rates of CF finished with 10.0 mg/mL BCQ were higher than 99.99 % against both E.coli and S.aureus, and its antimicrobial rates still were greater than 96 % even after 50 washes, while the cell survival rate was more than 99.5 %. Additionally, the UVA and UVB values were less than 0.5 %, and the UPF value CF finished with 50.0 mg/mL BCQ were up to 210.92. Therefore, we provide a strategy for developing an antimicrobial and UV-blocking CF.
... The spectral shifts are similar to those observed in UV spectroscopy studies of cellulose, where chemical treatments lead to broadened absorption bands in the UV range, particularly between 250-400 nm, corresponding to changes in molecular structure [23,24]. ...
In this study, we explored the structural and chemical modifications of cellulose fibres subjected to chemical and mechanical treatments through an innovative analytical approach. We employed photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) and reversed double-beam photoacoustic spectroscopy (RDB-PAS) to examine the morphological changes and the chemical integrity of the treated fibres. The methodology provided enhanced sensitivity and specificity in detecting subtle alterations in the treated cellulose structure. Additionally, we applied Coifman wavelet transformation to the PAS signals, which facilitated a refined analysis of the spectral features indicative of chemical and mechanical modifications at a molecular level. This advanced signal processing technique allowed for a detailed decomposition of the PAS signals, revealing hidden characteristics that are typically overshadowed in raw data analyses. Further, we utilised the concept of energy trap distribution to interpret the wavelet-transformed data, providing insights into the distribution and density of energy states within the fibres. Our results indicated significant differences in the energy trap spectra between untreated and treated fibres, reflecting the impact of chemical and mechanical treatments on the fibre’s physical properties. The combination of these sophisticated analytical techniques elucidated the complex interplay between mechanical and chemical treatments and their effects on the structural integrity and chemical composition of cellulose fibres.
... Another inorganic compound effective in blocking incoming UVR is zinc oxide (ZnO) [96]. It was observed that lowering it to the nanoscale level improves its ability to block UV light [97,98]. When ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) are applied to the surface of cotton fabric, their ability to behave as UV absorbers may be effectively transferred to the finished fabric [99,100]. ...
The functionality of natural origin-based fibres can provide minimal protection against UV exposure; however, surface modification of fabrics can help to achieve better outcomes. The ability to provide protection basically depends upon several factors of textile fabric, such as fibre chemistry, yarn structural parameters, fabric weave construction, fabric areal density, cover factor, porosity, and humidity. Due to the constant reduction of the ozone layer in the atmosphere, increasing UV radiation has now raised severe concerns across the globe, which is projected to deteriorate the state of global health. According to the WHO for the year 2022, more than 2.5 million cases of cancers associated with skin and around 1.5 million cases of blindness and other health-related issues have been reported, which is projected to take a larger picture in a few years. The best way to keep ourselves safe from hazardous UV exposure is through self-protection using protective barriers. By treating fabric with different organic and inorganic UV absorbers, surface modification of textile materials can be achieved to enhance UV blocking performance with the inclusion of different grades of polymers. This review also highlighted the different influencing parameters that effect the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of a fabric and discusses how dyeing and finishing can affect those. Moreover, the study enumerates the current challenges and limitations that can come across while designing a protective fabric along with precautionary measures to overcome those barriers with potential future prospects.
... Sun protection behavior, such as shading out from the sun, lack of physical activity in open environments [58], clothing type [59][60][61][62], and sunscreen use [49,61], can affect UVB-7-dehydrocholesterol interactions by blocking, absorbing, reflecting, or scattering incident UV radiation. ...
Sunlight exposure is an essential source of vitamin D for many humans. However, hypovitaminosis D is a global public health problem. This study aimed to develop and validate a sun exposure score (SES) and correlate it with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in women of childbearing age. One hundred and sixty women aged 18 to 45 years residing in Meknes, Morocco, were included. A questionnaire estimating the sun exposure score and blood analysis of serum 25-OHD concentration were performed. The questionnaire’s reliability and construct validity were evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and factor analysis. Spearman’s test was used to assess the correlation between SES and 25-OHD levels. The score’s reliability and construct validity were good, with Cronbach’s alpha values >0.70 and factorial saturation ranging from 0.696 to 0.948. Serum 25-OHD levels were significantly associated with the total sun exposure score, and all SES domains (Rho was 0.615 (p < 0.0001), 0.307 (p < 0.0001), 0.605 (p < 0.0001), and 0.424 (p < 0.0001) for total SES, indoor exposure domain, outdoor exposure domain, and sun protection practice domain, respectively). In addition, median 25-OHD levels increased significantly when sun exposure was changed from insufficient to sufficient (p < 0.0001). The results suggest that the sun exposure score could be used as a clinical tool to assess vitamin D levels in women of childbearing age.
... The spectral shifts are similar to those observed in UV spectroscopy studies of cellulose, where chemical treatments lead to broadened absorption bands in the UV range, particularly between 250-400 nm, corresponding to changes in molecular structure [23,24]. ...
In this study, we explored the structural and chemical modifications of cellulose fibres subjected to chemical and mechanical treatments through an innovative analytical approach. We employed photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) and reversed double-beam photoacoustic spectroscopy (RDB-PAS) to examine the morphological changes and the chemical integrity of the treated fibres. The methodology provided enhanced sensitivity and specificity in detecting subtle alterations in the treated cellulose structure. Additionally, we applied Coifman wavelet transformation to the PAS signals, which facilitated a refined analysis of the spectral features indicative of chemical and mechanical modifications at a molecular level. This advanced signal processing technique allowed for a detailed decomposition of the PAS signals, revealing hidden characteristics that are typically overshadowed in raw data analyses. Further, we utilized the concept of energy trap distribution to interpret the wavelet-transformed data, providing insights into the distribution and density of energy states within the fibres. Our results indicated significant differences in the energy trap spectra between untreated and treated fibres, reflecting the impact of chemical and mechanical treatments on the fibre’s physical properties. The combination of these sophisticated analytical techniques elucidated the complex interplay between mechanical and chemical treatments and their effects on the structural integrity and chemical composition of cellulose fibres.
... While moderate UV light exposure has shown health benefits, such as being partly responsible for producing vitamin D in organisms, prolonged exposure can lead to skin cancer. Therefore, developing textiles with UV protection offers a valuable means to shield human skin from excessive exposure to UV-A and UV-B rays, minimising the potential for skin damage [107,108]. ...
Acrylic fibres, as synthetic polymers, have been used extensively in the textile industry to create a wide variety of products, ranging from apparel and home furnishings to car rooftops and carbon fibres. Their widespread application is attributed to a combination of desirable properties, including a soft, wool-like texture, chemical stability, and robust mechanical characteristics. Furthermore, the chemical structure of acrylic fibres can be modified to imbue them with additional features, such as antimicrobial properties, fire resistance, conductivity, water repellency, and ultraviolet protection. This review explores the technological methods employed to functionalise acrylic fibres and discusses future trends in their development.
... Researchers have explored various opportunities within the industrial hemp VC that showcase ways to add value to the products. For example, the blend of hemp fibers during composite knitting step can create UV-resistant highvalue apparels (Kocić et al., 2019;Müssig et al., 2020). Similarly, hemp seed is valued for human food fortification, to both enhance protein content and stabilize the physico-bio-chemical properties of food products (Burton et al., 2022). ...
A recent renaissance of industrial hemp has been driven by a plethora of ecologically amicable products and their profitability. To identify its environment and economic fate across the value chain (VC), this study conducts a systematic review of 98 studies published in ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus‐indexed journals. The thematic content of the articles is categorized using three deductively derived classification categories: lifecycle analysis (n = 40), VC analysis (n = 30), and feasibility analysis (n = 28). Bibliometric analysis indicates that the majority (>90%) of the studies were conducted in selected regions of Europe or North America, with further findings around regionally prioritized industrial hemp products, such as hempcrete in Southwest Europe, solid biofuel in North European states, and textile fiber and bio‐composites in East Europe and North America. Lifecycle analysis studies highlight nitrogenous fertilizer use during industrial hemp cultivation as a major ecological hotspot, which is taking a toll on the climate change index. However, hemp‐based products are generally climate‐friendly solutions when contrasted against their fossil fuel counterparts, with hempcrete in particular a highly touted carbon‐negative (−4.28 to −36.08 kg CO2 eq/m²) product. The review also identifies key issues within the hemp VC and presents innovative solutions alongside the recognition of value‐adding opportunities. Furthermore, feasibility analysis indicates unprofitability in using hemp for bioenergy production and there is a relative cost worthiness of hemp bio‐composites and hempcrete at the upstream level. Positive returns are observed under co‐production schemes. In contemplating the literature findings, we discussed and identified gap in existing literature for future exploration, including more studies to provide insights from the Global South, and the production of industrial hemp under a biophysically constrained landscape.
... Biomass has become a promising alternative for green energy and biobased products, and it contains numerous components, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignocellulose materials that can be processed into numerous high-value end products. Cellulose has a huge potential as a renewable resource due to its availability, renewability, and biodegradability for use in numerous industries, such as paper and pulp [4,5], textiles [6,7,8], food packaging [9,10], medical products [11,12], biocomposites [13,14], membranes [15,16], and sensors [17,18]. The cellular walls of plants are composed of a complex carbohydrate known as cellulose, which is a polysaccharide. ...
