Scent infused textiles to enhance consumer experiences

Abstract

Properly designed textiles containing effective, long-lasting fragrances can significantly contribute to the textile industry. Recently, fragrances are available that can be readily incorporated into polymer fibers. Fragrance-infused products are primarily produced by a microencapsulation method. However, this method is problematic in terms of the inability to deliver a consistent product to consumers. The purpose of this research is to investigate an alternative method to create longer-lasting fragrance-infused fabrics and products. Therefore a scented yarn is produced using sheath-core fibers in which polypropylene (PP) is the core and polylactic acid is the sheath. Fragrance is infused into the PP at the filament stage. Both laboratory analysis and psychophysical assessment are carried out to evaluate the physical parameters and psychological factors of the knitted fabrics and products using scent-infused yarns. Laboratory analysis shows that the lavender scented fabrics can retain sufficient fragrance after ten repeated washing and drying cycles. Psychological results indicate that potential consumers consistently provide positive evaluation of the scent-infused fabrics and their potential consumer applications. © SAGE Publications, Inc. 2008.