Cotton and linen can be worn in summer and provide more comfort. Although linen is costly and wrinkles easily, it is used in clothing due to its convenience, aesthetics, and fashion value. Cotton is the traditional summer fiber because of its desirable properties.
The summer season is uncomfortable for many people. Comfortable clothing is, therefore, an important part of the summer wardrobe. The interaction between the clothing and the environment or surroundings is important in determining the comfort level. Clothing can have a variety of physical and aesthetic features that affect comfort to varying degrees, such as weight, thickness, thermal transfer or heat transmission, air permeability and moisture absorption and diffusion, texture, and handle, ease of motion (flexibility), drape, etc. The clothing may be influenced by aesthetic factors such as color, luster, and style. It can also depend on the user’s geographic, social, and religious beliefs.
Fashion designers and manufacturers started developing products based on the two main summer fibers: linen and cotton. The two natural cellulosic fibers, linen and cotton, are widely used and versatile during the summers around the world. These fibers are extremely comfortable, cool, and soft. What are the properties of these fibers that make them summer-friendly?
Cotton (genus Gossypium).
Cotton fibers naturally grow as fluffy balls around the cotton seed. These fibers dominate the market for short-staple yarn. India produces the most conventional cotton fibers in the world, accounting for 22 percent of global cotton production. Gossypium arboreum is the name of Indian cotton. Cotton can be grown organically without pesticides and harmful chemicals. This cotton can be used to make clean clothing. India produces the most organic cotton fibers, accounting for around 51 percent of global production.
Below, we will discuss some of the physical and chemical characteristics that make cotton so desirable for summer clothing.
Cotton’s Physical Properties
- Staple Length – Staple Length is the minimum fiber length that can be spun to make a yarn. Indian cotton is characterized by a staple of 2 to 2.5 cm. Egyptian cotton has a pin of 3.8 to 4.4 cm. Higher staple lengths produce a more uniform yarn with greater strength and durability.
- The hollow lumen at the core of cotton fibers causes capillary action. Cotton absorbs moisture, water, and sweat due to this property.
- Cotton fibers are less lustrous due to their convoluted shapes and short staples. To achieve a high luster, cotton fibers are treated with a sodium hydroxide solution (also known as mercerisation). The yarn is twisted out, and the cross-section becomes almost circular. The thread will reflect more light and have a better luster. This also improves the strength, smoothness, and absorbency of the line.
- Cotton fibers are good at absorbing moisture and regaining it due to their imperfections. Moisture pick-up is dependent on atmospheric temperature and relative humidity (RH). Cotton has 8.3 % MR at 220C with 65 % RH.
- Strength is the force required to break a fiber. Cotton fibers have a wide range of tensile strengths that are affected by maturity, thickness, and atmospheric humidity. The average strength of intermediate and fine types of fibers ranges from 4 to 9 grams per fiber.
- Cotton fibers can increase their length by up to 6-8 percent when they are loaded. Wool fibers have a much higher elongation rate. Cotton is less elastic and has a lower elongation.
Chemical Properties of Cotton
Cotton is a cellulosic fiber that contains small amounts of moisture as well as fatty acids and minerals, proteins, oils, waxes, and pectin. Cotton’s chemical properties are influenced by its chemical composition, cellulose content, and other fibre-related factors.
- Heat – Cotton burns around 2100C and emits a burning paper smell. Even after being removed from the fire, the fiber will continue to burn. The thread continues to smoke and smolder after the flame has been extinguished. This is a typical test of cellulosic fibers.
- Scorching: Cotton exposed to high heat or fire for a long time above 1500 will develop a brown coloration. It causes the fabric to become tender due to oxycellulose formation. This affects the fabric’s bleaching ability. Fabric strength and durability are reduced.
- Light – The formation of oxycellulose occurs when cotton is exposed to excessive sunlight. Certain light conditions can cause dyed cotton fabrics to fade.
- Wax on the cotton fiber makes it difficult to moisten. Cotton fibers are easily wet after scouring. Cold water can be used to remove twists/convolutions from cotton fibers.
- Mildew is caused by a variety of microorganisms, including fungi. This causes discoloration as well as weakening in cotton fibers.
- Acids – Cold dilute acid does not affect cotton. If the acid solution has not been completely removed before drying the cotton, it may cause the cellulose to become tender. Cold concentrated sulphuric acids dissolve cellulose completely, forming cellulose hydrate. The technique is used in the production of parchment paper, which gives it a translucent effect. Cotton is more affected by hydrochloric than sulphuric acids.
- Cotton has a high resistance to alkali solutions. You can use a diluted solution of sodium hydroxide (2-7%) to remove wax and oil from cotton fibers. It helps fibers absorb water and other solutions well. Cotton absorbs dyes better; for structural and physical changes to cotton fibers, sodium hydroxide or strong alkalis (7-15%) are used. The fibers swell and appear more round, reflecting more light uniformly. Cotton is attacked and degraded severely by strong alkalis when oxygen/air is present.
- Mercerisation: Cotton fiber properties can be improved by mercerisation, whereby cotton (at any stage of fibers/yarns/fabrics) is treated with caustic sodium hydroxide (potassium hydrogen hydroxide) or caustic potassium hydroxide (sodium chloride) at a concentration of 7-15 percent. It increases the uniformity (evenness) of the diameter of the fiber along its entire length. The swelling causes shrinkage of the yarn. It increases luster due to better light reflectance, tensile strength and uniform dyeing, fabric cover, and dimensional stability.
