AATCC TM197-2011e2(2018)e
Test Method for Vertical Wicking of Textiles
Developed in 2011 by AATCC Commit-
tee RA63; editorially revised and reaf-
firmed 2012; reaffirmed 2013, 2018;
editorially revised 2016, 2019.
Foreword
Historically, the textile industry has
utilized many different test procedures
for determining the wicking characteris-
tics of textile fabrics, i.e., the movement
of water or liquid through fabrics. Within
the last decade, the industry has devel-
oped new technologies that have changed
water movement and absorbency re-
sponses of textiles leading to the use of
the labeling term “moisture manage-
ment” to describe these phenomena.
Many interested groups (textile manufac-
turers, chemical suppliers, and retailers,
as well as independent testing laborato-
ries) participated in the efforts to stan-
dardize test methods to measure the verti-
cal wicking properties of fabrics with
moisture management attributes.
Unofficial techniques for determining
the absorbency and wicking properties of
textile fabrics were published in the 2004
AATCC/ASTM International’s Techni-
cal Supplement: A Compilation of Proce-
dures and Guidelines for Textile Products
and the 2008 AATCC/ASTM Interna-
tional’s Moisture Management Technical
Supplement: Applicable to Apparel, Lin-
ens and Soft Goods (see 13.1). This test
method is based on one of the testing pro-
cedures for wicking published in this
Technical Supplement.
1. Purpose and Scope
1.1 This test method is used to evaluate
the ability of vertically aligned fabric
specimens to transport liquid along and/
or through them, and is applicable to wo-
ven, knitted, or nonwoven fabrics.
2. Principle
2.1 The rate (distance per unit of time)
liquid travels along and/or through a fab-
ric specimen is visually observed, manu-
ally timed and recorded at specified inter-
vals.
3. Terminology
3.1 fabric, n.—in textiles, a planar
structure made from yarns or fibers
(ASTM D123 and see 13.4).
3.2 vertical wicking, n.—in a textile
held vertically, the upward movement of
liquid from a cut edge.
AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
3.3 vertical wicking rate, n.—the
speed at which liquid travels along or
through a textile.
3.4 wicking, n.—in textiles, the move-
ment of a liquid, by capillary action,
along or through a material.
3.5 wicking distance, n.—the linear
measurement that the liquid travels along
or through a textile from a starting point
to a stopping point.
3.6 wicking time, n.—the measurable
period during which liquid travels along
or through a textile.
4. Safety Precautions
NOTE: These safety precautions are
for information purposes only. The pre-
cautions are ancillary to the testing proce-
dures and are not intended to be all inclu-
sive. It is the user’s responsibility to use
safe and proper techniques in handling
materials in this test method. Manufac-
turers MUST be consulted for specific
details such as material safety data sheets
and other manufacturer’s recommenda-
tions. All OSHA standards and rules
must also be consulted and followed.
4.1 Good laboratory practices should
be followed. Wear safety glasses in all
laboratory areas.
5. Uses and Limitations
5.1 The movement of liquid through a
fabric may be influenced by fiber con-
tent, fabric construction, mechanical or
chemical processing or a combination of
these.
5.2 This test method is used to evaluate
the wicking ability of vertically aligned
test specimens, exposed to distilled or
deionized water, where wicking is influ-
enced by gravity.
5.3 Liquids other than distilled or
deionized water (tinted water, dye solu-
tions, etc.) may be used in this test. If a
liquid other than water is chosen, its sur-
face tension should be measured and re-
ported as solutions of different surface
tensions may yield different results.
5.4 Dark fabric colors or prints and de-
signs may be difficult to test. The use of a
soluble ink of a contrasting color may
help in making the marks more clearly
visible.
5.5 The procedure measures the time
and distance water will move up from the
cut edge of a specimen, but does not du-
plicate an end-product’s exposure during
wear.
5.6. The results obtained by this test
AATCC TM197-2011e2(2018)e
are not a measure of comfort which is be-
yond the scope of this method.
5.7 The relationship between results
obtained by vertical and horizontal wick-
ing tests is not known.
6. Apparatus, Reagents, Materials
6. 1 Distilled or deionized water at 21
± 2°C (70 ± 4°F).
