Introduction to Fabric testing

1. Fabric testing and its need in Fashion
Fabricalso synonymstotextileisreferredas aflexible material made byintermeshof natural orartificial
yarns.Textile testingconsistsof varioustests andproceduresperformedforassessingfiber,yarnand
fabriccharacteristics.Ithas become importantinrecentyearsasa resultof advancementintechnology
and newerrequirements.Forexample inancienterafurof animalswere usedinwinters aspre-historic
people didn’thadotheralternative toprotectthemselves.Therefore animalswere killedtoobtainfur.
But withadventof science andtechnologywe have createdasubstitute toanimal furknownasFaux
Fur. Indoingso varioustextiletestingwere performedonnatural furandsimilarcharacteristicswere
obtainedthatwasfurtherutilizedtomake faux fur.
Textile testinghasbecome more importantinrecentyearsasa resultof the new demandsplacedupon
the productsof textile manufacturers.Advancesintextile technology,combinedwiththe rise in the
numberof knowledgeable consumerswithfirmdemandsforspecific performancebehavior,have made
it essentialthatthe propertiesof amaterial mustbe well understoodandmustbe maintainedovera
longperiodof time.
Fabrictestingplaysa crucial role indeterminingproductquality,assuringregulatorycomplianceand
assessingthe performance of textile materials.Itprovidesinformationregardingprimaryandsecondary
propertiesof the fabrics.Primarypropertiesinclude thosethatcharacterize the physical structure of the
fabricand testthat measure these propertiesare sometimescalledcharacterizationtests.Physical
propertiesinclude fabricthickness,width,weightandthe numberof yarnsperunitfabricarea (i.e.
fabriccount).Secondarypropertiesare those propertiesthattypicallyrepresentthe fabric’sresponseto
some type of force,exposure ortreatment.These include propertiessuchasstrength,abrasion
resistance,pillingandcolorfastness.
Fashionmerchandisers,apparel designers,interiordesignersandtextilescientistswhohave an
understandingof textilepropertiesandtestingare equippedtomake decisionsthatwill benefittheir
clientsandenhance profitsfortheirbusinesses.Knowledgeof fabrictestinganditsperformance
analysiscancontribute toefficiencyinsolvingconsumerproblemswithtextile products,andtothe
developmentof productsthatperformacceptablyforconsumers.
Most textile orapparel manufacturerswill use eithertestmethodsorperformance specificationsthat
are publishedbytestingorganizations.