Evaluation of Cellulosic Fabrics Surface Characteristics after Different Treatments

Abstract

Various clothes treatments during their manufacture and wear change the fabrics physical and surface characteristics. The different testing methods for fabrics quality evaluation are used in this research. The aim of this work is to examine the effect of enzyme treatment, laundering and abrasion on the appearance of different cellulosic fabrics. Six cotton and cotton blend woven fabrics used for faded garments production were chosen for this examination. Treatments such, as enzyme wash, domestic laundering, abrasion using IT-2 and Martindale (Mesdan) instruments and rubbing were applied in order to evaluate the worn look of the different fabrics. The degree of fabrics distortion was determined by using abrasion resistance and weight change characteristics. Also, the colour fastness and staining after different dry and wet treatments were analysed. The results of this research show that the surface characteristics of cellulosic fabrics depend on the properties of the fabrics and the type of treatment. Most of the tested cellulosic fabrics have changed their difference in colour not only after the enzyme wash but also after successive abrading and cyclical domestic launderings. Both colour fading of the fabrics and staining of cotton white fabric may appear after rubbing in dry and especially in wet conditions. The received results show that during tested fabrics laundering, the cotton and nylon parts of multifibre fabric were stained more heavily.