... In textile manufacturing, polysorbate improved ultraviolet exposure protection and the esthetics of polyester fabric (Sk et al. 2022). Some other studies reveal that cotton-based fabrics have excellent properties for ultraviolet protection (Kocić et al. 2019). Rabiei et al. showed that ultraviolet protection of workwear fabrics can be improved by coating titania nanoparticles (Rabiei et al. 2022). ...
Skin exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and pollutants causes several skin disorders, calling for protection methods such as sunscreen application. However, common sunscreen contains chemicals that have displayed toxicity when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, alternatives approaches have been recently developed, such as the use of natural phytochemicals as active ingredients in photoprotection preparations. Here, we review skin protection with focus on the physics of ultraviolet radiation and photoprotection by ultraviolet filters. We present sensors for measuring ultraviolet radiation and ultraviolet radiation in ecosystems. We discuss the phototoxicity of drugs, preservatives, personal care products, and pollutants. Photocarcinogenesis, photoallergy, photostability, and toxicity of sunscreen ingredients and their impacts on human health and skin, are also reviewed. We observed that phytochemicals are promising for photoprotection due to their ability to absorb photon energy, and thus act as antioxidants.
... The effectiveness of textiles in reducing UV exposure to the skin is determined by several factors in the fabric processing as well as the presence or absence of UV absorbers (Kocić et al., 2019). Color is a part of electromagnetic wave energy that has a frequency range and wavelength. ...
Despite the many benefits of sunlight, it can also have negative impacts on our health, particularly from Ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To reduce the risks, one can protect themselves by wearing appropriate clothing, avoiding prolonged exposure to sunlight, especially Ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It is necessary to pay attention to the choice of clothing colors considering that each color actually absorbs sunlight with different abilities. Therefore it is very important for us to know the color selection of clothes to wear in reducing exposure to UV rays on our skin. The objective of this study is to determine the difference in the effect of clothing fabric color on UV ray absorption. The UV intensity data obtained is the intensity of UV that has passed through a cloth filter with a certain color and the intensity without a filter. Data collection was conducted with 10 different cloth color variations. The results will be compared between the UV intensity with various colored cloth filters and the intensity without a filter. It was found that different colors on fabric also affect the intensity of UV rays that are absorbed or transmitted. Relatively bright colors will cause a dominant amount of UV rays to pass through compared to dark-colored fabrics. The fabric colors that allow more UV radiation to pass through are those that are predominantly light, in this study, the colors Purple and White.
... Wearing UV protection textiles, such as shoes, hats, apparel, and baby carrier covers, is the easiest way to protect against UV radiation. The chemical structure of the fibers is directly responsible for protecting the wearer against UV rays and UV transparency [81]. Natural fibers, such as cotton, wool, and silk, have a reduced UV radiation absorption rate compared with synthetic fibers, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). ...
Sol-gel method has been used since the early 1960s in various applications. There has been a growing interest in this method in recent decades, its materials, and its functionality. The sol-gel reaction consists of a series of simple hydrolysis and condensation reactions, and they are easy to perform and do not require special conditions or high temperatures. This reaction can be influenced by several factors: water-to-precursor molar ratio, types of catalyst, pH, modifier, reaction, aging temperature, and varying solvent. Scientific databases, namely Scopus and ScienceDirect, mainly address the organic solvent-based sol-gel method. Since 1996, the water-based sol-gel method has attracted much attention to simplify the procedure further and reduce cost and environmental damages. This is a review of water-based and typical solvent-based sol-gel methods, focusing on protective fabric coatings. It discusses the most relevant and recent findings related to the sol-gel method, including its applications, advantages and limitation, and future potential. It describes the effects of using water to replace organic solvents that can influence the characteristics and properties of sol-gel materials. Water-based sol-gel preparation methods are relatively advanced, and some products are currently on the market. However, many difficulties related to their water-precursor compatibility prevail. Therefore, chemistry and physics are areas that need to be exploited to create new materials that meet the protective fabric criteria.
... We attribute this to the UV absorption by UV329, which absorbed UV light that would have otherwise initiated photo-oxidation. 26,27 The UPF is the ratio between the average effective UV irradiance on unprotected skin and that on protected skin; a value >50 indicates excellent UV protection. 28,29 Therefore, the UPF, UVA transmittance (T(UVA) AV ) and UVB transmittance (T(UVB) AV ) were measured to quantitatively analyse the UV protection performance of the PAN/UV329 membranes (Fig. 4c and d). ...
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is extremely dangerous to humans and can contribute to immunosuppression, erythema, early ageing and skin cancer. UV protection finishing may greatly influence the handling and permeability of fabrics, while UV-proof fibres can guarantee close contact between UV-resistant agents and fabric without affecting the handling of the fabric. In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/UV absorber 329 (UV329)/titanium dioxide (TiO2) composite nanofibrous membranes with complex, highly efficient UV resistance were fabricated via electrospinning. UV329 was included in the composite to further strengthen the UV resistance properties via absorption function, while TiO2 inorganic nanoparticles were added to provide UV shielding function. The presence of UV329 and TiO2 in the membranes was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, which also showed the absence of chemical bonds between PAN and the anti-UV agents. The PAN/UV329/TiO2 membranes exhibited a UV protection factor of 1352 and a UVA transmittance of 0.6%, which indicate their extraordinary UV resistance properties. Additionally, filtration performance was investigated in order to expand the application field of the UV-resistant PAN/UV329/TiO2 membranes, and the composite nanofibrous membranes showed a UV filtration efficiency of 99.57% and a pressure drop of 145 Pa. The proposed multi-functional nanofibrous membranes have broad application prospects in outdoor protective clothing and window air filters.
... The choice of material is important from the point of view that each material has its own properties, which are transferred to the fabric. Functionalization of fabrics allows influencing the physical-mechanical properties by using special yarns to improve for example elasticity [5,6], thermal regulation [7,8], protection against ultraviolet rays (UV) [9][10][11], etc. In addition, from the design point of view, the shape and size of the pattern, its frequency and distribution on the surface are also important, not only as a visual effect, but also in terms of the above-mentioned characteristics [12][13][14]. ...
The study investigated how certain design parameters affect the permeability properties of jacquard fabrics. Six woven samples were made on the same cotton warp and with the same loom setting. The fabrics were made from two different types of weft yarns (cotton and Lyocell Clima), in two different pattern sizes (with larger and smaller monochrome areas), and two groups of double twill weaves (self-stitched double cloth, interchanging double cloth). We proved the importance of the size and distribution of the pattern/motif, the type of weave and the type of yarns used in the jacquard fabrics and the influence they have on the permeability properties in close relation to the aesthetic function. All patterns with interchanging double weave have significantly higher air permeability than patterns with self-stitched weave. For thermal conductivity, the influence of the raw material and the size of the pattern/motif is obvious. For fabrics with patterns with larger geometric areas, where the presence of weft threads on the surface is greater, the thermal conductivity is higher. The pattern size, on the other hand, does not affect the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), unlike the raw material from which it is made.
... UV radiation can harm human beings and that is why the UV protection property of garments has become the main concern of garment manufacturers. As is known, natural fibers are widely used in summer garments because of their excellent comfort properties, but these fibers have very poor UV protection (Kociç et al. 2019). Natural resources such as dyer's woad, madder, logwood, brasilwood, lavender, and weld have been reported as dyestuff providing UV protection properties to the textile materials (Grifoni et al. 2009(Grifoni et al. , 2011(Grifoni et al. , 2014. ...
In recent years, many different properties of natural dyestuffs that do not harm the environment and human have been discovered as a result of the search for dyestuffs. Buckthorn based dyes can be considered in this respect, and so they were tested in this study. The berries and leaves of the buckthorn bush trees were used. While dyeing the fabric, along with the dyeing process, other properties that can be added have been investigated. Wool fabrics with no metal salts and with five different metal salts were dyed with natural dye sources at 100°C for 1 hour. After dyeing, all samples were dried at room temperature. Then, the dyed wool samples’ CIE L*a*b* and color efficiency values (K/S) were determined from the obtained colors to show the usability of buckthorn in dyeing. Color fastness to washing, rubbing, perspiration, and light fastness of the samples were also tested, and results were determined in the range of 3–5 points. The T% values between 0.08 and 0.35 for UVA and between 0.09 and 0.18 for UVB were observed in all trials. It has been determined that fabrics treated with buckthorn berries/leaves can provide a protective feature against the harmful rays of the sun.
... For instance, vitamin D synthesis is stimulated in the human body by exposure to such radiation (Kimlin et al., 2007). In addition, it is used to treat some critical conditions of the skin, such as eczema, psoriasis, etc. (Hӧnigsmann, 2001;Koci c et al., 2019). However, prolonged exposure to UVR can cause several acute and chronic harmful effects on the human body. ...
Ultraviolet rays constitute a meagre fraction of the solar spectrum. Still, they influence all living organisms and their metabolisms, and this radiation can cause a range of effects from simple tanning to highly malignant skin cancers if unprotected. Protecting human skin against harmful UV radiation is an acute problem nowadays. Developing textiles with UV protection functionality has been widely researched. Natural fibres have received considerable attention compared with synthetic fibres due to their excellent properties, such as hygroscopicity, air permeability, biodegradability, etc., for making textile goods. The UV-protective properties of textiles depend on several factors, such as fibre content, weave, used dyes, and finishing processes, and the protection factor should be between 40 and 50+, categorize the clothing cotton fabrics with excellent UV protection. This chapter deals with the advantages and disadvantages of ultraviolet radiation on humans, the role of natural source-based textile clothing, and the chemicals used in textiles to protect from their harmful effects.
