Textile Internship: A

study of Recycled
Yarn Manufacturing
and Supply Chain

Declaration
We, the undersigned, hereby declare that this report titled “Textile Internship: A study of
Recycled Yarn Manufacturing and Supply Chain” submitted at the National Institute of
Fashion Technology, New Delhi, is a record of an original work done by us (Jaskirat S.
Sanghera, Jay Murli Sable, Rohan Gireesh Vadheri, Abhimanyu Adhikary) under the
guidance of Mr Chandra Shekhar, Associate Professor, Department of Fashion Technology,
National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi and Mr Jai Prakash, Senior Marketing
Manager, Usha Yarns Ltd, Chandigarh, India. This report is submitted in the fulfilment of the
requirements for the assessment of the Textile Internship.

We assert the statements made and conclusions are drawn are an outcome of our
exploration.
We further certify that
I. The report's content is unique, and it was created by us under the general supervision of
our supervisor.
II. This work has not been submitted to any other institution for any other degree, diploma,
or certificate, whether at this university or elsewhere in India or beyond.
Authors
Abhimanyu Adhikary
Bachelor of Fashion Technology,
National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi

Jaskirat S. Sanghera
Bachelor of Fashion Technology,
National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi

Jay Murli Sable

Bachelor of Fashion Technology,
National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi

Rohan Gireesh V.
Bachelor of Fashion Technology,
National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi

Mentors
Chandra Shekhar Joshi
Associate Professor, Department of Fashion Technology,
National Institute of Fashion Technology
(Academic Mentor)

Jai Prakash
Senior Marketing Manager
Usha Yarns Limited, Chandigarh, India
(Industry Mentor)

Acknowledgement
First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude to our Textile Internship Mentors,
Mr Jai Prakash, Senior Marketing Manager, Usha Yarns Limited, Chandigarh, India (Industry
Mentor) and Mr Chandra Shekhar, Associate Professor, Department of Fashion Technology,
National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi (Faculty Mentor), for their unwavering
support and guidance throughout this textile internship. Their constant support on various
aspects and various points has helped a lot in the preparation, research, and compilation of
this report. We would like to thank the Usha Yarns for supporting us and helping us out as
this Internship was done during the situation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We
would also want to express our gratitude to Mr Atul Srivastava, Technical Engineer, Usha
Yarns, Dera Bassi, Unit - 2, Mr Dhiraj Kumar, Lab Technician, Usha Yarns, Dera Bassi, Unit -
2, and the entire Usha Yarns Limited team for supporting us through this.
Index
1. Objective of Internship
2. Executive Summary
3. Company Profile - Usha Yarns Ltd.
4. Recycling & Some Perspective
a. Pre & Post Consumer Waste
b. Classification of Recycling Methods
c. Mechanical, Chemical & Thermal Recycling
d. Mechanical Recycling
e. Upcycling & Downcycling
5. Overview of Yarn Making
a. Cotton
b. Synthetic Fibers
6. Unit-2 of Usha Yarns Ltd.
7. Overview of Processes
a. Material Sorting
b. Blow Room
c. Carding Section
d. Spinning Room
e. Packaging & Transportation
8. Statistical Quality Control Laboratory
a. Digital Cone Collapsing Tester
b. Assessment Cabinet
c. Twist Tester
d. Colour and Washing Fastness Test
e. Lea Strength Tester
f. Crimp Tester
g. Single Fiber Strength Tester
h. Wrap Reel
i. Hot Air Oven
j. Yarn Board Master
k. Bursting Strength Tester
9. Human Resources
 a. Corporate Structure of Usha Yarns Ltd.
b. Management Policies
10. Environmental Impact and Sustainability policies
11. The Recycling Supply Chain
12. Recycling Industry in India
13. Sustainable Textiles Sourcing in India
14. References
15. Certificates of Textile Internship
16. Certifications of Usha Yarns Ltd.

Objective of Internship
The main objectives of this internship were:
1. To understand the different types of fabric recycling methods available in the
industry.
2. To obtain knowledge, and understanding on the predominant recycling methods
used in India; Mechanical Recycling.
3. To understand the quality control methods used in Yarn manufacturing.
4. To understand the supply chain of the fabric recycling industry in India.

Executive Summary
Due to a growing population, global demand for textile materials will steadily grow in the
coming decades, and with an increase in the standard of living, growing fashion fueled
consumerism and growth of the worldwide middle class, this demand is also expected to
outpace population growth.
It is obvious now that we cannot maintain our current consumption rate and maintain a
healthy environment, as is already evident with the rising global temperatures, and
increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
Therefore we must make efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, and a generally used term
to enact this is of the 3Rs, which stand for Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
We shall focus on recycling in this report, (specifically the recycling of textile waste to create
Yarns) as this is of the greatest relevance to the industry.
We studied the recycling methods available, an overview of Yarn making, the processes
involved in recycling industrial textile waste into Yarns, and an overview of the recycling &
sustainable industry in India.
Company Profile - Usha Yarns Ltd.
The textile and apparel industries have a significant impact on the environment, and fashion
firms are discovering sustainable materials as consumer demand for them grows.
Usha Yarns makes recycled pre-dyed yarn with pre-consumer garment cutting waste and
polyester derived from recycled PET bottles. They create a sustainable product with a
drastically decreased environmental footprint at a lower cost.

