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Fabric defect detection is an important part of the textile industry to ensure product quality. To solve the problems such as the difficulty of detecting small defects and the coexistence of multi-scale defects in fabric defect detection, a fabric defect detection method based on the feature purification fusion structure is proposed in this paper. Specifically, we improve the feature extraction network to enhance the network's ability to focus on small defective features and effectively reduce the model parameters. The existing methods use direct fusion between multi-level feature maps, which will lead to feature confusion. Therefore, we propose the feature purification fusion structure (FPF), which includes the semantic information supplementation strategy (SIS) and the detail information supplementation strategy (DIS). SIS extracts valid information from the deep feature map and supplements it to the shallow feature map, weakening feature information irrelevant to the shallow feature map detection task. DIS adaptively supplements the feature information required by the deep feature map detection task from the shallow feature map. FPF improves the ability of the network to detect small defects and effectively mitigates the aliasing effect generated during feature fusion. The experimental results show that compared to the baseline model YOLOv5s algorithm, our model achieved a 6.8% improvement in detection accuracy, with an average inference frame rate of 37.6 FPS, demonstrating better detection performance in fabric defect detection. Furthermore, extending this model to aluminum profile defect datasets also demonstrates strong performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabric defect detection is an important part of the textile industry, aiming at the problems of many types of fabric defects, small size defects and unbalanced samples, an improved YOLOv5 fabric defect detection algorithm, FD-YOLOv5, was proposed. First, the coordinate attention module is embedded in the YOLOv5 backbone network structure to replace the bottleneck structure in the original network model. While reducing the amount of parameters and calculation, it enhances the ability of the network to extract features and improves the model's ability to detect small target defects. Secondly, a smoother Mish activation function is used in the original model convolution structure for model training, which improves the nonlinear expression ability of the model; the SIoU loss function considering the direction of the anchor box is used to improve the convergence speed and detection accuracy of the model. Finally, combining the focal loss and GHM loss functions as the target confidence loss function to solve the problem of sample imbalance in the fabric defect dataset. The experimental results based on the public fabric defect dataset of Aliyun TianChi shows that the mAP@.5 and mAP@.5:.95 of the improved algorithm are 65.1% and 30.4%, respectively, which are 8.3% and 3.2% higher than the original model, respectively, and the parameter amount, calculation amount and weight of the model are reduced by 8.4%, 11.2% and 14.3%, respectively, compared with the original model. Even compared with the state-of-the-art YOLOv7 model, the mAP@.5 value of the proposed model is improved by 6.5%. Although the FPS value is lower than YOLOv7 model, it also achieves a detection speed of 79 frames per second, which can meet the real-time demand. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in this paper, which can provide a reference for the automatic detection method of fabric defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pick-up and transfer of easily deformable multi-layer fabrics is a challenge in the automation process of the textile industry. A transfer manipulator using interfacial adhesion forces has potential applications in the pick-up and transfer of fabrics. However, rapid adhesion and detachment cannot be achieved because of the small variability of adhesion and detachment forces between the fabric and the adhering material, which results in difficulty of picking and placing of fabric. To address this problem, in this study, an innovative pressure and strip manipulator structure is designed, utilizing the fabric gesture presented during the fabric peeling process to adjust the peel angle, and thereafter affect the adhesion force. The factors affecting the adhesion force, such as peeling speed, duration, and preload are analyzed, and a control method to regulate the adhesion force by peeling speed and the gap between the adhesion element and positioning block is proposed. Based on the interface adhesion force, the transfer manipulator can realize low-cost, high-stability, and high-efficiency fabric picking, which has good prospects for application in fabric production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarcity of defect samples and the imbalance of defect types lead to the fact that achieving defect detection in color-patterned fabrics remains a challenge in the textile industry. Defect detection methods based on traditional auto-encoder are difficult to solve the problem of defect detection in complex color-patterned fabrics. In order to solve the problem of weak feature representation of traditional auto-encoders, this paper proposes an unsupervised method based on triplet attention multi-scale U-shape denoising convolutional auto-encoder (TA_MSUDCAE). The method further enhances the feature representation capability of the auto-encoder by introducing a triplet attention mechanism based on utilizing the multi-scale information of the image. Firstly, the defect-free samples that are added with Gaussian noise are used as inputs to the model in the training stage. The model is trained to reconstruct and repair the defective regions. Secondly, the test image is input to the trained model to obtain a normal reconstructed image, and the residual image is obtained by calculating the difference between the input image and the reconstructed image. Finally, the defect detection and localization results are obtained by threshold segmentation and mathematical morphology processing of the residual image. A large number of experiments have been carried out on a variety of representative color-patterned fabrics, and the results prove the effectiveness of the proposed method in fabric defect detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given their exceptional attributes, aerogels are viewed as a material with immense potential. Being a natural polymer, cellulose offers the advantage of being both replenishable and capable of breaking down naturally. Cellulose-derived aerogels encompass the replenish ability, biocompatible nature, and ability to degrade naturally inherent in cellulose, along with additional benefits like minimal weight, extensive porosity, and expansive specific surface area. Even with increasing appreciation and acceptance, the