Intravenous lipid mixtures were a component of 2-in-1 parenteral nutrition (PN) and were administered separately from the dextrose and amino acids mixture. SMOFlipid, the most recent composite intravenous lipid emulsion, has seen frequent use in the past decade. The SMOFlipid mixtures were prepared by mixing SMOFlipid with water-soluble and lipid-soluble vitamins. The lipid peroxidation products have been associated with serious comorbidities in premature infants. The light-exposed SMOFlipid mixtures promoted lipid peroxidation, especially administered under phototherapy, thus, the SMOFlipid mixtures were recommended to protected from light during storage, transportation, and administration. The malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration level in SMOFlipid mixtures, as a marker for lipid peroxidation, was measured up to 24 hours during storage, transport, and administration with and without light protection in simulated conditions. The MDA in SMOFlipid mixtures was chemically derivatized and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The intact SMOFlipid was used as a control. The MDA level at 24 hours in all samples exposed to ambient light was higher, up to 3.9-fold than the MDA level at initial baselines. Whereas, all samples protected from light for 24 hours showed the MDA level slightly increased up to 2.4-fold. The MDA level observed in intact SMOFlipid was higher than SMOFlipid mixtures. The aluminum foil and fabric textiles, used as light protection materials, were comparable for light protection during 24-hour administration. However, using aluminum foil as light protection material during phototherapy for 24 hours, the MDA level was slightly higher than fabric textiles. Our findings indicated that SMOFlipid and SMOFlipid mixture for 2-in-1 PN should be completely protected from light during storage, transportation and administration. The fabric textile covering was introduced and considered due to its re-usable and light protective properties for PN in transport and administration under ambient light and phototherapy.
The presence of UV radiation in our environment poses a serious risk of sunburns, premature skin aging, immune suppression, PMLE, and even the development of skin cancers. There has been an increasing awareness of the necessity of ultraviolet (UV) protection in recent years in light of the rising incidence of skin cancer and other detrimental effects of prolonged exposure to sunlight. Various studies provide information on the factors that affect the improvement of UPF values in cotton fabrics. The effect of stretching of knit fabric on the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of cotton and its blend offers a prediction model for determining UPF based on yarn and fabric properties. Statistical analysis through linear regression models helps to examine the relationship between fabric weight, thickness weight-to-thickness ratio, stitch density, and UPF (ultraviolet protection factor). This review paper critically analyses works conducted by researchers over a period of the decade to discuss the efficacy of UPF on various fabric construction parameters such as fabric weight, fabric thickness, structure, application of UV absorbers, Air Permeability, etc., on different knitted fabric structures. This critique may be useful for scholars, researchers, members of the textile industry, etc. for developing fabrics with better UV protection.
Dermatologists emphasize the need to employ sun protection measures in order to mitigate the risk of developing skin cancer and experiencing detrimental effects associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Research has demonstrated that fabrics characterized by denser and less porous architectures exhibit elevated Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) values, therefore successfully impeding the penetration of UV light. The degrees of UV protection are determined by the porosity and tightness of the material. The examination of air permeability and UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) in 100% Bamboo weft knit structures is of utmost importance in evaluating the appropriateness of Bamboo fabric for warm-weather garments. This study reveals that a majority of weft-knitted constructions exhibit highly favourable Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) ratings, spanning from good to exceptional. Furthermore, these knitted fabrics have excellent air permeability, rendering them suitable for summer apparel as UPF garments, eliminating the necessity for wet processing.
Recently, there has been a pronounced escalation of human skin exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, as well as microbial contamination due to the continued atmospheric ozone layer decay and the increased social engagements, respectively. With the growing concern of health issues relating to these factors, functionalized textiles with the help of nanotechnology have gained considerable scholarly attention. Apart from the conventional finishing techniques, titanium, silver, and zinc nanoparticles used in nanofinishing can offer immense potential for blocking UV rays and inhibiting microbial proliferation due to their large surface area, high surface energy, easy ionization, and toxic nature. This chapter reviews the latest amelioration in nanofinishing technology for textiles intended for protection from UV rays and microbial infestations. The target-based nanomaterials, their properties, and mechanisms to work with, application approaches, durability, sustainability, and contemporary and future research direction are comprehensively discussed.
Kenevir (Cannabis Sativa) geçmişten günümüze kadar çok farklı alanlarda kullanılan değerli bir endüstri bitkisidir. Kenevir; tekstil, gıda, enerji, ilaç, inşaat, kompozit malzemeler, selüloz ve kozmetik alanlarında kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada kenevir bitkisi hakkında bilgi verilirken, kısa tarihçesi ve kullanım alanları da anlatılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada kenevir kumaşından, sıfır atık yaklaşımı ile sürdürülebilir moda anlayışına katkıda bulunacak özgün tasarımlar hazırlanmıştır. Tasarımlarda kumaşın tamamı firesiz olarak çalışılmıştır. Pastala yerleştirilen kalıpların boşluklarında oluşan firelerden dikiş manipülasyon teknikleri ile yüzey tasarım uygulamaları yapılmıştır. Hazırlanan yüzey tasarımları, özgün ve modern giysi tasarımlarına dönüştürülmüştür. Araştırmada içerik olarak, kenevir bitkisinin tüm kullanım alanları ile birlikte kumaş üretimi sonrasında, özgün bir tasarıma dönüştürülme süreci aktarılmıştır. Çeşitli analiz ve araştırmaların sonuçları, kenevirden yapılan kumaşların üretim sırasında diğer kumaşlara göre daha az su tükettiğini göstermektedir. Ayrıca kenevir bitkisinin nefes alabilen bir hammadde olduğu, antibakteriyel özelliğe sahip olduğu, radyasyona ve birçok dış etkene karşı dayanıklı olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu nedenle sıfır atık yöntemiyle yapılacak modern tasarımların, kenevir kumaşının çok fonksiyonlu tasarımlarla kullanımını yaygınlaştırılabileceği öngörülmektedir. Hazırlanan tasarımların örnek teşkil ederek, binlerce yıldır kullanılan kenevir kumaşının, giyim endüstrisinde yeniden yorumlanması amaçlanmaktadır. Bu bağlamda yenilikçi, dönüştürülebilir, çevre dostu anlayışın yaygınlaşması hedeflenmektedir. Kenevir bitkisi ile moda endüstrisine çevreye duyarlı, etik bir vizyon kazandırılması, yeni planlamalara gidilmesi gelecek için daha umut verici olacaktır.
Nanocellulose (NC) has been extensively researched for its diverse applications due to its inherent properties, natural availability, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. Biomass-derived NC is an appealing renewable material for replacing non-biodegradable petrochemical products in developing sustainable textiles. However, the textile industry must be able to adequately explore its potential applications in the textile sector. The textile industry produces global and diversified products with specific physicochemical properties that find applications in various facets of our lives. Therefore, it is essential to understand the structure–function relationship between textile substrates and NC and to adapt NC-based renewable approaches for sustainable materials to meet the growing demand and specific end uses of textile products. In this context, the primary aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of recent research findings on NC applications in enhancing the textile wet processing performances, reinforcing fibres, imparting functional properties and coatings, dye adsorption from wastewater, etc. In addition, we highlighted current challenges and promising opportunities for developing functionalized NC to improve the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of textiles. The emergence of NC could expand the scope of green and sustainable nanomaterials in textile applications.
Ultraviolet resistance upon four different types of weft knitted fabrics including Lacoste, Single Jersey, Rib and Interlock were experimentally measured and evaluated by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy under effects of gauge, specific weight, fiber composition and finishing agent as benzotriazole derivatives. The results showed that ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of Interlock sample reached the highest value at 42.7. Simultaneously, the higher gauge of Single Jersey knitted fabrics was, the better its ultraviolet protection exhibited. Also, insertion of polyester fibers or spandex fibers into cotton knitted fabrics with a certain ratio strongly increased UPF values. Notably, all UPFs of coated fabrics with a given content of benzotriazole were significantly improved and almost coated samples could undergo several washing cycles and still retain their inherent breathability. This work demonstrated that cotton knitted fabrics coated with benzotriazoles were excellently enhanced ultraviolet protection. Especially, the UPF values on Interlock or Rib specimens as well as Single Jersey samples blended with polyester/spandex fibers were found to be higher than 15.
Polymer-based composites are commonly used in a variety of fields because they offer many advantages. In this study, hot pressing lamination is used to combine high resilience buffer (HRB) nonwoven fabrics and conductive elastic polymer films to form HRBC composite planks. The resulting HRBC composite planks have both buffer effect and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMI SE). Moreover, the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) content of the conductive elastic polymer film is altered in the process. Next, these HRBC composite planks are tested for their mechanical properties, interfacial adhesion level, buffer efficacy, and EMI SE. The test results show that a rise in the CNT content has a positive influence on the mechanical properties. In this case, the tensile strength and puncture resistance are increased by 80% and 24% respectively. Furthermore, the employment of hot pressing lamination does not compromise the functions of constitutional materials. With 10 wt% of CNTs, HRBC composite planks exhibit a 65% higher rebound rate over the polymer side and yield an EMI SE of − 47 dB that blocks 99.99% of electromagnetic waves.
