The Wicking Performance of Interlaced Silk Yarn Focusing on Yarn Parameters

The wicking ability of the fabric is one of the most important parameters that affect the comfort of clothing. Silk is a natural long-fiber material, and researching the water-absorption properties of natural silk yarn helps in developing textile products with specific performance characteristics, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of textiles in the market. This research aims to analyze the wicking behavior of silk yarn simulating their interlaced conditions when they were woven. To investigate the effect of yarn twist and yarn fineness, 13 different silk yarns were examined in individual and interlaced scenarios. Results showed that both yarn twist and fineness affect the wicking performance, and the permeability and capillary hydraulic diameter were calculated. A comparison of experimental results and best theoretical fits according to Fries and Dryer’s proposed model. On the other hand, a good correlation was observed between the wicking length of single yarns and interlaced yarns. This suggests that the characteristics of single yarn can be potentially used for predicting the wicking behavior of woven textiles, where yarns form interlacements. This study can usher in innovations and enhancements that can benefit future virtual clothing design and real-world wear.