6. 2 Marking pens, with fine point, per-
manent and soluble ink (see 13.2).
6. 3 Stopwatch or digital timer.
6. 4 Tape or ruler, mm graduations.
6. 5 Surface tensiometer, if using liquid
other than water (see 9.1).
6.6 Erlenmeyer flask or elongated pan
(see Figs. 2 and 3).
6.7 Pipette and bulb.
6.8 Scissor jack (optional).
6.9 Straight pins or a holder that per-
mits the suspension of a specimen into a
flask or other device (see Figs. 2 and 3
and 13.3).
6.10 Small paper clip or clamp (op-
tional).
6.11 Template, 165 (or longer) × 25 mm.
6.12 Disposable gloves, such as latex
or nitrile.
6.13 Double-sided tape.
7. Specimens
7.1 Determine whether the fabric has a
hydrophobic or hydrophilic side. Upon
agreement between interested parties, de-
termine whether both fabric sides are to
be tested. If only one fabric side is to be
tested, mark the selected side. If testing is
to be performed after laundering, use a
marking pen with permanent ink to de-
note the fabric side chosen for testing.
7.2 Minimize handling of the test spec-
imens or use gloves as oils from the skin
may affect moisture movement.
7.3 All specimens should be cut at least
100 ± 5 mm from the selvage. If testing
garments, take specimens from different
garment panels away from seams, pock-
ets, plackets or other assembly features.
Take each specimen such that different
sets of (fabric) length and width yarns are
present.
7.4 Cut three specimens at least 165 ±
3 × 25 ± 3 mm with the long dimension
parallel to the fabric direction(s) chosen
to be tested. For length direction testing,
align the long direction of the template
with the warp yarns (wales); for width di-
rection testing, align the long direction of
the template along the filling yarns
(courses). Cut an extra specimen to deter-
mine water level in the flask or beaker
405
before starting the testing (see 9.2.4).
7.5 If testing the durability of finishes
or evaluating wicking properties after
laundering, take specimens as described
in 7.4 from fabric swatches that have
been laundered according to conditions
chosen from the AATCC LP1.
8.Conditioning
8.1 Prior to testing, condition the speci-
mens as directed in ASTM D1776, Stan-
dard Practice for Conditioning and Test-
ing Textiles (see 13.4). Condition
specimens for at least 4 h in an atmo-
sphere of 21 ± 2°C (70 ± 4°F), 65 ± 5%
RH by laying each test specimen sepa-
rately on a screen or perforated shelf of a
conditioning rack.
8.2 Perform all tests in the standard at-
mosphere for testing.
9. Procedure
9.1. If necessary, the surface tension of
the chosen liquid (including tinted water
or dye solution) should be measured as
directed in ASTM D1331-89, Standard
Test Methods for Surface and Interfacial
Tensions of Solutions of Surface-Active
Agents (see 13.4) and reported.
9.2 Option A—Measure time at a
given distance.
9.2.1 Using a marking pen with soluble
ink, mark a line across the end of each
specimen at a distance of 5 ± 1 mm from
the end on the fabric side to be tested.
The 5 mm line denotes the level to which
a specimen is to be lowered into the water
in the flask or beaker which is the test
start time.
9.2.2 Using a marking pen with soluble
ink, measure from the 5 ± 1 mm line, and
mark lines across the width of the speci-
men at distances of 20 ± 1 and 150 ± 1
mm (see Fig. 1). To facilitate the mea-
surement of wicking distances, intervals
of 10 ± 1 mm may be marked along the
specimen length between the 20 ± 1 mm
and 150 ± 1 mm lines.
9.2.3 Alternative wicking distances
may be used depending on the desired
end use of the fabric. When comparing
results, the same wicking distance bench-
marks should be used.
