Performance evaluation of woven fabrics made from recycled PET and recycled cotton fibres

Abstract

This study investigates the performance properties of woven fabrics produced using rotor yarns in both weft and warp directions, which contain recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) fibres from PET bottles and recycled cotton fibres (r-CO) from cotton clothing wastes in different blend ratios. Additionally, fabrics are produced using weft and warp yarns composed of virgin fibres, including 100% virgin cotton (CO), 100% virgin polyester (PET), and a 50/50% CO/r-CO blend, to enable performance comparisons. Samples containing recycled fibres exhibit higher yarn unevenness, thick places and neps values, along with lower breaking strength, tear strength, relative water vapour permeability, air permeability compared to their virgin counterparts. Among samples composed entirely of 100% recycled fibres, an increasing r-CO fibre ratio corresponds to greater unevenness, thick places and neps values, while air permeability and thermal resistance decrease. However, noconsistent trend emerges in breaking strength, elongation, tear strength, abrasion resistance, or relative water vapour permeability, depending on fibre blend ratios.