Cotton fabric is a woven or knitted textile built from twisted cellulose fibres, and it remains the most widely used apparel substrate. Its properties come from the fibre structure: the lumen and the convolutions give moisture uptake and a soft hand, while the crystalline cellulose provides strength [1]. The natural waxes and pectins on the raw fibre must be removed by scouring and bleaching before dyeing, and the finishing sequence determines the final whiteness and absorbency [2]. Functional finishing adds flame retardancy, antimicrobial behaviour, or water repellency, usually at the cost of tensile strength because the treatment also attacks the cellulose chain [3]. Grafting monomers onto the fibre surface is an alternative that leaves the bulk structure largely intact [4]. Durability of the finish to repeated laundering, rather than the initial performance, is the property that most often fails [5].
- cellulose fibre
- scouring
- finishing
- graft polymerization
- textile
- moisture regain
- laundering durability
References
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- Alebeid, O.K.; Zhao, T. Simultaneous dyeing and functional finishing of cotton fabric using reactive dyes doped with TiO2nano-sol. The Journal of The Textile Institute 2016, 107, 625-635. [CrossRef]
- K Rohit, J. Eco-Friendly Antimicrobial and UV Protection Functional Finishing of Cotton and Bamboo Fabric using Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum). International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) 2024, 13, 1150-1156. [CrossRef]
- Khan, A.; Khan, I.A.; Javed, K.; Khan, A.; Islam, N.; Khan, R.M.A.; Tariq, Z. Multifunctional Finishing of Cotton Fabric Using a Fagonia arabica–Clove Oil Blend for Sustainable Bio-Active Textile Applications. Fibers 2026, 14, 104. [CrossRef]
- Kim, S.H.; Choi, M.S.; Shin, Y. Dyeing and Functional Properties of Cotton-Modal-Chitosan Blended Towel Fabric Dyed with Mugwort Colorants. Textile Coloration and Finishing 2016, 28, 14-22. [CrossRef]