Usha Yarns Ltd began operations in Punjab in 1996 as rotor spinning mills producing 100%
cotton open-end yarn. In 1999, the company expanded strategically by partnering with
Hisar spinning mills Ltd in Hisar, Haryana. Surya Tex Tech, Kala Amp, Himachal, diversified
with Surya Tex Tech, Kala Amp, Himachal, in 2006 to manufacture non woven fabric. Usha
Yarns Ltd and Hisar spinning mills Ltd both built fibre regeneration machines in 2008. Usha
Yarns had a technical upgrade in 2009, replacing old gear with current technology for the
improved spinning process. Produced coloured recycled cotton yarn for knitting and
hosiery segments for the first time in 2010. In 2011, technology advancements at Hisar
spinning resulted in the production of recycled coloured yarn.
Advanced features in recycled yarns with comprehensive traceability, chemical
compliances, and color+blend consistency were launched in October 2020. Usha yarn's
unit 3 was commissioned in November 2020, with a capacity of 400 MT per month and
100+ colour colours manufactured exclusively for garment usage.

Recycling & some Perspective

A vast number of products are made from reprocessed fibre because much of this fibre is
re-spun into new yarns or manufactured into woven, knitted, or non-woven fabrications
including garment linings, household items, furniture upholstery, insulation materials,
automobile sound absorption materials, automobile carpeting, and toys.
Fibres from waste garments are also used to make currency notes in some countries, such
as the US Dollar notes.

Pre & Post Consumer Waste

Based on its origin, textile waste can be divided into two categories: pre-consumer
(post-industrial) waste and post-consumer waste.
Pre-consumer waste comprises materials from commercial and industrial units processing
textiles or making garments. It is the most reliable and easiest way to get raw material for
recycling as the material is uniform for a given batch ie: colour, GSM, material, etc. It also
does not require much sorting except a handful of impurities.
Post-consumer waste comprises materials that have reached their end of life and are
thrown out by the consumer, these can vary a lot depending on the garment, and need
extensive sorting, may contain bio-hazardous materials on them such as blood, and
impurities, such as rivets on jeans which will take time to remove.
The cost, ease of recycling, and availability of pre-consumer industrial waste have made it a
popular choice among many recycling units, including Usha Yarns.

Source: [1] (Bhatia P.82)

Classification of Recycling Methods

Source: [2] (Sandin and Peters P.356)

Mechanical, Chemical and Thermal Recycling

Mechanical, chemical, and, less commonly, thermal recycling pathways are the most
common types of textile recycling routes. This is a simplification of reality in many
situations, as recycling pathways typically combine mechanical, chemical, and thermal
processes. Chemical recycling, for example, usually refers to a process in which polymers
are depolymerized (in the case of synthetic polymer fibres produced from petrochemicals,
such as polyester) or dissolved (in the case of natural or synthetic cellulosic fibres, such as
cotton and viscose).
Monomers or oligomers are repolymerized, and polymers are spun into new fibres after
they've been disassembled to molecular levels. The recycled material is typically
mechanically processed before depolymerisation or dissolution.

Furthermore, while thermal recycling generally refers to the melt extrusion conversion of
PET flakes, pellets, or chips into fibres, the flakes, pellets, and chips were created from PET
trash by mechanical means, which is why this recycling process is often referred to as
mechanical recycling.
Furthermore, the terms thermal recycling and thermal recovery are sometimes
misunderstood. Thermal recovery refers to the incineration of textile waste to produce heat
and/or power. To make matters even more complicated, incineration with energy recovery is
often referred to as recycling, despite the fact that the term recycling is most commonly
used to refer to material recycling (as is the case in this report). As a result, categorising
recycling methods as mechanical, chemical, or thermal is unclear and suspect.

Mechanical Recycling
The respinning of discarded fibres is the general process of mechanical recycling of cotton
for clothing uses. Because the mechanical process splits the fibre, the quality and strength
are diminished; hence, the recovered staple fibre must be mixed with either virgin cotton
fibres or other fibres to impart both enhanced strength and colour matching, so removing
the need for re-dying.
Before delving into the many applications of recycled fibres, we must first understand the
process of turning old garments into fibres. The following processes are used to turn old
clothing into fibres.
1. Freed from dust.
2. Carefully sorted.
3. Oiled so they will be pliable and soft.
4. Then converted into the strip; A form of particular dimensions according to the
specification of rag puller.
5. Then, the strips were distributed evenly on the feed lattice.
The torn-out garment strips were ripped off by the high-speed spiky beater when the strips
were supplied via a feed roller. The generated fibres were collected in the container, whilst
the unfilled-opened strips were collected at the separator for re-processing.

Fibre recovery is another fibre-recycling technique. The breakdown of textile into loose
fibres that may be spun into yarn again is referred to as fibre recovery. A Garnett machine,
which includes spinning drums with metal pins that damage the textile structure, is used for
the procedure.
The high mechanical strain causes shorter fibre lengths than the initial fibre lengths, and a
little amount of dust remains in the material. However, thorough sorting is required prior to
the disintegration process since a mixture of diverse fibre types and colours results in
low-quality yarn after spinning.

Upcycling & Downcycling

Downcycling occurs when the recycled material has a lesser value (or quality) than the
original product. Existing textile recycling routes are now downcycling in the majority of
situations. Industrial rags, low-grade blankets, insulating materials, and upholstery are all
made from downcycled clothing and household textiles. Upcycling, on the other hand, is
when a product made from recycled materials has a better value (or quality) than the
original product. Fabric and fibre recycling generally results in lower-quality materials
(assuming quality is measured in terms of fibre length) than materials created from virgin
fibres since the length of the fibres and the component molecules is reduced by wear and
washing (unless mixed with yarn from virgin fibres). Downcycling is usually associated with
fabric and fibre recycling (at least in terms of fibre quality in terms of other qualities of the
end product, such as aesthetics, fit-for-purpose or material qualities defined by fabric
construction rather than fibre quality, certain end products made from recycled fibres or
fabrics may still be considered upcycled). Polymer, oligomer, and monomer recycling, on
the other hand, generally produces fibres of comparable quality to virgin fibres. It's worth
noting that, while fibre and fabric recycling are examples of downcycling (in terms of fibre
quality), they're not necessarily less preferred in terms of waste hierarchy than polymer,
oligomer, or monomer recycling. A cascade strategy, in which textile waste first goes to
fabric or fibre recycling, then to polymer, oligomer, or monomer recycling once the fibre
length has been decreased to a point where the material is no longer suitable for fabric or
fibre recycling.

