Doctoral Theses (Textiles & Design)
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Item Heritage and innovation in the crafts of weaving : ethnographic insights between Scotland and Thailand and new approaches to traditional cultural engagement(Heriot-Watt University, 2024-11) Sungwarn, Chaveeporn; Kalkreuter, Doctor Britta; Robertson, Doctor LucyThe development of traditional textile crafts is connected to history, culture, and economics. Traditional textiles play an important role in reflecting the material cultures of the two different regions considered in this research and their unique geography, identity, and cultural heritage; at the same time, the study of heritage and incorporating innovation are seen here to drive the sustainable future of design development. This research aims to examine the cultural significance and challenge safeguarding of weaving crafts by focusing on heritage and innovation. To achieve this, the research will investigate textile production processes between Thailand and Scotland, as a representation of Europe and Asia, to understand the varied relationships between heritage and innovation. In order to gain insights, the research triangulates methods, including desktop research, ethnography observations, in-depth interviews, and practice-based reflection from the researcher’s own experience. The findings illustrated that heritage is perceived differently in these areas of study. In Scotland, narrative storytelling plays a key role in uniting the country's heritage and identity. This heritage includes industrial elements and centres around materials, locations, and historical context rather than the actual process of making. Conversely, in Thailand, heritage is closely linked to local skills and remains connected to the manufacturing process. The focus remains on the craftsmanship and processes of creation, with industrial innovation situated on the periphery rather than at the core of cloth making. However, it also found that the perspectives on heritage can vary between insiders and outsiders. The research explored how traditional Thai silk weaving techniques might be used on a loom in Scotland. Gibbs' reflective model was adopted to analyse and discuss the situation and feelings while examining the factors that contributed to the value of these traditional techniques. A set of visual sign designs that can effectively communicate with a universal audience was developed through data gathering and content analysis. This research thus delves into the possibilities of innovation in fabric production as well as heritage. Unlike most studies, it does not solely concentrate on innovation in processes, materials, and design, but the research outcome provides innovative tools, including a deck of cards, cloth tags, and website, to approach broader stakeholders. The purpose of these tools is to educate makers, designers, and consumers, with the aim of enhancing and extending intangible cultural heritage. These tools demonstrated that universal symbols of the entire fabric-making process can allow stakeholders to consider whether traditional or innovative production techniques had been used. The cards encourage makers and designers more creative opportunities to explore new experiences related to traditional concepts and innovative ideas around textile development. The cloth tag and website enable consumers to understand the fabric provenance. These tools were examined through the workshop as well as public engagement. This feature is also particularly helpful for those who are not knowledgeable about the products they are buying. It might also reflect the stakeholders' behaviours in relation to sustainable fabric usage in the future. Therefore, the research approach amplifies the perspectives of practitioner academics, designers, and stakeholders who are potential customers or users, illuminating the value of heritage textiles.Item Development of additively manufactured novel 3D cellular structures for protective clothing(Heriot-Watt University, 2024-03) Channa, Saadullah; Sun, Doctor Danmei; Stylios, Professor George. K.Protective clothing shields body parts from impact, absorbing energy to minimise or prevent damage. Recent research has shown significant emphasis on the use of hard or a combination of hard and soft materials. The aim of this research was to design and manufacture novel 3D cellular structures that could provide low-velocity impact resistance and flexibility to wearers. Six different types of 3D cellular structures were developed using stereolithography (SLA) additive manufacturing technique with two different types of flexible resin materials. Theoretical and experimental studies were conducted to evaluate the low-velocity impact resistance of these flexible 3D cellular structures. Experimental studies were carried out using a customised inhouse free fall “impact drop test” setup, where impact forces transmitted through the impacted structures were captured via a capacitive force sensor underneath the structure, in the form of a real-time impact force versus time plot. The results indicated that the re-entrant honeycomb (AU) cellular structure made from Liqcreate and Prusa flexible materials experienced the lowest peak impact force, respectively. Additionally, a static