undiscovered possibilities of aerogels within the textiles sphere continue to be predominantly uninvestigated. In this context, we outline the latest advancements in the study of cellulose aerogels' formulation and their diverse impacts on textile formations. Drawing from the latest studies, we reviewed the materials used for the creation of various kinds of cellulose-focused aerogels and their properties, analytical techniques, and multiple functionalities in relation to textiles. This comprehensive analysis extensively covers the diverse strategies employed to enhance the multifunctionality of cellulose-based aerogels in the textiles industry. Additionally, we focused on the global market size of bio-derivative aerogels, companies in the industry producing goods, and prospects moving forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intergenerational transmission of textile practices among women are considered a strong reclaiming statement. Currently, textiles practices have been recognized as social struggle manifestations that favor the development of a human rights culture, allowing the expression of communities 'without a voice'. This article examines the emergence of textile artivism linked to recent socio-political conflicts in Latin America, emphasizing the role of women as promoters of these projects. Mil agujas por la Dignidad, a platform and textile community emerged in 2019 as a response to human rights violations in Chile, has been analyzed to understand how digital technologies favour the dissemination of textile calls, and the connection between women through feminist meetings. This research proposes that textile practices are a form of resistance art, activated simultaneously in various spaces due to their political nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing global pandemic has brought into sharp relief the possible interactions between the epidemiology of a virus, the structure of the economy and society that becomes exposed to it, and the actions chosen by government, individuals, and communities to combat it or ameliorate its economic impact. Surprisingly, there has not been sufficient research on these economic and policy interactions of the 1918–1920 influenza pandemic—the deadliest pandemic of the 20th century. This paper focuses on Japan, which as a minor participant of and was not directly affected by World War I. We exploit the diversity of experiences with the pandemic and its attendant policy responses across Japanese prefectures; and investigate the importance of the pandemic's toll (measured by excess mortality), and of nonpharmaceutical policy interventions (NPIs), in determining the pandemic's economic impact. We do so by focusing on the production and employment in the textile sector, given the availability of data and the general importance of the textile sector for emerging economies (as Japan was at the time). We find a significant adverse impact of the pandemic on textiles (almost 30% for an average prefectural excess mortality shock) and indeed find that the implemented NPIs were effective in ameliorating around one half of the pandemic's adverse economic consequences, especially for textile output (rather than employment). Furthermore, these NPIs were more effective when the excess mortality was higher. In this case, there was no trade‐off between money and life, but rather the two were complimentary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) for the design of new textile fabrics. The IDSS uses predictive analytics to estimate fabric properties (e.g., elasticity) and composition values (% cotton) and then prescriptive techniques to optimize the fabric design inputs that feed the predictive models (e.g., types of yarns used). Using thousands of data records from a Portuguese textile company, we compared two distinct Machine Learning (ML) predictive approaches: Single-Target Regression (STR), via an Automated ML (AutoML) tool, and Multi-target Regression, via a deep learning Artificial Neural Network. For the prescriptive analytics, we compared two Evolutionary Multi-objective Optimization (EMO) methods (NSGA-II and R-NSGA-II) when optimizing 100 new fabrics, aiming to simultaneously minimize the physical property predictive error and the distance of the optimized values when compared with the learned input space. The two EMO methods were applied to design of 100 new fabrics. Overall, the STR approach provided the best results for both prediction tasks, with Normalized Mean Absolute Error values that range from 4% (weft elasticity) to 11% (pilling) in terms of the fabric properties and a textile composition classification accuracy of 87% when adopting a small tolerance of 0.01 for predicting the percentages of six types of fibers (e.g., cotton). As for the prescriptive results, they favored the R-NSGA-II EMO method, which tends to select Pareto curves that are associated with an average 11% predictive error and 16% distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market for bedding products in Thailand now offers a wide range of physical attributes (fiber types, structures, fabric densities, thicknesses, and weights) that produce a variety of tactile sensations and comfort qualities. This study investigated the comfort properties of bedding fabrics in Thailand. Twenty-one bedding fabric samples were collected and measured for their mechanical and surface properties based on the Kawabata evaluation system for fabric (KES-F) as well as the horizontal wicking test and abrasion resistance, air permeability, wrinkle recovery, and thermal resistance (Qmax). The primary hand value (HV) and total hand value (THV) were calculated using the Kawabata hand evaluation equation KN-201-LDY describing women's thin dress fabric, using 5 different properties from the KES-F (tensile, shear, bending, compression, and surface friction). The principle component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis of the physical properties of fabric samples showed that the samples could be placed in 4 groups. The first group was mostly cotton woven samples. The second group consisted of 2 samples that were both knitted, while the third group was mostly mixed (M) fabric samples. The last group contained cotton and M cotton samples. The first cluster was considered to provide the best hand-feel characteristics of all 4 clusters, while the second cluster was considered the least desirable based on hand-feel. The findings of this study should assist the bedding textile sector in developing new products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cellulosic fabric and plain weave are the most commonly used material in home textiles. The poor wrinkling, dimensional stability and pilling are some of the problems faced during usage. The textile industries apply resin finish to improve these characteristics. The purpose of this study is to improve pilling resistance, dimensional stability and smoothness appearance (SA) of rayon and