This study aims at developing novel methodology to prepare antibacterial cotton fabric with excellent antibacterial durability, and a “grafting through” approach was adopted to enhance affinity of Ag NPs with cotton fiber surfaces. The surface modification was carried out by covalently linking acrylic acid (AA) molecules onto the fibers, then 4‐vinylpyridine was copolymerized with the AA moieties as a polymeric binder. Once the coordination bonds were formed between silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and the pyridine nitrogen, Ag NPs could be stably immobilized on the cotton fabric. Experimental results showed that the AA‐co‐PVP grafting copolymer had a significant regulatory effect on the dispersion and particle size of Ag particles, and the resulting cotton fabric presented a high antibacterial property with excellent durability. Even after 120 washing cycles, the bacterial reduction rates of the modified fabric against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli retained a level higher than 99%. In addition, other textile attributes, such as vapor transmissibility, water absorbability and flexibility, could be largely retained in the modified fabrics.
Recycling their trash has garnered significant scientific interest as the use of waste and scrap (Was) polyamide 6 (PA6) blended textiles rises. Based on the complexation and decomplexation of PA6 with Ca ²⁺ , an investigation was conducted into the possibility of selectively and nondestructively dissolving and recovering PA6 and separating another component from Was PA6 blended models using CaCl 2 /ethanol/water (CEW) solvents. It was found through experiments that the dissolution of PA6 in CEW was related to temperature and stirring speed; the optimum conditions were chosen to be 75°C, 2 h, and 300 r/min, under which 94.80 wt% of Was PA6 textiles could be dissolved. Results also revealed that PA6 could be reprecipitated by simply adding water, whereas Ca ²⁺ could be significantly removed by washing. The PA6 may be separated without degradation by controlled complexation and decomplexation, and the performance of Recycled PA6 (RPA6) was nearly identical to Was PA6 textiles. In addition, the two-component blended models experience non-destructive separation and recovery, and CEW treatment has little impact on the other components (except PA6). In this study, it is demonstrated that different types of Was PA6 blended textiles could be successfully separated via CEW treatment. Furthermore, the solvent system comprises easily accessible, low-cost materials that are widely used in industrial-scale processes. Thus, the concept will make a significant contribution to a green textile recycling strategy.
In the search for ultraviolet radiation exposure (UVR) protective textile to minimize risk factors for skin cancer, we synthesized a Schiff base ligand from the condensation reaction 2,4‐dihyroxybenzaldehyde with p‐amino aniline. Also, the Schiff base complexes with Fe (III), Mn (II), and Cr (III) were also synthesized. The ligand and the complexes characterized by Ultraviolet‐visible, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H 13C NMR, X‐ray diffraction, and elemental analysis. We treated cotton fabric (CF) with the complexes to achieve the conventional fabrics materials with highly efficient and durable Ultraviolet ‐protection properties. The modified cotton fabric is also characterized via different techniques. Ultraviolet‐protection properties of coated fabrics are investigated by measuring Ultraviolet protection factor values. Excellent Ultraviolet ‐protection even after 10 washing cycles can be used in protective textiles. In contrast to fungal activity, modified cotton fabric demonstrated strong antibacterial activity. We used the density functional theory to compute the reactivity indices and the binding energy of the complexes with the cellulosic fiber. The theoretical results favor binding the Fe (III) complex with the cellulose fiber. Also, Fe (III) metal complexes (M‐Compexes) gave the highest antibacterial and UV protection. The modified fabrics' antibacterial and excellent UV protection make the studied complexes potential candidates for applying UV protective (UPF) textiles.
Multifunctional cotton textiles that are highly breathable are desirable in a broad range of applications. However, it is still a big challenge to scale up production of such multifunctional cotton textiles. Herein, we developed a simple, scalable, and benign strategy to fabricate highly breathable multifunctional cotton textiles via mild surface modification. The 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) ring and gentamycin sulfate (GS) molecules were firmly attached to the cellulose chains under room temperature via a one-pot method. The resulting modified cotton textile showed integrated performances with bright fluorescence, good antibacterial behavior, hydrophobic behavior (contact angle of 134°), and UV-blocking (UPF being up to 69.2), which are very stable toward washing and various solvents. There is no obvious change in the whiteness, thermal stability, and mechanical performance of cotton fabrics after the surface modification. What's more, the air permeability of the modified cotton fabric was up to 31.3 (cm3/cm2)/s. This study not only focuses on the materials design and large-scale fabrication but also provides stable and multifunctional cotton textiles with broad application prospects for many fields.
Though, hemp served to humans as a fiber plant for thousands of years, its importance faded away due to miscellaneous reasons in the beginning of twentieth century. Since the last few decades, hemp plant has been revisited for a fiber source, but not without a reason, as a result of the sustainable raw material seeking. Global concerns such as shortening resources, pollution and global warming push the textile industry to choose environmentally friendly production methods, like all other industry branches. At this point, hemp fiber has shined out with its serious sustainable production potential. This chapter mainly focuses on hemp fiber usage and production methods in textile engineering rather than the sustainable features of hemp fiber. In this context, first, the information regarding hemp plant agriculture for fiber production, fiber extraction from hemp plant and fiber properties were given. Moreover, yarn spinning from hemp fiber was explained, and hemp fabric weaving, knitting and nonwoven production were analyzed. Chemical wet processing (textile finishing processes) such as pre-treatments (such as bleaching etc.), dyeing, and finishing of hemp fibers were also reviewed. Finally, end-use applications and application areas of hemp fibers in textiles, the situation of hemp in the textile industry and the economic contribution of the hemp fiber production were given.KeywordsHemp fiberTextileSustainableHemp fabricHemp productsPre-treatmentBleachingDyeingFinishing
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is critical to protect against highly infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Textiles are also necessary shields for protecting human skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays. Organic blockers and semiconductor oxides, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), silicon dioxide (SiO2), etc. can protect against UV rays. Green technologies such as nano, bio, plasma, supercritical CO2, and ultrasonic have emerged to ensure environmental and social compatibility, ensure safety for human health, and replace traditional chemical textile processes. Multifunctional textiles with different impacts such as UV blocking, antimicrobial, self-cleaning, and waterproof qualities can be obtained through green textile treatments. Using these treatments results in almost no waste of water and energy. Green treatments contain degradable chemicals that are not dangerous to either humans or the environment.
Impacts of red beet consumption both on human and animal health are subject of intense research. In particular, products that are not heat-processed contain plethora of bioactive compounds that hold promise against numerous degenerative and aging-associated diseases. However, high level of nitrates (typically more than 2 g NO3⁻ kg⁻¹) whose health effects are perceived with reasoned objections counterbalance these benefits. Following the above, from a certain level, the increased consumption of red beet has contrary impacts, creating a limiting factor not only from the economic point of view but also in terms of beneficial compounds intake. Reduction of NO3⁻ levels (− 35%) has been achieved by soil amendment via increased doses of biochar. The data obtained indicates that the mechanism can be explained as follows. The soil improvement reduces soil density, increases soil temperature, improves water retention, and other prerequisites for increased activity of soil microorganisms. Accelerated metabolism of soil biota turned more nitrogen from fertilizers into organic forms. Hence, less mineral nitrogen is left for red beet intake.
Global demand for functional textiles is continually increasing for both conventional as well as advanced technical applications. Nanomaterials have the potential to transform the textile industry by imparting multifunctional properties such as physical, chemical and biological self‐cleaning, ultraviolet (UV) protection, wrinkle resistance and coloration to textiles without compromising the inherent characteristics of the substrate. This review highlights some of the major applications of nanomaterials to textile substrates to obtain different functional properties. Possible side effects of the nanomaterials on textiles are also reviewed, along with potential hazards to humans and the environment.
The Global Solar UV Index was developed as an easy-to-understand measure of the amount of biologically-effective ambient solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) at different locations on the earth's surface. Over the past few years, questions have been raised about the global applicability of the UV Index, about the evidence base for exposure risk thresholds and related protective measures, and about whether the overall impact of the UV Index could be improved with modifications. An international workshop was organized by several organizations, including the World Health Organization, to assess if current evidence was sufficiently strong to modify the UV Index and to discuss different ways it might be improved in order to influence sun-protective behavior. While some animal research suggests there may be no threshold effect, the relative importance of sub-erythemal doses of sunlight in causing skin cancer in humans remains unknown. Evidence suggests that regular use of sunscreen can prevent skin cancer and that sunglasses are an effective method of protecting the eyes from solar UVR. The UV Index as a risk communication tool continues to be useful for raising awareness and to support sun-protection behavior. Although there was agreement that guidance on the use of the UV Index could be improved, the workshop participants identified that strong health outcome-based human evidence would be needed as the basis for a revision. For the UV Index to be relevant in as many countries as possible, it should continue to be adapted to suit local conditions.
Woven fabric is composed of two yarns system, known as the weft and warp yarns. Each yarn system has an effect on the physical, performance, and optical properties of fabric. Any change in one or both yarn systems greatly alters the fabric properties. The solar and luminous properties of fabrics are also affected by altering the weft yarn or both yarn systems. This study investigates the effect of altering the weft yarn system on the solar and luminous properties of fabrics. The differences in the weft yarn in the fabrics were based on the weft yarn structure, including the yarn linear density, amount of twist on the yarn, yarn evenness, hairiness, spinning method, fiber composition of the yarn, and weft density of the fabric. The fabric luminous and solar properties were measured according to EN 14500 using an ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV/VIS/NIR) test device and calculated from the EN 410 standard test method. According to a variance analysis, the weft density factor is shown to have an effect on the solar properties of the fabric, especially the UV transmittance properties of the fabric. Although non-parametric test results with a 95% confidence level show that the yarn structure does not influence the solar characteristics of the fabric, we show from the test results that the yarn structure influences the solar properties of the fabric. Yarn hairiness was the dominant factor for the IR and visible portions of the solar radiation spectra. In the UV region, the fiber composition factor was found to be important. The effect of the yarn linear density was similar to the effect of the weft density factor. The solar transmittance decreases and the reflectance increases when the number of weft yarns per unit length is increased and the yarn linear density in the Ne numbered system is decreased. Increasing the yarn hairiness decreases the transmittance in the IR portion of the solar spectra. The degree of influence that the yarn structure has on the solar properties (with the exception of the UV portion) of the fabric was dominated by the number of weft yarns per unit length. The transmittance properties of the fabric were more affected by altering the yarn structure than the reflectance and absorbance properties.
