Ethiopian Journal of Textile and Apparel

Development of Tailored Fiber Placement Textile Structures for Drone Frame

2025-07-30T09:35:47+02:00

In recent years, the growing demand for lightweight and high-strength materials in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across various sectors has driven the need for innovative drone frames that balance performance, weight, waste minimization, and sustainability. Composite materials, known for their excellent strength-to-weight ratios, have emerged as the material of choice for UAV frames. Nowadays, drone frames made from inorganic fiber-reinforced composites, particularly glass and carbon fibers, dominate the market due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratios and durability. However, these materials pose environmental challenges, as many drones, especially in military applications, are designed for single-use operations, generating non-biodegradable waste. To address this, sustainable alternatives like flax fiber-reinforced composites have gained interest due to their low environmental impact, renewability, and biodegradability. However, ensuring mechanical performance comparable to inorganic fibers remains a challenge. This work explores Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP), which employs a technical embroidery machine for precise fiber placement along load paths, optimizing material distribution and maximizing performance. Integrating natural fibers with TFP reduces waste and enables lightweight, high-performance, environmentally friendly drone frames. In this work, bio-based epoxy resin was also used as a matrix in drone frame production using resin-infusion technology. The mechanical properties of the flax fiber-reinforced composite showed that combining TFP and flax fibers for drone frame preparation has a promising effect both in mitigating the environmental impact of drone technology and reducing costs.

KEYWORDS: Composite; Drone; Embroidery; Flax; Sustainability; Tailored Fiber Placement.

Enset Plant Corm Derived Reduced Graphene Oxide (E-RGO/FE3O4/PANI) Nanocomposite for Energy Production and Toxic Metal Bioremediation Via Microbial Fuel Cells

2025-07-30T09:35:52+02:00

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is currently receiving a great deal of attention as a promising and sustainable technology for generating electricity and reducing environmental pollution. However, low energy generation and the cost of producing anode materials have hindered the commercial viability of MFCs. In this work, the double chamber of MFCs was equipped with an anode made of enset corm biomass-waste-derived graphene derivatives (E-rGO). Furthermore, composite-based anodes (E-rGO/Fe₃O₄and E-rGO/Fe₃O₄/PANI) have been developed to remediate Cr (VI) and Pb (II) ions in wastewater while producing energy in order to increase the electron transmission rate. The synthesis materials were analyzed through UV-Vis, SEM, and XRD, FTIR, RAMA and TGA spectroscopy to examine their optical, morphological, structural properties, molecular vibration states, structural defects, and thermal stability of the materials, respectively. CV and EIS were also utilized to investigate the electrochemical characteristics of the synthesized materials. For Cr (VI), the anodes made using E-rGO, E-rGO/Fe₃O₄, and E-rGO/Fe₃O₄/PANI nanocomposites (NCs) had remediation efficiencies of 70.6%, 79.2%, and 88.3%, while for Pb (II), they were 65.1%, 73.8%, and 86.5%.Furthermore, the composite anode (E-rGO/Fe₃O₄/PANI NCs) delivered a maximum power density of (63mW/m²) and a current density of (1312mA/m²), higher than E-rGO and E-rGO/Fe₃O₄ modified anode electrode power density (8.75 and 39.77mW/m²) and current density (609 and 1171 mA/m²), respectively.

KEYWORDS: Anode modification, Energy production, Graphene Oxide, Microbial fuel cells, Wastewater treatment

Productivity Improvement through Time Study in a Garment Factory

2025-07-30T09:35:54+02:00

Do Entrepreneurial Capabilities Define Competitiveness in Textile and Apparel SMES Compared to other Sectors?

2025-07-30T09:35:55+02:00

This research aims to examine the impact of entrepreneurial capabilities on the competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the mediating role of dynamic capabilities. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test the hypotheses developed on a sample of 459 manufacturing SMEs (20% of them are textile and apparel) operating in Tigray, Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Proportional stratified sampling was used to ensure a representative sample of SMEs from each city. The empirical results of the study revealed that entrepreneurial and dynamic capabilities have a positive and significant influence on SMEs' competitiveness. Specifically, entrepreneurial capabilities can positively and significantly impact the SMEs' competitiveness mediated by dynamic capabilities. The competitiveness of textile and apparel SMEs' is influenced by their entrepreneurial and dynamic capabilities, similar to other sectors. However, the competitiveness of the chemical and mining sectors is not influenced by dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurial capabilities, respectively. This research contributes theoretically by integrating four entrepreneurial capabilities (autonomy, risk-taking, proactiveness, and innovativeness) into a single framework grounded in the dynamic resource-based view of competitiveness (asset, process, and performance). These findings address a research gap by providing empirical evidence of the mediating role of dynamic capabilities in the relationship between entrepreneurial resources and SMEs' competitiveness from an emerging economy perspective. This study offers valuable insights for SME managers/owners and decision-makers highlighting the importance of leveraging entrepreneurial and dynamic capabilities to enhance competitiveness.