Overview of Yarn Making

All other natural fibres of technical relevance, except silk, are obtained in the form of staple
fibres. The average length of staple fibres is distinct. Fibres are entangled in the spinning
process, for example, by rotation, to increase friction between individual fibres and so
create a staple fibre yarn.

Ring spinning, open-end spinning, friction spinning, and air-jet spinning are all methods for
introducing the required number of turns per length into a spun yarn. The spinning
technology used determines the qualities of yarn. Before looking into yarn manufacturing,
let’s understand what yarn is.

Yarn is defined as a twisted-together linear assembly of fibres. Yarn properties include

fineness, elongation, hairiness, tenacity, twist and volume. Spinning is the technique of
creating yarn from a textile fibre. Spun yarns are yarns that are created from staple fibres.
Man-made fibres are used in all other yarns. Twisted yarns are made up of at least two
twisted yarns, while plied yarns are made up of two or more parallel orientated strands.
Now let us understand the yarn manufacturing process.

The short-staple (also known as cotton or three-roller) spinning technique is currently the
most common spinning method in the world. The configuration of the rollers in the drafting
zone of the most often used spinning machine, the ring spinning frame, gives rise to the
name three-roller spinning. All fibre types with lengths up to 40 mm can be spun using this
method. It has a lot of flexibility when it comes to the qualities and uses of the yarns it
produces. In the sectors of apparel, home textiles, and technical textiles, ring spun yarns
are processed into wovens, braidings, hosiery, and knits. (Alam, 2013)
1. Bale opening
During this procedure, the cotton tufts are opened. Because the cotton is delivered
in such a compressed state, the first step is to remove the tangled fibres. The cotton
fibre is freed by the bale opener's rotating spiky rollers.
2. Mixing
This is a method of combining fibres from the same or other categories to achieve
desired qualities and cost-efficiency. After studying the important qualities of fibre,
such as staple length, tensile strength, fineness, and homogeneity, mixing is carried
out.
3. Blow room
Beaters and openers are used to clean and open the cotton during this operation. In
this procedure, foreign materials such as dust particles, cotton seeds, and other
impurities are partially eliminated. In this process, the cotton tufts are opened and
cleaned, and the cotton lap is formed.
4. Carding
The core of spinning is carding, which removes minute contaminants such as small
seed particles, immature fibres, and so on. This procedure involves straightening
and aligning fibres. The Blow room lap is reduced to the card sliver during carding.
5. Draw frame
Fibres are paralleled through drafting. The Draw Frame accepts up to eight carded
slivers, which are stretched/straightened and turned into a single sliver. At this point,
some fibre blending can also be conducted.
6. Roving frame
To get the fibres more aligned/paralleled, extra drafting is done here.
Because the Sliver from the Draw-Frame is thicker and will be difficult to feed into
the Ring-frame as it is, thus it is stretched and thinned by drafting and moderate
twisting (to strengthen the Roving). Roving is the name for Simplex's end-product.
7. Spinning
The roving is fed into the Ring-frame, where it is further drafted and twisted into
yarn, to draft the roving till it reaches the desired fineness. Twisting the fibre gives it
more strength. The drafting and twisting can be modified depending on the yarn
count desired.
8. Auto coner
Winding is the process of making huge yarn packages that can be unwound quickly.
Winding yarn makes it easier and more cost-effective to use on the following
machines. On the Autocone winding machine, all ring frame yarns are wound into
large cones. Yarn defects are also removed with the use of a yarn clearer on this
machine.
(Alam, 2013)
Cotton- The highest demand Natural Fiber

Source: [3] (Akram H M Ali et al. P.71)

Source: Global fibre production from 1980 to 2015 (CIRFS, 2016).

Cotton is the most often used natural textile fibre because of its strength, lightness, and
absorbency. Cotton production in the traditional sense necessitates the use of arable land,
huge amounts of water, and agrochemicals from seed to harvest (i.e. pesticides and
fertilizers).
To minimise the level of inherent impurities contained in the fibre, increase dye and finishing
chemical absorption, and impart functional characteristics to the finished fabric, the textile
production process from cotton fibres to textiles for garments necessitates the substantial
use of chemicals and energy (i.e. high absorbency and hydrophilic properties). Recycling
offers an option to both divert garbage from landfills and produce raw materials on
agricultural land. Cotton mechanical recycling is well-established, and it is used to recycle
both pre-and post-consumer waste. It typically includes the respinning of recycled mixed
with virgin material without the use of any chemicals. The plant of Usha Yarns documented,
and visited engages in mechanical recycling of cotton from industrial textile waste.
Synthetic Fibers
Synthetic products can be recycled in different ways, some include chemical recycling,
thermal recycling, and mechanical recycling. Mechanical being the most primitive, but
cost-effective as well.

In chemical recycling, the Polymer is generally broken down to produce monomers,

oligomers, or other intermediates.
Many in the textile industry believe that the ideal recycling system is one in which recovered
textiles are transformed back into virgin grade yarns to produce new textiles, commonly
known as “fiber-to-fiber” recycling. Chemical recycling is the only method capable of
realising this goal because it can remove all undesirable elements non-PET fibres,
colourants, catalysts, surface treatments, backing materials, and other auxiliary chemicals
used in textile manufacturing.