9.2.4 To determine the amount of water
for the test, use the extra specimen and
position it at the opening of an Erlen-
meyer flask (which may be placed on a
scissor jack) by the insertion of a straight
pin or other device near the end of the
specimen (see Fig. 2). Allow the speci-
men to hang into the flask. Add water up
to the level at which the specimen’s 5 ± 1
mm line is reached and then mark the re-
quired water level on the outside of the
flask. Special care should be taken to in-
sure that the lip and the neck of the flask
remain dry to prevent premature bleeding
406 AATCC TM197-2011e2(2018)e
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
150 mm
20
mm
5 mm
25 mm
Fig. 1—Vertical wicking
specimen and marking.
Straight pin line
Second test line
(150 mm)
First test line
(20 mm)
Water level line
(5 mm)
Fig. 2—Vertical alignment
test configuration.
of soluble ink marks on the specimen.
9.2.5 Some light weight woven, knit-
ted, or hydrophobic fabrics may float on
the water, in which case, a small paper
clip or clamp may be attached to the end
of the specimen that is to be submerged.
If a paper clip or clamp is used, it should
be noted in the report (see 11.1.1).
9.2.6 Fill the flask with distilled or
deionized water to the line marked as in-
structed in 9.2.4. Insert the specimen into
the flask, or raise the scissor jack to posi-
tion the specimen so that the water is at
the 5 ± 1 mm line.
9.2.7 Alternatively, the approximate
AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
amount of water required may be added
to a flask as instructed in 9.2.4 for deter-
mining and marking a water level fill line
on the outside of a flask. After a speci-
men is suspended in the flask, a pipette
can be used to raise the water level to the
appropriate height.
9.2.8 Use a clean flask with fresh water
for testing subsequent samples.
9.2.9 Start stopwatch or timer as soon
as the water reaches the 5 ± 1 mm line
and the soluble ink begins to migrate up-
wards. Monitor the rise of the water.
Record the time, to the nearest second,
that it takes for the soluble ink at the
marked 20 ± 1 mm line to start to mi-
grate. Continue monitoring the rise of the
water and record to the nearest second the
time and distance that the test was termi-
nated.
9.2.10 The test should be terminated if
the water does not wick to either the 20 ±
1 mm line in 5.0 ± 0.1 min or if the total
time of the water to wick to the 150 ± 1
mm line exceeds 30.0 ± 0.1 min. In either
case, measure the distance the water has
migrated and the time that the test was
stopped. Record the time and distance
and the reason for termination of the test.
9.2.11 Remove the specimen from the
flask.
9.2.12 Repeat steps 9.2.2 through
9.2.11 for the remaining specimens.
9.3 Option B—Measure distance at a
given time.
9.3.1 Place a ruler vertically against the
back of the elongated pan (see Fig. 3) in-
side the box so that the ruler touches the
bottom. Fill the elongated pan with dis-
tilled or deionized water to a depth of 38
± 2 mm (1.5 ± 0.1 in.) water.
9.3.2 Remove the ruler from the back
of the pan. Secure the ruler with tape on
the outside of the pan so that the top of
the water surface is at the “0” mm mark
on the ruler.
9.3.3 Use double-sided tape to secure a
specimen to the top of the box so that the
bottom edge just touches the top surface
of the water (same as the “0” mm mark
on the ruler) and start the stopwatch or
timer immediately.
9.3.4 Some light weight woven, knit-
Fig. 3—Multiple specimen elongated pan.
ted, or hydrophobic fabrics may float on
the water, in which case, a small paper
clip or clamp may be attached to the end
of the specimen that is to be submerged.
If a paper clip or clamp is used, it should
be noted in the report (see 11.1.1).
9.3.5 Monitor the rise of the water. At
2.0 ± 0.1 min, use a ruler to measure the
distance that the water has wicked.
Record the distance in millimeters. At
10.0 ± 0.1 min, use a ruler to measure the
distance that the water has wicked.
Record the distance in millimeters.
9.3.6 Alternative wicking times may
be used depending on the desired end use
of the fabric. When comparing results,
the same wicking time benchmarks
should be used.
9.3.7 The test should be terminated if
the water does not wick any distance in
10.0 ± 0.1 min or if the total time of the
water to wick to the end of the specimen
exceeds 30.0 ± 0.1 min. In either case,
measure the distance the water has mi-
grated and the time that the test was
stopped. Record the time and distance
and the reason for termination of the test.
9.3.8 Remove the specimen from the
flask.
