A new study suggests applying certain cutting and sewing methods during the fashion manufacturing process can significantly reduce the amount of microfibres released when the garments are washed.
According to the study “Impact of sewing on microfiber release from polyester fabric during laundry,” the microfibre release of clothing can be reduced by up to 20 times utilising laser and ultrasonic cutting techniques. This is in comparison to using traditional scissor-cut edges.
The study examined how knitted textiles are cut and sewn and how this affects the release of microfibers from clothing during washing.
When comparing the various stitch types, it was found that the overlock stitch type shed less than the flatlock stitch and single needle lockstitch. The study’s findings also indicated that using more needles enhances the emission of microfibres in the same stitch type’s various stitch variations.
The research reported, the 4-thread overlock stitch (two needles) emits 45.27 per cent more microfibers than the 3-thread stitch (one needle). In addition, the proposed edge finishing seam (EFb), which completely encloses the edges, was successful in eliminating 93 per cent of microfibre release in the trial.
The study took thread density into account and found that both the single needle lockstitch and flatlock stitch, greater stitch density decreased microfibre release. But the overlock stitch showed a different pattern, which the authors note requires more investigation in the future.
