• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.1119-1127
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• 2007

Nonwovens have been widely used in various regions from the households to the industrial, agricultural and medical goods. Synthetic fibers have been used for source of nonwovens commonly because of their useful and economic properties. They are not only main factor causing environmental problems but also spend huge cost to renew the environmental disruption by them. Nonwovens must have both cost-competitiveness and environment-friendly property to be the desirable sources in 21th centuries. For meet these needs, it is suitable for the times that economical and environmentally-safe kenaf fibers would be used as raw materials of nonwovens. Kenaf and polyester fibers were blended in 4 types of ratio : 0/100, 20/80, 40/60, 60/40 were needle-punched. The nonwovens properties such as color values, surface appearance, strength, elongations, stiffness, moisture regain, water and oil absorbency, and electrification were tested. As the results, tensile and tear strengths, water and oil absorbency were maximum at 20/80 kenaf/polyester blend nonwoven, because of effecting by nonwoven structure and fiber properties. The moisture regain were increased according to kenaf were blended and the eletrification reduced in proportion to the kenaf fibers by chemical property of fiber composed nonwovens.