I

Reasons for Testing

1. Research and development

- New products
2 Selection of raw materials
. 3. Process development

4. Product testing

- Compliance testing
- End use performance
- Lot to lot comparison
- Defect detection

- Advertising
The expense of testing is not at all costly when
---

compared to the cost of retwned merchandise and

dissatisfied customers.

-\ Tho does Testing

Manuf acfurers

- QC and R & D
Independent Researchers

- Universities
- Independent testing labs
Government Agencies

- Customs
- Military
- CPSC

Standards Organioations
American Association of Textile Cbemists and Colorists
P. 0. Box 12215
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
(919) 549-8141
American Society for Testing and Materials
1916 Race Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 299-5400
General Services Administration
Printed Materials Supply Division
Building 197, Naval Weapons Plant
Washington, DC 20407
American National Standards Institute
1430 Broad way
New Yort, NY 10018
International Organization for Standardidion (ISO)

WHAT YOU'D GET

FROM "99 09%SUPPLIERS"
-AT LEAST 20,000 WRONG DRUG PRESCRIPTIONS EACH YEAR
-MORE THAN 15,000 NEWBORN B A B I E S ACCIDENTALLY
DPOF'PED BY DOCTORS/NURSES EACH YEAR
-UNSAFE DRINKING WATER ALMOST 1 HOUR EACH MONTH

-2 SHORT OR LCNGi LANDING A T O'HARE AIRPORT EACH

DAY (ALSO NEW YORKj LOS ANGELES, ATLANTA, ETCo
-NEARLY 500 INCORRECT SURGICAL OPERATIONS PER WEEK

-2000 LOST ARTICLES OF M A I L PER HOUR

--

KEYS TO GOOD QUALITY

1.Consistency
2.Uniformiw

3.Knits-low tension

--

Standards

A standard is a technical document that describes the

design, material, processing, safety, or performance
characteristics of products.
Types of Standards

1 Standard Test Methods

Specify procedure, apparatus, and conditions
of tests.

2. Standard Classification

Permit rating of products based on quality or

performance.

3. Standard Definition or Nomenclature

Establishes uniformimly accepted meanings for
terms.

Standards - cont.

4 Prescriptive Standards

State requirements for construction,

materials, and design.
5. Standard Performance
Means of judging product acceptability

6. Standard Specifications

A combination of standards, including one or

more of the above types.

Standards may be manditoy or voluntary.

--End Uses of Textiles

That Require Special Properties
Apparel
clothing - shirts and pants

underwear
outerwear - coats and sweaters
protective clothing - rainwear
hosiery
Domestic

bed linens, spreads, and blankets

towels and washcloths
tablecloths
Home Furnishings
curtains and drapes
wall coverings
upholstery
Floor Coverings
I

--

Industrial

I '

belts, tires, tents, awnings..-

Testing

1 A test method is useful if it gives reproducible

results which correlate with the parameter of
interest to the user.

2 Test values may be absolute or relative.

3. Interlaboratory correlation is important.

4 End-use testing (specifications)vs. In-Process

testing (QC).

--

Accuracy vs. Yrecision

O O

+ Actual

or standard value
o Observed values

Precise, but not accurate

or standard value
o Observed values

+ Actual

Statistical Imwovement of
Precision
Precision can be improved by increasing the number of
tests performed because the standard error of the
average is equal to the standard deviation of the test
data values divided by the square root of the number of
observations.

Physical Forms of Textile Substrates

Fiber
Staple - short, loose fibers
Top - Combed and slightly twisted ropes of wool

or synthetic fibers (long staple)

Tow - Large bundles of nontwisted continuous filament

Yam
Staple
Filament
Fabric
Open width (woven or knitted)
Rope (woven or knitted)

Tubular (knitted)
-.-

Garments

Sampling Guidelines
1. Sample RANDOMLY if possible to prevent bias.
2. Better to take small samples frequently than to take

large samples infrequently.

3. Identify each sample and indicate warp direction.

4.ASTM gives procedure for'sampling yarns from

packages and from fabrics.

