With the wide application of textiles in our daily life, the demand for their quality is getting higher and higher. In the textile manufacturing process, shrinkage is a crucial indicator that is directly related to the service life and comfort of the final product. To ensure the quality of textiles, manufacturers usually conduct shrinkage tests. This paper will introduce the background and significance of textile shrinkage testing as well as the commonly used test methods. And there is newly developed machine to test textile shrinkage automatically called SmartShrink.
I. Background and significance of shrinkage
Textile shrinkage is the percentage of dimensional change that occurs in textiles during the washing process under certain conditions. This dimensional change may be due to the nature of the fiber material, weaving process and finishing and other factors. Shrinkage testing is used to assess whether textiles retain their original dimensions after washing, thus ensuring the quality of the final product.
Textile shrinkage is directly related to the user experience and product life. If textiles undergo excessive dimensional changes after washing, it will not only result in a poor fit, but may also affect the appearance and functionality of the product. Therefore, manufacturers must conduct accurate and reliable testing of textile shrinkage during the production process to ensure that the products meet market demands and quality standards.
Second, the method of textile shrinkage test
1. Fabric shrinkage test
The fabric shrinkage test is a measurement of the dimensional change of the entire fabric during the washing process. This usually involves the following steps:
Sample Preparation: Representative samples are taken from various locations to ensure that the characteristics of the entire product lot are covered.
Sizing: The initial size of the sample is measured prior to the test and used as a baseline.