uniaxial compression test was performed to examine the deformation behaviour of all 3D-printed cellular structures. The results revealed that the AU cellular structure had excellent energy absorption in a wide displacement range. To predict and validate the impact resistance response of two novel, AU and 3D honeycomb (HC) cellular structures, finite element (FE) models were developed using commercial FE software ABAQUS. Moreover, the predicted responses of FE models were highly correlated to the experimental results. Overall, the research for this study indicates that such a novel 3D AU cellular structure, made from a single flexible material, has the potential for application as personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent impact injuries to knees, hips, elbows, and shoulders. This structure would ensure wear comfort, enable body motions while offering an impact-resistant solution.Item An exploration of safeguarding cultural heritage textiles in Thailand : the perspectives from expected and unanticipated preservers(Heriot-Watt University, 2022-07) Nirunpornputta, Pathitta; Kalkreuter, Britta; Thomas, SueThis thesis aims to explore safeguarding culture in both tangible and intangible heritage relating to textiles in Thailand. The thesis contributes to understanding the foundations of local cultural heritage practices relating to textiles, contemporary practices of preserving those heritage textiles, and perspectives on ‘preserving heritage’ from different fields of participants who have been involved with conserving heritage textiles. The research combined participant observation with practice-based auto-ethnography and gathered further data through in-depth interviews and a focus group. The research focuses on key actors involved in safeguarding the cultural weaving heritage in Thailand through their contribution to textiles practices. The key actors are divided into three main groups: local practitioners, unanticipated preservers, and expected preservers, by doing so, they present how people from different fields can be part of safeguarding cultural heritage activities. With key actors from various fields, including local textiles makers, Buddhist monks, fashion designers, businesswomen, authorities, academics, and foreigners based in Thailand, the research explores their various modes of involvement in safeguarding cultural heritage textiles, identifies their common problems and considers their suggestions for designing a potential framework (to model ways) to safeguard heritage textiles. A key theme emerging from the fieldwork was the importance of educating producers and customers wishing to support local craft as part of a fashion business, especially in developing countries. Findings from this case study in Thailand, a country rich in craft but experiencing the familiar stresses of local products being undercut by imported fashion, offer lessons for other countries and regions suffering from decreased consumption of local makers. The case considers the continuation of direct craft consumption and local craft products into local fashion against current economic trends of global fashion production turning to local crafts. The fieldwork mainly collected data from local communities in Northern Thailand, especially in the so-called ‘Lan Na Kingdom’, where local culture and Buddhist practices are heavily intertwined with heritage textiles. The research uncovered many challenges to forging successful collaborations between local craft makers and global design players; amongst other things, it found arguments and misunderstandings on the purpose of specific design approaches, issues with lack of recording practice, the willingness to educate and thus enable to continue heritage skills, and the interest in being part of present global fashion demands. After careful reflection and analysis, the thesis can suggest solutions to such issues, with particular emphasis on how to link sustainability themes to safeguarding heritage textiles concerns, with conclusions reaching beyond the specific field studied in this instance.Item Developing and testing a training program to promote creativity among Saudi female fashion design students : concentrating on a combination of design behaviours, namely visual literacy, creative thinking and use of modelling systems, in the early stages of the design process.(Heriot-Watt University, 2023-07) Alaboudi, Mona Ali I.; Kalkreuter, Doctor Britta; Malins, Doctor JulianThis case study research aimed to develop and test a training program that promotes Saudi female fashion design students’ creativity in the early stages of the design process. It also investigated the factors that contributed to its results. The training program targeted a combination of design behaviours including visual literacy, use of creative thinking techniques, use of modelling systems and proposed that enhancing these behaviours together in the early stages of the design process could help improve students’ creativity. A comprehensive review of the literature in creativity enhancement in design was conducted to inform the development of the training program. An embedded design of mixed methods was employed, in which a qualitative method, in the form of a semi structured interview, was embedded within a