Development of Calotropis Fabric

Abstract

Calotropis commonly called milk weed is a large shrub belongs to Apocynaceae family, species Calotropis gigantea which can yield a durable fibre commercially known as “bowstrings of India”. It is grown in water scary areas which do not require fertilizer and cultivation. The stem of the plant is potential for its fibres which possess good strength and flexibility. The fibres can be produced as fabrics as it has abrasion resistant. The stems of Calotropis gigantea is collected undergoes drying for a week under shade as it contains latex. The stem is subjected to retting for efficient fibre extraction. The fibre is extracted manually from the bark of the stem. The collected fibres are cleaned and mixed with organic cotton. Calotropis fibers are coarser and cause discomfort for the wearer, they are blended with organic cotton to improve comfort. The selected fibres are metered and mixed. The homogeneous state is obtained by mixing the diverse fibers together. In terms of nonwoven technology dry laid process is carried out and laying is done. The type of lay used is random lay. Carding parallelizes and individualizes the formed web. Yarns are made using Open end spinning. Fabric is made from these yarns for a possible application.