9.3.9 Repeat steps 9.3.1-9.3.8 for the
remaining specimens.
10. Calculation
10.1 Calculate the vertical wicking
rates. Two different rates, a short period
rate and a long period rate, are obtained
for each sample.
10.1.1 Vertical wicking rate is calcu-
lated by dividing the wicking distance by
the wicking time as shown in formula 1.
W = d/t (Eq. 1)
where:
W = wicking rate, mm/s
d = wicking distance, mm
t = wicking time, s
10.1.2 The short period rate is calcu-
lated:
(Option A) from the time it takes to
reach the 20 ± 1 mm line or, from the dis-
tance the water has wicked in 5.0 ± 0.1
min. or,
(Option B) from the distance the water
has wicked in 2.0 ± 0.1 min.
10.1.3 The long period rate is calcu-
lated:
(Option A) from the time it takes to
reach the 150 ± 1 mm line or, for those
specimens that have not reached the 150
AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
mm line from the distance that the water
has reached in 30.0 ± 0.1 min. or,
(Option B) from the distance the water
has wicked in 10.0 ± 0.1 min.
11. Report and Interpretation
11.1 Report the direction(s) and side(s)
of the sample tested.
11.1.1 Report the wicking times, wick-
ing distances, average wicking times, cal-
culated wicking rates, whether short pe-
riod or long period, and whether a paper
clip or clamp was attached to the bottom
of the test specimens.
11.1.2 If the test was terminated by
reaching the marked distance(s) or the
maximum time was exceeded, report the
distance wicked and the time the test was
terminated.
11.2 Report if a solution other than dis-
tilled or deionized water at 21 ± 2°C (70
± 4°F) was used and its surface tension
and temperature.
11.3 Report if testing was performed
after laundering, the laundering condi-
tions used and the number of launderings
completed.
11.4 The 20 mm mark, or the 5.0 min
time, may provide data on initial wicking
and the 150 mm mark, or the 30.0 min.
time, may provide data on extended
wicking. The two levels of vertical wick-
ing ability may be used as indicators to
differentiate performance.
12. Precision and Bias
12.1 Precision.
12.1.1 Interlaboratory Study for Op-
tion A. Tests for wicking of textiles using
vertical orientation were conducted in
2009, with one laboratory, three opera-
tors, and five samples. The five samples
used in the study were (a) 100% cotton
jersey knit, (b) 100% cotton interlock
knit, (c) 100% polyester woven, (d)
100% cotton twill weave, and (e) 50/50
cotton/polyester blend woven.
12.1.2 The analysis of variance tech-
nique was applied to the eight different
data sets. The analyses are being retained
for reference at the AATCC Technical
Center. In the analyses of variance, the
operators as a source of variation were
not found to be significant in all cases ex-
cept for testing in the width direction,
when the measurement was made at the
long period, in testing either in the flask
or in the elongated pan. The fabrics were
found to be a significant source of varia-
AATCC TM197-2011e2(2018)e
tion. Table I shows the means and confi-
dence intervals for each fabric in the
length direction. Table II shows the
means and confidence intervals for each
fabric in the width direction.
12.1.3 Interlaboratory Study for Op-
tion B. Tests for wicking of textiles using
vertical orientation were conducted in
2010, with one laboratory, two operators,
and four samples. The four samples used
in the study were (a) cotton pique, (b)
polyester jersey, (c) polyester mesh, and
(d) polyester/spandex rib.
12.1.4 The analysis of variance tech-
nique was applied to the different data
sets (length and width directions). The
analyses are being retained for reference
at the AATCC Technical Center. In the
analyses of variance, the operators as a
source of variation were not found to be
significant. Table III shows the means
and confidence intervals for each fabric
in the length direction. Table IV shows
the means and confidence intervals for
each fabric in the width direction.
12.1.5 Between-laboratory precision
has not been established for this test
method. Until such precision informa-
tion is available, users of the method
should use standard statistical techniques
in making any comparison of test results
for between-laboratory averages.
12.2 Bias. The true value of vertical
wicking rates of textile fabrics can be de-
fined only in terms of a test method.
