Studies on the Moisture Management Characteristics of Spunlace Nonwoven Fabric Študij lastnosti prenosa vlage skozi vlaknovine, utrjene z vodnim curkom

Liquid moisture transfer, sweat absorbency and sweat drying in clothing have a signifi cant infl uence on the wearer’s perception. Moisture management is one of the key performance criteria in determining the comfort level of fabric. It is thus important to study the moisture management characteristics of spunlace nonwoven fabric to investigate the possibility of its use in apparel. In the present study, spunlace nonwoven fabrics were produced by varying waterjet pressure, delivery speed, web mass and web composition. The eff ect of diff erent parameters on various properties of the moisture management tester was studied using a response surface methodology with backward elimination. The statistical analysis showed that web composition aff ected all parameters of the moisture management tester. Waterjet pressure and web mass do not have a signifi cant eff ect on wetting time (top), absorption rate (bottom) and one-way transport capability. The eff ect of delivery speed was not found to be signifi cant. The overall moisture management coeffi cient of all nonwoven fabrics studied was found to be very good. An increase in web mass resulted in a decrease in the overall moisture management coeffi cient value of nonwoven fabric, which can be halted by using higher waterjet pressure and through the proper selection of web composition. Nonwoven fabric with either 100% viscose or 50% polyester/50% viscose blended composition, with higher waterjet pressure and higher web mass, was found to be suitable for the apparel industry.


Introduction
Moisture regulation is one of the key performance parameters in today's apparel industry. e microclimate between the skin and clothing should be thermally stable via moisture management, [1] and has a signi cant e ect on the thermo-physiological comfort of the human body [2]. Moisture vapour transfer and liquid moisture transfer (sweat absorbency and sweat drying) in clothing plays an important role in the wearer's perception. Moisture management fabric should transfer sweat in vapour moisture form when the body is motionless and should allow liquid moisture to be drawn o to the outer surface to evaporate when the body is working [3]. e multidimensional moisture transport property of a fabric is generally referred to as moisture management characteristics [4]. Fibre-liquid interaction a ects the moisture management of fabric [5]. Fibre-liquid interaction phenomena depend on the surface tension and pore diameter/porosity of a fabric [6−7]. Because the transfer of heat and moisture through fabric is vital for designing clothing for speci c uses, [8] many theoretical and experimental studies have been conducted to understand the moisture transport phenomenon for both woven and knitted structures. Very few studies, [9−12] however, have discussed the moisture transport characteristics of nonwoven fabrics. Nonwoven fabrics are engineered fabrics that today are used almost everywhere. Spunlace nonwoven fabric is the most promising technology for the production of fabric used extensively in the apparel industry, on account of its good handling and tensile properties. Its structure also o ers good structural integrity and is comparable to other nonwoven products. Spunlacing (hydroentanglement) is a mechanical type of bonding that uses high-speed jets of water to strike a web, so that bres knot about one another [13]. e physical characteristics of hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics, such as so ness, exible handling, high drape and bulk, conformability and high strength without binders and good delamination resistance, make it unique among all other types of nonwoven fabrics. Applications of this fabric include bacteria-proof clothing, wet wipes and as interlining fabric [14]. Recent research also suggests the application of spunlace nonwoven fabrics in fashion apparel [15][16]. Application in the apparel industry, however, requires the careful study of thermal and moisture transmission characteristics. Limited reports in this regard are available.
