FLAME-RETARDANT DURABLE PRESS FINISHING OF LIGHTWEIGHT COTTON-POLYESTER FABRIC

Lightweight cotton/polyester blend fabrics for outerwear garments such as shirts, blouses, and skirts were made flame retardant to pass the Mushroom Apparel Flammability Test Class 2 standard proposed by the Consumer Products Safety Commission and retain durable press appearance as high as 3. 7. Combinations of crosslinking agents, flame retardant agents, and application systems were evaluated. A blend fabric of 65% cotton with 35% polyester (3. 9 oz/yd**2) was the most suitable fabric evaluated for developing the best balance of these dual properties. Electron microscopy was utilized to determine location of THPOH-NH//3 polymer within the fibers or yarns of fabrics treated under specialized conditions.