There is no independent method for de-
termining the true value. In estimating
this property, the test method has no
known bias.
13. Notes
13.1 Available from AATCC, P.O. Box
12215, Research Triangle Park NC 27709; tel:
+1.919.549.8141; fax: +1.919.549.8933; e-mail:
ordering@aatcc.org; web site: www.aatcc.org.
13.2 A suitable marking pen contains ink
that is water soluble, available commercially
such as Paper Mate® Flair® Fiber Tip Pen from
Sanford Corporation, 2707 Butterfield Rd., Oak
Brook IL 60523; tel: +1.630.481.2200; fax: +1.
866.666.8735; web site: www.papermate.com.
13.3 A suitable device that will function as
a specimen holder is a ring stand with a hori-
zontal bar. An optional device to automati-
cally lower the specimen into solution is a
pneumatic cylinder incorporated into the spec-
imen holder.
13.4 Available from ASTM International,
100 Barr Harbor Dr., W. Conshohocken PA
19428; tel: +1.610. 832.9500; fax: +1.610.832.
9555; web site: www.astm.org.
407
 Table I—Summary of Statistics (OPTION A)—Length Direction (rate in mm/s)
Jersey Interlock Polyester Woven Cotton Woven Poly/Cotton Woven
ELONGATED PAN METHOD SHORT PERIOD
Mean 1.6 0.2 2.6 1.4 0.3
Standard Deviation 0.5 0.1 0.9 0.4 0.1
Count 18 18 18 18 18
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.2 0.1
FLASK METHOD SHORT PERIOD
Mean 1.4 0.4 2.6 1.3 0.3
Standard Deviation 0.4 0.1 0.7 0.6 0.0
Count 18 18 18 18 18
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.2 0.1 0.4 0.3 0.0
ELONGATED PAN METHOD LONG PERIOD
Mean 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1
Standard Deviation 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Count 18 18 18 18 18
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
FLASK METHOD LONG PERIOD
Mean 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1
Standard Deviation 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Count 18 18 18 18 18
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Table II—Summary of Statistics (OPTION A)—Width Direction (rate in mm/s)

Jersey Interlock Polyester Woven Cotton Woven Poly/Cotton Woven
ELONGATED PAN METHOD SHORT PERIOD
Mean 1.9 0.9 2.3 1.0 0.3
Standard Deviation 0.7 0.2 0.7 0.3 0.1
Count 18 18 18 18 18
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.1
FLASK METHOD SHORT PERIOD
Mean 1.8 1.0 2.2 1.2 0.2
Standard Deviation 0.6 0.4 0.7 0.7 0.1
Count 18 18 18 18 18
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.1
ELONGATED PAN METHOD LONG PERIOD
Mean 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0
Standard Deviation 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Count 18 18 18 18 18
Confidence Level(95.0%) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
FLASK METHOD LONG PERIOD
Mean 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0
Standard Deviation 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Count 18 18 18 18 18
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Table III—Summary of Statistics (OPTION B)—Length Direction (rate in mm/s)

Cotton Pique Polyester Jersey Polyester Mesh Polyester/Spandex Rib
SHORT PERIOD
Mean 0.44 0.45 0.61 0.50
Standard Deviation 0.02 0.07 0.03 0.03
Count 20 20 20 20
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.02 0.07 0.02 0.02
LONG PERIOD
Mean 0.14 0.18 0.20 0.18
Standard Deviation 0.003 0.01 0.01 0.01
Count 20 20 20 20
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.003 0.01 0.01 0.01

Table IV—Summary of Statistics (OPTION B)—Width Direction (rate in mm/s)

Cotton Pique Polyester Jersey Polyester Mesh Polyester/Spandex Rib
SHORT PERIOD
Mean 0.42 0.46 0.58 0.57
Standard Deviation 0.03 0.07 0.03 0.05
Count 20 20 20 20
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.02 0.07 0.03 0.04
LONG PERIOD
Mean 0.13 0.18 0.19 0.20
Standard Deviation 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01
Count 20 20 20 20
Confidence Level (95.0%) 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01

408 AATCC TM197-2011e2(2018)e AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
AATCC TM198-2011e3(2020)
Test Method for Horizontal Wicking of Textiles
Foreword
Historically, the textile industry has
utilized many different test procedures
for determining the wicking characteris-
tics of textile fabrics, i.e., the movement
of water or liquid through fabrics. Within
the last decade, the industry has devel-
oped new technologies that have changed
water movement and absorbency re-
sponses of textiles leading to the use of
the labeling term “moisture manage-
ment” to describe these phenomena.