Hajiani et al. [17] studied the absorbency behaviour of spunlace nonwoven fabrics produced at varying water jet pressures and di erent basic fabric weight. Increased jet pressure was reported to increase mass density, while water retention and permeability were reduced. Berkalp [18] studied the air permeability and porosity of spunlace nonwoven fabric, but did not discuss moisture transfer. He stated that the pore structure of nonwoven fabric a ects various comfort properties, such as thermal conductivity and air permeability. e pores inside nonwoven fabrics are highly complex in terms of size, shape and capillary geometry [19]. Knowledge of pore size distribution is essential for understanding transport phenomena, particularly in a porous structure such as nonwoven fabric [20]. e absorption and spreading of uid can be engineered by controlling the pore con gurations of the substrate, [11,21] while studies of the moisture and heat transfer characteristics of light nonwoven fabric have reported that a blend with hydrophobic bre has a favourable e ect on the drying behaviour of fabric. Ahmad et al. developed a hydroentangled fabric using comber noil and reported that waterjet pressure and conveyor speed (delivery speed) a ect the moisture management properties of fabric [12]. e moisture transport characteristics of a fabric can be a ected by any of the following parameters: (i) the nature and quantity of each constituent bre; (ii) the structural parameters of fabric (which dene the uid ow passage geometry, i.e. pore size and the distribution thereof); (iii) the mass and thickness of the material; and/or (iv) structural or surface modi cation through mechanical or chemical treatment. An attempt has been made in this study to investigate the e ect of di erent material and process parameters of spunlace nonwoven fabric on the moisture management characteristics thereof.

Materials
Twenty-seven spunlaced nonwoven fabrics were produced from cross-laid carded web by varying water pressure, delivery rate, web composition and web mass, using a Box-Behnken experimental design. Viscose (38 mm, 1.4 dtex) and polyester (38 mm, 1.4 dtex) bres were used in the study. Two bres with signicantly di erent moisture absorption characteristics PET a) 50PET/50CV b) CV c) a) Hereinafter, the abbreviation PET is used for 100% PET. b) Hereinafter, the abbreviation 50PET/50CV is used for a 50% PET/50% viscose blend. c) Hereinafter, the abbreviation CV is used for 100% viscose. were chosen to study the transport behaviour of moisture through the structure, in particular when using a blend of the two bres. e corresponding values of di erent levels of the above-mentioned factors are presented in Table 1. e bre/ bre blends were rst opened and carded using a stationary at card. A bimodal bre orientation in the web was achieved using a cross-lapper. A pilotscale hydroentangling machine was used to produce fabric as per the required setting based on the Box-Behnken design. e machine was set-up with the following values: ori ce discharge coe cient = 0.7, ori ce diameter = 0.127 mm, number of jets/m = 1600 and pre-wetting pressure = 50 bars. e nozzle type, nozzle geometry and all other parameters were kept same for all samples. Various physical parameters were measured using standard methods for all nonwoven fabrics that were produced according to the Box-Behnken design [22]. Mean fabric weight, mean fabric thickness and mean pore diameter is presented in Table 2.

Methods
e moisture management behaviour of the fabrics was accurately and objectively measured on an SDL-ATLAS M290 moisture management tester according to the AATCC Test Method 195 [23]. A 5 cm x 5 cm fabric specimen was used in the tester. A certain known volume of a prede ned test solution was then put on the top surface of the fabric (i.e. the side of the fabric in contact with skin). e saline solution transferred in three directions a er being placed on the top surface of the specimen. e aforementioned instrument was integrated with a computer via moisture management so ware that records changes in resistance due to the solution, which can conduct electricity. Changes in the electrical resistance of specimens were measured and recorded during the test. According to the AATCC Test Method 195-2012 [23], the indices are graded and converted from a value to a grade based on a ve-grade scale. Table 3 presents the range of values converted into grades. Finally, the moisture management tester classi ed the tested fabric into seven categories according to their properties, as presented in Table 4 [24]. Before conducting the test, all fabric samples were rst conditioned in a tropical atmosphere of 27 °C ± 2 °C and 65% ± 2% relative humidity. For each sample of the Box-Behnken design, een samples were tested to minimise the coe cient of variation (%). Minitab 17 so ware was used for statistical analysis. An analysis of variance was carried out on responses corresponding to the Box-Behnken design, with the aim of examining the e ect and contribution of different factors, at a 95% con dence level.

Results and discussion
Moisture management properties of spunlace nonwoven fabrics Moisture transport through the nonwoven fabrics was experimentally determined using a moisture management tester. e results are presented in Table 5.

