Selected Aspects of Forensic Discrimination of Blue and Black/Grey Cotton Fibres Derived from Denim Fabrics

Abstract

Fragments of single textile fibres are one of the most commonly found microtraces at crime scenes. Among them, the widespread blue and black/grey cotton fibres should be recognized. The analytical methods routinely used in fibre examination mainly focus on color assessment and determination of the fibres’ morphological features as well as chemical composition. This publication presents the physicochemical characteristics of blue and black/grey denim fabrics and fibres as well as an overview of the non-destructive and destructive methods used in the discrimination of these fibres. Usually, such fibre microtraces are very difficult to distinguish in forensic examinations due to their widespread abundance, and, thus, their evidential value is not significant. As previous research shows, most denim material samples were colored with indigo dye. However, due to the changing trends in denim production and the fashion market, indigo derivatives may play a more critical role. The literature review shows significant shortcomings in the development of techniques focusing on the analysis of the dyes contained in denim fibres, and this is a research direction worth pursuing.

Keywords

• cotton fibres
• denim
• dye analysis
• instrumental analysis
• forensic examinations