While, traditionally, wicking tests mea-
sured the movement of liquids through
the vertical plane of fabrics (commonly
referred to as vertical wicking), (see
AATCC TM197, Test Method for Verti-
cal Wicking of Textiles), the improve-
ments in the last decade have also led to
an interest in measuring the movement of
liquids across the horizontal plane of fab-
ric surfaces (horizontal wicking). Many
interested groups (textile manufacturers,
chemical suppliers, and retailers, as well
as independent testing laboratories) par-
ticipated in the efforts to standardize test
methods to measure the vertical and hori-
zontal wicking properties of fabrics with
moisture management attributes.
Unofficial techniques for determining
the absorbency and wicking properties of
textile fabrics were published in the 2004
AATCC/ASTM International’s Techni-
cal Supplement: A Compilation of Proce-
dures and Guidelines for Textile Products
and the 2008 AATCC/ASTM Interna-
tional’s Moisture Management Technical
Supplement: Applicable to Apparel, Lin-
ens and Soft Goods (see 14.1). This test
method is based on the testing procedures
for wicking published in those Technical
Supplements.
1. Purpose and Scope
1.1 This test method is used to evaluate
the ability of horizontally aligned fabric
specimens to transport liquid along and/
or through them, and is applicable to wo-
ven, knitted, or nonwoven fabrics.
2. Principle
2.1 The rate (area per unit of time) liq-
uid travels through a fabric specimen is
visually observed, manually timed and
recorded at specified intervals.
3. Terminology
3.1 fabric, n.—in textiles, a planar
structure made from yarns or fibers
AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
(ASTM D123 and see 14.3).
3.2 horizontal wicking, n.—in tex-
tiles, the movement of liquid across the
horizontal plane of a textile from a site
where a specific volume has been ap-
plied.
3.3 horizontal wicking rate, n.—the
change in the area of the liquid with re-
spect to time as the liquid travels through
a textile.
3.4 wicking, n.—in textiles, the move-
ment of a liquid, by capillary action,
along or through a material.
3.5 wicking distance, n.—the linear
measurement that the liquid travels along
or through a textile from a starting point
to a stopping point.
3.6 wicking time, n.—the measurable
period during which liquid travels along
or through a textile.
4. Safety Precautions
NOTE: These safety precautions are
for information purposes only. The pre-
cautions are ancillary to the testing proce-
dures and are not intended to be all inclu-
sive. It is the user’s responsibility to use
safe and proper techniques in handling
materials in this test method. Manufac-
turers MUST be consulted for specific
details such as material safety data sheets
and other manufacturer’s recommenda-
tions. All OSHA standards and rules
must also be consulted and followed.
4.1 Good laboratory practices should
be followed. Wear safety glasses in all
laboratory areas.
5. Uses and Limitations
5.1 This method is primarily applica-
ble to fabrics that absorb the full volume
of the test liquid, without pooling on the
surface or allowing dripping. If the full
volume of the test liquid is not available
to measure the wicking rate, inconsistent
results should be expected. Hence, the re-
sults obtained on fabrics that fully absorb
the test liquid cannot be compared with
those obtained on fabrics that do not. In
addition, the movement of liquid within a
fabric may be influenced by fiber con-
tent, fabric construction, mechanical or
chemical processing or a combination of
these.
5.2 This method evaluates the wicking
ability of horizontally aligned test speci-
mens to distilled or deionized water. In
this test, wicking may be influenced by
the properties of the test liquid, but not by
gravity.
5.3 Liquids other than distilled or
deionized water (tinted water, dye solu-
tions, etc.) may be used to evaluate the
wicking of textiles. If a liquid other than
water is chosen, its surface tension
should be measured and reported as solu-
tions of different surface tensions may
yield different results.
