The Textile Institute

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the acute vulnerability of the global apparel supply chain. While the industry showed capacity to recover, resilience practices often protected some actors while shifting risks onto others. This research examines how resilience practices were perceived across brands, manufacturers, and suppliers, and how these affected workers in developing countries. By analysing vulnerability factors, resilience capabilities, and strategies, the article contributes to building an apparel supply chain that is not only resilient but also equitable and sustainable. Design/methodology/approach We adopted a qualitative, interpretive case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 influential stakeholders representing brands, manufacturers, sector associations, and international organisations. Data were inductively coded to explore perceptions of vulnerabilities, responses, and resilience practices during and after COVID-19. Findings The impacts of COVID-19 were unevenly distributed. Brands and retailers absorbed shocks by cancelling orders, deferring payments, or demanding discounts, creating severe consequences for apparel manufacturers and workers. Manufacturers demonstrated adaptability, diversification, and digital innovation, yet these capabilities only partially offset cascading vulnerabilities. Findings emphasise that resilience for one tier often becomes vulnerability for another. Practical implications The research provides guidance for managers and policymakers. Brands and retailers must strengthen collaborative governance, responsible sourcing, and end-to-end visibility while manufacturers and suppliers should pursue digitalisation, diversification and agility to sustain operations. Originality/value Unlike previous studies centred on workers' experiences, this research captures expert perspectives across tiers, offering systemic insights into resilience as a relational and distributive process. It advances a framework where resilience is measured not only by recovery but also by equity and justice.

Lead-free halide perovskites have drawn considerable interest, owing to their low-toxicity and favorable photophysical characteristics. However, achieving efficient near-infrared (NIR) emission often suffers from a trade-off between the red shift and quantum yield. Herein, we report a synergistic host-dopant strategy in zero-dimensional Cs2-xRbxInBr5·H2O perovskites. Controlled Rb+ alloying induces lattice contraction, which unexpectedly weakens electron–phonon coupling and suppresses nonradiative decay, leading to a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 53.2%. Subsequently Mn2+ doping further passivates defect states, boosting the PLQY to 67.5%. Density functional theory calculations and temperature-dependent spectroscopy elucidate the role of the lattice strain in regulating self-trapped exciton emission. A prototype NIR phosphor-converted light-emitting diode (pc-LED) fabricated from the optimized material demonstrates a promising performance in night-vision imaging and plant growth applications. This work provides a viable design strategy for efficient and stable NIR phosphors via a coupled lattice and defect engineering.

In the industrial synthesis of isobutyl acetate (IbAC) from isobutyl alcohol (IbOH) and acetic acid, excess IbOH forms an azeotrope with IbAC. Extractive distillation is widely used for azeotrope separation, yet conventional solvents are often toxic and volatile. Biobased solvents, being biodegradable and ecofriendly, offer a promising alternative. Screening with the conductor-like screening model for segment activity coefficient identified cinene and α-pinene as effective entrainers to break the IbOH–IbAC azeotrope. Ternary vapor–liquid equilibrium experiments confirmed that both solvents, when added at 20 mol %, eliminated the azeotrope. The nonrandom two-liquid model accurately correlated the experimental data. However, α-pinene formed a new azeotrope with IbOH at an atmospheric pressure. Toxicity assessment showed cinene has lower mammalian toxicity but higher aquatic toxicity than those of conventional solvents. Quantum chemical calculations revealed that stronger van der Waals interactions between cinene and IbAC reduce the activity coefficient of IbAC, facilitating separation.

