1 Development of Herbal Finished Sweat Cap for Helmet with 100% Bamboo Knitted R. Malathy, Assistant Professor, Dr N.G.P. Arts and Science College, Coimbatore Dr. G. Manonmani, Research Supervisor/ Guide, Mother Theresa University, Kodaikanal ABSTRACT We the sixth sense people are different from the plants and animals by our intellectual asset but in no way distinct in let out the sweat from the body. This is to great extent is evidenced by the odor that emerges from the sweat. The notion that microscopic organism are the root for all infectious disease and odor, begun to take shape in the later centuries. Certain parts of the skin serve as rain forests for these microorganisms to act upon and thereafter topple people s sanitation. Regularly wearing a motorcycle helmet pulls on hairs, which over time may train the hair roots to move closer to the scalp surface. Due to sweating, dirt, food particles and air born bacteria getting rubbed into the helmet padding and breeding in the warm environment, it is possible that your scalp may become infected. If so it could impact on scalp health and even hair growth. The present study deals with By keeping this point in mind the present study deals with producing a multi functional finished bamboo knitted sweat cap for helmet and to evaluate the physical, chemical, mechanical and comfort properties of the sweat cap. Key Words Sweat Cap, Bamboo, Fenugreek, Finishes INTRODUCTION Regularly wearing a motorcycle helmet pulls on hairs, which over time may train the hair roots to move closer to the scalp surface. Due to sweating, dirt, food particles and air born bacteria getting rubbed into the helmet padding and breeding in the warm environment, it is possible that your scalp may become infected. If so it could impact on scalp health and even hair growth. We the sixth sense people are different from the plants and animals by our intellectual asset but in no way distinct in let out the sweat from the body. This is to great extent is evidenced by the odour that emerges from the sweat. The notion that micro organism are the root for all infectious disease and odour, begun to take shape in the later centuries. Certain parts of the skin serve as rain forests for these microorganisms to act upon and thereafter topple people s sanitation. Textile materials are of interest to everyone, for they play a most important part in civilized life. Textiles go to war, go to space, become roof, imitate a heart, and hold you safely in your seat and diaper babies. Textile materials are used in day to day life. Apart from clothing and human body, textiles have a wide variety of engineering applications such as pro tech, indu tech, build tech, mobile tech, geo tech, med tech and so on. The demand for antimicrobial finishes in the textile industry continues to rise as new products and applications are introduced consumers identify antimicrobial textiles with cleanliness and protection against microorganisms and have come to expect it in new textile products. In our environment there are several natural plants or animal products which contain antimicrobial properties that can be transferred onto the fabrics. Example Chitosan, sericin, neem extract, aloe vera, tea tree, eucalyptus oil, clove oil, onion skin, etc., The high consumer interest in antimicrobial textiles was considered worthwhile to study the antimicrobial properties of some selected natural herbs. By keeping this point in mind the present study deals with producing a multi functional finished bamboo knitted sweat cap for helmet and to evaluate the physical, chemical, mechanical and comfort properties of the sweat cap. MATERIALS AND METHODS Selection of fabric Single jersey fabric was selected for the study. It is the simplest form of filling structures. It is produced by the needles knitting as one set, drawing the loops away from the technical back towards the technical face side of the fabric. It is widely used since it is the fastest method of filling knitting and is made on the least complicated machine. 100% bamboo knitted single jersey fabric with 150 GSM and 40s Count is procured form the Ganapathy chettiar and Son, Tirupur. Selection of herbs Development of antimicrobial textile finish from plant species is a new approach to make the textile antimicrobial is incorporating the active principles of plant extracts with fabric. The different concentrations of ethanol extract of Fenugreek seeds produced inhibition zone against bacterial isolates. Fenugreek seeds and leaves have hair strengthening agent. Based on this review fenugreek is selected for the antimicrobial finish.
2 Selection of binder Citric acid is used to carry out ph adjustment and as a mortar retarding agent, replacement agent for more corrosive acids and textile finishing (www.stevens.edu) based on the antimicrobial finish the investigator selected citric acid as the suitable cross linking agent was selected as binding agent for this study. Preparation of fenugreek Fenugreek powder is soaked in ethanol for three days. After three days the ethanol was evaporated for the extraction of finishing agent. The extracted solution and water were taken in beaker at three different proportions 25, 50 and 75%. In this 75% shows good microbial activity in the pilot study. Hence it is chosen for this study. Pre-treatment of fabric The process of preparing the knitted fabric for further coloration and finishing are called pre treatment process. The finishing operations are mostly wet processes and they include bleaching. Bleaching Bleaching process is to impact perfect whiteness to the fabric by removing the natural coloring matters from the fabric. The grey knitted fabrics 100% cotton, 100% modal and cotton modal are subjected to scouring and bleaching using caustic soda and hydrogen peroxide in the same bath. The following recipe and procedure were adopted for imparting the finishes. Extraction of selected natural finishing agent The extraction can be carried out from natural finishing agent by aqueous, alkaline, acidic or alcoholic method. In this alkaline extraction shows good result. Fenugreek seeds were procured and powdered. This powder is mixed with ethanol in a beaker for 3 days. The beaker is left closed so that the ethanol takes in the active component of the seeds. After that the residue is settled down at the bottom of the beaker. Method of Finishing The 5 meters of 100% bleached bamboo knitted fabric were finished with the optimized above mentioned parameters. The extracted solution was poured inside the padding mangle. The fabric was passed inside the machine for 15 minutes. Then it is cured inside the dry oven for 15 minutes at 80 C for the good penetration of the finishing agent. Then the fabric was removed from the curing chamber the fabric was washed thoroughly and dried in the shade. SWEAT CAP CONSTRUCTION Selection of sample The success of the study depends on the careful selection of sample. for investigation is one in which some members of the population were selected and studied intensively. A sample is the part of the universe which are selected for the purpose of investigation. Nowadays teenage people hesitate to wear helmet. Investigator tried to improve the usage of helmet among college students and also people who live in and around Coimbatore. Considering the above point s investigator selected college going students, male and female of four different age group were selected for this study. 25 samples from both sexes at four different age groups were selected as a subject for wear study. Measurement Accurate body measurements are of vital importance for obtaining best results in cloth construction. Measurements of different age group has taken and standardised. Three different sizes S, M, L four different set of age group 18-25, 26-33, 34-41, 41 and Above and for two different genders (Male and Female) were standardised and pattern was drafted according to the standardised measurement. Pattern Making Pattern making involves the design and creation of templates from which clothing and craft items can be sewn. Patterns are made of pieces of paper shapes that are traced onto the fabric to be cut, with each individual pattern piece serving as a form for an individual part of the garment or item to be sewn. Pattern making can be done at home by more experienced sewers, or pre-made patterns can be purchased for home sewing projects. Following procedure is used for drafting sweat cap. Method of Drafting A-B= ½ A+2 B-C= ½ B+2 C-D= ½ A Join A-B, B-C and C-D Shape A-D Construction Antimicrobial finished bamboo fabric was cut according to the standardised measurement and the above said procedure. After cutting the fabric join the two pieces of fabric in the shape. Finish the bottom with quarter inch elastic. RESULT AND DISCUSSION To evaluate the impact of finish given to sweat cap let the selected samples wear it daily for 10 days while driving. After that sweat cap was tested with the following methods.