Fibre re-spinning can be done with thermoplastic fibres and fibres that can be dissolved in
solvents. Re-spinning is the process of melting or dissolving end-of-life textiles and then
spinning the solution or melt just like virgin material. Not just end-of-life textiles, but also
polyester bottles, for example, can be employed in this procedure.
The method can be used to treat single-material textiles, however, it has limits when it
comes to multi-material textiles. While the ‘fibre-to-fibre' method is not widely used today,
the ‘bottle-to-fibre' method is widely used for polyester bottles. Even yet, virgin polyester
has a different inherent viscosity, crystallinity, and opacity than recycled polyester, limiting
the maximum recycled content in goods or necessitating additional processing steps and
additives to achieve the desired material properties.
At Usha yarns, synthetic fibres are recycled mechanically, and neither chemical nor thermal
recycling is used.

Dera Bassi Unit- 2 of Usha Yarns Ltd.

We completed our internship at Unit 2 of Usha Yarns located at Dera Bassi.
Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

The recycled textile production facilities of Usha Yarn are spread out over a 16-acre
complex in Derabassi. The manufacturing mills are outfitted with cutting-edge Rieter,
Truetzschler, Oerlikon, and Schlafhorst spinning machines that use innovative textile
recycling technology. Their factories generate over 1000 tonnes of recycled yarn every
month, with each batch passing a thorough quality control inspection. This meticulous
textile recycling procedure assures that every product that leaves the factory meets
international quality requirements.
In July 2018, the Usha Yarns unit 2 facility in Derabassi was awarded Gold Certification
under the Indian Green Building Council's green building rating standards.
Source: Google Earth

Yarn Manufacturing
The Manufacturing at the unit surveyed focuses on Yarn manufacturing, and has the
following sections:
1. Material Sorting
2. Blow Room
3. Carding
4. Spinning
5. Packaging
 A. Material Sorting

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

The supply of raw materials for this unit is primarily from pre-consumer industrial textile
waste, this textile waste is sorted according to the colour, and waste materials are removed
and disposed of in separate bins( Paper, Glass, Metal, and Hazardous Waste).

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

The sorted material is fed into the beater where the fibres are opened; An important point to
note is that since the fibres are from the recycled route the fibre length is going to be
smaller than virgin cotton.
Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.
The fibre material is then put under the bale press, and the bales are transferred to the
Mixer Bale Opener in the Blow Room.

B. Blow Room

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

In the blow Room, the bales are brought to be put in the Mixing Bale Opener(MBO), in
which a hopper is present which measures the right proportion of fibres by weight for the
required end product (This can be programmed into the machine from the control panel).
One colour can be processed at a time, the machine has to be cleaned before a new colour
can be used on it to prevent the mixing of different colour fibres in the Yarn; The time
required for cleaning varies from 30 minutes to 12 hours depending on the difference in the
hue of the preceding and succeeding fibres.

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

After the bale is opened in the Mixing Bale Opener(MBO), The fibres are weighed by the
system and put on a conveyor belt, which passes through a metal detector.
It is then sprayed with a diluted oil to remove the static charges from fibres like polyester.
The material then moves into the Box Room in which the different constituent materials are
mixed properly to create a homogeneous mixture, this box room also acts as a storage box.
The fibres from the storage box are again opened in the MPM, which has 8 chambers, and
are then transferred to the CLU(Universal Cleaner).
The entire blow room was filled with fibres on the floor, this is termed as invisible loss as its
percentage relative to the total material is negligible.

C. Carding Section
The homogenous mixture from the Blow room is then transferred to the Carding section.
Carding section is considered the heart of the spinning process where silver is formed. In
this section, parallelisation of fibres takes place along with the removal of trailing hooks,
nubs, short fibres and lead hooks. This is done as all these can reduce the strength of the
yarn. During the process, the waste fibres are sucked out of the machine and are collected
separately. The collected waste is then sold to the manufacturers manufacturing masks,
PPE kits, egg carts, etc.
The homogeneous mixture of the fibres from the CLU(Universal Cleaner) of the blow room
enters the carding section. The valve present in the carding section equally distributes the
fibres to the automatic coilers present there. After removal of waste, the sliver is formed
which is transferred to a can with a capacity of 50 Kg. At this stage, the sliver formed is not
uniform, which means the thickness and density of the sliver is not equal to all automatic
coilers. In order to make it uniform, drafting and doubling are done. In this process, the
machine reduces its weight/unit length making the sliver uniform throughout. Six cans from
different carding automatic coilers are fed into the drafting machine. The machine used at
Unit-2 of Usha Yarns is a ‘Finisher Draw Frame Machine’. The auto leveller present in the
machine regulates the speed of processing as per thickness to ensure uniform thickness.
4/3 drafting is used in this machine. The uniform sliver formed is then collected in
containers of 6 Kg capacity. The relative humidity of this section is maintained at 68-70% to
meet the required results.

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

D. Spinning room

The cans in which the uniform sliver is collected from the drafting machine is then moved to
an adjacent room with the spinning machine. The cans weigh 6kg each. Open-end
machines are used in the spinning room. The machine used by Usha yarns in spinning is
SAURER SCHLAFHORST BD7 which is a semi-automatic rotor-spinning machine powered
by Autocoro technologies with Digipiecing and take-up speeds up to 230m/min, BD 7
greatly improves yarn quality and productivity for the plant.
Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.
The sliver from the cans is picked by a machine which is then opened, drafted and twisted
to form yarn. The yarn produced is rubbed against a wax disc attached to the machine to
prevent pilling which is then wrapped around the cone. The paper cone used is based on a
colour-coded system developed by Usha yarns which correspond to the specific yarn
count.

