A Unique Polyester Staple-Core / Cotton-Wrap Yarn Made on a Tandem Spinning System

A unique, all-staple, core/wrap composite yarn of relatively fine size and low core content has been developed using the air-jet spinning and friction spinning technologies in tandem. First, a fine, high tenacity polyester staple yarn of 10-tex is spun on a Murata air-jet spinner, and this yarn is then used as the core material on a Dref-3 friction spinner. The air-jet yarn is covered with a wrap or sheath of 100% cotton fibers, producing a 30-tex, 33/67 polyester/cotton, composite yarn with a nearly 100% cotton surface. We have tested the yarn for its physical and mechanical properties, including core coverage factor and strip resistance, and compared it with the equivalent size polyester staple-core/cotton-wrap yarns produced by the USDA-patented ring spinning system. Because of the relatively fine size and low core percentage of the yarn, we were unable to produce a satisfactory comparable yarn on the Dref-3 spinner alone. The new air-jet/friction spun composite yarn can be knitted and woven without encountering stripping or other problems. This preliminary feasibility study has suc cessfully led to a unique integrated tandem spinning process that continuously and uninteruptedly produces an all-staple composite yam. The process will be reported on shortly.