rayon/cotton plain fabrics using different concentrations of dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) and acrylic copolymer. The finish was fixed using two different fixation methods. Design/methodology/approach: Three concentrations, 40, 100 and 150 g/l of Arkofix NF (DMDHE based) and Appretan N9211 (acrylic copolymer), were taken. The finish was applied at normal and shock cure. The effects of finish on pilling resistance, dimensional stability, smoothness, tear strength, light fastness, Berger whiteness and yellowness index of plain fabrics were investigated. Findings: The changes in the characteristics of the finished fabrics were compared with unfinished fabrics. This study revealed that at 40 g/l of Arkofix NF and Appretan N9211 using a normal cure would improve the pilling resistance, dimensional stability and SA of the plain fabrics. Whereas, there was no adverse effect observed on tear strength, light fastness, Berger whiteness and yellowness index of plain fabrics at these conditions. Originality/value: Unlike the previous studies, this paper proposed the single finish formulation where the functional characteristics of the plain rayon and rayon cotton fabrics meet the general requirement of a customer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial cellulose is a type of bio-cellulose material that has several application potentials in various industries including the textile and fashion industries. The most addressed benefits of higher water holding capacity and absorption capabilities are only in the wet stage. Extreme hydrophilic nature, bulky structure, and poor handling properties restrict the wet usage of bacterial cellulose within limited sectors like wound dressing. A dry state and long storage capacity without structural changes in the atmospheric condition are the essential requirements of textile material. Despite the highly sustainable nature, environment-friendly production methods, the poor structural and mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose nonwoven at dry state limit their application in the textile and fashion sector. This review aims to analyze the various drying techniques researched to understand their influence on the structure, mechanical, moisture, handle and comfort properties of the dried bacterial cellulose. The results showed that out of several drying methods, freeze-dried and room temperature dried samples showed better retainment of the original structure of bacterial cellulose. The higher temperature drying methods developed a compact, non-porous, stiff, hydrophobic, and brittle structure. Though the lower temperature drying methods possessed good properties, their higher rehydration ability was found to be not suitable for textile application. This review also outlines the need for future research by considering textile-related properties like water vapor permeability, air permeability, and handle-related aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural resources are getting scarcer by the day as the world's population grows. As a result, it is high time to repurpose textiles in order to save the environment and reduce waste. The textile industry is one of the most waste-generating industries, resulting in increased pollution. The goal of this study is to evaluate the performance of recycled cotton (R-CO) with conventional cotton (C-CO), organic cotton (O-CO), and better cotton (B-CO) in the denim fabric performance. Denim fabrics were produced using 7.2 Ne slub cotton warp yarn and 8.9 Ne C-CO, O-CO, B-CO, R-CO carded weft yarns. The results revealed that cotton fiber types only had a major impact on tearing and breaking strengths. Among those, recycled cotton had higher skewing movement and lower breaking and tearing strength according to a significance level of α = 0.05. The measured colors were compared to the C-CO fabric as a reference, and the overall color characteristics were found to be closer to the reference fabric, with the exception of the O-CO fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics have become a topic of considerable concern and intensive study over the past decade. They have been found everywhere in the oceans, including the deepest trenches and remotest parts of the Arctic. They are ingested by many animals and some are incorporated into tissues. There is considerable effort in studying what effects they have on marine life. It has become clear that when water samples are collected in ways that prevent most long thin particles from escaping through pores of a net, the most abundant type of microplastics found in water and sediments are microfibers (fibers with dimensions less than 5 mm). The major source of these pollutants is synthetic textiles, such as polyester or polyamides, which shed microfibers during their entire life cycle. Microfibers are released during textile manufacturing, everyday activities (e.g., washing, drying, wearing) and final disposal. The complexity of microfiber release mechanisms and of the factors involved make the identification and application of ways to reduce the inputs of microfibers very challenging. A comprehensive approach is strongly needed, taking into account solutions at a number of levels, such as re-engineering textiles to minimize shedding, applying washing machine filters, developing advanced wastewater treatment plants and improving the management of textile wastes. To harmonize and make mandatory the solutions identified, a variety of potential government policies and regulations is also needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a UHF broadband surface-independent textile fully woven radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is presented. The antenna is composed of two stacked multilayer fabric pieces in which the shaped conductive and dielectric surfaces are part of the woven structure. In addition, a novel technique for the integration of the RFID chip in the woven structure was developed, providing a maximum integration level and making possible the manufacturing of the tag in a single step using conventional machinery from the textile industry. A tag prototype was experimentally characterized, showing a 12.5 m read range under a $\pm 60\,\, {}\times {}\pm 60^\circ $ angular range, when using a circularly polarized interrogator device with 35.2 dBm effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly efficient and economical wearable piezoelectric energy harvesters are required to achieve future human‐integrated self‐powered electronics with stability. Herein, an all‐inorganic‐state fabric piezoelectric nanogenerator (FPNG) is developed for high‐performance energy harvesting using a spray‐coated lead‐free piezoceramic layer on a glass fabric. 