Wetting time
Wetting time is de ned as the time in seconds when the slope of total water contents at the top and bottom surfaces become greater than tan (15°), the specimen begins to be wetted. Wetting time can be compared with the absorbency drop test speci ed in AATCC 79. e basic unit of any textile structure is bre. Generally, the wetting time on the top surface of any fabric is a ected by its composition, in addition to the structural arrangement of the bre it contains. e wetting of the surface is also a ected by the interaction between the liquid and the bre that makes up the fabric. e contact angle between the bre and the liquid a ects the transportation of liquid in both directions, i.e. horizontally and vertically. Hence, a bre with lower interfacial energy/surface lassi cation of type of fabric tension should support wetting. e bre-liquid molecular attraction on the surface of brous assemblies dictates the ow of moisture through a textile fabric. e surface tension and dimensional parameters of pores in porous media are the main parameters that a ect this bre-liquid interaction [2,6]. A statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) using a backward elimination technique showed that the web composition has a signi cant e ect on the wetting time on the top surface, while the e ect of waterjet pressure, web mass and delivery speed was found to be insigni cant at a 95% con dence interval (Table 6). e response surface equation in coded units for the mean top wetting time is given in equation (1)  (1) e e ect of web composition on mean wetting time is shown in Figure 1 using equation 1. It is evident from Figure 1 that the experimental data for top wetting time is tted to a second order polynomial equation. It is also evident from Figure 1 that and increase in CV content reduces mean wetting time. e surface tension of PET is higher than that of CV for water, while the mean pore diameter of PET nonwoven fabric is higher than that of CV nonwoven fabric. A higher surface tension and higher pore diameter impede the wetting of fabric surface. Hence, the wetting time on the top surface of PET nonwoven fabric is signi cantly higher than that of CV fabric and 50PET/50CV blended nonwoven fabric (Figure 1). In the case of blended nonwoven fabric, the properties of individual bres a ect wetting behaviour. e presence of CV expedites the wetting process. Hence, the 50PET/50CV blended fabric demonstrates a lower wetting time on the top surface than the PET nonwoven fabric. e wetting time on the bottom surface was expected to be a ected by the ability of the structure to transport liquid. e pore diameter is used to a ect wicking in any textile structure. e pore diameter of spunlace nonwoven fabric depends on waterjet pressure, web weight and web composition. Hence, the wetting time on the bottom surface should be a ected by a change in these parameters. e results (Table  5) indicate the wetting time of the bottom surfaces is generally higher than the top surfaces for all fabrics.   Table 7. It is evident from e e ect of waterjet pressure, web mass and web composition on the mean wetting time on the bottom surface is shown in Figure 2 using equation 2. It is evident from Figure 2 that PET nonwoven fabric demonstrates a higher bottom wetting time than CV fabric. is is due to the smaller pore diameter and lower fabric thickness of CV nonwoven fabric compared to PET nonwoven fabric [22]. Hence, a decrease in pore diameter and lower thickness leads to better wicking in CV-based nonwoven fabric. It is evident from Figure 2 that the wetting time on the bottom surface is lower in 50PET/50CV blended nonwoven fabric than in PET and CV shows that the percentage contribution of web composition is 90%. It is also evident from Figure 2 that an increase in web mass increases the mean wetting time on the bottom surface. An increase in web mass results in a higher number of water absorbing sites at a molecular level, which delays the wicking phenomenon, despite a lower pore diameter. e mean wetting time on the bottom surface also depends on waterjet pressure, as shown in Table 7. It is evident from Figure 2 that an increase in waterjet pressure decreases mean wetting time on the bottom surface. An increase in waterjet pressure leads to a decrease in the mean pore diameter and thickness of fabric, [22] which supports the wicking phenomena. Hence, a higher wicking rate reduces the wetting time on the bottom surface. A er the conversion of wetting time values into grades (Table 3), it is evident that nonwoven fabric made of PET, 50PET/50CV and CV exhibits slow (grade 2), medium (grade 3) and fast (grade 4) wetting behaviour on the top surface, and medium (grade 3), medium (grade 3) and fast (grade 4) wetting behaviour on the bottom surface, respectively.