It is generally accepted that synthetic fibres provide high UV protection capability of textile products, while cellulose fibres have low UV absorption capacity. However, textile materials made of synthetic fibres are not considered to be comfortable for wear in warm weather, whereas cellulose-based textile materials are considered to be much more comfortable to wear, especially in the summer months. For this research, the idea was to produce specially blended knitted fabrics from staple/filament hybrid yarns in order to provide clothing materials with effective UV protection properties, keeping satisfactory comfort properties as well. To obtain hybrid yarns, folding technique was used. The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), as a quantitative measure of the effectiveness of the material to protect human skin against UV radiation, was determined for the rib knitted fabrics by in vitro test method according to the European standard. The physical properties of the knitted fabrics related to their UV protection properties: bulk density, porosity and air permeability were also determined. The hybrid yarns, from which the rib knitted fabrics were produced, having always hemp yarn as a staple component, caused the differences in UV protection capability of the rib knitted fabrics through the influence of a filament spun component. The hybrid yarn aggregation within knitted fabrics also influenced their UPF values. Even though the pure hemp knitted fabric was marked as “UPF>50” (according to European standard) due to natural pigments and lignin in hemp fibres which act as UV absorbers, most of the hemp/filament hybrid yarn knitted fabrics exhibited even higher UPF. Therefore, the engineering approach proposed in this research was confirmed as an effective way to design clothing materials with optimal UV protection capability and other wear comfort parameters.
With the public’s mature demand in recent times pressurized the textile industry for use of natural colorants, without any harmful effects on environment and aquatic ecosystem, and with more developed functionalities simultaneously. Advanced developments for the natural bio-resources and their sustainable use for multifunctional clothing are gaining pace now. Present review highlights historical overview of natural colorants, classification and predominantly processing of colorants from sources, application on textiles surfaces with the functionalities provided by them. Chemistry of natural colorants on textiles also discussed with relevance to adsorption isotherms and kinetic models for dyeing of textiles.
Graphical Abstract
In recent years, there is a progressive increase in UV radiation on human skin caused
by the depletion of the ozone in the earth's atmosphere. As long-term exposure to UV
light can result in a series of negative health effects such as acceleration of skin
ageing, photodermatosis (acne), erythema (skin reddening) and even skin cancer.
Developing textiles with UV protection functionality has been widely researched up to
now. This review summarized the interaction between UV radiation and cotton surfaces
and presents recent researches focused on the topic. The review also reported the
relation between ultraviolet light and the structural, physical and chemical properties of
textiles. Moreover, conventional and novel chemicals and techniques of UV protection
for cotton fabric such as, UV absorbers, nanoparticles, layer by layer self-assembly
(LbL)have been discussed in this paper.
In the last years the media have highlighted the damage of the ozone layer and the
resulting increase of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) reaching the earth’s surface. Prolonged and
repeated, both occupational and recreational, sun exposure of the population causes some
detrimental effects. Clothing is considered to be one of the most important tools for UV
protection. It is generally accepted that synthetic fibres provide a high UV protection
capability of textiles, while cellulose fibres (cotton, linen, hemp, viscose) have a low UV
absorption capacity. However, natural pigments, pectin and waxes in natural cellulose fibers,
and lignin in hemp fibers, act as UV absorbers having a favorable effect on UPF of grey-state
fabrics. Bearing in mind the trend of reintroduction of hemp fibers as a source of eco-friendly
textiles, there is a serious lack of study about the potential of hemp materials in terms of UV
protection.
Folded yarn is a complex yarn composed of two or more component yarns arranged
parallel and twisted together to make a “new quality” yarn. Folding of yarns is an operation
undertaken in order to modify single-yarn properties to an appreciable degree. There are very
few investigations concerning the relationship between the yarn properties and UV protection
effectiveness of the fabric made therefrom. In addition, there is no any result in the scientific
literature about the influence of yarn folding on UV protection properties of textile materials.
Having this in mind, for our research the idea was to evaluate the effect of yarn folding in this
regard. The plain knitted fabrics composed of single or two-folded hemp yarn were compared
in terms of UV protection properties. The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), as the
quantitative measurement of the material effectiveness to protect the human skin against
UVR, was determined for the textile materials by in vitro test method according to the
European standard EN 13758. The knitted fabrics construction and physical properties were
also determined. Bearing in mind that plain knitted fabrics are particularly susceptible to
relaxation, they were subjected to relaxation and shrinkage by wetting process, and testing
procedure was repeated on the water-treated samples. The results obtained indicated that the
folding operation influences UV protection properties of knitted fabrics through an influence
on a loop configuration, i.e. the fabric openness. Relaxation and shrinkage of the knitted
fabrics due to wet relaxation caused the reduction of macro-porosity increasing the UPF of
the knitted fabrics. Although the knitted fabric produced from single hemp yarn was
characterised by higher UPF, the UVR transmittance of the folded hemp yarn knitted fabric
after wet relaxation placed it in the “excellent UV protection category” (according to
European Standard EN 13758-2). This fact together with the better thermal comfort
manifested itself in higher air permeability, confirmed the potential of folding operation in
terms of UV protection properties of textile materials.
This paper focuses on compost use in overpasses and underpasses for wild animals over roads and other similar linear structures. In this context, good quality of compost may result in faster and more resistant vegetation cover during the year. Inter alia, this can be interpreted also as reduction of damage and saving lives. There are millions of tones of plant residue produced every day worldwide. These represent prospective business for manufacturers of compost additives called "accelerators". The opinions of the sale representatives' with regards to other alternatives of biowaste utilization and their own products were reviewed. The robust analyzes of several "accelerated" composts revealed that the quality was generally low. Only two accelerated composts were somewhat similar in quality to the blank sample that was produced according to the traditional procedure. Overlaps between the interests of decision makers on future soil fertility were weighed against the preferences on short-term profit. Possible causes that allowed the boom of these underperforming products and the possible consequences are also discussed. Conclusions regarding the ethical concerns on how to run businesses with products whose profitability depends on weaknesses in the legal system and customer unawareness are to follow.
Materials used in the exterior of buildings and in construction are routinely exposed to solar UV radiation. Especially in the case of wood and plastic building materials, the service life is determined by their weather-induced deterioration. Any further increase in ground-level solar UV radiation, UV-B radiation in particular, will therefore reduce the outdoor service life of these products. Any increase in ambient temperature due to climate change will also have the same effect. However, the existing light-stabilizer technologies are likely to be able to mitigate the additional damaging effects due to increased solar UV radiation and maintain the outdoor lifetimes of these materials at the present levels. These mitigation choices invariably increase the lifetime cost of these products. A reliable estimate of what this additional cost might be for different products is not available at the present time. Personal exposure to UV radiation is reduced both by clothing fabrics and glass windows used in buildings and automobiles. This assessment describes how the recent technical advances in degradation and stabilization techniques impact the lifetimes of plastics and wood products routinely exposed to solar UV radiation and the protection to humans offered by materials against solar UV radiation.
This study compares the environmental impacts related to the production of cotton yarn from cultivation to washing and drying, when cotton is supplied by four companies located in four different countries (Egypt, China, India and the USA). Interesting results have been obtained from cultivation scenarios where the productivity influences the value of the environmental impact associated to each country. The highest greenhouse effect is produced by the Indian company, with 0.89 kg of CO2 equivalent (per 1 kg of cotton).
Fuel consumption and Ammonium nitrate are the first items of greenhouse effect in all companies because of their extensive use and the lack of rotation with other unprofitable crops. In Chinese and Egyptian companies the irrigation sources are severely threatened and it is necessary to switch from a flood irrigation to a drip irrigation system.
The production phase of cotton yarn provides an impact equal to 2.81 CO2 kg-equivalent. The most critical impacts of cotton yarn production are due to Dyeing (1.24 CO2 kg-eq.) and Spinning (0.64 CO2 kg-eq.) phases and they are essentially connected to reactive reagents and pigments, electrical and thermal energy. Regarding thermal energy consumptions some improvements in dyeing plants (recover cooling water, return steam condensate to boilers or reuse different process waters) may allow the company to decrease in CO2 emission by 41.7%. Moreover a reduction in CO2 emission by 34.6% can be achieved in the spinning phase using an optimized suction tube in conjunction with adjustable inverter control.
The effect of fabric parameters such as weight, thickness, and stitch density on the ultraviolet (UV) protection of knitted fabrics was studied. Different knitting structures such as plain, pineapple, lacoste, and other combinations of different knitting stitches of knit, tuck, and miss as well as half milano, full milano, half cardigan, full cardigan, 1 × 1 rib, and interlock were prepared. Experimental results revealed that weight was the most important factor that affected UV protection while thickness and stitch density were not the leading factor in determining UV protection.