quantitative method, in the form of a quasi-experiment with a pre-test-post-test control and experimental group design, to provide a deep and thorough understanding of the effect of the proposed training program on students’ creativity. The findings showed a significant enhancement in students’ awareness of creativity and the creative design process, and significant improvements in all targeted creative abilities in terms of fluency, originality, and creativity, with fluency being the most increased creative metric and creativity the least. The findings also revealed the students’ perspective on how people in their cultures understand and appreciate creativity in fashion and how this influenced their creativity. The findings also addressed the influence of students’ personal attitudes on their creative behaviours and abilities in the early stages of the design process.Item An auto-ethnographic sensorial investigation through woven textiles in the creation of personal memorial to loss(Heriot-Watt University, 2023-05) Pankhurst, Fiona Margaret; Malins, Professor JulianThe research addressed the following questions. Can visual images created through drawing, and tactile memories from the woven translation of those drawings, connect the bereaved to personal memories of a lost loved one and to the lived experience of losing that person? What is the role of narrative in creating a personal memorial to loss, and how does this differ in the creation of collective memorials to loss? A multi-method qualitative approach was adopted, combining auto-ethnography with reflexive phases of drawing, weaving, and writing in reflective journals and on specially designed analysis sheets. A purposively sampled group of artists articulating loss and grief through their practice, were compared to the author’s sensorial and experiential interpretation of personal loss and grief. Study of sensory memory, and materiality of textiles and garments relating to bereavement, provided contextualisation. A hand-knitted jumper and Filofax diary belonging to a deceased parent, inspired the research practice: the vacant jumper acting as a metaphor for the empty space left behind physically and emotionally when a loved one dies. The first contribution to knowledge showed that the weaving, when stimulated by the somatosensorial process of manual creation, aroused and enhanced remembered emotions of the lived experience of losing a beloved parent, providing greater insight and cognisance of living through loss. The second contribution was a weave sampling and testing method that could be applied to alternative weave practice research. A final contribution showed that specificity of individual narrative differentiated personal memorials to loss from the shared narratives of creative collective memorials to loss.Item An investigation of combined biaxial tensile and shear deformations in textile woven fabrics(Heriot-Watt University, 2022-10) Yousef, Mohammad Issam; Stylios, Professor GeorgeTextile fabrics undergo complex deformation during processing, wear and use. Determining how a fabric behaves is important for understanding its performance. While traditional testing methods focus on evaluating a fabric’s mechanical properties, usually along one axis, this study considers the measurement of combined forces which is more realistic under real life conditions. A new apparatus has been constructed named IrisTex inspired by the iris movement of the human eye, capable of applying and measuring combined tensile and shear forces simultaneously in biaxial and uniaxial formats. The current study focuses on the application of low stresses, as typically found in fabrics used for garment making, and hence aims the use of the machine to establish the deformation behaviour during processing and wear. The apparatus is equipped with 4 load cells of 111N maximum capacity to measure low tensile and shear forces. Deformations of 2°, 4° and 8° are applied at 0,24 °/sec by four stepper motors at speeds up to 50 mm/sec and 250 N thrust. The apparatus is specially constructed for low noise, where friction in the bearings is only 1% of the forced applied, and hence it is capable of measuring forces as low as 0,1 N/cm and producing complete force-recovery curves representing combined bi-shear and bi-tensile behaviour from which mechanical values can be obtained. The interface of the apparatus to the computer is done using LabVIEW and the testing procedure allows for changing of the testing conditions and datalogging. Initially, one cotton fabric was tested to set the testing protocols, examine limitations and to analyse and understand the combined tensile and shear curves. Once completed, four more commercially available fabrics were tested and analysed. Meaningful hysteresis curves for combined tensile and shear have been produced for all tested fabrics. The curves were interpreted and characterised to enable fabric to fabric comparison. For the combined tensile curve, properties such as Initial Combined Tensile Modulus (TMint) and Maximum Force (Fmax) were calculated. While for the combined shear curves, values such as Transverse Maximum Force (Fsmax) and Combined Shear Rigidity between 0,5° and 4° (Gc), that represent the ease with which the yarns bend and rotate inside the fabric