The machine is also equipped with a blower which moves along the machine line and
cleans the machine continuously. The room should be always kept at 68% humidity.

E. Packaging and transportation

The yarn cones are collected in a cone stand which is moved manually by workers to the
packaging room where the cones are manually wrapped in plastic. These cones are then
arranged in the cartons with each carton weighing 40 kg. This is then sealed and stacked in
the warehouse from where it is moved to trucks and transported to their buyers.
Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

Statistical Quality Control Lab

Statistical quality control lab or SQC lab is where all the chemical and physical
properties of the product are tested. Samples from each batch are brought to the
lab manually for conducting the test and readings are analysed.

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

The tests performed at the SQC Lab of Unit- 2 Usha Yarns are:
a. Digital cone collapsing test
b. Bursting strength test
c. Oil picker test
d. Yarn board master
e. Wrap reel
f. Lea strength tester
g. Assessment cabinet tester
h. Twist test
i. Hot air oven
j. Single fibre strength test
k. Crimp test
l. Colour fastness and washing fastness test

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

 A.Digital cone collapsing tester

Source: PackTest Ltd.

Source: PackTest Ltd.

Paper Cones are used in housing the yarns. The collapsing force which the cones
are capable of resisting is dependent on the following factors:

● Quality and Quantity of paper

● Quality and Quantity of adhesive
 ● Manufacturing process
● Moisture content in the carrier
● Physical size and dimensions
The core and cone collapsing force testing device is designed to generate and apply
incremental force on the surface of the paper cone. By means of a load cell and a
Microprocessor-based digital indicator, the precise point at which it succumbs can
be detected.Since this machine directly measures the collapsing force, no
calculations are required and hence, the readings are direct and most accurate.

B. Assessment cabinet (Colour inspection)

The assessment cabinet checker is used to inspect the colour of the fabric by
checking colour differences under various light sources such as D65, TL84, F, UV,
and so on. (Kiron, 2021) It provides a standardized and controlled environment for
the visual assessment of colours. In this test, the metameric property of colour is
used since its tone varies depending on the light source. It serves as a basis for
comparing sample colours captured under various lighting conditions.

Source: VeriVide

C. Twist tester
Twist refers to the number of spirals turns a yarn receives in order to hold the
constituent fibres on a thread together. S-twist and Z-twist are the two forms of
twist direction. The yarn is first drawn to the yarn guide through the yarn tensioner.
The yarn is then set with the fixed jaw and then untwisted with the handle, resulting
in a single Z-twist yarn. As a result, the yarn untwists into an S-twist. The tram
control reading is determined using single yarn untwists, re-twist metres and a
number of twists per inch. (GI-1 TWIST TESTER, n.d.)

Source: SDL Atlas Ltd.

D. Colour fastness and washing fastness test

The purpose of a colour fastness test is to determine how much fading or bleeding occurs
on garments as a result of conditions such as washing, ironing, exposure to light, rubbing,
and so on. The key ones that are standardised are listed below. Textile dye lightfastness is
rated from one to eight, and wash fastness is rated from one to five; the greater the number,
the better the fastness.

1. Colour Fastness to Washing (used to measure colour bleeding or fading after wash)
2. Colour Fastness to Dry Cleaning (used to measure colour bleeding or fading after
dry cleaning)
3. Colour Fastness to Ironing (used to measure colour bleeding or fading after ironing)
4. Colour Fastness to Water (used to measure colour bleeding or fading into water)
5. Colour Fastness to Rubbing (used to measure colour bleeding or fading after
rubbing)
6. Colour Fastness to Perspiration (used to measure colour bleeding or fading into
perspiration)
7. Colour Fastness to Light (used to measure colour bleeding or fading into light)
8. Colour Fastness to Chlorine Bleach (used to measure colour bleeding or fading while
chlorine bleaching)
(Kiron, 2021)
Source: Gester

Lea strength tester (Tensile strength)

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

It is a motorised pendulum-type lea tester. It consists of an upper and lower jaw. The lower
jaw can be engaged using a screw mechanism powered by a constant-speed motor. As a
result, the bottom jaw has a constant traverse rate of 12 inches per minute. The steel tape
connects the top jaw to the pendulum arm. The pendulum arm is connected to a heavy bob
and moves across a serrated quadrant. When the lea breaks, a pawl is attached to the
pendulum arm to control its movement and assist it in stopping. A dial calibrated in pounds
moves a pointer through the pendulum arm's geared movement. The pointer indicates the
lea strength in pounds per square inch on the dial.

Working Principle
Samples of lea are prepared from ring bobbins or cones using a warp reel. The lea
measures 120 yards in length. To separate the layers, the bobbins are looped under the
same tension and with a tiny traverse. When the lea has been wound to the desired length,
the reel stops and the lea is transferred from the wrap reel to the lea tester. The lea is then
placed over the jaws, with care taken to avoid twisting it and grabbing threads on the jaws.
After that, the bottom jaw is engaged with the screw mechanism, and the motor is turned
on. A load is applied to the yarn loops that make up the lea as the bottom jaw descends. As
a result of the pull on the upper jaw, the pendulum arm is pulled, causing the pointer to
move across the dial. At some point, one or two strands will break, and many will slip,
causing the pendulum to stop moving. The pawl, which engages with the teeth over the
serrated quadrant, prevents the pendulum from abruptly falling back. At that point, the
pointer also stops moving, indicating the maximum load on the dial. This load is known as
the lea's strength. The lea is then extracted from the jaws by raising the lower jaw.