The alarming increase of incidence of skin cancer has hastened development of ultraviolet (UV) protective clothing and research on UV protection of apparel. Although various fabric parameters that affect ultraviolet radiation (UVR) transmission were studied by researches, most of them focused on woven fabrics and chemical approach in enhancing UV protection. There were few studies concerning knitted fabrics, in particular the influence of fabric constructions on ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) and structural properties. The magnitude of transmission and scattering of UVR through a fabric is decided by fabric construction or knit structure, which is classified by geometrical arrangement of yarns and fibers of the fabric. This paper aimed at studying the influence of different knit structures upon the UPF with the three main knit stitches incorporated in the knitted fabric constructions, namely the knit, tuck and miss stitches. The UPF and structural characteristics, including thickness, weight, stitch density and porosity of greige and bleached knitted fabrics with different knit structures, are compared by adopting factorial analysis of variance. The results show that fabrics with miss stitches possess a higher UPF than fabrics with tuck stitches. The double-knitted fabrics have better UV protection than the single-knitted fabrics overall, but bleaching has different impacts on the UPF of single- and double-knitted fabrics. The study reveals that fabric thickness or weight cannot be used solely in explaining the UV protective performance of knitted fabrics. However, fabric porosity can be a good indicator for UV protection when comparing fabrics with similar fabric weight and thickness but different structures or fiber contents.
The protection provided by clothing against ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been the subject of considerable recent research. However, a lack of investigations concerned with the influence of yarn properties on UV protection capabilities of fabrics seems to be present. This study investigated the influence of yarn twist and surface geometry on these properties of fabrics. The gray-state plain cotton knitted fabrics were produced from yarn differing in twist level under controlled conditions, so as to obtain as similar as possible construction of the fabrics. These plain knitted (single jersey) fabrics were spectrophotometrically assessed and UV protection factor was calculated. The results obtained indicated that yarn twist to a great extent influenced the UV protection properties of the knitted fabrics through the influence on yarn compactness and surface properties, which in turn influenced the open porosity of the fabric. The results were also interpreted as the consequences of minimal differences between knitted fabrics' construction (different stitch density), which could not be avoided because of the yarn twist differences.
Underwater high-voltage discharges (3.5 kV) resulting in 4.9 kJ shock waves (50-60 MPa) were studied at the laboratory scale as a Jatropha curcas L. seed disintegration method. Grinding and macerating in an excess of methanol (3.5:1) was advantageous because methanol acts both as a liquid carrier for the pressure shock waves and as a solvent that increases the efficiency of oil extraction while remaining usable for esterification. The influence of the number of shock waves and the intensity of methanol maceration on the heat values of the pressed cake are stated in detail. Soxhlet extraction demonstrated that a greater than 94% oil extraction was achieved. The increased disintegration of vacuoles rich in oil was documented by surface area analysis, mineralization kinetics analysis, and electron microscopy. The working volumes were small, and the proportion of energy inadequate compared to the yields released; however, much can be improved by upgrading the process.
Textile Technology: The sun-blocking properties of a textile are enhanced when a dye, pigment, delustrant, or ultraviolet absorber finish is present that absorbs ultraviolet radiation and blocks its transmission through a fabric to the skin. For this reason, dyed fabrics provide better sun protection than bleached fabrics. Since naturally-colored cottons contain pigments that produce shades ranging from light green to tan and brown, it seemed reasonable to postulate that they would provide better sun protection than conventional bleached cotton, and that natural pigments might prove more durable to laundering and light exposure than dyes, but there is no published research on the ultraviolet transmission values for naturally-pigmented cottons. The purpose of this study was to determine the ultraviolet protection (UPF) values of naturally-pigmented cotton in three shades (green, tan, and brown), and the effect of light exposure and laundering on the sun-blocking properties of naturally-pigmented cotton. Naturally-pigmented cotton specimens were exposed to xenon light and accelerated laundering, ultraviolet transmission values measured, and UPF values calculated following light exposure and laundering. The naturally-pigmented cottons exhibited significantly higher UPF values than conventional cotton (bleached or unbleached). Although xenon light exposure and laundering caused some fading, the UPF values of naturally-pigmented cotton continue to be sufficiently high so that all three shades continue to provide good sun protection after the equivalent of 5 home launderings and 80 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists fading units (AFUs) of xenon light exposure.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used to assess the environmental impacts of field production of fibre hemp and seven other crops in France. The production of 1 ha of hemp yielded a eutrophication potential of 20.5 kg PO4-equivalents, a global warming potential of 2330 kg CO2-equivalents, an acidification potential of 9.8 kg SO2-equivalents, a terrestrial ecotoxicity potential of 2.3 kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene-equivalents, an energy use of 11.4 GJ, and a land use of 1.02 ha.year. A comparison of hemp (low impacts), wheat (intermediate impacts) and sugar beet (high impacts) revealed that the crops were similar for the relative contributions of emitted substances and resources used to impacts, and for the relative contribution of processes to impacts. A reduction of the impacts of hemp production should focus on eutrophication, and consider the reduction of climate change, acidification and energy use as secondary objectives. Given this objective, the overall environmental effect of the substitution of mineral fertiliser by pig slurry is negative. The introduction of reduced tillage is of interest, as it decreases energy use, acidification and climate change. Measures leading to a reduction in NO3 leaching are highly interesting, as they strongly decrease eutrophication. Implications for hemp breeding are discussed.
This study aimed to quantify major environmental impacts associated with the production of hemp yarn using Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). A reference scenario of traditional hemp warm water retting was compared to: (1) bio-retting, i.e. hemp green scutching followed by water retting, (2) babyhemp, based on stand retting of pre-mature hemp, (3) dew retting of flax. Overall, neither of the alternative scenarios was unambiguously better than the reference. The impacts of the hemp reference scenario and the flax scenario were similar, except for pesticide use (higher for flax) and water use during processing (higher for hemp). Bio-retting had higher impacts than the reference scenario for climate change and energy use, due to higher energy input in fibre processing. Babyhemp had higher impacts than the reference scenario for eutrophication, land occupation and pesticide use. A reduction of the environmental impacts of hemp yarn should give priority to reduction of energy use in the fibre processing and yarn production stages and to reduction of eutrophication in the crop production phase.
The aim of this research was to investigate the possibilities of producing comfort hemp containing textile fabrics by assembling a pure hemp yarn with other-fibre containing yarn. The plain knitted fabrics were produced from two-assembled hemp and three variants of cotton yarns which differed in twist level, all having the same linear density. The transport properties (air permeability, water vapour permeability and thermal resistance) of the hemp-based knitted fabrics were quantitatively analysed. The results obtained demonstrated that the introduction of cotton into hemp-based textiles reduces air and water vapour permeability with the downward trend in thermal resistance. The extent to which the transport properties varied among the hemp/cotton knitted fabrics was dependent on the twist intensity of the cotton yarns. Therefore, the yarn assembling technique is an effective way not only to combine different fibre properties but to take advantage of intrinsic properties of component yarns.
Nowadays, there is a growing interest in using natural substances to produce value-added and sustainable textile materials. Some plant extracts can simultaneously dye and impart new functionalities to textile fibers. In this context the main goal of the present study was the development of anti-UV and antimicrobial cotton fabrics through dyeing with aqueous extracts obtained from eucalyptus leaves. The extract was composed by several flavonoids, which were detected by high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The dyeing process was optimized considering the influence of its most important variables, such as temperature, pH and concentration of electrolytes. The influence of a pre-treatment with chitosan in the color strength was also evaluated. The best results were achieved with dyeing at 100 °C, pH 4.5 and adding 20 gL⁻¹ of NaCl to dyebath solution. However, the pre-treatment with chitosan provided fabrics with increased color strength, better fastness properties and becomes the process more sustainable, since it eliminates the use of electrolytes. Dyed cotton fabrics showed antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and C. albicans, which increases with the extract concentration in the dyebath. The UV protection factor (UPF) of the dyed fabrics also showed a significant increase after the dyeing process. Additionally, the pre-treatment of cotton with chitosan increases antimicrobial activity and anti-UV protection of the dyed materials.
In this study, the energy pattern of cotton production was analyzed and compared by energy indicators in the Darab (with arid climate) and Gorgan (with sub-humid climate) regions, in Iran. For this purpose, different climatic conditions, agronomic managements, energy inputs and cotton varieties were considered. The data were collected from a survey of 30 cotton fields in each region during 2013–2014. All agricultural managements in the studied fields were monitored and recorded. Then, some energy related indicators, including renewable and non-renewable energies, energy use efficiency, direct and indirect energies, net energy, energy productivity and specific energy were calculated. On the base of obtained results, total energy consumption of cotton production was estimated as 36,189.03 in Darab and 31,860.6 MJ ha⁻¹ in Gorgan. The factors relating to energy consumption were diesel fuel (Darab 39.09% and Gorgan 59.94%), and fertilizers (Darab 16.9% and Gorgan 15.25%). The cotton output energy was being as 34,076.04 MJ ha⁻¹for Darab and 35,231.26 MJ ha⁻¹for Gorgan. Also, energy use efficiency was calculated as 0.942 in Darab (as an arid climate) and 1.106 in Gorgan (as a sub-humid climate). The indirect energy and non-renewable energy were relatively high in Gorgan compared to Darab. It was concluded that energy productivity index implies that lower units of output was obtained per unit energy in Darab region. Also, the high ratio of non-renewable energy in total used energy inputs causes negative effects on the sustainability of cotton production systems.
