EFFECTS OF SHEATH FIBER CHARACTERISTICS ON CORE-SPUN YARN PERFORMANCE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Core-spun yarns combine continuous filament cores with staple fiber sheaths, offering superior mechanical properties for textile applications. This study investigates how sheath fiber characteristics influence key yarn quality parameters. Three cotton types with varying length and fineness (Cotton A: 20 mm/4.5 Micronaire, Cotton B: 26 mm/3.8 Micronaire, Cotton C: 32 mm/3.2 Micronaire) were used as sheaths on 75-denier polyester cores. Testing revealed that long, fine fibers (Cotton C) achieved the best performance: tensile strength 28.5 cN/tex, hairiness S3=3.2, evenness CV%=9.5, and abrasion resistance 16,800 cycles. Short, coarse fibers (Cotton A) showed inferior results: 22.1 cN/tex, S3=5.8, CV%=12.3, and 11,500 cycles. Long fibers enhance inter-fiber cohesion and anchoring efficiency, while fine fibers improve packing density and surface smoothness. Optimal sheath parameters are length ≥32 mm, fineness ≤3.2 Micronaire, strength ≥28 cN/tex, with high uniformity. These findings provide practical guidance for manufacturers selecting sheath fibers for high-quality core-spun yarn production.