E. Crimp Tester

Source: Adarsh International

Crimp test is used to test and measure yarn samples from woven or knitted fabrics to
calculate the crimp in yarn impacted by knitting or weaving and to determine actual yarn
usage. Threads are extracted from a known-length strip of fabric, straightened by tension,
and then measured in the straightened state. There are two tension ranges (0-35 g and
0-175 g), and the test length is 120 cm (48 inches). It's also used to figure out what yarn
number to put on the materials. Using the yarn sample to apply the necessary pro-tension.
The length of the yarn before and after applying pre-tension is displayed on the digital
screen at the end of the process. (Crimp Tester | Textile Testing Products, n.d.)
 F. Single fibre strength tester
The Single fibre strength test is used to determine fibre’s resistance and lengthening
rates. It has to lengthen measurement features with a precision of 0.1 mm. Its
maximum load capacity is 500 gm and sample movement length is 250 mm. The
jaws of the sample holder are pneumatically controlled. The movement's speed can
be digitally adjusted. For usage, a Standard laboratory compressor is required.
(Gateslab Technologies De Laboratoire, n.d.)

Source: SDL Atlas

G. Wrap Reel (Yarn Count)

A wrap reel, also known as a skein winder, is a device used to measure yarn and wind it into
standard-sized hanks. The reel is a standard size, and the revolutions are counted as the
yarn wraps around it. To make a hank of a standard size — a skein or lea — a
predetermined number of spins is usually utilised. A skein of cotton, for example, would be
80 turns on a 54-inch-circumference reel, yielding 120 yards, whereas the standard length
for wool worsted would be 80 yards. Because the yarn would be elastic, a standard tension
was required to ensure uniformity as it was wound onto the reel.
The friction of the setup for a certain reel would determine this, thus test hanks would be
made and measured in different ways to calibrate the device.
 H. Hot air oven
The hot air oven is used to dry the sample that has been wet treated so that it can be
prepared for another test or for inspection.

Source: Adarsh International

I. Yarn board master (checking for nubs)

The Look of Yarn The Board Winder is used to wrap the yarn in evenly spaced parallel
wraps over a board for visual inspection.

The Appearance Board for Yarn Winders is used to evaluate the appearance of irregularities
to standard rating images, which are utilised to perform visual determination of unevenness
along the length of yarn. Tenable yarns of various thicknesses are to be evaluated; the
spacing between the wraps is to be chosen so that a distinct pattern can be seen.

Features
 ● Manually operated.
● Check the evenness & appearance of yarn.
● Precise preparation is required for an accurate assessment of imperfection in order
to grade the yarn using photographic comparison criteria.
● Is used to weave yarn on a blackboard for visual inspection and grading in
accordance with ASTM standards.
● Choices of a wide range of rectangular and tapered boards.

Source: Statetex

J. Bursting strength tester

Bursting Strength Tester measures the bursting strength of paper, paper board, and
corrugated board. Burst energy absorption (BEA) and diaphragm-compensated bursting
strength are also measured. Bursting strength is a traditional measure of paper strength
and it is also a test requirement for the paper cones that house the yarns.
Source: Presto

Total Productive maintenance

Usha Yarns Ltd.'s manufacturing units adhere to the Total Productive Maintenance policy.
This strategy is based on the idea that rather than relying solely on the maintenance team,
everyone in the unit should participate in maintenance. This method makes use of all
employees' skills and attempts to incorporate maintenance into the day-to-day operations
of a facility.

TPM is based on a "5S" foundation and is supported by eight pillars. The initial steps in a
TPM programme are to lay the groundwork for the 5S foundation and to develop an
autonomous maintenance plan. This frees up maintenance personnel to start larger projects
and perform more planned maintenance.
The "5S" are as follows:
Sort- Determine which items are frequently used and which are not. The ones that are
frequently used should be kept nearby, while the others should be kept further away.
Systemize- Each item should be stored in only one location.
Shine- The workplace must be clean. Without it, identifying problems and performing
maintenance will be more difficult.
Standardize- The workplace should be standardised and labelled. This frequently entails
creating processes where none previously existed.
Sustain- Efforts should be made to continuously perform each of the other steps at all
times. (Fiix Software | A Rockwell Automation Company, n.d.)
The eight pillars of the TPM 5S foundation are autonomous maintenance, planned
maintenance, quality integration, focused improvement, new equipment management,
training and education, safety, health, environment, and TPM in administration.

As per the TPM policy, everyone from top-level management to workers doing basic tasks
like sorting engages in maintenance. TPM is supported by management by being promoted
as a corporate policy. Engineers are involved because they can interpret the company's
maintenance data in order to find relevant metrics and generate business insights. Machine
operators are in charge of daily machine maintenance, which includes cleaning, lubrication,
and so on. They should be able to detect and report indications of deterioration, avoiding
machine shutdown and enhancing equipment performance. Maintenance managers and
technicians must train and support operators in order for them to achieve their objectives
and conduct more advanced preventative maintenance tasks.

Due to the adoption of the TPM strategy, the Usha Yarn has fewer breakdowns, a safer
workplace, and improved overall performance because everyone in a unit is thinking about
and contributing to maintenance.

Human Resources of Usha Yarns

Corporate Structure

Source: Usha Yarns Ltd.

The corporate hierarchy of the company is as follows:
Top of the pyramid is the chairman then comes the managing director which is followed by
General Managers(GM) which have two divisions technical and non-technical.
The departments of maintenance, production, electrical, quality and R&D come under the
technical division whereas HR, accounts, marketing, sales departments come under the
non-technical division.
General managers are followed by managers in the technical and non-technical divisions.
In the technical division, it is followed by supervisors and then workers.
In the non-technical division, managers are followed by executives, assistants and then
trainees.

