Physical and mechanical degradation of shirting fabrics in burial conditions

The current focal areas within forensic textile science are fibre identification and assessment of the method of damage to fabrics. This paper investigates fabric degradation within clandestine burials. The fabrics considered in this paper, unlike previous archaeological studies, are a modern polyester–cotton blend (65%/35%) and a 100% cotton fabric both of which are commonly used for men's shirting fabrics in the UK. Three laundering conditions were investigated (i) not-laundered, (ii) laundered 6 times, and (iii) laundered 60 times; this represented varying conditions of fabric upon clothing deposition. The two burial conditions; sand and clay, were selected as extremes of soil type. The deposition times (15 and 30 days) were based on a study of clandestine burials in UK crimes. There were clear differences in how polyester–cotton and cotton stained within the two different soil conditions, polyester–cotton becoming extensively stained after a 30-day deposition in sand. The tear force required to tear the fabric after deposition, suggested that polyester/cotton fabrics were consistently weaker after burial, regardless of soil type and deposition period. There was also significant damage caused to not-laundered cotton fabrics after a 30-day deposition in clay. This work indicates that common apparel fabrics can degrade in relatively short times when buried.