Effect of weft yarn twist level on mechanical and sensorial comfort of 100% woven cotton fabrics

Fabric sensory properties are complex concepts which include dimensional changes at small forces such as tensile, shear, compression and bending, surface properties (friction and roughness) plus surface coolness or warmness. The aim of this study was to investigating the effect of weft yarn twist level on sensorial comfort of 100% woven cotton fabrics. Five cotton fabrics were woven with incremental weft yarn twist levels and their tensile and shear strength, pure bending, compression, surface friction and roughness were evaluated using Kawabata Evaluation System and compared. The other sample parameters such as count, thread density and fabric structure were kept constant. Fabric water permeability and its wicking ability were also evaluated. The results showed that as the twist level increased, the fabric tensile, shear and bending properties also increased. This was observed in both the warp and weft direction. At higher level of twist, lower surface friction, less compressibility, less slipperiness (0.264 warp and 0.199 weft direction), rougher surface (0.026 warp and 0.020 weft) and less even surface (2.643 warp and 1.998) were observed. The wicking ability also reduced with the increase in twist level while there was an improvement in water permeability.