Absorption rate
e absorption of liquid by a textile substrate indicates the degree of transfer of liquid on its surface. e absorption of liquid by a fabric depends on the type of bre, fabric structure and openness in the structure. e absorption rate on the top surface of all spunlace nonwoven fabric samples is presented in Table 5. An ANOVA of the mean absorption rate is presented in Table 8. It is evident from e e ect of waterjet pressure, web mass and web composition on the mean absorption rate on the top surface is shown in Figure 3 using equation 3. It is evident from Figure 3 that an increase in waterjet pressure decreases the mean absorption rate on the top surface. is is due to a decrease in fabric thickness, which results in the compactness of the structure at a higher waterjet pressure [22]. Waterjet pressure is a signi cant parameter for the mean absorption rate on the top surface, as its percentage contribution is more than 10%. e mean absorption rate (%) on the top surface for CV nonwoven fabric is higher than that of PET nonwoven fabric due to the presence of a higher number of hydrophilic sites in the CV nonwoven fabric. e mean absorption rate (%) is higher in 50PET/50CV blended nonwoven fabric than in CV nonwoven fabric (Figure 3). CV nonwoven fabric has good absorbency due to its hydrophilic CVbre. However, it forms a strong bond with the absorbing group of bre molecules due to its high afnity to water when water molecules in the capillary ow reach a smaller diameter. is impedes the capillary ow along the channel formed by the bre surface, leading to a decrease in the mean absorption rate. In the 50PET/50CV blend, the PET bre helps in the wicking of moisture/water being absorbed by CV bre, resulting in a higher mean absorption rate. e e ect of web mass on the mean absorption rate is also shown in Figure 3. It is evident that the mean absorption rate for 50 g/m 2 is higher than that for 150 g/m 2 . is di erence in the mean absorption rate was statistically signi cant. Nonwoven fabric at a lower web mass demonstrates a higher absorption rate because a fabric with a lower mass is more porous (high pore diameter), which helps in the absorption of moisture at faster rate, while at higher web mass, a compact structure with a smaller pore diameter results in a lower absorption rate.  Figure 4. It is evident from Figure 4 that at a low web mass, an increase in waterjet pressure increases the mean absorption rate due to a more open structure. e openness of the structure becomes more prominent at a high waterjet pressure and low web mass due to the grouping of bres. Similarly, a higher web mass and low waterjet pressure result in an increase in the mean absorption rate due to the reduced binding of bres. A higher web mass and high waterjet pressure lead to a compacted structure, resulting in a decrease in the mean absorption rate. e mean absorption rate on the bottom surface plays an important role in the moisture management behaviour of any textile structure. A textile structure with a higher bottom surface absorption rate helps to transfer the moisture in the environment, which is wicked through the structure. e mean absorption rate on the bottom surface of spunlace nonwoven fabric samples are presented in Table 5. An ANOVA of the mean absorption rate on the bottom surface is presented in Table 9. It is evident from Table 9 that only web composition has a signi cant e ect on the mean absorption rate on the bottom surface. e response surface equation in coded units for the mean bottom wetting time is given in equation 4 with a R 2 value of 0.8002.
Bottom absorption rate = 104.7-106.8X 4 -66.8X 4 2 (4) e e ect of web composition on the mean absorption rate on the bottom surface is shown in Figure 5 using equation 4. It is evident from Figure 5 that PET nonwoven fabric demonstrates a signi cantly higher bottom absorption rate than CV nonwoven fabric. An increase in the CV content in a nonwoven structure leads to an increase in the absorption rate on the top surface. Due to its high a nity to water molecules, however, the CV nonwoven fabric results in the formation of a strong bond between those molecules, which inhibits the capillary ow across the structure, causing a decrease in the absorption rate on the bottom surface. A er the conversion of absorption values into grades (Table 3), PET nonwoven fabric demonstrates a slow absorption rate (grade 2) on the top surface and a very fast absorption rate on the bottom surface (grade 5), while CV nonwoven fabric demonstrates a medium/fast absorption rate (grade 3/4) on the top surface and a medium/slow absorption rate on the bottom surface (grade 3/2). e 50PET/50CV blend exhibited an optimum absorption rate on both

Wetted radius
