The effects of lubricants on the stiffness of sewing threads

Abstract

This paper reports an experimental investigation into the effects of lubricants on the stiffness of sewing threads. In this work, three types of sewing threads, polyester-spun, core-spun (polyester/polyester) and core-spun (polyester/cotton) having the same ticket number at different colours (white, grey and black) were used. Three different lubricant types and lubricant feeding rates (0,5-1-2 g/min) were applied to these sewing threads. Therefore 81 different sewing threads were obtained.

The aim of this study is to see the effects of the lubricants on the stiffness of sewing thread. Sewing threads with very high bending length and flexural rigidity values may lead to sewing problems like seam pucker as they too stiff to be manipulated and controlled. To investigate the stiffness of a sewing thread bending length must be obtained.

In this work a stiffness tester was used to measure the bending length of sewing thread. In this study, it was found when lubricant feeding rate increase on the sewing thread bending length and stiffness decreased. It was also found lubricant type is very important on the stiffness of sewing thread.