Trial: Development of An Innovative Spinning System for Chitosan Yarn - Skin Caring Apparel System by Application of Chitosan-based Blend Yarn for Elderly

This prototype project aims to develop a series of chitosan based yarn (CBY) textiles for elderly to provide convenient caring of their skin, based on the outcome of parent project "Development of An Innovative Spinning System for Chitosan Yarn (ITP/051/13TP)". With the cooperation of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, this project will develop a series of CBY based handkerchiefs, aprons, and bedding for total 100 elderly with approximately female and male users. The proposed textile products will be composed of chitosan, cotton and other natural materials. The results in previous parent project showed that the 50% concentration of chitosan in fabric in the blend ratio reduce the rigidity of the fabric and provide a softer handle for the inner surface of the fabric. These home textiles can provide a better health and   sanitary care for elderly people thanks to the bio-functions and comfort properties of the chitosan material. Further, through special fabric structure design, the functional effectiveness of chitosan-blended fabric can be maximized. Due to the high cost of chitosan raw materials, through this proposed optimized blending and fabricating method, a balance between the product performance and cost can be achieved to create a larger benefit margin. This is crucial for this innovative and expensive bio-material promotion and increasing the public awareness and benefit to human beings.