Sustainable Approach for Development of cut-resistance seamless gloves using recycled para-aramid/cotton blends

The main objective of this study was to develop sustainable, comfort and cost-effective durable cut-resistant gloves using recycled para-aramid and cotton. Recycled para-aramid fibres were blended with cotton in different blend proportions of 90/10, 30/70, 50/50, 70/30 and spun into yarn of 29.5 tex. A 100% cotton yarn of similar fineness was also spun for comparative purposes. All the developed yarns were then knitted into seamless gloves of 250 g/m2. The gloves were tested for their performance properties such as cut-resistance, abrasion, limited flame spread, and contact heat resistance as per applicable EN & ISO standards. The gloves made from 70/30 recycled para-aramid and cotton showed better performance properties with level C cut resistance, level 4 limited flame spread and level 1 contact heat resistance. The knitted gloves were also analysed for air permeability, q max (Peak heat flux), and the Moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR). It is found that addition of cotton up to 30% in the gloves improved the q max and MVTR values without compromising the cut resistance properties. The longitudinal structural study of recycled para-aramid fibres using SEM showed flat and twisted structure with fibre breakage due to fibrillation and stress created during recycling compared cylindrical shape of virgin para-aramid fibre.