3 Absorbency Absorbency (Drop test) has increased upto 61.46 % in finished sample (Figure I). Statistically proven that there was a significant difference between bleached and finished sample. Time taken to absorb a drop of water is decreased. Thus it can be concluded that the absorbency is increased after bleaching and finishing. Absorbency (Sinking Test) of finished sample has increased upto 36.144 % when compared to other sample (Figure -II). Statistically proven that there was a significant difference between bleached and finished sample. Time taken to absorb a drop of water is decreased. Thus it can be concluded that the absorbency is increased after bleaching and finishing. Absorbency (Capillary Rise Test) of finished sample has increased upto 32.9 % when compared to other sample (Figure - III). Statistically proven that there was a significant difference between bleached and finished sample. Time taken to absorb water in capillary rise is DROP TEST decreased. Thus it can be concluded that the absorbency is increased after bleaching and finishing. Anti-bacterial Assessment of the Finished by (AATCC 147) The results showed that the ethanol extract of fenugreek seeds had the antibacterial activity. Ethanol extract of Fenugreek seeds produced inhibition zone against bacterial isolates; Staphylococcus aureus was sensitive to ethanol. The difference between grey sample, bleached sample and finished sample for antibacterial test is given in plate I. The result of agar diffusion test of antimicrobial effectiveness against standard test showed excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Organisms show stronger activity in treated sample. It shows the good inhibition zone. From the plate I it can be concluded that the antimicrobial effect on bamboo fabric shows good inhibition zone, because of the deposit of finishing agent. SINKING TEST 3 2 1 0 Grey Bleached Finished 4 2 0 Grey Bleached Finshed Figure I Figure II CAPILLARY RISE TEST 150 100 50 0 Grey Bleached Finished Figure III Plate I Subjective Evaluation Wearer s showed more interest to wear antimicrobial treated sweat cap. Regarding the wearers opinion the sweat cap had given cool and fresh feel while wearing under the helmet. It eliminates the perspiration, smell and also they are having no skin irritation or allergy due to the finish and perspiration reaction. In visual evaluation most of the judges said that the finished fabric was very good in general
4 appearance, evenness of finishing, texture, colour variation, lustre and good appearance after laundering, good retention of fabric after finishing. (Figure IV - X ) GENERAL APPEARANCE OF FINISHED SAMPLE EVENESS OF FINISHING EVEN Good Fair Poor PARTIALLY EVEN Uneven Figure IV TEXTURE Figure V BRILLIENCY OF COLOUR Soft Medium Complete change Slight change Figure VI LUSTURE Figure VII APPEARANCE OF LAUNDERING High Medium Good Fair Poor Figure VIII Figure IX
5 RETENTION OF FABRIC AFTER FINISHING Good Fair Poor WEAR STUDY Figure X
6 CONCLUSION From this study it was concluded the fenugreek seed powder shows good antimicrobial activity and cool effect. It shows good microbe resistant which are non toxic, non allergic, non skin irritation and also eco friendly when applied to bamboo fabric by evaluating them through agar diffusion test. There was increase in fabric weight, thickness, bursting strength, stiffness and absorbency. There was decrease in fabric count, abrasion, drapability. Its has good general appearance, evenness in finishing, texture, appearance after laundering and retention of fabric. It also has there was a slight change in the colour and lustre in the finished fabric. REFERENCES [1] Haripriya, R., and Giri Dev V.R., 2012, Clothing as a Defence Against Odour Based Sweat, Asian Textile Journal, November, Vol. 21. P. 73-76. [2] http://www.nicehair.org/hair-loss-causes/doeswearing-a-motorcycle-helmet-cause-hairloss#sthash.7d9zwguw.dpuf [3] Nazan Erdumlu and Bulent Ozipek, 2008, Investigation of Regenerated Bamboo Fibre and Yarn Characteristics, Journal of Fibres & Textiles in Eastern Europe, Vol. 16, No. 4 (69) P. 43-37. [4] Sudiptha S. Manish, Patra A. K. and Rashmi Thakur, 2012, Functional Properties of Bamboo/Polyester Blended Knitted Apparel s, Indian Journal of Fibre and Textile Research, September, Vol. 37, P. 231-127.