5.4 Dark fabric colors or prints and de-
signs may be difficult to test. The use of a
soluble ink of a contrasting color may
help in making the liquid more clearly
visible.
5.5 The results obtained by this test are
not a measure of comfort which is be-
yond the scope of this method.
5.6 The relationship between vertical
and horizontal wicking test results is not
known. Caution should be used when
comparing results using different align-
ments.
6. Apparatus, Reagents, Materials
6.1 Distilled or deionized water at 21 ±
2°C (70 ± 4°F).
6.2 Marking pens, with fine point, per-
manent and soluble ink (see 14.2).
6.3 Stopwatch or digital timer.
6.4 Tape or ruler, mm graduations.
6.5 Surface tensiometer, if using liquid
other than water (see 10.1).
6.6 Beaker or Petri dish.
6.7 Burette, 10 (± 0.05 mL) mL with
0.5 mL numbered graduations that allows
a delivery rate of 15-25 drops per millili-
ter, or handheld electronic pipette.
6.8 Embroidery hoop, 152 ± 5 mm (6.0
± 0.2 in.) diameter (see 14.1).
6.9 Laboratory sealing film (optional).
6.10 Ring stand and clamp.
6.11 Template, 100 ± 3 mm diameter.
7. Sampling
7.1 Determine whether the fabric has a
hydrophobic or hydrophilic side. Upon
agreement between interested parties, de-
termine whether both fabric sides are to
be tested. If only one fabric side is to be
tested, mark the selected side. If testing is
to be performed after laundering, use a
marking pen with permanent ink to de-
note the fabric side chosen for testing.
7.2 All specimens should be cut at least
100 ± 5 mm from the selvage. If testing
garments, take specimens from different
garment panels away from seams, pock-
ets, plackets or other assembly features.
Each specimen shall be taken so that dif-
ferent sets of length and width yarns are
present.
AATCC TM198-2011e3(2020) 409
8. Specimens
8.1 Cut five specimens, 200 × 200 ± 5
mm, aligned with the fabric selvage or
longitudinal alignment of the garment
panels. For testing horizontal wicking of
garment samples, it may not be necessary
to cut out individual specimens.
8.2 Cut an extra specimen from either
fabric or garment samples to determine
placement of the drop in the center of the
marked circle before starting the testing
(see 10.2).
8.3 If testing the durability of finishes
or evaluating wicking properties after
laundering, take specimens as described
in 8.1 from fabric swatches that have
been laundered according to conditions
chosen from the AATCC LP1.
9. Conditioning
9.1 Condition specimens for at least 4
h in an atmosphere of 21 ± 2°C (70 ±
4°F), 65 ± 5% RH prior to testing accord-
ing to ASTM D1776, Standard Practice
for Conditioning and Testing Textiles (see
14.3).
9.2 Perform all tests in the standard at-
mosphere for testing.
10. Procedure
10.1 If necessary, the surface tension of
the chosen liquid (including tinted water
or dye solution) should be measured as
directed in ASTM D1331-89, Standard
Test Methods for Surface and Interfacial
Tensions of Solutions of Surface-Active
Burette – Tip of burette 10 mm above
specimen surface
Beaker – 2L to accommodate
152 mm diameter embroidery hoop
Fig. 1—Horizontal alignment test configuration.
410 AATCC TM198-2011e3(2020)
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
Agents (see 14.3) and reported.
10.2 Use a template and a fine-point
marking pen with soluble ink to mark a
100 ± 3 mm diameter circle in the middle
of each specimen. Mark the circle on the
side of the fabric to be tested. The place-
ment of the water volume for the test is to
be in the center of the circle (see Fig. 1).
10.3 Fill a 10.0 mL burette with dis-
tilled or deionized water and lower the
water level to the top graduation level,
sighting to the bottom of the meniscus.
10.3.1 Insert a trial specimen into an
embroidery hoop, ensuring that its sur-
face is taut, without creases or wrinkles.
Place the embroidery hoop horizontally
on the top of the beaker or Petri dish.
