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Cotton Fabric: History
Please note this is an old version of this entry, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Contributor: Jack Zhong

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
  • cellulose fibre
  • scouring
  • finishing
  • graft polymerization
  • textile
  • moisture regain
  • laundering durability

References

  1. Zhang, D.; Chen, L.; Fang, D.; Toh, G.W.; Yue, X.; Chen, Y.; Lin, H.; In situ generation and deposition of nano-ZnO on cotton fabric by hyperbranched polymer for its functional finishing. Textile Research Journal 2013, 83, 1625-1633, 10.1177/0040517512474362.
  2. 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, 10.1080/00405000.2015.1054209.
  3. 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, 10.21275/mr24316141432.
  4. 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, 10.3390/fib14090104.
  5. 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, 10.5764/tcf.2016.28.1.14.
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