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PurposeThe purpose of this work is to study the relationship between the fabric’s mechanical properties such as tear strength (TS), breaking strength (BS) and cloth’s dimensional stability (Sh), particularly, after industrial launderings (stone wash, enzyme wash, mixed wash and rinse). Hence, we select the most interrelationships using the principal component analysis (PCA) technique. In this study, the treatments of finishing garments during washing are the important parameters influencing the cloth’s dimensional and the fabric’s mechanical properties. To improve the obtained results, the selected significant inputs are also analyzed within their influence on shrinkage. The polynomial regression model relating the tear strength and the shrinkage of denim fabric proves the effectiveness of the PCA method and the obtained findings.Design/methodology/approachTo investigate the matter, the type of washing, and their contributions to shrinkage, four types of fabrics manufactured into pants were used. These fabrics differ not only by their basis weights (medium and heavy weight fabrics) but, also by their compositions (within and without elastane) and their thread count (warp and weft yarn count, twist and density. To evaluate significant results, a factorial design analysis based on an experimental design was established. The choice of these treatments, as well as their design mode, led us to make a complete factorial experimental design.FindingsAccording to the results, the prediction of shrinkage behavior as a function of the process washing input parameters seems significant and useful in our experimental design of interest. As a consequence, it was also concluded that after these input parameters, we can find the relationship between the shrinkage (Shwarp and Shweft) and the mechanical properties such as tear strength (TSwarp and TSweft) and breaking strength (BSwarp and BSweft). Thanks to the PCA, it is very easy to reduce the number of the influent output parameters, and knowing these significant parameters, the prediction of mechanical properties knowing the shrinkage of denim garment, during the process of washing seems successful and can undoubtedly help industrial to minimize the poor workmanship of the finishing quality.Practical implicationsThis study is very interesting for finishing denim garments. The shrinkage is very important for correcting measures in sewing, considering that a high shrinkage may cause the cancellation of the fit from the client. This type of defect cannot be repaired in the major part of the cases and causes a big loss for the company, moreover the mechanical properties. For this reason, analyzing the value of shrinkage before starting the production cycle is of great importance to apply the right balance to the pattern. The model of predicting the mechanical properties behaviors as a function of the shrinkage denim garment leads manufacturers to eliminate the test of mechanical properties that remain as destructive tests. Moreover, according to the results obtained, it may be concluded that prediction is still accurate through the shrinkage test which is an inevitable test. Even though, these results can bring a huge gain for the garment wash industries.Originality/valueThis work presents the first study predicting a relationship between the mechanical properties and denim garment shrinkage, applying the PCA technique to minimize the all-output parameters that are not significant or correlated with each other. Besides, it deals with the relationship developed between the fabric’s mechanical properties such as tear strength (TS), breaking strength (BS) and cloth’s dimensional stability (Sh), particularly, after industrial launderings (stone wash, enzyme wash, mixed wash and rinse). Moreover, it is notable to mention that the originality of this study is to let to the garment wash industries to save in production time of orders and also in quality.

This paper aims to enhance the efficiency of biogas plants for the production of electrical and thermal energy by optimizing substrate selection and digester heating techniques. The study presents a comprehensive project of a biogas plant, including all necessary installations and a detailed methodology for equipment selection. Specific substrates used include animal flour, corn silage, and molasses, each chosen for their high dry matter content and biogas production efficiency. The digester heating technique was analyzed to maintain optimal fermentation temperatures, ensuring a stable and efficient biogas production process. The projected daily biogas production is estimated to be 5688 m3. The analysis shows that maintaining a constant digester temperature significantly improves biogas yield. Seasonal variations in thermal energy requirements were identified, highlighting the need for effective insulation and heating mechanisms, particularly during colder months. Additionally, the implementation of advanced heating techniques demonstrated a reduction in overall energy consumption for maintaining the desired digester temperature. This research provides valuable insights for the design and operation of efficient biogas plants. By optimizing substrate mixtures and digester heating, the study contributes to sustainable energy production, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and enhanced biogas plant efficiency, supporting both environmental protection and economic development.

The paper highlights a stretchable, wash-durable and wearable smart textile-based Joule heater with high thermal stability.

Clothing has always got significant importance in human civilization as it has played central role to symbolize the culture, technical ability as well as the artistic taste of a particular society. With the improvement of modern science and technology, now clothing is not just bound to cover the human body. The improvement of Textile science has shown significant improvements in clothing for last few decades. Chemical finishing on textile goods is one of the ways to improvement as it conforms a fabric to be used in versatile way in an easy but effective method. In this analysis an approach has been made to find out the effective way to produce mosquito repellant fabric by means of chemical finish. This study concludes the common ways to produce mosquito repellant finish and imparting it. An approach of applying microencapsulation on the fabric to make the chemical finish longer, even after 70 washes has added a great value of the study. Internationally recognized testing methods have made this study fruitful to find the effective mosquito repellant finish among the chemical and herbal process. Major aspects like construction of fabric, washing, shade variation, smell, cost, and eco friendliness has been taken in consider carrying out the study. This study will give an idea about the practical application of the mosquito repellant finishing on different products. This study will make chemical finish step ahead to make chemical finish familiar as well as it will be an effective action against irritating and diseases spreading mosquitos and other insects.