Fabric Testing

Testing is important, mainly for customer satisfaction of the textile product as well as to ensure product quality for the market in which the textile manufacturer competes. Testing is also important in order to control the manufacturing process and cost. In the textile industry, it is very important to use testing to control the manufacturing process for cost and other reasons. The importance of testing cannot be disregarded for product satisfaction and control of manufacturing cost.

Scope of fabric testing

 

                     Scope of fabric testing

 Physical testing

 The first broad class of factors that affect the performance of fabrics are physical agents and influences. These may be further subdivided into mechanical deformation and degradation, tactile and associated visual properties of fabrics (such as wrinkling, buckling, drape and hand) after their use and manufacture, and their response to heat, liquids and static charge. The testing of fabrics to mechanical deformation is very important and refers to fabrics that are subjected to variable and complex modes of deformation. They include tensile behavior, compression, bending or flexing, shrinkage, abrasion resistance, frictional rubbing, torsion or twisting, and shear. Fabrics with special features or constructions require either additional tests or modification of existing tests for conventional fabrics to characterize adequately their mechanical and related properties.

Chemical testing

 Chemical and photochemical exposure of textiles may lead to yellowing or discoloration of undyed fabrics, to fading of dyed fabrics, and/or to degradation of dyed and undyed fabrics. These adverse results are due to depooxidative processes and/or crosslinking. Textile fabrics have varying degrees of resistance to chemical agents such as water and other solvents, to acids, bases and bleaches, to air pollutants and to the photochemical action of assessing the performance of the fabrics for various end uses. The development of chemically resistant protective clothing and textile filtration media has led to test methods relevant to these end uses.

Biological testing

Textile fabrics may be adversely affected by various microorganisms and insects. The effect of biological agents on textile fabrics is important for enhancing their end-use performance in many areas. Fabrics will have desirable aesthetic qualities if they can suppress odour-causing bacteria and other types of odour-causing microorganisms. The hygienic and medical effectiveness of fabrics is required to prevent the growth of dermatophytic fungi (those that cause skin disease), pathogenic and potentially lethal microorganisms on fabrics and to prevent their infestation by insects. Finally, prevention of fibre discolouration and degradation, usually by fungi and insects, prolongs the useful life of the material. Testing of fabrics and evolution of specific test methods for the above biological influences would help manufacturers, retailers and users of fabrics to develop strategic ways to maintain and protect their fabrics in storage and transportation. These tests would be useful for rapid screening of various modified and unmodified fabrics for their ability to withstand biological attack.

Visual examination

Fabrics can be evaluated for a variety of attributes to assess their performance by visual assessment either manually (subjective assessment) or by objective evaluation techniques. Visual examination of fabrics includes evaluating the texture, surface characteristics, dye shade variations, design details, weave patterns, construction particulars, pilling assessment, etc. 

Physiological testing

Fabric physiology deals with the physiological characteristics of fabrics that are expressed in the well-being, performance and health of the wearer. It covers the areas of physics, chemistry, medicine, physiology, psychology and textile technology.