Effect of blend proportion on thermal behaviour of bamboo knitted fabrics

This study presents the thermal comfort properties of single jersey knitted fabric structures made from cotton, regenerated bamboo and cotton-bamboo blended yarns. Cotton, bamboo fibre and blends of the two fibres (100% cotton, 100% bamboo, 50:50 cotton:bamboo, 67:33 cotton:bamboo, 33:67 cotton:bamboo) were spun into yarns of identical linear density (20tex). Each of the yarns so produced was converted to single jersey knitted fabrics with loose, medium and tight structures. The thermal conductivity of the fabrics was generally found to decrease with increase in the proportion of bamboo fibre. The relative water vapour permeability and air permeability of the fabrics were observed to increase with increase in bamboo fibre content. Statistical analysis also indicates that the results are significant for air permeability, thermal resistance, thermal conductivity and relative water vapour permeability of the fabrics.