Impact of Organic Solvent Treatments on Physical and Sensorial Properties of Knitted Fabrics.

Sammanfattning: Technologies that facilitate reusing and recycling printed textile products will contribute to achieving a circular textile industry. This project was done in collaboration with Vividye, a company developing a technology to create removable textile prints to be able to extend the lifespan of screen-printed textile products without affecting their quality. The technology involves several steps, including re-formulating printing paste and using a treatment to remove the print. This particular treatment consists of the use of different organic solvents. The aim of this project was to evaluate the effect of four organic solvent treatments, which are of interest to the company, on the physical and sensorial properties of conventional cotton (CO) and polyester (PET) knitted fabrics. Three cycles of the treatment were evaluated. Significant changes in yarn and fabric properties, such as tension and thickness, were found after the treatment, also for fabric sensorial properties, such as stiffness, softness, and smoothness. The behavior was different for each type of material which can be attributed to the affinity between the polymer and the solvent and the polymer, yarn, and fabric structure that facilitates the swelling. The properties assessed within this project can be related to the fabric's quality and feel. Therefore, it can be an essential factor in the user's preferences or influence the material's printability.