0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3–0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 (BCTZ) sol–gel solution is deposited by spray coating, which is very facile and cost‐effective processing for the textile industry. It is well‐annealed and crystallized on the glass fabric endurable in high‐temperature processes. The BCTZ‐coated glass fabric is also treated by spraying silver nanowire (AgNW) solution onto both sides of the fabric to form robust electrodes. The all‐inorganic‐state FPNG can generate electrical output about the voltage of ≈3 V and the current of ≈110 nA which are high‐performance energy harvesting signals compared to previously reported fabric‐type energy harvesters. This high‐output energy harvesting results from the effective piezoelectricity of inorganic piezoceramics on the robust glass fabric. This work would open ways for future wearable self‐powered electronics integrated in general textile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the problem of overcoming the low production ecological status of enterprises in the chemical and textile industries. The objective of the study is to develop a mechanism for rating the environmental friendliness of a product, the regulation of which will ensure the development of the environmental policy and product range of the enterprise. A hypothesis has been put forward that with a comprehensive and systematic approach to the selection of environmental criteria based on the parameters of thread manufacturability, it is possible to give an objective rating. A rating scale has been created and the results of the rating index of environmental friendliness of the studied polymer fibres and textile materials have been obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's progressive assumption as a major actor on the African scene needs critical academic attention and examination. Although there are undoubtedly varied benefits, there are also concerns about whether China's win-win rhetoric is sincere or just empty propaganda. This paper contributes to the debate by examining the relationship between China and Africa through the lens of neo-colonialism. In this regard, the paper examines China's involvement in the textiles and mining industries of Ghana as a case study to argue whether the partnership between China and Africa is one that actually promotes development or engenders a new trend of neo-colonialism. Since this research focuses on areas such as partnership (i.e., between Ghana and China) and illegal mining with its effects, it intersects four of the SDGs (clean water and sanitation [SDG 6]; sustainable cities and communities [SDG 11]; life below water [SDG 14]; and partnership for the goals [SDG 17]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textiles, regardless of their composition – whether natural fibers like cotton and silk or synthetic materials like polyester and nylon, play a significant role in everyday use across multiple sectors, including clothing, home furnishings, and medical hygiene products. However, their utility can be effectively expanded through targeted modifications by altering surface properties with polymers. This results in a significant improvement in the overall quality and durability of the product, meeting consumer expectations effectively. In this comprehensive overview, we delve into advances in textile modification using reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) methods, in particular, we explore atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) techniques. Through these strategies, well-defined polymers can be synthesized on natural or synthetic fiber surfaces to provide coatings with improved properties such as hydrophilicity, oleophobicity, dyeability etc. The specific advantage of these methods, compared to other polymerization techniques and forms of chemical modification, lies in their ability to achieve precise control over the structure of grafted polymers. This precise control enables tailored adjustments to the properties of the resulting materials, catering to specialized applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protection against the safety of people is enforced for the certain occupations when they might be exposed to hazardous chemicals during handling. This research provides an importance of chemical protective clothing, along with its necessity during various industrial applications. The aim of the research is to develop more comfortable and efficient protective cloth for the chemical industry workers. Developed multilayer fabric is to protect them from harmful chemical hazards with five layers, the outer shell made of polyester as it has low absorption and carbon fabric for its higher support. It provides a good strength to the fabric and polyester has a good resistance to lab grade chemicals. The middle layer comprises spun-bonded non-woven sandwiched with carbon fiber. The inner layer is made up of cotton fabric as it gives good absorbency and comfort. In this research, 100% polyester fabric, polyester/cotton fabric and 100% knitted polyester fabric have been used as a comparison in chemical protective clothing. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) was used to observe the morphology of coated surfaces of protective for process versatility and the highly specific surface area. In this paper, the thermal properties of developed multilayered structures were statistically investigated. The chemical protection, good air permeability, abrasion resistance, fabric stiffness and tearing strength have been performed. The results provide new insights into the development of functional garments/materials and better methods for evaluating the performance of these materials under hazardous work environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fabrics from two bark trees of Uganda ("Kilundu": Antiaris toxicaria and "Mutuba": Ficus natalensis) are being considered today for the local footwear industry. Here, we thoroughly examined to determine their structural, biochemical and mechanical properties of the two bark cloths, in order to ascertain their potential use as locally-available, low-cost composite reinforcements and eventually for a use in textile industry as well. Fibres in both fabrics are rich in highly crystalline cellulose (76.6 ± 4.9% and 66.3 ± 0.5%) and have very cohesive cell walls with small lumen size and stiff middle lamellae. However, their low indentation modulus is due to a high microfibrillar angle, penalizing their longitudinal stiffness but making them interesting for impact or deformation performance. The two fabrics exhibit layers of preferred fibres orientations, quasi similar to unidirectional or +/-45° preforms, and hence may be used "as produced" as polymer reinforcements in technical composites but also in textile sector, in place of leather. Finally, their water uptake behaviour (21.2%-wt for Mutuba and 13.8%-wt for Kilundu) indicates opportunities for a range of environmentally-sensitive applications. • Properties of barks from Antiaris Toxicaria and Ficus natalensis were studied. • Original orientation, similar to synthetic preforms were highlighted and quantified. • Fibres exhibit also a high