Mechanical performance and sustainability of plied silk-waste yarns for outerwear

Šajn Gorjanc, Dunja (author)

The mechanical performance and sustainability of plied yarns produced from degummed silk waste were evaluated, with particular attention to their suitability for outerwear applications. Among the three silk waste types examined, Sample 1 (cocoon unwinding waste) possessed the finest and most uniform fibers (diameter 11.5–12 μm, fineness less than 1 dtex), establishing it as the preferred material for yarn production. Mechanical testing of machine-spun single, two-ply, and four-ply yarns indicated that two-ply yarns achieved a breaking stress approximately 40% higher than that of four-ply yarns. Additionally, two-ply yarns exhibited a higher modulus of elasticity and lower extension. The optimal yarn structure was identified as a two-ply yarn (component count: 34.2 tex; 638 turns per meter), which demonstrated the highest elastic recovery under cyclic loading up to 5% extension. Thermal shrinkage tests revealed that higher twist levels produced greater shrinkage, which is significant for post-processing stability. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the smoothness and uniformity of Sample 1 fibers, correlating with the enhanced mechanical properties observed in the yarns. In summary, two-ply silk-waste yarns derived from cocoon unwinding waste represent an effective and sustainable alternative for high-performance outerwear. Further research is recommended to assess the scalability of this process and the potential of other silk waste types for similar applications.

• Language: English
• Keywords: silk waste, ring yarn, 100% silk twisted yarn, mechanical properties
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 1-14
• Numbering: Vol. 56
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-184607
• UDC: 677
• ISSN on article: 1530-8057
• DOI: 10.1177/152808372614671
• COBISS.SI-ID: 284418819
• Publication date in RUL: 13.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of industrial textiles
• Shortened title: J. ind. text.
• Publisher: Technomic Pub. Co.
• ISSN: 1530-8057
• COBISS.SI-ID: 518289177

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: odpadki svile, obročna preja, 100-odstotna svilena sukana preja, mehanske lastnosti

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0213-2020
• Name: Tekstilije in ekologija