5. Fabric sampling normally done at ends of rolls to

prevent losses, but it would be better to sample

middle of the roll to be certain of end-to-end
uniformity.
6. Sample no closer than 2 in. (or 10%of the width of
--

the fabric) from the selvedge.

7. No two specimens should come from the same yarns.

GARMENT DYEING

Why garment dye?

- Quick response to the market ( bar coding, etc.)
- Ability to supply a wide range of colorations to the retailer, but only
in the shades that are selling
- Reduced discounted sales at inventory
- Best way to acheived relaxed, casual look

- Ability to create special effects such as

tie dyed
splatter dyed
weathered pigment dye and washdown in a single process
etc.
Special considerations to garment dyer
- Very good communications between all parties involved

- Preparation - may be done on piece goods or on garments

.
.

clean substrate for dyeing

reduced shrinkage (preferably squared)
for wovens should be less than 5%

for knits should be less than 8%

- Metal components should be non-ferrous
nickel plated brass zippers are acceptable
pewter buttons are acceptable
- Non-metal components that are not sensitive to dye chemistry or
temperatures at a boil are acceptable
polyester zippers, buttons, etc. which are clear or predyed
Velcro - clear or predyed
special polyamide buttons which are dyeable

Threads must be of same fiber as the fabric in the garment or

"grinning" will occur.
Predyed threads may be used
Corespun threads with a strength or stretch yam in the

core and the desired fiber on the outside

Covered threads may be used
"Tacking" of sleeves and pant legs to prevent tangling

Equipment used for garment dyeing

Rotary dyeing machines are preferred

Paddle dyeing machines can be used
State-of-the-art technology
. Low liquor ratio
. Gentle movement of garments and liquor
Rapid heating and cooling
Quick drop and fill
Variable speed movement and reversible drums
Hydro-extraction
Continuous circulation of goods
Easily sampled
Lint filtering
Overflow rinsing
Microprocessor controls
Compartmental chambers - "Y"pockets,
Chemical add-tanks with controlled dosing
Automated loading and unloading

PADDLE MACHINE

MACHINE

FRONT

1-paddle wheel
2-stainless steel
3-false bottom
4-steamldye feed

ROTARY MACHINE

F r o n t Load Y-Pocket

F r o n t Load O p e n Pocket

TYPICAL ROTARY DRUM GARMENT DYEING MACHINE

A.

P e r f o r a t e d drum ( w i t h Y-pocket).

B.

Machine c o n t r o l l e r .

C.

Sampling p o r t .

D.

Liquor level i n d i c a t o r .

E.

In-line l i n t f i l t e r .

F.

Heat-exchanger.

G.

Addition t a n k s .

GARMENT WASHING TECHNIQUES

- Started out as prewashed jeans technique.

- Now washed to suit individual preferences

softness (desize or break hand)
contrast (acid wash, etc.)
one-of-a-kind looks
preshrink

- Today, every aspect of

fiber type
Yam type
fabric construction
pretreatments
dyeing procedures, and
finishing techniques
are used to engineer new products.

- Systems often used:

Wash-down
Stone wash
--

Acid wash
Cellulase wash
Combinations of the above

STONE WASH
Stones

Type
pumice rock
volcanic rock
man-made substrates
Hardness
Size
Shape
Porosity
Dusting ability

Applications

.large, hard stones which last longer for heavy fabrics

. smaller, softer stones for lightweight and more delicate fabrics
_-

.ratio of stone weight to fabric weight =

0 2 1 up to 3:l

TYPICAL PROCEDURE FOR STONE WASHING

1- Load garments and stones ( load to 30-50% of normal machine capacity)

2- Desize if needed with

- detergent plus enzyme for starch

- oxidative desize
3- Rinse
4- Stone wash (with or without bleaching agent)

5- Rinse

6- Soften
7- Extract

8- Unload garments, remove stones from garments

9- Tumbledry
Notes:
Backstaining or color deposition can be reduced by
a- adding dispersantlsuspension agent to wash cycle
b- intermediate replacement of wash liquor
c. use of alkaline detergent (sodium perborate with optical brightener
as an afterwash

CELLULASE ENZYME
Stones are not only abrasive to garments but also to the equipment.
Stones can create sludge in waste treatment systems.
Cellulase enzyme is a particular strain of enzyme derived from microorganisms selective to cotton form of cellulose and not to starch. They attack
1 - 4 beta glucoside linkages resulting in reduced molecular weight and therefore

removal of surface fiber.

