Effects of Repeated Laundering and Crease-Resistant Treatment on Fabric Properties

Laundering is required for many textile products, but it degrades the fabric performance. We have quantitatively investigated the relationship between the number of laundering cycles and several key fabric performance parameters. The effects of crease resistant treatment are also examined. As expected, increased laundering gradually decreases the fabric strength. However, the fabric abrasion resistance is increased by laundering. This is caused by fabric shrinkage which increases the tightness, thickness and areal density of the fabric. The crease resistant treatment improves the fabric dimensional stability, but reduces the fabric strength.