Development of Non-woven from Recycled Wool and Acrylic fibers and its Application in Footwear Industry

Engineering

This research focuses on developing an eco-friendly foot insole from recycled textile waste, particularly using wool and acrylic fibers, to provide warmth, comfort, and durability for adults, with a focus on elderly individuals vulnerable to winter-related foot discomfort. Cold floors in winter can aggravate foot issues like plantar fasciitis, chilblains, and frostbite, leading to pain and circulation issues. The insole aims to mitigate these problems through a sustainable design using natural and recycled materials. Used wool and acrylic blankets were broken down into fibers through garneting. Five non-woven samples were developed (100% wool , 60/40 , 50/50, 40/60 and 100% acrylic) using thermal bonding technique. The effect of blend ratio on the comfort properties of the non-woven samples was studied. As the wool fiber content increases, the thermal conductivity reduces in the non-woven samples. Non-woven sample made from100% wool fibres has shown lowest thermal conductivity of 0.0374 W/m.K.

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