ABSTRACT

Although cotton has many natural advantages, its use for both military and industrial fabrics has declined, largely because high strength requirements cause these fabrics to be excessively heavy. Many cotton fabrics treated with modern flame-resistant and easy-care finishes cannot meet the high performance standards required by the military. However, stronger, more durable fabrics have been produced from predominantly cotton yarns that are reinforced with high-tenacity manufactured fibers through both intimate blending and filament-core yarn techniques. The fibers evaluated included Nomex, Kevlar, nylon, glass and polyethylene. The fabrics produced were treated with flame-resistant and durable-press finishes. Since the yarns contained approximately 70% or more cotton, softness, absorbency, breathability and other desirable properties of cotton were preserved. Fabrics designed for both military uniforms and tentage are discussed.