Introduction

Yarn-dyed stripes, checks, and filfil look fabrics dominate a significant portion of the formal wear fabric sector, with the preferred blend being 100% cotton. Despite their appealing appearance, the manufacturing process for these fabrics is lengthy and costly, resulting in higher lead times and placing them in premium market segments. In the current competitive market, where lead times are shrinking, consumer demands are for cost-effective fabrics with better USP (Unique Selling Proposition). The prevailing market driving factor is comfortable fabric within a comfortable price range. The continuous rise in cotton prices poses a significant challenge to the sector.

In an effort to address the current scenario, TRADC introduces a concept of producing the aforementioned styles through a piece dyeing route, combining cotton yarn with regenerated cellulosic-based yarns like Viscose, Modal, or Excel.

At TRADC, small-scale trials have been conducted to explore fancy yarn-dyed look self-pattern designs with fabric dyeing on fabrics made from Cotton & Cellulose-based yarns like Viscose or Excel.

Concept

Research indicates that regenerated cellulosic fibers have more dye pick-up compared to cotton, producing brighter shades under the same dye bath conditions. This property can be leveraged to create design effects of stripes, checks, and fancy patterns in the fabric through the piece dyeing route, a process typically achieved through yarn-dyed methods by manipulating yarn combinations in the fabric design pattern.

In 100% cotton processing, additional costs are incurred to achieve desired whiteness values before dyeing through bleaching. Given that the whiteness values of viscose, Modal, and Excel fibers are higher than that of cotton, this step can be omitted, utilizing the lower whiteness of cotton to achieve desired effects at a lower cost.

Whiteness Value of Different Fibers

Comparative Process route (Yarn Dyed vs. suggested piece dyed)



Benefits of suggested Piece dyed route over yarn dyed route. (Fabric Blend Cotton with viscose/Modal/Excel)


  • Same generic group so no need of double dyeing.


  • In case of 100% cotton fabric mercerization and bleaching required to get brighter shade. Viscose having inherent properties of better luster/shine. Hence brighter shades can be achieved without mercerization & bleaching.


  • In 100% cotton fabric more softening chemicals are required to get soft feel of the fabric. Leading to more processing cost on products. Similar softness can be obtained with lower softeners because of natural softness of viscose which again lowers the processing cost.


  • Less water consumption due to short processing cycle.


  • Hard wastes like soft package waste, cone rewinding, warping, creeling waste etc can be avoided by piece dyeing route.


  • No need to maintain dyed yarn Inventory as no need of dyed yarn.


  • As piece dyed route does not have minimum length limitation, more color combo can be taken in the same meterage of fabric unlike yarn dyed route.

Limitations


Only tonal difference type effect can be achieved.



Self Stripe Design varieties


The author is associated with Textile Research and Application Development Centre (TRADC); he has shared his views about the research undertaken by TRADC.