This study investigates the impact of fiber composition and fabric structure on the liquid absorption and retention performance during pressure of weft-knitted fabrics designed for reusable incontinence products. Twelve fabric samples, made from polyester, polyamide (6.6), and viscose, were knitted in two structures—1 × 1 interlock and 1 × 1 rib—with varying stitch lengths. Key parameters such as porosity, air permeability, liquid absorption capacity (LAC), and retention capacity during pressure (RCDP) were measured and analyzed. Results showed that viscose fabrics demonstrated superior LAC (up to 312%) and RCDP due to their high hydrophilicity, fiber swelling, and porosity. Polyester and polyamide had lower LAC, with polyester performing better due to higher porosity despite its hydrophobic nature. Increasing stitch length reduced fabric density and increased porosity and air permeability, thereby enhancing LAC but decreasing RCDP. Rib structures consistently exhibited higher LAC, while interlock structures offered better RCDP due to smaller, more uniform pores. The findings highlight the importance of optimizing the porous structure by altering knitting parameters and fabric structure to develop reusable absorbent textiles that balance high absorption and retention capacity during pressure.

The transport of moisture and liquid in fibrous assemblies, like yarns and fabrics, is crucial for thermophysiological comfort in functional textiles, including activewear, protective clothing, and health and hygiene products. Understanding these complex liquid transport processes has involved both standardized and non-standardized testing methods. One key tool, the Moisture Management Tester (MMT), was developed in 2002 to objectively measure moisture spreading and transfer between fabric surfaces. In 2009, the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) established Test Method 195, which uses the MMT to assess moisture management properties in textile fabrics. However, this standard primarily addresses clothing comfort by measuring basic moisture spread over time and distance.

In applications like patient support systems and incontinence products, moisture behavior differs: patient support systems involve slow application of small liquid quantities, while incontinence products handle larger fluid amounts applied at a rapid rate. These variations require tracking liquid movement in multiple directions. Wickview, a new system equipped with integrated cameras, uniquely captures and records video and images, measuring multidirectional liquid movement through fabrics or fabric layers. This work demonstrates Wickview's capabilities in evaluating applications such as patient support and incontinence products. With its comprehensive parameter measurements and visual tools for studying liquid transport, Wickview broadens the scope of quantitative machine measurements, offering enhanced insight into moisture and liquid dynamics across various textile applications.

Urinary incontinence is a widespread condition, particularly among middle-aged women and nearly half of individuals over the age of 70. Current management relies heavily on disposable absorbent products, which raise significant environmental concerns due to their fossil-based content and single-use nature. The development of sustainable, reusable alternatives is therefore of growing importance, particularly within material science and healthcare applications.

Unlike menstrual products, reusable solutions for urinary incontinence must accommodate the higher volume and lower viscosity of urine, which increases challenges related to leakage control and rewetting. In this study, a materials-driven approach was employed to address these challenges through systematic research into fiber selection, yarn engineering, and textile structure optimization.

A range of fiber types and yarn constructions were evaluated for their liquid management properties, including absorption capacity, wicking behavior, and retention under pressure. This led to the development of a novel multilayer textile architecture, designed to achieve efficient liquid penetration, rapid distribution, and long-term retention without the use of non-reusable superabsorbent polymers (SAPs). The resulting structure balances capillarity and storage capacity across layers, while minimizing rewetting to the surface.

The final demonstrator, a lightweight and flexible washable product, was assessed through laboratory tests and user trials against commercially available solutions, including one disposable and two reusable products. Results demonstrated that the new multilayer textile outperforms existing reusable products in both absorption and retention and approaches the performance of disposable products.

This research highlights the potential of fiber- and structure-level material innovations to enable sustainable, high-performance absorbent products, and lays the groundwork for further research to address products for heavier incontinence.

Medical textiles is a growing area due to the ageing population. With the increased number of ageing individuals, disorders like bedsores and incontinence are becoming more frequent. Individuals having limited mobility or being completely bedbound are supported by interfaces such as mattresses and cushions, so-called patient support surfaces. In these conditions pressure and shear forces can cause damage to the skin and soft tissues resulting chronic wound named pressure ulcers. 

As the world's population ages, the number of people with reduced mobility is increasing. Individuals with reduced mobility or who are completely bedridden are supported by mattresses and cushions, known as patient support surfaces. The purpose of these support surfaces is to reduce pressure and shear stress on the skin and underlying tissues to prevent pressure ulcers. Although mechanical forces are the primary cause of pressure ulcers, moisture is a critical but often overlooked factor that contributes to skin breakdown. Therefore, controlling humidity between the skin and the support surface is crucial to prevent pressure ulcers. This study investigates how knitted textiles can act as effective barriers for moisture management at the skin-support interface. The study focuses on knitted fabrics with varying yarn densities. These fabrics are evaluated using WickView, a promising machine-based testing method that does not yet have widespread documented use. Its advanced imaging system enables real-time visualization and measurement of moisture distribution across different textile surfaces. The study highlights the differences in transverse and in-plane wetting between the knitted fabrics as well as the advantages and limitations of WickView as a moisture management evaluation method. Findings from this work contribute to the development of medical textiles and support ongoing efforts in pressure ulcer prevention, with implications for both academic research and clinical practice.

