Effect of Textile Parameters
on Microfiber Shedding Properties
of Textiles
S. Raja Balasaraswathi and R. Rathinamoorthy
Abstract Fast fashion is one of the recent changes in the apparel and fashion
industry. The fast-fashion process enables mass customers to adapt to the current
trend in a short period. To reach the customers at the earliest time at an affordable
price, the manufacturing industries use cheaper raw materials in various processes
of manufacturing. Synthetic textiles like polyester, polypropylene, and acrylic are
the common fibers used in the fast-fashion items. These fibers are identified as a
major source of microfiber pollution. The synthetic fabric sheds microfibers during
wearing, laundry, and disposal. A recent study estimated that the synthetic clothing
sale would reach 160 million tons in 2050 and subsequently 22 million tons of
microfiber added into the ocean between 2015 and 2050. The microfiber shedding
of textiles is mainly influenced by the different production and fiber parameters. The
chapter aims to elaborate on the role of different synthetic fibers and their shedding
properties. Similarly, the influence of fabric manufacturing methods like weaving and
knitting also detailed for a better understanding of shedding. Further, this chapter
details the fabric parameters like fabric thickness, fabric density, structure type, and
their influence on microfiber shedding. The last part of the chapter deals with the
influence of different finishing methods to control or reduce the microfiber shedding
from synthetic fabric.
Keywords Microfiber shedding · Fiber type · Yarn type · Twist and hairiness ·
Fabric types · Abrasion resistance · Pilling · Tensile strength · Finishing process
1 Introduction
In the past few decades, plastics have become an essential, unavoidable need in
all aspects of day-to-day life. Plastics hold a Global Market size of 568.9 billion
USD in the year 2019 and the estimated compound annual growth is at a rate of
3.2% during 2020–2027 [1]. Plastics that are less than 5 mm in length fall under the
S. Raja Balasaraswathi · R. Rathinamoorthy (B)
Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India
e-mail: r.rathinamoorthy@gmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
S. S. Muthu (ed.), Microplastic Pollution, Sustainable Textiles: Production, Processing,
Manufacturing & Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0297-9_1
1
on Microfiber Shedding Properties
of Textiles
S. Raja Balasaraswathi and R. Rathinamoorthy
Abstract Fast fashion is one of the recent changes in the apparel and fashion
industry. The fast-fashion process enables mass customers to adapt to the current
trend in a short period. To reach the customers at the earliest time at an affordable
price, the manufacturing industries use cheaper raw materials in various processes
of manufacturing. Synthetic textiles like polyester, polypropylene, and acrylic are
the common fibers used in the fast-fashion items. These fibers are identified as a
major source of microfiber pollution. The synthetic fabric sheds microfibers during
wearing, laundry, and disposal. A recent study estimated that the synthetic clothing
sale would reach 160 million tons in 2050 and subsequently 22 million tons of
microfiber added into the ocean between 2015 and 2050. The microfiber shedding
of textiles is mainly influenced by the different production and fiber parameters. The
chapter aims to elaborate on the role of different synthetic fibers and their shedding
properties. Similarly, the influence of fabric manufacturing methods like weaving and
knitting also detailed for a better understanding of shedding. Further, this chapter
details the fabric parameters like fabric thickness, fabric density, structure type, and
their influence on microfiber shedding. The last part of the chapter deals with the
influence of different finishing methods to control or reduce the microfiber shedding
from synthetic fabric.
Keywords Microfiber shedding · Fiber type · Yarn type · Twist and hairiness ·
Fabric types · Abrasion resistance · Pilling · Tensile strength · Finishing process
1 Introduction
In the past few decades, plastics have become an essential, unavoidable need in
all aspects of day-to-day life. Plastics hold a Global Market size of 568.9 billion
USD in the year 2019 and the estimated compound annual growth is at a rate of
3.2% during 2020–2027 [1]. Plastics that are less than 5 mm in length fall under the
S. Raja Balasaraswathi · R. Rathinamoorthy (B)
Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India
e-mail: r.rathinamoorthy@gmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
S. S. Muthu (ed.), Microplastic Pollution, Sustainable Textiles: Production, Processing,
Manufacturing & Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0297-9_1
1