Functionality in Women’s Shirting Fabric Design: The Role of Fiber Blends and Weave Structure on Performance

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effects of material and structural parameters on the performance of women’s shirting fabrics through a holistic approach. Within this scope, woven fabrics were produced in plain, twill, and satin constructions using 100% cotton and various cotton/polyester blended weft yarns. The mechanical (strength, elongation), physical (drape, air permeability, pilling), and comfort (moisture transfer, thermal conductivity, and thermal resistance) properties of the produced fabrics were analyzed according to international standard test methods.
The results demonstrated that fabric construction and fiber composition are decisive factors in performance. While plain-weave fabrics offered higher strength and structural stability, satin and twill fabrics exhibited superior drape, air permeability, and moisture transfer performance. An increase in polyester content was found to enhance tensile strength, elongation, and wrinkle resistance, while diminishing moisture transfer and thermal resistance. Fabrics with a high cotton content provided better insulation due to their higher thermal resistance. Furthermore, color fastness tests indicated that overall performance improved with increasing polyester ratio. In conclusion, it was determined that twill and plain constructions containing 50–75% polyester offer the most balanced performance in terms of mechanical durability, comfort, and ease of maintenance.
This research integrates multiple performance criteria within a unified framework. The originality lies in identifying optimal polyester blend ratios across different weave types, offering a balanced performance perspective that directly supports material selection and fabric design in textile engineering applications