Development of Handloom Union Fabric from Ecofriendly Sisal Fibre and Characterization

Sisal, an environmentally friendly fibre, is one of the most commonly used natural fibre because it is cheaper, poses no health hazards, and provides a solution to environmental pollution. The present study investigates the development of eco-friendly handloom union fabric developed from sisal/cotton blended yarns and the effect of weave structure on the physio-mechanical properties of sisal/cotton union fabrics. Three different weaves, viz., plain, basket, and horizontal zig-zag twill, were prepared in handloom by using the 2/20 count cotton yarn as warp and the 12s count sisal/cotton (35/65) blended yarn as weft. The results inferred that handloom fabrics are more eco-friendly than power loom fabrics.Among all the three weaves the mechanical properties of the basket weave were found to be superior as compared to the plain weave and basket weaves. Basketweave had maximum bending length in the weft direction, which means it is stiffer than the other two weaves.