Studies on care issues of high performance apparels

Functional and aesthetic properties of high performance apparels and textiles are very important especially when the used ones are slated for re-use. These aspects can be ensured only with exercising proper care for the materials says Dr Subrata Das

Apparels and textiles are soiled during normal use. Economic realities require used items be cleaned and refurbished for reuse without substantially altering their functional and aesthetic properties. The care aspects will vary depending on the fiber content, and such other aspects on the finishes, linings, insulations, trims, and embellishments on the garment. Built-up dirt can get ground deep into the fabric, making stains difficult to remove and can even damage the fabric. Rubbing causes the stain to move deeper into the fabric, that may be difficult to remove. Further, in a stained item that is put in the dryer, the heat may permanently set the stain.

Natural fibres can release oils which can be attracted to manufactured fibres like polyester and nylon. Chlorine bleaching needs to be prohibited which can otherwise damage high performance products made from spandex. Fabrics, linings, or insulations could shrink or be otherwise damaged from using too hot a temperature or from leaving garments in the dryer too long. Apparels made from fibres such as acrylic, nylon, polyester, and polyolefin tend to dry quickly and thus to be watched carefully. Polyolefin can actually melt if the dryer temperature gets too high.

Detailed analysis

In view of supra, consumers have to select the correct techniques to restore the attributes of the textiles. With a view to assisting consumers in getting information about clothing care, normally the U.S. Federal Trade Commission promulgated care labeling rule [FTC website] under 16 CFR, Part 423 - 1971 and as amended in 1983, is followed. The rule requires manufacturers and importers of textile wearing apparel and certain piece goods to provide regular care label instructions when those products are sold. The purpose of the rule is to give the consumer accurate care information to extend the useful life of garments. Care labels must be permanently attached and remain legible for the life of the garment. Sometimes symbols may be used in conjunction with words but will not by themselves satisfy the requirements explicitly.

Care labels, often, are the deciding factors when consumers shop for clothing. While some of them opt for the convenience of drycleaning, others prefer the economy of buying garments which they can wash. Some manufacturers try to reach both markets with garments that can be cleaned by either methods. The care label rule allows to provide more than one set of care instructions, if a reasonable basis for each instruction set exists. Though there is relaxation in using only temporary labels for products such as totally reversible clothing without pockets and products that may be washed, bleached, dried, ironed, or drycleaned by the harshest procedures available, interestingly, no care instruction is needed for some of the products sold to institutional buyers for commercial use and products that are completely washable and sold. Care label rule requires that manufacturers and importers of textile wearing apparel have a reasonable basis and reliable evidence in support of care instruction. That is why different verification tests are involved while determining the care label of a garment. For instance, washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, drycleaning are the major processes associated before final recommendation. Symbols that communicate care procedures may be used in addition to words, but the words must fulfill the requirement of the care label rule. If a garment shrinks more than 3%, the fit property would be obviously disliked by the consumer. That is why drycleaning is highly utilized nowadays which delays perceivable relaxation shrinkage long enough to exceed a garment’s life cycle which in turn ensure consumer satisfaction during the use of their products. The importance of textile care and the difficulties associated to arrive at a proper care instruction are analysed in this study.

Different case studies covering high performance apparels to understand the textile care spectra with reference to the technological parameters and cleaning mechanism are then presented.

Experimental case studies

Readymade export oriented fabrics and garments in Bangladesh are investigated for the completeness, accuracy and consistency in care label regulation. Fabric and garment samples were picked-up randomly from the bulk production by expert merchandisers and submitted for evaluation at Merchandise Testing Laboratories, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Samples were submitted with proposed care labels. Studies were performed in the laboratory on washing, bleaching, drying and ironing. In certain cases, drycleaning was also carried out using perchloroethylene as per the proposed care instruction.

Processes

• Washing: Washing was carried out by following the AATCC 135 and BS EN ISO 26330 as appropriate. In case of samples of USA clients, Top loading type washer such as Kenmore was used. Temperature and wash cycle were selected according to the proposed care. Tide Wear Care detergent supplied by Atlas was used in washing. In European method, the washing was performed on Wascator, a front loading type washing machine. Temperature, duration of treatment and concentration of detergent/chemical were selected as per the suggested care. ECE detergent and sodium perborate were used in this study for European method.
• Bleaching: Chlorine and non-chlorine bleaching were used depending on the care proposal. Spot tests were done to ascertain the suitability of the bleaching method.
• Drying: Drying method was selected depending upon the care advice. Temperature and time cycle varied depending on the type of substrate used in the study. In case of machine drying, Tumble Dryer was used in the study. * Ironing: Selection of iron temperature i.e. cold (110øC), medium (150øC) and hot (200øC) was executed depending on the type of fabric/garment used in the study. Steam was also used in some of the proposed cases.
• Drycleaning: In selected cases drycleaning was done using petroleum solvent in the house of professional drycleaner.

Results and discussion

Major export oriented apparels were evaluated in the labs against the proposed care instruction. It was observed that in majority cases, proposed care instructions by the garment manufacturers are similar to those obtained through product verification. Deviation of care instruction in one case is due to the wrong submission of care advice to the nominated laboratories of the brand buyers before final inspection, which had been subsequently revised and correctly proposed during final shipment of the consignment. Bleaching instruction seems to be the important factor affecting the evaluation of care label. Failure in the care instruction in the relevant cases is due to incorrect bleaching advice only. Further, inappropriate bleaching instruction will result in destruction of dyes from substrate. Any undesirable changes that might occur due to this cause is a dissatisfaction to the customers.

Sometimes, for exports to USA, multiple care instructions are provided when one style has different colourways. This is also due to the failure of some colours in the bleaching test. Care label recommendations, in this case, depend on colour and the judgement must be directed to prohibit the use of one standard care label for all colours. In certain exception and mainly due to commercial reason, buyers tend to use a safe care instruction which may be applicable to all colours in the same style. However, such cases are obviously considered as violation of the FTC rules and regulations for care labeling.

Conclusions

A deviation from appropriate care label instruction may increase the risk of garment failure. Tailored or structured garments and high performance items have often linings, inter-facing, trims and other accessories or have complex design structure. They might behave differently in same cleaning media. The potential damage of high performance garments is generally lower in non-aqueous medium i.e. drycleaning than in regular washing; that is why theses garments are drycleaned to restore hand, feel and various functional properties.

Many high performance fibres, microfibres and finishes allow the fabric to breathe and to transport moisture away from the skin to the outer surface of the fabric, where it can evaporate. This keeps the wearer dry and comfortable. One needs to be careful while the care label shows ‘no fabric softener’. This is because the softener attaches directly to the fabric and the sensory attributes makes the fabric feel softer. However, repeated application over a period of time results in the building up of softener on the high performance substrate which in turn reduces the ability of the fabric to manage moisture and breathe. For instance, frequent use of fabric softeners can also reduce the absorbency of cotton towels and impart stiffness and less absorbency.

(The author is with the Department of Textile Technology, Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore-641006, India)