In this study, thirty-six cultivars of U.S. upland cotton are selected and their wax content determined by the Conrad method. Both ring spun and open-end yarns are then made from these cottons. Various fiber and yarn properties are measured before and after wax removal using AFIS, HVI, the West Point cohesion tester, and the Uster Tensorapid yam tensile tester, Correlations of wax content with fiber properties and yam properties are analyzed.

Skeins of yams spun from a wide range of cottons are dewaxed by Soxhlet extraction with ethanol. After drying, their mechanical properties are determined by single yarn tensile tests. Dewaxing produces a significant increase in yarn tenacity and a slight decrease in elongation at break. Yarn tensile properties are regressed on data sets of fiber properties that include wax content. Yarn strength is explained primarily by fiber strength and fiber fineness, although fiber strength and Micronaire value provided a reasonably good estimate. Wax content, which appears to be closely related to the specific surface area of the fiber, and hence Micronaire value, fails to qualify for entry into regression equations for yarn strength.

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The physical characteristics and performance attributes of absorbent gauze and spunlaced nonwovens used for medical/surgical applications are reviewed. Because the manufacturing lines for spunlacing are versatile and highly productive, nonwoven products from this process are highly engineered and may have superior performance characteristics relative to gauze products. Dressings made from spunlaced materials are rapidly gaining in the wound care products market, which was once exclusive to woven gauze. A few microscopic images and SEM photomicrographs of a gauze made with two dissimilar technologies are included to show structural differences between the two, which otherwise are difficult to detect visually.

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