Main factors that control enzyme washing:

1 - pH
2 - temperature

3 - time
4 - concentration

5 - mechanical action
Once the reaction takes place, the mechanical action between garments and
equipment as well as between garments femoves weaker fibers resulting a cleaner,
smoother surface. Stones may be added to enhance the abrasion.

TYPICAL PROCEDURE FOR CELLULASE ENZYME WASHDOWN

(TWO STEP PROCEDURE)
Load garments (addition of stones optional)
Desize for starch
- alpha-amalase enzyme or

- oxidative desize
Rinse
Adjust pH to 4.5 - 5.0 with

- acetic acid or
- a buffer system
Heat to 50 to 60 C ( 122 - 140 F)
Add cellulase enzyme
Tumble for 30 - 60 minutes
Deactivation step * - rinse hot > 65 C ( 150 F)
Rinse cold
Soften and/or optically brighten
Tumble dry
Deactivation of the cellulase enzyme to prevent further weight reduction
can be done by temperatures in excess of 60 C (140 F) and/or at a pH
higher than 5.0.
Cellulase enzymes may be used as an aftertreatment to clean up surfaces of
garments which have become fuzzy during garment dyeing. The shade
of the dyed garments may change which requires preliminary lab work to
determine if this will be a problem or not.

ACID WASH

- Also known as ICE WASH, SNOW WASH, WHITE WASH, ETC.

- Complete discharge or removal of color possible
- Uses pumice rocks, bleaching agents and dyestuffs that are sensitive to
the bleaching agents.

- Porous rocks that have a medium to high dusting capability are soaked in
solutions of bleaching agents such as sodium hypochlorite or potassium
*

permanganate. The chemistry is absorbed and is transferred by the cutting

action of the rocks and deposited with the dust onto the garment surfaces.
- Rocks must have ability to

. absorb chemistry in less than 2 hours

. dusteasily

. apply dust evenly on smooth surfaces and on high peaks of garment such
around cuffs, waist band, fly, side seams, etc. and not in recessed spaces

in those same areas.

- Load size in pounds of garments should only be 25 - 33% of rated capacity

to allow for free tumbling of the garments and stones and for proper drop
distance.

- Ratio of the weight of the stones to the garments should be

_-

0.5 : 1 for a light wash out

3 : 1 for a complete white out

TYPICAL ACID WASH PROCEDURE

1) Load (25 - 33% rated capacity)

2) Desize for starch with alpha-amalase enzyme or oxidative desize

3) Rinse
4) Extract to a certain uniform moisture

60 - 70% light frost

70 - 90% medium frost
90 - 100%heavy frost (white-out)
5) Add presoaked stones (machine should be dry) with ratio dependent
upon desired effect (0.5-3.0 : 1 , stones to garments)
6) Tumble for 10 - 30 minutes
7) Remove garments
8) Neutralize
9) Soften and/or brighten
10) Tumbledry

Stones should be allowed to drip or blotted with waste fabric to remove

excess solution to prevent spotting. Stones can be used up to three times

in some cases before resoaking is necessary.
Neutralization usually takes place in another machine and the exact procedure is dependent on the discharge agent used.
Sodium hypochlorite (Na OC1) with sodium bisulfite (NaHSO ) or
hydrogen peroxide (H 0 )
Potassium permanganate (KMnO and purple in solution ) converts
to manganese dioxide (MnO which is orange-brown in color)
which must be neutralized with sodium bisulfite or hydroxylamine
sulfate ((NH OH) H SO ).