This study aimed to develop an innovative recycling method for end-of-life polycotton textiles, eliminating the need for component separation. The use of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM][Ac]) as an ionic liquid solvent facilitated the dissolution of cotton, enabling the creation of a spinning dope containing cellulose and polyester fibers. Successful spinning of bicomponent fibers ensued, followed by comprehensive fiber evaluation. The dissolution of cotton was achieved with [EMIM][Ac], and spinning trials were conducted to devise a suitable method for regenerated cellulose. Tensile tests on the produced cellulosic fibers clearly demonstrated an increase in tensile strength with higher cellulose concentration. The introduction of polyester fibers to the spinning dope, comprising [EMIM][Ac] and cotton, posed challenges to the entire spinning process. Tensile tests on the resulting bicomponent fibers revealed a decrease in tensile strength compared to pure regenerated cellulose fibers. This reduction was attributed to increased voids and irregular polyester fiber distribution, corroborated by microscopy images and a wicking test. It was concluded that the quantity and length of polyester fibers significantly influenced the tensile strength of the bicomponent fibers, with lower concentrations and shorter fibers resulting in higher strength. 

This study reports the recycling of discarded denim textiles by the production of all-cellulose composites (ACCs). Discarded denim fabrics were shredded into fibers and then made into nonwoven fabrics by carding and needle punching. The produced nonwoven fabrics were converted to ACCs by one-step and two-step methods using an ionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate ([BMIM][Ac]). In this study, the effect of different ACC manufacturing methods, denim fabrics with different contents (a 100% cotton denim (CO) and a blend material (cotton, poly-ester and elastane (BCO)) and reusing of IL as a recycled cellulose solvent on the mechanical pro-perties of the formed ACCs were investigated. The ACCs were characterized according to their tensile and impact properties, as well as their void content. Microscopic analysis was carried out to study the morphology of a cross-section of the formed composites. The choice of the one-step method with recycled IL, pure IL or with a blend material (BCO) had no influence on the tensile properties. Instead, the result showed that the two-step method, with and without DMSO, will influence the E-modulus but not the tensile strength. Regarding the impact properties of the samples, the only factor likely to influence the impact energy was the one-step method with CO and BCO.

Nowadays, there is greater demand for greener materials in societies due to environmental consciousness, depleting fossil fuels and growing ecological concerns. Within the foreseeable future, industries and suppliers will be required to be more aware of challenges faced due to the availability of resources and use more sustainable and renewable raw materials. In this context, cellulose can be expected to become a vital resource for materials owing to its abundance, versatility as a biopolymer, several different forms and potential applications. Thus, all-cellulose composites (ACCs) have gained significant research interest in recent years. ACC is a class of biocomposites in which the matrix is a dissolved and regenerated cellulose, while the reinforcement is undissolved or partly dissolved cellulose. This review paper is intended to provide a brief outline of works that cover recent progress in the manufacturing and processing techniques for ACCs, various cellulose sources, solvents and antisolvents, as well as their properties.

This paper reports the recycling of end-of-life cellulose containing textiles by fabrication of all-cellulose composites (ACCs). Discharged denim fabrics were used as the reinforcement while dissolved cellulose from two different cellulose resources was used as the matrix phase. Virgin cotton fibres and recovered cotton from polyester/cotton (polycotton) waste fabrics were used to form the matrix phase. The process comprises preparing a 6 wt% cellulose solution by dissolving cellulose solution in a ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate ([BMIM][Ac]), this solution acted as a precursor for the matrix component. The denim fabrics were first embedded in the cellulose/IL solution followed by removal of the IL by washing to form the composite. The effect of reuse of the recovered IL by distillation was also investigated. The mechanical properties of the obtained ACCs were determined regarding tensile, impact and flexural properties. Fabricated ACC composite laminates were further characterised regarding structure by scanning electron microscopy.

Thermoplastic bio-composite have a higher potential of use based on the sustainability benefits. Natural fibres today are a popular choice for applications in biocomposite manufacturing. Hybrid yarns are a satisfactory solution to improve the fabrication of composites containing a thermoplastic matrix and plant-based fibres. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to produce bio-composites with superior mechanical properties, due to problematic impregnation and consolidation results during the production process. This paper investigates the processing parameters for the compression moulding of two different hemp/PLA textiles structure bio-composites (warp knitting and weaving structure). Finite element simulations are used to optimise the processing parameters (pressure, temperature, and time). The results demonstrated that the textile structure has a small effect on the time of production. Main while the pressure and temperature of processing parameters depend only on the type of matrix and the thickness of biocomposite has a big impact on the time of production.