KEYWORDS: Competitiveness, Dynamic capabilities, Entrepreneurial capabilities, SMEs, Textile and Apparel

Analyse the Aesthetic Concepts of the Socio-Cultural Significance of Adire in Southwestern Nigeria

2025-07-30T09:35:57+02:00

For centuries, the ceremonial and everyday elements of Adire, a Yoruba tie-and-dye textile in shades of bold blue lustered with vibrant hues true to African cultural standards have embodied much more than just major symbolism. Taking a deep dive into the aesthetic notions and socio-cultural importance of Adire in Southwest Nigeria, this research is centered around its historical transformation since inception to present day. The study gathered data via: Semi-structured interviews with the artisans and quantitative surveys conducted within the community. The research shows that the aesthetic principles of Adire are embedded in Yoruba cosmology, social groups and art traditions. The indigo-dyed backgrounds and carefully stitched designs on Adire textiles are adorned with motifs and patterns that convey intricate storylines, cultural meaning systems, religious beliefs or historical undertones. A mean outcome of 4.25 from the survey confirms to a great extent that Adire has gained widespread cultural prevalence and serves as an instrument for social identification, unity and cohesion This paper therefore posits that Adire is a living, fluid cultural object constantly responding to the influences of its environment (contemporary or not), without undermining core aesthetic and socio-cultural values. To this end, it unconventionally calls for a continuation of Adire studies in the social sciences and encourages its incorporation into school curricula so that further educational avenues can be explored whereby we pass on an exemplary cultural heritage.

KEYWORDS: Aesthetic concepts, Socio-cultural significance, Textile Arts, Yoruba Adire culture

Preparation of NANOFIBER Membranes for Air Filtration applications

2025-07-30T09:35:59+02:00

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers have been increasing in interest due to their unique morphology and characteristics. The morphology of PAN fibers can make it a promising candidate for air filtration applications. The nonwoven nanofiber membranes with surface morphology that can be produced by the electrospinning techniques in this research. PAN was chosen as a functional polymer especially for this purpose; it tends to produce a unique pore structure and nanoscale fiber diameters, while the distinct concentrations of polymer produce membranes. The relative amount of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) used as a solvent and fabricated beadles nanofibers was investigated. The air filtration experiment shows that nonwoven membranes with pore structures have advantages of higher filtration capability. The results indicate that the filtration efficiency of the nanofiber membranes is higher in the smallest pore size compared to the largest pore size structures. The maximum filtration efficiency is 99.99% at a 32 l/min airflow rate achieved. These membranes are used for the removal of contaminations from the air. The FESEM analysis shows that the surface morphology of membranes is a key factor for the high filtration efficiency. In addition, the nonwoven PAN nanofiber membranes can make their potential applications candidates in fields such as medicine, separation, and intelligent devices.

KEYWORDS: Electrospinning; Pan nanofibers; Unique pore structure; nanoscale diameter; Filtration.

Optimization of Fiber Characterization and Machinery Settings for High-Quality Polyester/Cotton (P/C) Blend Yarn Production

2025-07-30T09:36:00+02:00

The textile industry relies on fiber mixing and blending to enhance product quality and profitability. Understanding the impact of fiber properties on yarn quality is crucial for maintaining consistent product performance and optimizing manufacturing costs. The inconsistencies in yarn quality and profitability in spinning mills are often attributed to raw material variability, processing conditions, and lot-wise supply challenges. Key concerns include fluctuations in fiber diameter (Micronaire), inconsistent fiber color management, and uncontrolled fiber properties, all of which impact mixing efficiency and overall profitability. This study characterizes polyester and cotton fibers to optimize the production of polyester/cotton (P/C) blended yarns. Virgin polyester exhibited 46.25% higher tenacity compared to recycled polyester, whereas recycled polyester had 30.33% higher elongation. Recycled polyester also demonstrated higher crimp age value and greater crimp age stability, contrasting with findings in previous literature. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed greater chemical degradation in recycled polyester compared to virgin polyester. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that recycled polyester fibers had a more entangled structure and coarser texture, resembling a spider-web appearance, which affects the fiber's spinnability. The study also examined the influence of drafting force on yarn properties. Results indicated that yarn tenacity improved with adjustments in breaker and finisher draw frame roller settings, with a more significant increase observed for 27 Nm yarn count. Conversely, elongation decreased under these conditions, while irregularity was reduced, particularly for finer yarn counts. These findings highlight the importance of precise process parameter optimization to achieve high-quality P/C blended yarns.

KEYWORDS: Cotton, Blending, Mixing, Polyester