content of crystalline cellulose and low lignin content. • Limited stiffness but high cohesion of the cell walls are demonstrated. • Opposite water sorption of the two barks can guide their future industrial use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsive photonic crystals (RPCs) have the advantages of visual response, controllable response speed, and reasonable response sensitivity, enabling them attractive in sensing detection, intelligent displays, anti-counterfeiting identification and other fields. At present, the rapid development of anti-counterfeiting technology ensures product quality and brand influence, as well as human health, placing an important economic value and bringing social benefits. This review introduces the research status of visual responsive photonic crystals, and the special attention is paid to the preparation principle, classification and preparation methods of RPCs, and their application progress in the anti-counterfeiting systems for the textile industry. • Summarized the recent advances in the application of responsive photonic crystals (RPCs) in anti-counterfeiting solutions. • Described the preparation principle of RPCs. • Introduced the classification of RPCs. • Concluded that RPCs can be used to prepare anti-counterfeiting textiles by "After-Assembly" or "In-Assembly" approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I explore the way that a work song called "Hooyaalaadee" reveals the importance of women's textile labor to the Banaadiri people, the Somali nation and the wider Indian Ocean textile industry. Although written historiography has not adequately documented southern Somalia's rich textile industry, the Banaadiri woman facilitates a multitude of narratives about this important textile trade through performing this oral work song. "Hooyaalaadee" shows the way that an oral poem can be an alternative means through which to preserve and archive the histories of textile production within the Banaadiri community. I argue that in "Hooyaalaadee," the Banaadiri woman's role as the spinner of cotton in the manufacture of the Futa Benaadir, a cloth spun and woven by the Banaadiri community as well as the weaver of hats, mats and baskets, is generative of strong kinship networks. The Banaadiri women create the threads to not only bind the Banaadiri community together as a unit but also to connect the Banaadiri people with the Somali nation and the wider Indian Ocean world. I read Amitav Ghosh's 1986 novel The Circle of Reason to bring into relief many of the ideas around regionally-specific identity, community and culture which emerge from "Hooyaalaadee". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I develop a practice ontology approach to labor control regimes (LCRs) in Global Production Networks (GPNs). Thereby, I address the shortcomings of existing scalar approaches to LCRs, which have not yet produced a nuanced understanding of how labor control dynamics at different scales are interrelated. Building on Schatzki's 'site ontology', I conceptualize LCRs in GPNs as emerging from the networked relationships between rather localized and rather unbounded constellations of exploiting and disciplining-practices 'hanging together' in socio-spatial 'sites of labor control'. Drawing on empirical insights from the Bangalore export garment industry, I reveal how the highly localized labor process-site is linked to two larger sites, i.e. the sourcing process-site and the legal industrial relations process-site, through two practice-complexes: 'production-targeting' and 'union-busting'. The contribution of this article is two-fold: First, the insights from the empirical analysis contribute to a more nuanced and relational understanding of the institutionalized, yet dynamic labor control architectures underpinning GPNs. Second, the practice ontology approach developed in this article contributes to the reinvigoration and further development of relational and network approaches in GPN analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the role of women chosen for the cult of the Sun and textile work during the Inca Empire as described by the Ince Garcilaso, who highlights the distinctive role that these tasks fulfilled in the social order. The weaving of the elite clothes and the moral condition of the "virgins of the Sun" were marks of cultural identity that remained iii the memory during the colonial era, so weaving became a potentially subversive practice in the face of the Spanish dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many of the arguments around hostility towards immigrants are presented in terms of their adverse economic impact on the settled population. From immigration from the 'New Commonwealth' after 1945 through to the arrival of large numbers of people from the expanded European Union after 2004, both calls for the limitation of immigrant numbers, and explanations of local resentment, are framed in terms of economic and material factors. Yet in the textile towns of West Yorkshire during the 1960s and 1970s, there was no competition for work or immigrant suppression of wages, nor much competition for housing or access to state welfare. Yet this absence of competition and lack of genuine material grievances did not prevent the settled population from reacting with hostility towards their new neighbours. Significantly, these resentments were usually expressed in the language of cultural difference and complaints around different ways of living. This article examines why hostility to immigrants remained despite the absence of competition, and why concerns around immigration were usually expressed in cultural rather than material terms. It draws on oral histories, press reports and local council records, and highlights both the absence of competition and the presence of 'cultural' resentments against recent immigrants. Ultimately it argues that the reception of South Asian immigrants in West Yorkshire should be understood not through competition, but through the lens of industrial and imperial decline at home and abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to analyze the effects of the end of the agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) on the bilateral trade of Brazil with its importing partners in the period of 1997-2017. For this purpose, the gravitational model was used. the end of the agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) positively impacted the country's trade flow with its trading partners Concluding that the knowledge of the advantages of a widely competitive trade environment is vital to evaluate policies for better insertion of the textile and apparel sector in international trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work evaluates wheat straw, switchgrass, and hemp hurd as potential alternatives for producing dissolving pulp using sulfur dioxide (SO 2)-ethanol-water (SEW) pulping. The SEW process is described in detail for wheat straw, and the best