INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF SOFTENERS ON COTTON KNITTED FABRIC STIFFNESS

Textile comfort of the fabrics is becoming very popular and soft touch is one of the prominent features. The main desired properties of cellulosic knits are their pleasant appearance, softness, absorbency, breathability, texture and comfort, which make them ideal for use in casual wear, sportswear, underwear, etc. Improving the performance and properties of cellulosic knits such as dimensional stability, smoothness, drapability, etc. through functional finishes is becoming necessary to cope with the demands of consumers and garment manufacturers. In this novel study 2 types of knitted structures (single jersey and pique) made of 100% cotton were used. Three different softening chemicals (macro silicone, micro silicone and seam facilitator) were used and acetic acid were used as a binding agent. According to the results, it was determined that macro silicone softener in single jersey knitted fabric and seam facilitator softener in pique knitted fabric gave more effective results in terms of hand feeling properties.