The interaction of water with fabrics, which incorporates water vapor permeability, wicking abilities and drying behaviors of the fabrics, are tested to obtain some comfort-related properties of fabrics from cotton, acrylic and cotton—acrylic blends. The effects of categorical variables such as fiber composition, yarn count and tightness on the comfort properties are tested. Results of the experimental study show that the transfer and longitudinal wicking abilities of fabrics increase with the use of coarse yarns while the drying rates increase with the use of comparatively finer yarns. Furthermore, both longitudinal and transfer wicking abilities as well as drying rates of the fabrics studied increase with the increase in the acrylic fiber ratio within the composition.
This study is to investigate to what extent the performance of compression stockings with cotton components deteriorates after repeated washing processes. Four compression stockings having at least one cotton constituent yarn and two all-nylon stockings as reference samples were produced under controlled commercial conditions. After analysing the data obtained, a care labelling process for the compression socks with cotton components was developed such that they can preserve their compression properties over successive laundering treatments.
Core-sheath nanofibers are being developed with coaxial electrospinning for use in drug release studies. In this study, nanofiber structures were developed as hydrophobic PCL in the sheath and hydrophilic PVP in the core. The effect of polymer concentrations on fiber structure and water contact angle was observed by forming two different test groups. In the first group, fiber diameters were observed to decrease depending on viscosity as the polymer concentration decreased from 10% PCL / 10% PVP to 6% PCL / 6% PVP. It was also observed that the contact angle decreased from 104.3° to 57.61° as the concentration decreased. In the second group, the shell polymer ratio was kept constant as 10% wt PCL, while the core polymer ratio was decreased to 10 %, 8% and 6%. It was observed that the core polymer in the structure became hydrophilic as its viscosity decreased. Compared to the first group, the decrease in the contact angles of the surfaces was less since the shell polymer ratio was kept constant. Contact angles decreased from 104.3° to 96.29°.
11 April 2025 in Employee Relations: The International Journal
Based on a decent work scale (DWS) derived from the decent work literature and tailored to the Turkish garment industry, we propose a multidimensional model showing the differentiated impacts of decent work dimensions on various facets of employee well-being. Using our customized DWS formulated from discussions with industry experts and academics, the European Working Conditions Survey (2015) and Ferraro et al.’s DWS (2018b), we employ a cross-sectional analysis using surveys of 332 white-collar employees in 6 garment firms across Türkiye. We conduct an exploratory factor analysis to identify the DWS structure and a confirmatory factor analysis to validate our model. Finally, we apply a PROCESS analysis to examine direct and indirect effects, assessing relationships among the variables. We find white-collar employees in Türkiye emphasize earnings and equity as critical resources that enhance all aspects of well-being, while workplace safety, work-family balance and work intensity have more limited effects. The analysis also reveals that physical well-being serves as a mediator between most dimensions of decent work conditions in fostering personal well-being. Our DWS measures decent work conditions specifically for the garment industry based on a unique participatory survey that adds a novel element to survey development. Utilizing conservation of resources theory, our model analyzes the relationships between decent work and employee well-being. By recognizing decent work conditions as valuable resources for well-being, the study offers insights for decision-makers in the garment sector, showing that changes in these resources influence various aspects of well-being that ultimately affect firm productivity and sustainability.