Cotton fibers have many desirable properties.
* Cotton fabrics are soft to the touch, lightweight, and have good drapes. They are durable and strong, cheap, and easily biodegradable.
Cotton is a good absorbent of body sweat due to its porosity.
Wearing it does not cause skin irritation or inflammation.
* The product does not heat up rapidly when worn and keeps you cool.
* The fabric is breathable, allowing the heat of the body to escape. This makes the wearer cool and comfortable.
It is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and skin-friendly.
The moisture-recovery capacity of the product prevents it from producing static electricity.
It is not prone to pilling.
* Low maintenance costs.
* It is a high-modulus material (stronger in a wet state).
It has a high-wicking property due to its lumen.
* Absorbs perspiration easily.
Wearable in all seasons.
Cotton can be blended with other fibers, such as rayon, silk, and polyester, to create fabrics that are suitable for various purposes.
It is also used as a medical fabric due to its high absorbency and non-toxicity.
Cotton is therefore preferred in summer due to its desirable properties. Cotton has some undesirable characteristics, such as color fading, wrinkles, mildew or bacteria formation, low elasticity, a scorching effect, and dust accumulation. Cotton can be reduced in these undesirable properties by using better dyes, washing regularly, and using anti-crease and anti-bacteria finishes. Cotton is best used for jerseys, T-shirts, children’s clothes, innerwear, and medical textiles. It can also be used to make kitchen accessories, home furnishings, industrial use, or clothing.
Linen
The flax stalk or stem contains flax or linen fiber. Bast fiber is made of cellulose. It is a bast fiber that grows best in cold and moist conditions. It is older than cotton fibers. Retting is the process used to extract flax fiber. The shorter fibers can be used for clothing, while the longer ones are used in ropes, twines, and rug backings. Yarns can range in length from 2 inches up to 36 inches. Belgian linen is the gold standard. It is stronger than cotton and can take more wear.
Flax fibers have many desirable properties.
* Linen is a strong natural fiber that keeps its size, shape, and appearance for a long time.
It is strong and has a natural shine.
The texture is very soft and delicate.
Under normal atmospheric conditions, moisture regaining capacity is 12 percent.
When wet, it gains strength by 8-10%.
* It is more durable and stronger than cotton.
* It has anti-static properties due to its ability to wick moisture and better-wicking capability.
It regulates temperature and offers greater comfort. It is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
* Creates a feeling of lightness and airiness.
* The fabric dries quickly, and it is easy to clean and dry.
* It does not pill, and it does not accumulate dust.
It is hygienic, odour-resistant and ultra-hygienic.
It is soft and breathable.
It becomes softer and more lustrous over time.
* It is resistant to odor and antibacterial bacteria.
* It is hypoallergenic and it is skin-friendly.
* It has a lower carbon footprint than cotton.
* It is 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
This makes linen a great material to use in the summer. The fiber is not without its flaws. It has less durability than cotton; it has poor drape, poor elasticity, and poor resilience, and costs more to maintain. It also scorches under the sun, wrinkles very easily, and the color can be frosted on the edges. It is still in high demand, and it’s used for many products, including fashion apparel, underwear, towels, tablecloths, runners and napkins, bed linens, upholstery and curtains. The linen fabric has become very popular today.
Other Fibers
Other commonly used fibers include regenerated fibers, synthetic fibers, and naturally occurring protein-based fibers.
Wool and silk are important fibers that contain protein. Sheep and silkworms obtain wool. Mulberry silk, the most common silk used for commercial purposes, is Merino wool.
A long filament of silk has a protein-based structure. Silk is the thinnest of all-natural fibers. It has a high luster, a luxurious drape, and a soft hand. It is, therefore, a very costly fiber. Silk is hydrophilic, it does not pill, and moisture is regained at a rate of 9 percent (degummed). Silk is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat. It also provides warmth by trapping body heat. Silk cannot be worn during summer. The fiber also has other undesirable characteristics, such as acquiring water spots and perspiration stains; color crocking occurs at folds and creases, losing strength when wet. It is also attacked by moths and affected by moisture.
The serrated structure of the molecular structure of wool provides warmth. There are spaces between the fibers because they are coiled. This structure traps body heat, making the wearer warm. When wet, it loses its shape. It doesn’t dry fast, and the alkali detergents can affect its texture and handle. It is a good absorbent but doesn’t provide a cooling sensation to the wearer. This makes it uncomfortably hot to wear during the summer.
Fabrics made from synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic are lightweight, strong, and resistant to abrasion. These fabrics are easy to wash and dry clean with a low cost of maintenance. These fibers are very resilient and elastic, easy to clean and maintain, have a soft handle, and are dimensionally stable. They also have fast-drying properties. These fibers are resistant to chemicals, weather, moths, and oils. The fibers, however, are hydrophobic and have a very poor moisture-recovery capacity. This causes them to develop static electricity when worn. These fibers are not able to absorb detergent or water, which makes it difficult to remove stains. These fibers absorb sweat and body oils. The fibers can melt, drip, and stick to the skin at high temperatures. This can cause extensive damage. These fibers can form pills and attract lint, which will affect the shine and aesthetic value of fabrics and garments. These fibers are warm for the wearer.
Fibers are chosen carefully to create products that are suitable for the season. Cotton and linen can be more comfortable for the summer and are, therefore, best suited to this season. Although linen is costly and wrinkles easily, it is used in clothing because of its comfort, aesthetics, and fashion value. Cotton is the traditional summer fiber because of its desirable properties.