e value of the wetted radius demonstrates the extent of water spread on a textile structure. e wetted radius is directly related to the drying behaviour of a fabric. e value of the wetted radius should be a ected by the web composition and web mass of a textile structure. e values of the top surface wetted radius are presented in Table 5. An ANOVA of the mean wetted radius (mm) on the top surface is presented in    Figure 6 using equation 5. It is evident from Figure 6 that an increase in CV content results in an increases in the mean wetted radius on the top surface. When a liquid droplet is introduced on the surface, absorption by the CV component presumably begins before the start of wicking. is facilitates the spreading of moisture. Hence, the mean wetted radius on the top surface increases. e percentage contribution of web composition to the mean wetted radius on the top surface is around 61.92%. e e ect of web mass on the mean wetted radius on the top surface is shown in Figure 6. It can be concluded that an increase in web mass results in a decrease in the mean wetted radius. is is due to an increase in the number of absorptions sites as web mass increases. e percentage contribution of web mass to the mean wetted radius (top surface) is around 12%. e e ect of waterjet pressure on the mean wetted radius on the top surface is shown in Figure 6. It is evident that an increase in waterjet pressure results in an increase in the mean wetted radius on the top surface. Waterjet pressure leads to a more compact structure that better supports the spreading of moisture compared with wicking and/or absorption. e percentage contribution of waterjet pressure to the mean wetted radius (top surface) is around 6%. e mean wetted radius on the bottom surface demonstrates how well moisture dissipates to the outer environment. e higher the mean bottom wetted radius, the better the moisture dissipation to the environment. e value of the bottom surface wetted radius is presented in Table 5. An ANOVA is also presented in Table 11. It is evident that, besides delivery speed, all other factors have a signi cant effect on the mean value of the bottom wetted radius. e response surface equation in coded units for mean bottom wetted radius is given in equation 6 with an R 2 value of 0.8728.
Ton wetted radius = 20.971 + 4.166X 1 -4.12X 1 2 --2.917X 3 + 7.36X 4 -6.41X 4 2 (6) e e ect of signi cant factors on the mean top wetted radius is shown in Figure 7 using equation 6. It is evident from Figure 7 that PET nonwoven fabric has a smaller wetted radius on the bottom surface than CV nonwoven fabric. is is the result of higher moisture wicking than absorbency in PET nonwoven fabric, while an increase in the CV content results in an increase in the mean wetted radius on the bottom surface. is is due to the hydrophilic nature of CV bre. Absorption by CV fabric appears to be predominant, while the bottom wetting radius increases as the quantity of CV bre is increased. e percentage contribution of web composition to the mean wetted radius on the bottom surface is around 60%. e e ect of waterjet pressure on the mean bottom wetted radius is shown in Figure 7. It is evident that an increase in waterjet pressure results in an increase in the mean wetted radius on the bottom surface. When waterjet pressure is increased, the structure consolidates and the pore size is reduced with a reduction in fabric thickness. e lower diameter of capillary ow facilitates wicking. Hence, moisture transmission from the top surface is faster. is wicked moisture is di used faster than additional wicking [25] due to the compactness of the structure. is leads to an increase in the bottom wetted radius. e percentage contribution of waterjet pressure to the mean wetted radius (top surface) is around 17%. e e ect of web mass on the mean bottom wetted radius is shown in Figure 7. It is evident that an increase in the web mass results in a decrease in the mean bottom wetted radius. An increase in the number of absorption sites through an increase in web mass leads to a reduction in the openness of the structure, which in turn results in an increase in the mean wetted radius. e percentage contribution of web mass to the mean wetted radius (top surface) is around 6%. A er the conversion of wetted radius values into grades (Table 3), PET nonwoven fabric demonstrates a minimum wetted radius (grade 1) on both the top and bottom surfaces. CV nonwoven fabric demonstrates a good wetted radius (grade 4) on both the top and bottom surfaces, while the 50PET/50CV blend exhibits the best wetted radius on both the top surface and bottom surface.

Spreading speed
e spreading speed of moisture/liquid on a textile substrate indicates the degree of moisture dispersion in a fabric. e spreading speed of moisture/liquid in a fabric depends on the type of bre, fabric structure and openness of the structure (pore size). e spreading speed of moisture on the top surface of all spunlace nonwoven fabric samples is presented in Table 5. An ANOVA of the mean wetted radius (mm) on the top surface is presented in Table 12. e response surface equation in coded units for the mean spreading speed on the top surface is given in equation 7 with a R 2 value of 0.7238.