under the combined deformation were also measured and reported. The results of the combined mechanical properties were meaningful in terms of measuring the combined tensile and shear properties of the fabrics.Item Developing sustainable fabrics with plant-based formulations(Heriot-Watt University, 2022-04) Thakker, Alka Madhukar; Spark, Doctor Roger; Sun, Doctor DanmeiSustainability is at the fore, so the textile industry is ambitiously parading towards alternative ecological materials to refute the air and water pollution from petroleum-based contenders. Hence the envisaged research aimed to create plant-based formulations for application on wool and cotton fabrics. Firstly, the instigated study explored and identified eight new sources of native flora enclosing copper and ferrous element to be implemented as biomordants and colourants on cotton fabrics. These discoveries would assist in circumventing the depletion of corresponding mineral ores hence sustainable. The techniques of extraction, mordanting and colouration with natural plant materials were executed ecologically. The ATR-FTIR, FAAS, UV-Vis Spectrophotometer and ANOVA outcomes inferred the cotton fabric biomordanted with black cherry stems and coloured with hops flowers to be most concentrated in the chelated form of ferrous element content of 11 mg/l and copper element content of 6.49 mg/l, respectively hence gaining the K/S value of 7.05 and demonstrating 87.02% of protection from ultraviolet rays. The spent solution DO and ORP levels measured 8.05 and 129.2 mV, respectively hence safe to aquatic life and could be readily upscaled. The sustainable fabrics developed with rue leaves and mugwort leaves, dandelion, nettle, and bilberry leaves were equally promising. Secondly, water-based inks were formulated from plant extracts distilling blue from bio indigo leaves, red from quebracho red bark and yellow from the flame of the forest flowers extracts. The sought-after black colour was achieved by implementing the primary colour theory. The concocted plant-based inks were scrutinised for stoichiometry, rheology, colour yield, inkjet print quality and coffee ring effect employing a viscometer, conductivity meter and USB microscope. The viscosity range of 8.5 to 10 cP, the relative density of 1.06, conductivity value of 2.51 mS/cm, the surface tension of 60 mN/m and pH of 4.9 was inferred to be most effective in obtaining the K/S values acquired on inkjet printing of wool and cotton fabrics. Another objective was to study the implications of plasma surface modification upon the treated and untreated wool and cotton fabrics, subsequently inkjet printed with plant based inks. The colour values and fastness properties remarkedly improved after plasma surface treatment. These findings were supported by data achieved from optical tensiometer, ATR-FTIR, drop test and SEM, justifying the enhanced wettability of the modified fabrics. The factorial experiment was designed for this segment of research, and it was further validated with ANOVA one-way test.Item An investigation of textile sensors and their application in wearable electronics(Heriot-Watt University, 2022-02) Tangsirinaruenart, Orathai; Stylios, Professor George K.Using a garment as a wearable sensing device has become a reality. New methods and techniques in the field of wearable sensors are being developed and can now be incorporated into the wearer’s everyday attire. This research focuses on two types of textile based sensors – a wearable textile electrode used for ECG continuous monitoring, and a stitch sensor for monitoring body movement. These sensors were designed into a purposely engineered Smart Sports Bra (SSB) which can be regarded as a sensor itself. After a thorough investigation, two optimum textile electrodes were created; a plain electrode using cut and sew method (CSM) and a net type knitted electrode using knitting method (KM). The CSM electrode was made with conductive fabric (MedTexTM P-130) and the KM electrode was made with conductive thread (silver-plated nylon 234/34 four-ply), these materials having the lowest tested contact impedance; 450Ω and 500Ω, respectively. Both electrodes demonstrated a level of noise and baseline drift comparable with standard commercial wet-gel electrodes, which was corrected by optimising their size to 20x40 mm, holding pressure of 4 kPa (30 mmHg) and the electrode position at the 6th intercostal space on the right and left mid-clavicular, with one placed at the scapular line in the rear side (i.e. back horizontal formation) which gives clear and reliable ECG signal. These optimum electrodes were integrated directly into SSBs, in which a novel high shear, net structure, acting as a shock absorber to body movement that shows more stable electrode to skin contact by reducing the body motion artefact. During the investigation of the stitch stretch sensor the single jersey nylon fabric (4.44 tex two-ply) with 25% spandex (7.78 tex) had the highest elastic recovery (93%). Using this fabric, the work went on to show that the stitch type 304 (Zig-zag lock stitch) using the 117/17 two-ply thread demonstrated the best results i.e., maximum working range 50%, gauge factor 1.61, hysteresis 6.25% ΔR, linearity (R2 ) is 0.98, and good repeatability (drift in R2 is -0.00). The