HR And Management policies

A) Minimum wage policy
The Usha Yarns comply with the government-mandated minimum wage policy for all the
workers working there including permanent and the workers working on a contract basis.
They even have provided living quarters for permanent workers within the premises of the
unit.

B) Anti-harassment policy
The company strictly follows the anti-harassment policy to avoid harassment against any
worker working there. This assures safety to all the workers so that they can work there
without any hesitation.

C) Working hours policy

They follow a working hours policy wherein no worker works for more than 8 hours per day.
There are 3 shifts - 7 AM to 3 PM (Morning), 3 PM to 11 PM (Evening) & 11 PM to 7 AM
(Night). This ensures non-stop production without exploitation of workers.

D) Anti-discrimination policy
The workers working in various sections of the company belong to different social, cultural,
ethnic and economic backgrounds. So, to maintain a healthy working atmosphere in the
units, they follow an Anti-discrimination policy under which no worker is mistreated based
on their background.

E) Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020

The company follows the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, which
as the name suggests safeguards the occupational safety, health and working conditions of
the employees employed by the Usha Yarns at all the units.
Environmental Impact
The textile industry is the second largest polluter in the world, after the oil and gas industry,
and to meet the UN Sustainability Goals, the industry must adopt sustainability measures
such as recycling of garments, to this effect Usha Yarns produces recycled yarn products.
According to Usha Yarn’s internal figures, in 2020 they have saved 34,992,000,000 Liters of
water, 145,800 Kilograms of Chemicals, and produced 44,712 Megatons less of CO2
Emissions than conventional Yarn production processes while recycling 9720 MegaTons of
garment waste, and 6,480 Megatons of PET Waste while producing 16,200 Megatons of
Yarn. (Usha Yarns Ltd., n.d.)

Sustainability at Usha yarns

Usha Yarns promotes and provides yarn for 100% recycled fabrics to meet the growing
demand for environmentally friendly materials for sustainable firms all around the world.
Its sustainability objectives are based on the major principles listed below:

Responsible products
Usha Yarns claims to be part of a completely ethical textile supply chain and reduce its
demand for virgin sources by utilising recycled fibre spinning.
It combines recyclable waste inputs like garment cutting and PET trash, blended with some
virgin material as well.

Water
Usha Yarns has replaced traditional yarn dyeing, which uses a lot of water and chemicals,
with a dry process that produces yarns without using any water or chemicals.
Its goal was to cut down on water waste and recycle it.

Energy
The facilities complement the electricity system with solar energy, reducing reliance on
non-renewable resources. To reduce malfunctions and energy losses, the personnel adhere
to tight machine cleaning and maintenance schedules.
The plant's stated goal is to gradually transition to renewable energy sources.

Chemicals
At various phases of production, such as fibre production, dyeing, treatment, and finishing,
the textile process consumes a large number of chemicals. In humans, these compounds
can cause allergic reactions, respiratory illnesses, and an increased risk of cancer.
Usha Yarns claims to have a policy of avoiding using any harmful chemicals in their
manufacturing.

Emission
The plant was able to cut CO2 emissions by switching to a dry dyeing technique instead of
traditional dyeing. This allows the facility to reduce CO2 emissions to a bare minimum while
continuing to track and adhere to environmental safety standards by measuring its air,
noise, and stack emissions.

Waste
Usha Yarns has claimed that circularity is important to them, hence they use pre-consumer
waste as their primary raw material source for recycling textiles.
Their declared goal is to achieve zero discharge and zero waste by closing the textile loop.

Health
Usha Yarns takes care of its employees' health as part of its CSR initiatives, providing them
with regular health check-ups and medical insurance.
To this purpose, a variety of activities such as Health Seminars, Awareness Workshops,
Yoga, Meditation, and Fitness Camps are conducted in collaboration with Emergency
Services to keep their personnel' health in top shape.
A free vaccination drive was being organised for their staff on the day of our visit to the
company (23rd July 2021).

Safety
The organisation ensures the safety of its personnel through a variety of programmes,
including monthly training on health care, hygiene, and safety first, as well as tight policies
and equipment safety measures.
It has also committed to a stringent policy against underage labour, smoking, sexual
assault, and workplace harassment.

The Recycling Supply Chain

Cost of raw material for recycling, Case Study by Yan. Source: [4] (Yan P.305)

The economic sustainability of this sector is hard since it requires large expenditures and
specialised machinery to recycle waste material into new fibres, and it operates on
razor-thin margins. Because textile waste is typically not seen as very hazardous, and the
value is currently low, there are few incentives for firms to enter this industry. Specialized
actors are also required to sift, manage, and transport the diverse content received from
customers. All of these steps need a significant amount of manual labour.
The volume of textile waste is very little, but the distances are great, necessitating excellent
logistics.
Before China's National Sword initiative, shipping containers full of high-value items would
be transported to markets such as the United States and Europe, and instead of returning
empty, they would deliver garbage for recycling, and at a considerably cheaper cost for the
journey owing to low demand for the route. The same idea is now being applied to shipping
with respect to countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, India, etc.

Recycling Industry in India

India has a thriving textile recycling community, and now that industrial machinery is
available, it is being done on a large scale, as opposed to when it was done at the family or
village level and for cost reasons, as opposed to now when environmental impact is more
significant.

