Testing Fabric Properties

Comfort Aim to determine if a fabric is a good or bad conductor of body heat. Sew your fabric into a rectangular mit to cover one hand and secure it at the wrist with a ribbon or loose elastic band. Describe how your hand felt after: mins !" mins #" mins $s your hand feeling warm% clammy% comfortable% Do a few minutes of vigorous e&ercise how does your hand feel now% ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Absorbency Aim to determine how readily a fabric absorbs water. Place a sheet of blotting paper on the des(. )ay your fabric sample on it *your sample should be pre+washed to remove any starch,. -se an eyedropper to drop a set amount of water eg. #"mls *!T, onto the fabric. .bserve the following: Did the water bead on the surface of the fabric% Did the water soa( into the fabric /uic(ly% Did the water spread through the fabric ma(ing a large stain% Did the water pass through the fabric and soa( into the blotting paper% 0et your sample thoroughly. 0ring. 1ang to dry. 2ote how long it ta(es for your fabric to dry. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''. Strength wet and dry Aim to determine how easy it is to tear a dry fabric and if it tears differently when wet. 3ut samples e&actly the same si4e eg. ! cm s/uare. 0et and wring one sample. 5a(e a small nic( with scissors on each sample and attempt to tear. .bserve: $s the fabric easy or difficult to tear when it is dry% $s the fabric easier or harder to tear when it is wet% '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Laundering Aim to determine how a fabric is affected by conventional washing. 3ut samples e&actly the same si4e eg. ! cm s/uare. -se one sample as a control. 6igorously wash the other sample in hot7 sudsy water. 8inse and wring. 1ang to dry. .bserve: 1ow badly was the fabric creased when dry% Did your fabric shrin(% Did your fabric hold its dimensional stability% *ie. was it out of shape, 0hat iron temperature did it ta(e to remove the creases% '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''.. Handle 1andle the fabric and describe how it feels against your s(in. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Stain Resistance Aim to see how easily water based and oil based stains may be removed by conventional washing. 3ut your sample appro& !" & " cms in length. -se a laundry pen to mar( the fabric in half. .n one side mar( a large 0 and on the other a large .. Smudge a water based *orange 9uice7 coffee7 tea, stain under the 0 and an oil based stain *margarine7 mil(, under the .. Allow the fabric sample to dry. 0ash the sample in hot7 sudsy water. 8inse7 wring and hang to dry. .bserve the degree to which the stains have been removed.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''. Resilience Aim to see how readily a fabric recovers from short term creasing. 3ut your sample to an e&act si4e. Fold the fabric li(e a paper fan and place between two plates of glass *or two boo(s,. Place a weight on the glass for a set amount of time eg. ! minute. 8emove the sample and observe: 0hat is the response of the fabric when the weight and glass plate is removed. 2ote the severity of the creasing. 5easure with a ruler the height of the 4ig 4ags in the fabric. 2ote the ironing temperature re/uired to remove the creases.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Flammability Aim to see how readily and /uic(ly a fabric is consumed by the upward draft of a flame. Set your samples suspended between retort stands with a metal dish underneath as per diagram. 1ave a stopwatch at the ready. Set each fabric sample alight at the bottom and note the time it ta(es for the sample to be consumed by the flame. Also note the characteristics of the burning% *for safety + burn only one sample at a time,

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''.. Abrasion resistance Aim to observe the changes that ta(e place when a fabric is sub9ected to repetitive abrasion. Firmly tape a fabric sample to the des(top. 0rap a duster with very fine emery paper and rub the sample with even pressure counting the number of rubs. .bserve: 0hen signs of wear appear: when pilling appears: when holes appear.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''. Fabric Stiffness Aim to observe when a fabric will bend under its own weight. 3ut fabric sample #cm & #"cm. Tape a right angle triangle to the leg of a table as per diagram. Place fabric sample under a ruler and gently slide the ruler over the edge of the des( above the triangle. Stop sliding the ruler when the fabric has bent low enough to lie along the hypotenuse of the triangle. 5easure the length of the fabric pro9ecting from the edge of the table.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''. Drape Aim to /uantify a fabric;s drape. 2<. Drape is a sub9ective property it is either suitable or unsuitable for the end use of the fabric and the taste of the wearer. 5ethod !. Draw the shadow created by a light over a circle of fabric as per diagram. 3ompare different fabric;s shadows.

5ethod . Fold a rectangular fabric sample li(e a paper fan and hold above a ruler. 2ote the distance of the bottom edge of the fabric. 3ompare different fabrics.