Fabric Aesthetics Evaluation

Authorized By: Scott Crump

Sr. Director Global Apparel &
FAS05506R2.4 Fabric
Equipment Product Integrity
Aesthetics Evaluation Approved By: Lois Wang

Effective Date: OCT 2011 Revision # 2.4 Revision Date: DD-MAR-2013 Owner: Vicky Yang

Fabric Aesthetics Evaluation

The purpose of this document is to provide additional details related to the Nike Fabric
Aesthetics Test Method.

Background

This test method was developed to support the following scenarios:

• to provide a common method that allows different people at different times to evaluate
certain fabric aesthetic properties such as texture, stretch, and recovery;
• to assist in training of evaluators to detect and distinguish differences in certain fabric
aesthetic properties;
• to provide a more consistent and objective method for monitoring bulk fabric
production.

To develop the method, a Nike Standards Committee conducted the following activities:
• Developed a draft test method based largely on AATCC Evaluation Procedure 5 “Fabric
Hand: Guidelines for the Subjective Evaluation of” and conducted a series of
experiments to determine the repeatability and reliability of each evaluation technique;
• Following the initial experiments, the methods were adjusted and documented by
recording a series of video tutorials compiled in the Nike Fabric Aesthetics Test Method;
• A pilot was conducted at several Nike vendors to evaluate the method in a production
environment and based on the feedback from the pilot vendors, additional adjustments
to the method were made.

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Nike Confidential
 Authorized By: Scott Crump
Sr. Director Global Apparel &
FAS05506R2.4 Fabric
Equipment Product Integrity
Aesthetics Evaluation Approved By: Lois Wang

Effective Date: OCT 2011 Revision # 2.4 Revision Date: DD-MAR-2013 Owner: Vicky Yang

Test Method Details

1. Swatch Size & Evaluation Location

a. The recommended swatch size is 30cm x 30cm (12” x 12”)
b. Swatches should be taken at least 15cm (6”) away from the selvage
c. The central portion of the swatch should be used for evaluation purposes as
shown below:

Central portion of swatch circled in red

30cm

30cm

2. Surface Appearance: Texture and Sheen

Placing the sample swatch and approved standard on a flat surface and conducting the
evaluation in a light box can improve the consistency of the evaluation. NOTE: this is an
optional improvement to the method and can be implemented at the vendor’s
discretion or used only when a more thorough evaluation is required.

Photos: Courtesy of Y.R.C. Textile Co. Ltd (Thailand)

3 CONTROLLED DOCUMENT FINAL_FAS05506R2.4 Fabric Aesthetics Evaluation_VYang_DDMAR2013

Nike Confidential
 Authorized By: Scott Crump
Sr. Director Global Apparel &
FAS05506R2.4 Fabric
Equipment Product Integrity
Aesthetics Evaluation Approved By: Lois Wang

Effective Date: OCT 2011 Revision # 2.4 Revision Date: DD-MAR-2013 Owner: Vicky Yang

3. Opacity
Use of a “light table” can improve the ability of the evaluator to compare the opacity of
the sample swatch to the approved standard. Opacity can vary with colour so only major
differences should be noted and only if they affect the fabric hand or performance
properties (e.g.: moisture management) of the fabric. NOTE: this is an optional
improvement to the method and can be implemented at the vendor’s discretion or used
only when a more thorough evaluation is required.

Evaluating opacity using a light table

Photos: Courtesy of Y.R.C. Textile Co. Ltd (Thailand)

4. Drape
The test method for drape is intended to compare the stiffness/limpness of a fabric. The
manual method indicated by Nike is simple to conduct but has limitations with
repeatability. Similar to surface appearance and opacity, more advanced techniques can
be employed if there are difficulties in assessing this property. One example is to use the
fabric properties measured via a 3D modeling tool such as V-Stitcher.

Photos: Courtesy of Y.R.C. Textile Co. Ltd (Thailand)

4 CONTROLLED DOCUMENT FINAL_FAS05506R2.4 Fabric Aesthetics Evaluation_VYang_DDMAR2013
Nike Confidential
 Authorized By: Scott Crump
Sr. Director Global Apparel &
FAS05506R2.4 Fabric
Equipment Product Integrity
Aesthetics Evaluation Approved By: Lois Wang

Effective Date: OCT 2011 Revision # 2.4 Revision Date: DD-MAR-2013 Owner: Vicky Yang

5. Stretch and Recovery

Similar to drape, this method is designed to be simple and easy to implement without
the use of advanced equipment such as a tensile tester. The main objective is to
compare the sample swatch to the approved standard and to note any differences. For
example, more or less force may be required to stretch the sample to a similar distance
as compared to the approved standard. We are also interested in how quickly the fabric
returns to a relaxed state noting any noticeable difference between the two swatches.

6. Continuity Cards
The concept of continuity cards is to provide a convenient method for reviewing the lot
to lot consistency of a process by storing physical samples of each lot in an organized
manner. Similar to continuity cards used to monitor colour consistency, this process can
also be applied to monitor the lot to lot variation in fabric aesthetics. It is recommended
that continuity cards for fabric aesthetics be kept for the current and previous season to
assist with maintaining consistency from one season to another.

7. Maintaining a technical roll / Approved sample yardage

The primary purpose of this requirement is to ensure that an approved sample always be
available to conduct the fabric aesthetics evaluation. This can be achieved by maintaining
a “technical roll’ of fabric (e.g.: 25-75 yards) so that cuttings can be taken from the
technical roll when a new approved standard is needed. Sample yardage can also be
taken from bulk production provided that the yardage match all of the fabric aesthetic
properties to the current approved standard. It is up to the vendor’s discretion to
determine a logical process to maintain sufficient yardage of an approved standard.

8. Approved sample replacement

After repeated use during fabric aesthetic evaluations, the approved sample swatch will
become worn and will need replacement. Sample fatigue will vary from fabric to fabric
and it is up to the vendor to determine when to replace the approved sample with a new
swatch prior to the sample becoming worn.

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Nike Confidential
 Authorized By: Scott Crump
Sr. Director Global Apparel &
FAS05506R2.4 Fabric
Equipment Product Integrity
Aesthetics Evaluation Approved By: Lois Wang

Effective Date: OCT 2011 Revision # 2.4 Revision Date: DD-MAR-2013 Owner: Vicky Yang

Revision History

Revision Date Revision# Description of changes Revised by Approved by

12-JUN-2015 R2.0 Revision history detail is unavailable. Annette Shabat Shelly Silvana Reagan

12-JUN-2015 R2.1 Updated headers and footers + added revision Annette Shabat Shelly Silvana Reagan
history
12-JUN-2015 R2.2 Revised document ID # Annette Shabat Shelly Joey Osborne Robinson
From: FA05506R2.1 To: FAS05506R2.2 Silvana Reagan

Revised “Approved By”

From: Carol Quimby
To: Tom Young
28-NOV-2016 R2.3 Renamed titled Annette Shabat Shelly Vicky Yang
From: Jamie Ueda
Fabric Aesthetics Test Method Details Silvana Reagan
To: Fabric Aesthetics Evaluation

Updated document owner to Jaime Ueda and

Vicky Yang

Added title page

Updated logo
28-JUL-2017 R2.4 Removed Jamie Ueda as a document owner Annette Shabat Shelly Silvana Reagan
Vicky Yang

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