The paper presents the results of research dealing with the effect of fabric construction on the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of light coloured cotton woven fabrics. The type of weave, absolute fabric density, and relative fabric density were taken into account to define the effect of fabric construction on UPF. To establish quantitative relationship between the fabric construction and UPF, the open porosity was used as a parameter which defines the woven fabric constructional parameter's combinations. Fabrics in a raw state (loomstate, light brown fabrics),along with bleached and calendared fabrics (white fabrics) made from 100% cotton staple-fibre yarns were used in this research. Loomstate fabrics were constructed with different types of weaves (plain, 2∗2 twill, 1∗4 satin),at threedifferent levels of relative fabric density (around 60%t 70% and 80%), while bleached fabrics were constructed In plain, 2∗2 twill, and 2∗2 mattweave, with the same warp density and different weft density at four different levels (15, 19, 23, and 29 picks/cm). The results clearly indicate that lower open porosity leads to better ultraviolet protection. The effect of weave is evident only when samples are comparable in fabric relative density. Higher absolute fabric density also means superior UV protection. Moreover, the results also indicate the values of open porosity and fabric densities by which the fabric achievesgood UV protection (UPF-15) -And in this way, they can serve as guidelines for fabric engineers when developing a new type of fabric construction that encompasses sufficient UV protection ability.
Textile grade dye was extracted from roasted peanut skin (Arachais hypogaea) through aqueous extraction. The dye was characterised by phyto-chemical, uv visible spectroscopy and FTIR analysis. Cotton, silk and wool fabrics were dyed at different temperatures as well as using microwave energy without using any mordants. Dyed fabrics were assessed for their colour values, fastness properties and ultraviolet protection factor. All the fabrics shown good affinity for the dye. Uniform dyeing was observed in all fabrics; however, the dye exhaustion was higher in silk and wool than cotton. The dyed fabrics possessed good to very good fastness properties with and an ultraviolet protection factor up to 65. A comparative evaluation of synthetic dyes required to produce the same shade with that of peanut skin dye was also performed.
In this study, natural dyes were extracted from five plants, namely diospyros kaki, dioscorea cirrhosa, millettia (jixueteng), ecliptae, and macrocarpa nucuma, using environmentally-friendly solvents, including ethanol and deionized (DI) water. A plant mordant, tannin extracted from Emblica officinalis G., and a metal mordant, copper sulfate, were used in the pre-dyeing process. Cotton and silk fabric samples were treated using the five natural dyes without and with mordanting for comparison on their color strength and characteristics as well as protection against ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Results revealed that Emblica officinalis G. had the highest total phenol content, followed by dioscorea cirrhosa. The presence of abundant phenolic groups in the natural dyes and mordant makes them effective coloration agents for fabrics. Cotton and silk fabrics dyed using ecliptae without pre-mordanting had the highest K/S values. Silk fabrics had higher K/S values than cotton fabrics, indicating greater color strength in pre-mordanted silk treated with DI water-extracted dyes. Natural mordant used before treatment with natural dyes contribute to significant enhancement in color strength, and Emblica officinalis G. alone could darken the color of cotton and silk fabrics dyed with plant pigment. Moreover, treatment with natural dyes after mordanting can increase ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) and the enhancement in UVR protection is greater and more significant in cotton fabrics than in silk fabrics, and in fabrics treated with DI water-extracted natural dyes than in those treated with ethanol-extracted ones. In conclusion, pre-dyeing with natural mordant followed by treatment with natural dyes extracted using environmentally-friendly solvents can enhance significantly K/S and UPF, offering directions for manufacturing textiles without environmental hazards but with good appearance and health benefits.
The world is in need of more eco-friendly material, therefore researchers around the globe focus on developing new materials that would improve the environmental quality of products. This need for new green materials has led to the utilization of composites made from raw natural fibers and polymer matrices, and this has become one of the most widely investigated research topics in recent times. Natural fiber composites are an alternative for replacing environmentally harmful synthetic materials and help control pollution problems. In addition, they are low cost, have better mechanical properties and require low production energy consumption. Also, using such materials in construction works, it is possible to improve the sustainability by eliminating construction wastes. Keeping in view all the benefits of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites, this paper first discusses various fabrication techniques employed for the production of these composites and then presents a detailed review of the research devoted to the analysis of their structure and properties by a variety of characterization techniques.
Recently, natural dyes are becoming more important because they are considered environmentally friendly. However, the reduction in pollution is not only the main aspect that makes them interesting. New properties such antibacterial, sun protection, etc., can be added to the material dyed with them. In this work we consider different teas, the red one, the black and the green tea. Tea is commonly known all over the world ant they are considerably appreciated by their antioxidant properties. In this work the antioxidant effect of tea extracts has been determined and cotton fabrics were dyed. Previously, fabrics were treated with chitosan as a natural and not pollutant mordant. The effectiveness of dyeing cotton with tea extracts has been objectively studied by the K/S value and the chromatic values CIELab. Furthermore, the ultra violet (UV) protection has been determined as the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF). Having dyed cotton with the tea extracts and analysing the results, no relationship was found between antioxidant effect and the dyeing yield nor the UPF. The same kind of tea offered fabrics with different colours depending on the extraction method. Some samples showed reddish hue and others a greenish one but it was not directly related to red or green tea. We could conclude that the final colour is more influenced by the way the extraction has been performed than by the kind of tea used. Regarding the UPF, it has been demonstrated that the effectiveness depends on the method used and the level of protection is considerably increased although there are two kinds of tea which show higher results.
Increased incidence of skin cancers worldwide has expedited the development and research of ultraviolet (UV)-protective clothing. Clothing acting as a ‘second skin’ for human beings provides a more durable protection against harmful UV radiation than sunscreen creams. The market value of UV-protective clothing is worth considering. This paper will provide important information to textile designers, manufacturers, and consumers about the production and selection of UV-protective knitwear. Although various factors that affect UV protection of fabrics have been studied by researchers, most of them focused on woven fabrics and chemical approaches for improving UV protection. Knitwear in the form of daily wear is an indispensable form of clothing in summer but there has been limited research concerning the UV-protective properties of weft-knitted fabrics to date, in particular the influence of fabric construction on UV protection factor (UPF) and fabric structural properties. This issue of Textile Progress reviews the major factors that affect UV protection by fabrics, including fibre types, yarn characteristics, fabric construction, colouration, chemical additives, wetness (rather than just the moisture absorbed into the fibres), the stretching that may occur in clothing, and the effects of laundering. Methods for evaluating the UV-protective ability of fabrics are also addressed. There is also an attempt to fill a research gap by investigating the influence of different knitted structures on a fabric's UPF, through incorporation of the three major stitch types in weft-knitted fabric constructions, namely the knit, tuck, and miss stitches.
Yarn construction is an important attribute in knitting and end use performance of knitwear. Holistically, yarn construction affects fabric thickness and weight, and thereby influences ultraviolet (UV) protection of fabrics. Although impact of yarn construction on UV protection of fabrics is apparent, there appears to be limited research on it. This paper studied the UV protection of plain-knitted fabrics made of three types of ring-spun cotton yarns varying in yarn twist level and staple length. The results show that these yarn properties affect UV protection of fabrics differently before and after laundering. The modified low-twisted yarn possesses a bulky feature which creates a porous fabric structure for more ultraviolet radiation (UVR) transmission. The extra-long staple yarn offers uniform fabric appearance for higher UVR reflection. However, the regularity of yarn also restricts the fabric shrinkage in laundering and thus improvement in UV protection by shrinkage is not as obvious as that provided by the conventional short-staple yarn.
The effect of porous yarn structure on ultraviolet (UV) radiation protection by cotton fabric has been investigated. Fabrics with porous yarn structure showed higher ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) in comparison with that of fabrics woven from equivalent normal yarns. Fabric samples having different thickness and individual pore size, at same cover %, were produced by adjusting yarn count and thread density. UPF of UV absorber treated cotton fabrics increased continuously with decreasing thickness and reducing individual pore size when the fabric cover was kept constant at relatively higher levels (93 and 96%). For UV absorber treated cotton fabrics, individual pore size is the dominating factor for determining the UPF.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation protection is becoming increasingly necessary for human health, and textiles play an important role. The interaction between UV light and textiles is a complex one, involving fibre, yarn and fabric parameters. In this study, an optical model is presented for examining the influences of fibre parameters on the UV protection offered by a bundle of fibres with a given mass. The effects of mean fibre diameter and fibre type on UV absorption were examined. The model was verified with results of UV–visible diffuse reflectance measurements on natural and synthetic fibres. When the mass of fibres was kept constant, within the measurement range in this study, a bundle of fibres with coarser fibres had a lower UV reflectance than that with finer ones. The model accurately predicted factors influencing UV protection, including fibre diameter, fibre transmittance, porosity and refractive index.
The effect of ultraviolet radiation (UV) on the human body, notably on the formation of skin cancers, and the protective role of fabrics and garments are discussed in this chapter. The measurement of the protection offered by fabrics and garments to UV transmission and damage to humans is addressed. Ways in which fabric and garment protection against UV damage can be improved are covered, with particular reference to fibre type, fabric construction and UV protective finishing treatments.
The protection that a fabric offers against ultraviolet radiation can be quantified by the determination of the in vitro Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF). According to the literature, the factor that has a higher influence on the UPF of a fabric is its structure; it determines the aperture of a fabric. and thus the physical barrier that will oppose the passing of ultraviolet radiation. In the present paper, the UPF is correlated with the structural parameters of fabrics which are widely used in their technical description such as weight per surface unit and thickness. Models were defined for fabrics made with three different cellulosic fibres, cotton, Modal and Modal Sun.