Top spreading speed = 3.245 + 0.769X 1 -1.057X 1 2 --1.276X 3 + 1.542X 4 -1.35X 4 2 (7) e e ect of signi cant factors on the mean spreading speed on the top surface is shown in Figure 8 using equation 7. It is evident from Figure 8 that an increase in CV content results in an increase in the mean spreading speed.
is is due to the higher mean wetted radius on the top surface with a higher CV content, while the hygroscopic nature of CV nonwoven fabric leads to a higher top spreading speed. e percentage contribution of web composition to the mean spreading speed on the top surface is around 40%.  Figure 8. It is evident that an increase in waterjet pressure results in an increase in the mean spreading speed on the top surface. e higher spreading speed on the top surface is due to a higher mean wetted radius at a higher waterjet pressure. e percentage contribution of waterjet pressure to the top spreading speed is around 10%. e e ect of web mass on the mean spreading speed on the top surface is shown in Figure 8. It can be concluded that an increase in web mass results in a decrease in the mean wetted radius on the top surface. Hence, there is decrease in the mean top spreading speed. e percentage contribution of web mass to the top spreading speed is around 20%. e bottom spreading speed is more important in the moisture management of textile fabrics. A higher   Table 5. An ANOVA analysis of the bottom spreading speed is presented in Table 13. e response surface equation in coded units for the mean spreading speed on the bottom surface is given in equation 8 with a R 2 value of 0.8358.
Bottom spreading speed = 3.816 + 1.053X 1 -1.047X 1 2 --0.833X 3 + 1.509X 4 -1.368X 4 2 (8) e e ect of signi cant factors on the mean spreading speed on the bottom surface is shown in Figure  9 using equation 8. It is evident from Figure 9 that an increase in CV content results in an increase in the mean bottom spreading speed, although a smaller bottom wetted radius was recorded. is is due to the higher moisture absorbency of CV nonwoven fabric compared to PET nonwoven fabric, which induces a high absorption speed with a high spreading speed on the top surface. e higher spreading speed on the top surface and a low wetting time on   Figure 9. e mean bottom spreading speed was found to increase with an increase in waterjet pressure. It was previously found that increased waterjet pressure results in an increase in the mean bottom wetted radius (section 3.3). Hence, there is an increase in the mean bottom spreading speed. e percentage contribution of waterjet pressure to the mean bottom spreading speed is around 22%. e e ect of web mass on the mean spreading speed on the top surface is shown in Figure 9. It can be concluded that an increase in web mass results in a decrease in the mean wetted radius on the bottom surface. Hence, there is a decrease in the mean spreading speed. e percentage contribution of web mass to the mean bottom spreading speed is around 10%. A er the conversion of the mean spreading speed into grades (Table 3), PET nonwoven fabric demonstrates a very slow spreading speed (grade 1/2) on the top and bottom surfaces. CV nonwoven fabric demonstrates a fast spreading speed (grade 4) on the top and bottom surfaces, while the 50PET/50CV blend also exhibits a medium to fast spreading speed (grade 2/3) on both the top and bottom surfaces.

One-way transport capability
One-way transport capability is the di erence between the amount of liquid moisture content on the top and bottom surfaces of a specimen with respect to time. A positive OWTC value means a higher amount of moisture is transferred from the inner surface to the outer surface of a garment. e oneway transport capability of all fabrics is presented in Table 5. An ANOVA analysis of the mean OWTC is presented in Table 14. It is evident that only web composition has a signi cant e ect on the OWTC of spunlace nonwoven fabric. e response surface equation in coded units for the mean OWTC is given in equation 9 with a R 2 value of 0.7325. OWTC = 428.6 -249.3X 4 -181.2X 4 2 (9) e e ect of web composition on the mean OWTC is shown in Figure 10 using equation 9. It is evident from Figure 10 that OWTC is higher for PET fabrics  than for CV-based nonwoven fabrics. is can be attributed to the hydrophobic nature of PET, which results in the reduced absorption of liquid, and a smaller wetted radius and spreading speed on the top surface. Hence, the PET nonwoven fabric supports the wicking phenomenon, despite a higher pore diameter, resulting in a higher OWTC. All nonwoven structures demonstrate a fair to very good one-way transport index/capability on the grading scale (Table 3). PET nonwoven fabric demonstrates a very good to excellent one-way transport index, while CV nonwoven fabric and 50PET/50CV blended nonwoven fabric demonstrate good oneway transport behaviour.