stitch stretch sensor was also incorporated into a sports bra SSB and positioned across the chest for respiration monitoring. This thesis contributes to a growing body of research in wearable E -textile solutions to support health and well-being, with fully functional sensors and easy-to-use design, for continues health monitoring.Item Investigation of the chemical recycling of wool fabrics into a novel fibre for commercial application(Heriot-Watt University, 2021-12) Lebedyte, MildaWool is the most used animal fibre in the fashion industry due to its high quality, longevity, and wide array of applications in fields ranging from comfortable everyday apparel to high-performance sports clothing. The value of wool produced via more environmentally and socially progressive means is increasing, including wool recycled from post-consumer materials. Wool recycling by mechanical means is compatible with open- and closed-loop models, but has issues with fibre length, homogeneity, and large scales; this is in addition to the common issues of any material recycling such as collection and sorting. An alternative technique is chemical recycling which is currently used for the treatment of synthetic polymeric materials at various scales. There is hope that this technique can be adapted to enhance the recycling of wool and may serve complementary to the current mechanical methods. This project considers the preliminary chemical recycling of wool keratin to make textile fibres. Commercial wool offcuts were successfully dissolved by a reduction process to give solutions of ~ 11.3 weight % (wt%) keratin, showing efficiency of approx. 75.6 %. This keratin solution was blended with 2-hydroethoxy cellulose (HEC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), and the resultant blends were used to make films and to create filaments via a laboratory scale wet-spinning system. The filaments were successfully cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA) and 4,4′-methylenebis- (phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) to impart useful tensile properties. A variety of filaments were found to have tenacities at break above 0.5448 cN/Tex (5 g/denier). The tenacities fell within the range of other fibres on the market, but the extension at break was far below these, suggesting difficulty in application to the textiles market. The process was analysed at different stages with Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet Visible Light spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The surface morphology of the material was assessed via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the tenacity was tested using Instron apparatus. Although the different stages of the outlined process have not been optimised due to time constraints, the project serves as a springboard for further work on lab-scale recovery of wool keratin from waste fabric, specifically for re-use in the textiles industry.Item A study of functionality of anti-embolism stockings(Heriot-Watt University, 2021-09) Rae, Michelle; Macintyre, Doctor LisaThe use of pressure has been understood for centuries to treat venous disorders. Antiembolism stockings (AES) represent one of the preferred modalities of pressure treatment due to their ability to prevent further complications, such as deep vein thrombosis, whilst in a hospital setting in the supine position. AES are typically mass manufactured on circular knitting machines with nylon and elastane. The scattered political and geographical influence upon medical products, test methods, test machinery, standards and Class, creates confusion over the application of AES for medical practicioners. As the world population continues to grow at a rapid rate, the need for a simplified and unified approach to medical products would prevent the incorrect use of AES and potentially remove barriers to enable increased usage of AES. The marketplace is complex, with a multitude and of brands, sizes, classes and no standard labelling or approach to pressure adherence. The hypothesis of this thesis is that a single product (one yarn and one structure) should be able to provide the British Standard pressure range of 10-18mmHg across the British Standard ankle measurement (172-288mm). The properties of three Brands; Saphena, Preventex and Ted Covidien have been fully explored and showed that different brands use different structures and yarns to create AES and therefore, subsequently exert different pressures on the body. The main test methods used in the medical world were also explored and a comparative cross laboratory study was carried out. This investigation also explored the use of 16 different structures and 6 elastane yarns and their pressure delivering capabilities. During this investigation it was found that it is possible to have one AES yarn combination of T902 285dtex and 44/34/2 Bulked Nylon which exerts the British standard acceptable pressures at the ankle (10-18mmHg) and calf (8-14mmHg) across the whole range of British Standard leg sizes at ankle 172-288mm and calf 282-446mm. It was also found that it was possible to predict the pressures on the midpoint of leg circumference to ±2mmHg which could save a significant amount of time in the development of new AES or compression products.