How jute and paper yarn could shape the future of textiles

By combining microwave technology with chemical treatment, Felicia Syrén has explored how renewable materials such as jute and paper yarn can be given new properties—and thus new applications within the textile industry.

In her doctoral thesis, Syrén investigated how jute can be modified through microwave treatment and impregnation with poly(vinyl alcohol), as well as how paper yarn can be made more suitable for knitting using chemicals already employed in today’s textile production.

“Tensile tests showed that treated jute can be stretched significantly more, and the paper yarn becomes easier to knit, especially when using silicone. One unexpected finding was that wax actually increases friction—which is the opposite of what one would normally expect,” said Syrén, who defended her thesis in textile materials technology on 5 September.

The results pave the way for further research, for instance, into how the amount of wax affects the properties of the yarn. This is important knowledge for the future use of alternative materials in textile manufacturing.

Renewable resources can be used more

The research ties into a broader societal issue: making the textile industry more sustainable.

“Textiles are increasingly used, not least in technical applications. To meet future demands, we need to be able to work with a wider range of materials. That’s why I’ve focused on natural, renewable resources that are currently underutilized,” said Syrén, who has a background as a Materials Design Engineer.

Following her dissertation, she is leaving academia—at least for now.

“I’ve worked in the steel industry for three years and won’t be staying at the University of Borås. But I really enjoy research and still have unpublished data that I might turn into a paper.”

She describes her time as a doctoral student as both challenging and fantastic.

“I’ve made new friends and learned a lot about the world—and about myself. It’s been a joy to delve into textiles on a technical level, especially since I’ve grown up surrounded by textiles in various forms, with a mother who runs a sewing studio.”

Syrén defended her doctoral thesis “A Sustainable Path to Increased Textile Materials Diversity: Treatments for Tailored Properties of Jute and Paper Yarn,” 5 September at the Swedish School of Textiles, University of Borås.

Provided by
University of Borås