Panipat, for example, is the world's largest textile recycling centre, creating reclaimed
"shoddy" wool yarns and blankets from discarded winter clothes.
The raw material comes from the international second-hand clothing market in wealthy
countries like the United States and the United Kingdom.
Yarns, blankets, felt items, cotton durries, made-ups, throws, and mats are all produced by
small businesses. The business of sorting and classifying textile consumer waste imported
from industrialised countries, on the other hand, takes place in Gujarat's Kandla Special
Economic Zone, 600 kilometres north of Kishco's Mumbai base.
It is one of India's most important centres for the sorting and grading of textile waste.
Wiping material is made from some of the old clothes waste imported into India.
The majority of the goods arrive from the United States and Europe.

In small Indian clusters, post-consumer textile waste is also up-cycled. To create a

distinctive pattern effect, fabric from ancient cotton sarees is traditionally made into layers
and stitched together using run stitches. This product termed “Kantha” is utilised for
newborns and children as blankets and wraps as it is soft and ideal for the Indian climatic
conditions.
The nomadic Bakkarwal and Gujjar tribes of Jammu and Kashmir embroider ancient
woollen felt blankets with acrylic yarn and turn them into lovely needle-worked handcrafted
rugs. This is a part of their culture and custom, as well as a technique of preserving old
fabrics. They also employ vintage textiles to manufacture gorgeous hand-embroidered
caps, bags, and other accessories.
Similarly, nomadic tribes in Rajasthan, India, embellish their garments with patchwork,
embroidery, and mirror work to give them a fresh new look. Several accessories are also
made from recycled materials and are embellished on the surface.Quilting old textiles,
particularly Indian sarees/saris (a 5.5-meter-long piece of fabric), into cushion covers, bags,
table covers, and blankets is a prevalent practise in many parts of India today.

Sustainable Textiles Sourcing in India

Apart from Usha Yarns, and other recycling focused industries, India offers a hotbed to
sustainable manufacturers.
Over the last decade, India's production of ecologically friendly textiles and apparel has
increased dramatically, not just in knits, soft separates, and casual wear, but also in
high-quality wovens.

“10 years ago it was not possible to get high end woven fabrics in organic cotton here, the
50s count was the best. However, now we can do up to single 80s and there are numerous
options regarding the blending of different fibres and different yarn counts so you can get
beautiful products without compromising aesthetics, performance and durability.
There are no restrictions now on what it is possible to get in organic Fairtrade cotton.”
- Quote by Sreeranga Rajan from Dibella India

Patagonia, for example, sources all of their organic yoga clothing and hoodies from Madhya
Pradesh's organic and Fairtrade certified Prathibha Syntex vertical mill. C&A collaborated
with Arvind Mills in India to create the world's first C2C certified jeans.
Some of the reasons why businesses choose India as a recycled material source are related
to India's traditional textile industry, such as;

1. Availability of raw materials

India is typically one of the top three cotton growers in the world, as well as the world's
second-largest spinner.

According to the Textile Exchange's 2108 Organic Cotton Market Report, India is the
world's top producer of organic cotton, with 51 percent of organic cotton cultivated in India.
Because of the proximity of fibre production, processing, and manufacturing, it is easier to
establish transparent supply chains.
 2. Certified facilities
India has the most GOTS-certified facilities (1,254) of any single nation (China has just 220),
as well as the most Organic Cotton Standard (OCS) certified producers (449).
Furthermore, India accounts for 40% of Fairtrade cotton certified producers or traders.
There are 977 SA8000 certified units (compared to 606 in China and 4 in Bangladesh) and
217 Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified facilities.

This allows Indian suppliers to be well-positioned to satisfy the sustainability standards of

global fashion companies while also making it simpler for a sustainability-conscious
customer to source with more confidence.

3. Flexible production
Indian garment makers generally design their production lines barely a day or two before
cutting begins. This enables for greater flexibility and allows for last-minute adjustments to
be handled without resulting in the unnecessary overtime that last-minute changes might
cause.

4. Lower Minimum Order Requirements

In comparison to China and Bangladesh, India's clothing makers are more willing to accept
orders in the hundreds rather than thousands.

5. Artisanal and Traditional craftsmanship

From embroidery to sequins to handwoven textiles, India is known for its ancient handicraft
and artisan manufacturing. Whether outsourcing a portion of production to artisan
embellishers or producing entire collections, organisations such as social businesses and
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) may foster partnerships with talented craftsmen
and enable customers to have a beneficial social effect.
It is also a developing industrial speciality, and it is aimed at a client base that is likely to
seek a sustainable material foundation for their product.
References
1. Bhatia, Dinesh. “Recycled fibers: An overview.” International Journal of Fiber and

Textile Research, vol. 4, no. 4, 2014, pp. 77-82. ResearchGate,

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341321862_Recycled_fibers_An_overview

2. Sandin, Gustav, and Greg Peters. “Environmental impact of textile reuse and

recycling – A review.” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 184, no. 2018, 2018, pp.

353-365. Elsevier, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.266.

3. Akram H M Ali, et al. “Textile recycling- A review.” Global Journal of Engineering and

Technological Advances, vol. 06, no. 03, 2021, pp. 69-74. Global Journal of

Engineering and Technological Advances,

https://doi.org/10.30574/gjeta.2021.6.3.0015.

4. Yan, Guo. “Reverse Logistics in Clothing Recycling: A Case Study in Chengdu.”

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5. Kashyap, Dr. Radha. “PRACTICES TOWARDS POST TEXTILE CONSUMER

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8. Gateslab Technologies de Laboratoire. (n.d.). GE-1 SINGLE FIBER STRENGTH

TESTER. Retrieved September 18, 2021, from

http://www.gateslab.com/Single_Fiber_Strenght_Tester.html
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10. Kiron, M. I. (2021, January 03). List of Chemical Testing Equipments for Dyeing Lab.

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15. (Bairangi, 2014, #)

Certificates Of Textile Internship
Certifications Of Usha Yarns Ltd.