Novel knit-like woven denim fabrics rendering differential shrinkage Half-Knit piles; better comfort and durability to conventional denim

Abstract

Stretchable denim fabrics offering comfort and aestheticists are an area of interest for textile engineering today. This study developed an innovative woven denim that retains the classic woven appearance on the face, while exhibiting knit-like loop structures on the back. Four samples(S1-S4) were produced on a conventional tappet-shedding airjet loom using various combinations of spandex (Lycra) and cotton yarns in 3/1 and 7/1 interlacements in weft directions with single, double, and triple pick insertions. The process successfully generated knit-like loops on the back of the fabric, attributed to spandex shrinkage and extended cottonfloats. Comparative evaluations revealed that S1 with the longest cotton floats, showed the highest stretchability, approximately 50% greater resilience, and 100% better drapeablity. S2 provided superior comfort with 50% better wrinkle recovery, approximately 30% higher smoothness, and the best thermal conductivity. S4 exhibited the poorest performance because of its rough surface and limited yarn mobility. These findings indicate that optimizing cotton float length and Lycra content is essential for balancing comfort, mechanical performance, and durability of knit-like woven denim.