pulping conditions for this feedstock were 130 °C, 4 h, and 10% SO 2 concentration, comprised in a sulfur-ethanol-water ratio of 10-45-45. This resulted in a viscose-grade pulp with 93% α-cellulose, 2.0% hemicelluloses, <0.1% lignin, 0.2% ash content, and a viscosity of 4.7 cP. The best pulping conditions for wheat straw were applied to switchgrass and hemp hurd. Wheat straw and switchgrass had similar pulp quality, while hemp hurd pulp had a higher hemicellulose content and lower viscosity. This work suggests that non-wood feedstocks such as wheat straw and switchgrass can be promising alternatives for dissolving pulp production, which can help reduce the pressure on the textile industry to increase the use of natural fibers and mitigate the environmental impact of non-biodegradable synthetic fibers. [Display omitted] • Wheat straw, switchgrass, and hemp hurd were evaluated for dissolving pulp production. • Viscose-grade dissolving Pulp can be obtained from non-wood feedstocks. • SEW pulping can provide dissolving grade pulp. • Non-wood sources are a promising alternative for natural textile fibers. • Dissolving pulp quality changes based on the nature of the non-wood feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabric defect detection methods based on deep networks are widely used in the textile industry, but they often suffer from poor model generalization and blurry edge detection. To resolve these challenges, we propose a novel network called "U-SMR Net", which integrates global contextual features, defect detail features, and high-level semantic features through the combination of ResNet-50 and Swin Transformer modules. Our U-SMR network includes a lightweight multiscale feature extraction module, the dual-branch pyramid Module (DBPM), which is nested to preserve high-resolution, shallow semantic information. We propose a recursive multi-level residual decoding block for multiscale fusion to refine, filter, and enhance input characteristics, generating prediction maps at multiple stages, and by employing an improved binary cross entropy loss function to supervise saliency mapping. The experimental results based on four groups from ZJU-Leaper dataset demonstrate the superior performance of our approach compared to other competitive methods by achieving an average f m e a s u r e score of 75.33%, and finally testing results from both ZJU-Leaper-Total dataset and the HKU-Fabric dataset further support our U-SMR Net's validity and generalization ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical models and methods of determination of functional-use relaxation-recovery properties of textile industry materials having decisive importance for comparative analysis and qualitative sampling of materials having specific properties are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to optimize the aggregate production costs in textile companies sector through production strategies in the medium term. For this, an aggregate production planning model called PLAG is developed, which minimizes labor costs, inventory management costs, and production subcontracting costs. Unlike other models in the literature, the PLAG model considers characteristics of the textile sector related to fabric shrinkage, wastes due to product handling, new employees' efficiency, training time, and manufacturing processes subcontracting, which makes it a comprehensive and effective model for companies in the textile industry. The proposed model is programmed and executed in GAMS, supported by an interface in MSExcel, which generates strategies for the improvement of the production capacity and the optimization of the production plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart textiles research represents a new model for generating creative and novel solutions for integrating electronics into unusual environments and will result in new discoveries that push the boundaries of science forward. A key driver for smart textiles research is the fact that both textile and electronics fabrication processes are capable of functionalizing large-area surfaces at very high speeds. In this article we review the history of smart textiles development, introducing the main trends and technological challenges faced in this field. Then, we identify key challenges that are the focus of ongoing research. We then proceed to discuss fundamentals of smart textiles: textile fabrication methods and textile interconnect lines, textile sensor, and output device components and integration of commercial components into textile architectures. Next we discuss representative smart textile systems and finally provide our outlook over the field and a prediction for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cameroon has a large industrial plant that operates in the textile sector of spinning, ennobling and fabric production. But the economic frame in which it oparates faces strong competition from Nigeria since the middle of 1980s.because of the constant depreciation of the Naira, of the size of its estimated population to nearly 115 million in 2000, and its industrial weight, Nigeria is a strong economic opponent for Cameroon in the textile domain. The massive and low-cost entry of these original or counterfeit textile products puts Cameroon's less competitive textile sector in difficulty. The study situates the Cameroonian textile industry in relation to the economic power of its big neighbor Nigeria, identifying the difficulties it faces. It analyzes through diversified sources the impact of formal and informal trade with Nigeria on the Cameroonian textile industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Often qualified as "revolutionary," electronic and reactive textiles are promising to bring wide-reaching changes to our existence: from the way we dress to the way we communicate, from the way we sense and are sensed to the way we build and use textiles as substrates for new applications. From a philosophical perspective, this article explores the revolutionary character of electronic and reactive textiles—in other words, what about them is "revolutionary?" Corollary questions include, "What do electronic and reactive textiles revolutionize?" and "What is it to revolutionize?" or more precisely, "What exactly is expected to be revolutionized when it comes to textiles?" The article emphasizes that with electronic and reactive textiles we are confronted with a new understanding of matter (and implicitly with new ways to manipulate and use it). The article also addresses the ways digitization not only affects the constitution of new objects (interactive objects/devices) but also produces changes in the industrial forms of production. Last but not least, we argue that the innovation aspects related to the development of new materials and their forms of production have to be addressed on different scales, by following trans-disciplinary approaches within a deliberate framework of philosophical questioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chinchorro textilization, on the onset of Andean textile production, was embedded in wider human-camelid interactions. • It reveals the key role played by coastal hunter-gatherers in processes usually seen from a high-Andean view. • The early fibre management shows the roots of textile intensification, often seen as critical threshold in human history. • Textile practices and their embodiment increased as the transformative ties between humans and camelids intensified. • These processes were developed by communities of practice who shared a concern for corporeality through textile clothing. Textilization processes envisioned as technological transformation of animal fibres and the incorporation of textiles into human bodies, is analyzed among Chinchorro hunter gatherers, along the hyperarid Pacific coast of the Atacama Desert throughout the Holocene (ca. 7800–3500 cal BP). The Chinchorro, as producers and consumers of South American camelid fibres and textiles, created a range of textilized mortuary corporealities. We studied bodies (Artificially Treated Bodies, Statuettes, Figurines), tools and textiles. Based on technological analysis of textiles dressing the bodies, we address the technological procedures employed in textile production. We defined: (a) textilization of Chinchorro bodies, (b) the entailed social relations and technological practices and, and (c) the temporal variability of camelid fibre textile production. These results are discussed within the broader context of early Andean textile fibre management and camelid domestication. From a worldwide perspective, we highlighted how Chinchorro textilization processes, as a microhistory, can be seen in the flow of human-nonhuman animal mutual interactions that gave rise to domestication and the later textile industry. We conclude that progressively ties between people and camelids intensified, by increasing the incorporation of fibres and textiles in the bodies, and the development of communities of practice which shared a concern for textile embodiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Innovation is an important driver of firm growth in the Pakistani textiles sector. • Young innovative firms to catch up with incumbents by engaging in more radical innovation. • Young innovative companies also outperform other firms in absolute employment creation. Abstract Using unique innovation survey data collected among a homogenous sample of firms active in the textiles and apparel sector in Pakistan, this paper analyses the role of innovation for employment growth. In particular, it develops and tests the hypothesis that innovation is conducive to employment creation, and that this is especially the case for smaller and younger firms, supporting the hypothesis that young innovative companies grow faster by engaging in riskier and more radical innovation to catch up with incumbent firms. We find empirical evidence for these hypotheses, which is robust to different model specifications and estimation techniques and to different measures of innovation. Young innovative companies also perform well in absolute employment creation making them interesting targets from a policy perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Great advances in photocatalysis have been made by developing various efficient photocatalysts, but investigation on practical applications of photocatalysis is relatively backward. Herein we report a facile surface modification approach to functionalize textiles with excellent ability for photocatalytic self-cleaning and degradation of indoor volatile organic pollutants. Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (CNNS) in colloidal suspension were directly sprayed onto the surface of cellulose fibers in textiles, and the powerful hydrogen bonding action between surface hydroxyl groups of cellulose and plentiful hydroxyl and amino groups of exfoliated CNNS from alkali-treating realizes high stability of CNNS modified textiles. Due to ultrathin 2D thickness and high visible light transparency, the modification of CNNS would not affect the hand feeling of textiles and shield their original colors. The obtained textiles show superior photocatalytic self-cleaning performance to remove stains from various colored pollutants under solar light irradiation, including industrial organic dyes and juices. Meanwhile, gaseous formaldehyde also can be efficiently decomposed using Xe lamp or commercial LED lamp as light sources. This work realizes photocatalytic performance of textiles using a simple spraying method, and it has great potential application in textile self-cleaning, not only for surface stains but also for volatile organic compounds from textile release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Chitosan is partially or completely N -deacetylated derivative of chitin and is chemically composed of β‑(1, 4) linked 2‑amino‑2‑deoxy‑β‑ d ‑glucopyranose. Biocompatibility, non-toxicity, antifungal activity, water-binding capacity, bioactivity and antimicrobial properties make chitosan particularly attractive substitute for synthetic polymers in different application fields and notably in the textile industry. The presence of reactive amino and hydroxyl groups along the backbone conifer chitosan some interesting properties for use in textile dyeing and finishing. However, the main barrier to the use of chitosan is the lack of water solubility at neutral pH and poor durability on textile surfaces. To overcome this, chitosan has been chemically modified in several ways to obtain a wide range of important derivatives with a broad range of applications. This review is intended to provide a recent overview of chitosan and its derivatives and highlight their role in the development of antimicrobial textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The community grouped around the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw played a pivotal role in the new perception of fiber art around the world. This discipline of art grew in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. The first generation of post-war students, which included Magdalena Abakanowicz, Wojciech Sadley, Jolanta Owidzka, Maria Chojnacka, and Barbara Levittoux-Świderska, and which had the support of excellent educators, enjoyed spectacular international success, thereby changing the attitudes to fiber art. Two great professors of ASP, Mieczysław Szymański and Eleonora Plutyńska, who were instrumental to the international success of Polish fiber art in the first half of the 20th century, were ASP graduates. They each represented a different personality and a different approach to textiles, and each focused on the development of different skills in students. While their workshops followed different curricula, the combination of their different artistic and teaching attitudes laid the foundation of the subsequent success. As chance would have it, these two prominent and yet so