Overall moisture management coeffi cient
e overall moisture management coe cient is an index of the overall capability of a fabric to transport liquid moisture in multiple directions. A higher OMMC value indicates that a fabric can handle moisture better. e OMMC of all fabrics is presented in Table 5, with the classi cation of fabric type based on Table 4. An ANOVA of the mean OMMC is presented in e e ect of signi cant factors on the mean OMMC is shown in Figure 11 using equation 10. It is evident from Figure 11 that the overall moisture management coe cient (OMMC) is higher for CVbased fabrics than for PET-based nonwoven fabrics.
is is because the smaller pore diameter of CV nonwoven fabric exhibits a smaller wetting time (top and bottom surfaces) with a higher spreading speed and higher wetted radius. ese factors together contribute to the absorption, transportation and dispersion of moisture in the structure. Although PET-based nonwoven fabric also demonstrates at good OMMC value due to better one-way transport capability, which helps moisture move through a fabric, its lack of moisture dispersion capacity in the structure leads to the accumulation of moisture in one place. 50PET/50CV blended nonwoven fabric demonstrates a very good transport capability in the presence of PET bres and better moisture absorption and dispersion due to CVbres. Hence, the 50PET/50CV blended nonwoven fabric is better than the CV and PET nonwoven fabrics in terms of overall moisture management ( Figure 11). It is evident from Figure 11 that the overall moisture management coe cient (OMMC) decreases with an increase in web mass. A higher wetting time and smaller wetted radius hinder moisture absorption and dispersion. e e ect of web mass is negative on the mean OMMC value. Nevertheless, all fabrics exhibited a very good to excellent OMMC value. It is evident from Figure 11 that OMMC increases with an increase in waterjet pressure. is is because the higher relative frequency of the smaller pore diameter [22] at a higher waterjet pressure helps in the wicking phenomenon. Moreover, a smaller wetting time and higher wetted radius at a higher waterjet pressure help in proper moisture absorption and dispersion.

Conclusion
is study encompasses the performance of spunlace nonwoven fabrics for moisture management behaviour. It also explains the e ect of di erent processing parameters on moisture management in spunlace nonwoven fabrics. is experimental study reinforces the fact that web composition is a major factor in determining the comfort of fabric in terms of moisture management. It has a signi cant e ect on all attributes of the moisture management tester. e PET nonwoven fabric was seen as a water penetration fabric due to the hydrophobic nature of PET, which supports liquid/ moisture wicking at a minimal absorption rate and spreading speed. e CV nonwoven fabric was found to exhibit excellent moisture management behaviour. e hydrophilic nature of CVbre facilitates a high rate of absorption with a smaller wetting time, while a higher OWTC due to the smaller pore diameter leads to a higher bottom spreading speed and higher bottom wetted radius, resulting in the moisture management of the fabric. e 50PET/50CV blended nonwoven fabric was also shown to be a moisture management fabric. An analysis of moisture management tester results shows that all nonwoven fabrics demonstrated a good OMMC. e interaction of all parameters had no signi cant e ect on the OMMC. Hence, individual parameters can be easily chosen to achieve the required OMMC. A higher waterjet pressure leads to a higher OMMC due to the higher relative frequency of the smaller pore diameter in nonwoven fabric, which supports the transfer of moisture/liquid. A higher web mass attenuates the OMMC value. is reduction can be overcome, however, by producing fabric with a higher waterjet pressure and through the proper selection of web composition. Hence, nonwoven fabric with either a CV or 50PET/50CV blended composition, using a higher waterjet pressure and higher web mass, may be used to develop apparel with the required moisture management properties.