Cotton–Cork Blended Fabric: An Innovative and Sustainable Apparel Textile for the Fashion Industry

Abstract

Cotton is a preferred textile fiber for apparel textiles and is used primarily for summer wear. However, cotton has drawbacks, such as poor wrinkle resistance, and therefore, blends of cotton with other fibers have gained acceptance in the industry. In this study, a novel 90:10 cotton–cork blended fabric was studied for its physical and performance properties and benchmarked against a 100% cotton fabric. Fabric samples were analyzed to determine the wrinkle recovery angle, tenacity, abrasion resistance, shrinkage, CLO value, moisture absorption, and dyeability. The samples were further analyzed using SEM, DSC, and FTIR. The results showed significant differences between the two fabrics. Cotton–cork blended textile fabric had higher performance properties with the potential to be a viable, sustainable apparel textile.