different artistic personalities crossed paths at the Academy in a difficult and yet seminal era. Two charismatic figures, drawing upon wisdom encapsulated in tradition, enriched with ideas of their contemporary period, transmitted their passion and a new vision of a previously moribund discipline to dozens of students. The merger of the two different approaches to reviving fiber art combined with the enthusiasm and creativity of a young generation of students at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw made the new vision of artistic textiles inspiring to artists around the world. Thanks to a broad spectrum of discovered possibilities, the medium shed its merely utilitarian function and joined the liberated arts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special thematic section of Island Studies Journal explores textiles and clothing from an island studies perspective. While there are many examples of textiles and clothing associated with particular islands, an explicitly island studies approach to them has not been fully developed. Such an approach offers the scholar of textiles and clothing a comparative perspective on disparate examples, and invites investigation of ‘island-ness’ beyond its frequent use in branding for a limited range of ‘heritage’ products. Within island studies, the often remarked combination of materiality and symbolism in textiles and clothing provides insight into "island-ness" in the round, encompassing environments, economies, communities and cultural imaginaries. This section includes work on the pánu di téra of Cape Verde, cloth circulation in Madagascar, and textile craft and the creative economy in Shetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freddie Robins discusses her practice with curators Day+Gluckman in the context of textiles, feminism, heritage, and art practice. Using examples of her work and exhibition profile, they will consider how her career and practice has developed as an artist working with textiles and whether she consciously considers it to have a feminist voice; whether gender still has a pivotal role in how textiles are read and how Freddie’s work continues to contribute to that debate. Linking to recent Day+Gluckman exhibitions that have included Freddie— Concerning Matter in 2009, Fifties, Fashion and Emerging Feminism in 2011, and more recently, Liberties: Reflecting on 40 Years Since the Sex Discrimination Act—the conversation will look at how textiles have been curated into exhibitions, for example, FABRIC (2014) and Entangled (2017), examining curatorial hierarchies and whether there is a perceived or actual fear in displaying objects that do not hold their shape. They will also discuss the propensity of echo chambers in the art world? and beyond—are we only talking to each other?! How do artists and curators identify their audiences and is there a gendered snobbery about the “right type” of audience? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of material in the creation of artwork is vital to the communication of the meaning of the work. Bedsheets act as silent witnesses to many natural processes in life such as birth, puberty, pleasure, disease, decay, and death. At a time of day when we are wearing little clothing, or perhaps none at all, the bedsheet is in contact with the body for many hours every night, soaking up sweat and bodily fluids to create a very personal cloth impregnated with the identity of a person. The bedsheet can become a material on which to literally or metaphorically write our meanings and messages to the world. This article will discuss the materiality of the bedsheet, an everyday and humble cloth. It will reference the work of artists, including Ewa Kuryluk who used sheets in her work, and draw on my own research into the use of materials to carry metaphors of grief and loss. It will be illustrated by my recent works using bedsheets to make a connection with the emotions of the viewer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the competitiveness of the Turkish textile and clothing sector. The competitiveness of the Turkish textile and clothing sector was examined, using Balassa's RCA Index and Vollrath's measures of competitiveness. This study on the competitiveness of the Turkish textile and clothing sector finds that the Turkish textile and clothing sector is competitive in world markets. However, in recent years, it was seen that there had been a considerable decline in the competitiveness of clothing industry. In order to maintain the competitiveness of the Turkish textile and clothing sector it is necessary to focus on the production of high value-added goods and the policies should be developed to strengthen the sector's research and development capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface acoustic wave nebulisation (SAWN) mass spectrometry (MS) is a method to generate gaseous ions compatible with direct MS of minute samples at femtomole sensitivity. To perform SAWN, acoustic waves are propagated through a LiNbO sampling chip, and are conducted to the liquid sample, which ultimately leads to the generation of a fine mist containing droplets of nanometre to micrometre diameter. Through fission and evaporation, the droplets undergo a phase change from liquid to gaseous analyte ions in a non-destructive manner. We have developed SAWN technology for the characterisation of organic colourants in textiles. It generates electrospray-ionisation-like ions in a non-destructive manner during ionisation, as can be observed by the unmodified chemical structure. The sample size is decreased by tenfold to 1000-fold when compared with currently used liquid chromatography-MS methods, with equal or better sensitivity. This work underscores SAWN-MS as an ideal tool for molecular analysis of art objects as it is non-destructive, is rapid, involves minimally invasive sampling and is more sensitive than current MS-based methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart textiles are the future. Innovations in the textile and clothing sector (T&C sector) are introducing wearable technologies associated with healthcare, movement and transport. An innovation boom in the wearable textile sector has brought in a range of new products, such as smart gloves with sensors and controls, smart socks with thin blood pressure sensors and smart products that monitor stress and fatigue. Recent technological advances combine apparel technology and textile industry to develop smart wearable devices. These have the capability to interact with the user or the environment, including tracking and communicating data about the user or the environment to other devices through embedded sensors and conductive yarns. The ICT sector has been important for the T&C sector for quite some time and its importance continues to rise. The market for smart textile wearables is expected to grow at a CAGR of 132% between 2016 and 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]