The effects of fabric thickness and inter-yarn pore size, at same fabric cover %, on the ultraviolet radiation protection by polyester woven fabrics have been explored in this research. Fabric thickness was varied while keeping the cover % constant by maintaining the ratio of diameter to spacing (d/p) of yarns. Before UV absorber treatment, ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of fabrics decreased with decreasing thickness when fabric cover % was kept constant. After UV absorber treatment, UPF first decreased and then increased with decreasing fabric thickness. The latter effect was more prominent at higher level of fabric cover %. The individual inter-yarn pore size in the fabric played a crucial role in determining the UPF along with fabric thickness. Besides, there was interplay of inter-yarn pore size, fabric thickness, fabric cover % and inherent UV absorption capability of the material which determined the final UPF of fabric.
In this study, a model was set up for simulating the effects of varying fiber cross-sectional shapes on ultraviolet protection of fibers. The fiber diameter and fiber type were also involved in the model setting. Experiments of diffuse reflectance spectra measurement on natural (wool, cotton, silk), regenerated (bamboo viscose) and synthetic (polyester, nylon) fibers were conducted to verify the model predicted results. When a more complex shape was assumed as the fiber cross-section for model calculation, the predicted results have a better agreement with the actual results. The effects on ultraviolet absorption from fibers with different cross-sectional shapes were investigated at a single fiber, fiber bundle and yarn levels. With the same material, when the fiber cross-sectional area and the areal coverage of a single fiber were constant, the triangular shape had the lowest ultraviolet transmittance and the highest ultraviolet reflectance for a single fiber and also for a fiber bundle. The difference of fiber cross-sectional shapes was also significant in the ultraviolet protection of a single yarn.
Extraordinary photocatalytic activity, non-toxicity, high availability, biocompatibility, and low price make TiO2 nanoparticles particularly attractive for manufacturing of different high value-added products. During the past several years, many efforts have been made to immobilize TiO2 nanoparticles onto textile materials with an aim to produce goods with multifunctional properties such as UV protective, self-cleaning and antibacterial. The processing of textile materials with TiO2 nanoparticles is relatively simple, but insufficient binding efficiency between certain fibers and TiO2 nanoparticles imposes a problem concerning the stability and durability of nanocomposite systems during their exploitation. Therefore, recent studies were more oriented toward chemical and physico-chemical modification of fiber surfaces that may enhance the binding efficiency of TiO2 nanoparticles. This article looks at some latest advances in finishing of different textile materials with TiO2 nanoparticles.
Ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of fabrics made of 100% cotton and 100% bamboo viscose yarns were studied and a comparative analysis carried out using curve fitting technique. Bamboo viscose fabrics showed higher shrinkage, cover percentage, areal density and UPF compared to its cotton counterpart woven with identical yarn counts and fabric sett. However, the predictive model of cotton fabric UPF using fabric areal density as the input was able to estimate the UPF of bamboo viscose fabrics with very good accuracy. Furthermore, the 100% cotton and 100% bamboo viscose fabrics showed the same UPF if their cover percentage and areal density is similar. It is inferred from the analysis that the apparently higher UPF of bamboo viscose fabrics can be attributed to their higher cover percentage and areal density instead of bamboo’s inherent UV protective property which has been claimed in various literatures.
Color and organic matter removals from acrylic, cotton and polyester dyeing wastewaters were evaluated by biological oxidation in a Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) and by integration of Fenton’s reaction with SBR. Raw and chemically oxidized pre-treated wastewaters were fed to the biological reactor during 10 cycles (i.e., up to pseudo-steady state conditions). Because the biological degradation did not allow obtaining effluents complying with the discharge limits, neither did the chemical oxidation per se, coupling the SBR after chemical oxidation was required. In the integrated chemical-biological process a new strategy was applied in the optimization of Fenton’s oxidation, consisting in the application of the optimum doses of Fe(II) and H2O2 (for biodegradability enhancement and maximization of color and DOC removals), but with the simultaneous objective of minimizing the operating costs. The integration of Fenton’s oxidation with a downstream SBR provides much better removals of organic matter (88–98% for COD, 83–95% for BOD5 and 91–98% for DOC, values depending on the particular textile effluent being used) and color (> 99%) than the biological or chemical treatment alone. Besides, such integrated treatment allows treated wastewaters to meet the discharge limits with a reduction of the operating costs, in the range 24–39% comparatively to Fenton’s oxidation alone.
The effects of yarn number and liquid ammonia (L/A) treatment on the physical properties of woven fabrics prepared with pure hemp spun yarns were investigated. As a result of L/A treatment, the crystal structure of hemp fiber was changed from cellulose I to the mixtures of cellulose III and cellulose I and its crystallinity was slightly decreased by 13 %. The crease recovery of hemp fabric treated with L/A was improved upto 78 %. The washing shrinkage of hemp fabric treated with L/A decreased significantly to less than 0.4 %, while the washing shrinkage of hemp fabric prepared with the fined yarn was superior to that of hemp fabric prepared with the coarsed yarn. Especially, the wicking speed and drying ratio of hemp fabrics treated with L/A were higher than those of the untreated as yarn number increased. However, it was found that there is no significant effect on the UV protection of the L/A treated hemp fabrics.
This paper presents the effects of woven fabric construction and color on the ultraviolet protection factor. Weave type, fabric tightness, cover factor, volume porosity and color of lightweight summer woven fabrics were observed in this research. Color had the biggest influence on the ultraviolet protection factor of fabrics, whereas woven fabric construction was essential when light pastel colored fabrics were used as ultraviolet protection. This work provides guidelines for engineering woven cotton fabrics with sufficient ultraviolet protection.
With the consumer's enhanced awareness of eco-safety, there has been an increasing tendency towards the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. In recent years, considerable attention has been given to the products produced from non-food crops for use in various industries notably in the textile industry. Based on biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, in addition to their recently discovered properties such as insect repellent, deodorizing, flame retardant, UV protection, and antimicrobial activity are gaining popularity all around the world for producing more appealing and highly functional value-added textiles. This review article highlights the most important textile applications of environmental friendly plant-based products such as fibres, polysaccharides, dyes and pigments, polyphenols, oils and other biologically active compounds. This is followed by a focus on plant derived bioactive agents with antimicrobial properties and application of these agents to the textiles. Apart from this, the contribution of plant-based agents to green nanotechnology in recent years for the development of bioactive textiles is also outlined.
The safest protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure is offered by textiles including various apparels, accessories such as hats and shade structures such as umbrellas. Their protectiveness depends on fabric composition, (natural, artificial or synthetic fibres), fabric construction (porosity, weight and thickness) and dyeing (natural or synthetic dyes, dye concentration, UV-absorbing properties, etc.). In this study the UV-protection properties were investigated on fabrics made of vegetable fibres (cotton, flax, hemp and ramie), with different construction parameters (drapery and apparel fabrics), dyed with some of the most common natural dyes. The effect of a tannins-based mordant (the galls of Quercus infectoria) on UV-protection capacity was also tested. UV radiation transmittance of fabrics was measured by two methods: one based on the utilisation of a spectrophotometer equipped with an integrating sphere (in vitro test), and the other based on outdoor measurements taken by a spectroradiometer. Transmittance measurements were used to calculate the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF).
The effect that ultraviolet radiation has on skin is a topic of growing interest. Textiles protect against ultraviolet radiation, but the protection provided is often not sufficient. The aim of the present review article is to clarify some basic concepts regarding the in vitro measurement of the protection factor against ultraviolet radiation provided by apparel textiles, paying special attention to the factors that are taken into account to measure it. The conditions for correct and reproducible measurement are described. The peculiarities of current standards and the details for their correct interpretation are also explained, including sample preparation and statistical calculations to determine measurement error and the adjustment of the results.
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has good ultraviolet (UV)-blocking power and is very attractive in practical applications because of such advantages as nontoxicity, chemical stability at high temperature, and permanent stability under UV exposure, for example. Development of nanoscience and -technology provides new ways for better treatment for UV-resistant films and fabrics using TiO2. However, the exact mechanisms of TiO2 as a UV-blocking additive are still not very clear, and researchers hold different views on this issue. The aim of this investigation was to study systematically the mechanisms of TiO2 as a UV-blocking additive for films and fabrics. To achieve this goal, the conventional scheme describing light interactions with fabrics was revised based on more recent progress in optical theory, and special experiments and analytic methods were used in the investigation. Several effects attributed to the nanoscale additives were identified. Moreover, detailed analyses based on the results yielded a few important suggestions useful in developing or improving both inorganic UV-blocking agents and the UV-protective films and textiles. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 3201–3210, 2004
The protective properties of hats and clothing against solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) have been the subject of considerable research for some time. However, not all garments provide sufficient protection from UVR. In this study, the ultraviolet protective properties of the fabrics dyed by Rheum and Lithospermum erythrorhizon were investigated. Experimental results revealed that the fabrics dyed with natural dyes had good ultraviolet protective properties. They could absorb about 80% of the ultraviolet rays. It was demonstrated that the UV-protective effect was strongly dependent on the absorption characteristics of natural dyes for UVR. Natural dyes such as Rheum and L. erythrorhizon had comparable UV-absorption performance to the common UV-absorber, benzophenone.