Lower the burette so that the tip is 10 ± 1
mm above the fabric surface. Slowly
open the burette stopcock to verify that
1.0 ± 0.1 mL volume of water can be dis-
pensed into the center of the marked cir-
cle. Determine (and record) the approxi-
mate position of the stopcock opening
that ensures a consistent delivery of the
test liquid, i.e., the position that permits
delivery of the specified number of drops
of the test liquid in 10 ± 2 s. Discard the
trial specimen.
10.4 Insert test specimen into the em-
broidery hoop with the chosen fabric side
to be tested facing up for exposure to the
water. The use of laboratory sealing film
on the embroidery hoop ring surfaces
may be utilized to prevent slippage of
light weight fabric and help maintain a
taut fabric surface.
10.5 Open the stopcock, to the position
Embroidery hoop with
200 × 200 mm specimen
AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
determined in 10.3.1, and dispense 1.0 ±
0.1 mL of water from the 10 ± 1 mm
height onto the center of the 100 ± 3 mm
marked circle. A handheld electronic pi-
pette may be used instead of a burette but
the same height of 10 ± 1 mm from the
fabric surface should be maintained. Im-
mediately after opening the stopcock or
pressing the dispense button, start the
timer. The test should be terminated
when the water reaches the 100 ± 3 mm
circle. Record the distance the liquid has
spread in the length and width direction
of the fabric and the time elapsed.
10.6 The test should be terminated if
the water stops migrating and does not
reach the 100 ± 3 mm circle in 5 ± 0.1
min. Record the time that the test was ter-
minated.
10.7 Repeat steps 10.4-10.6 for each
remaining specimen.
11. Calculation
11.1 Record the time to the nearest sec-
ond for each specimen.
11.2 Calculate the horizontal wicking
rate for each specimen and the average
wicking rate for each sample. Use for-
mula 1 below for the calculation of hori-
zontal wicking rate:
W = π(1/4)(d1)(d2)/t (Eq. 1)
where:
W = wicking rate, mm2/s
d1 = wicking distance in length direc-
tion, mm and d2 = wicking dis-
tance in width direction, mm
t = wicking time, s
11.3 The wicking rate can be calcu-
lated from either the time it takes to reach
the edge of the circle or the distance trav-
eled in the 5.0 ± 0.1 min time period.
12. Report and Interpretation
12.1 Report the wicking time, the
wicking distance in the length and width
direction, and the average wicking rate
for each sample. Report any dripping or
pooling of test liquid.
12.2 Report if a solution other than dis-
tilled or deionized water at 21 ± 2°C (70
± 4°F) was used and its surface tension
and temperature.
12.3 Report if testing was performed
after laundering, the laundering condi-
tions used and the number of launderings
completed.
12.4 Shorter horizontal wicking times
indicate faster wicking (see 5.1 and 5.5).
13. Precision and Bias
13.1 Precision.
13.1.1 Interlaboratory Study. Tests for
wicking of textiles using horizontal ori-
entations were conducted in 2009, with
one laboratory, three operators, and five ANOVA indicated that the effect due to Table II—Statistical Results
samples. The five samples used in the the fabric was significant, the results, (rate in mm2/s)1
study were: (a) 100% cotton jersey knit, shown in Table II, for each of the three
100% 100% 100%
(b) 100% cotton interlock knit, (c) 100% fabrics are separate. The analysis is being Cotton Cotton Cotton
cotton twill weave, (d) 50/50 cotton/poly- retained for reference at the AATCC Jersey Interlock Woven
ester blend woven, and (e) 100% polyes- Technical Center.
Average 53 23 78
ter woven. However, two of the woven 13.1.3 Between-laboratory precision Std Dev 13 6.0 50
samples (d and e) were found to be not has not been established for this test 95% CI 5.0 2.0 18
suitable for the measurement of horizon- method. Until such precision informa-
tal wicking, as water pooled on the sur- tion is available, users of the method 1
All values in this table are expressed with exactly two
face and did not spread during the test. should use standard statistical techniques significant figures.
Therefore, the single lab precision state- in making any comparison of test results
ment shown is based on only three fab- for between-laboratory averages.
rics: two knits and one woven. 13.2 Bias. The true value of horizontal
13.1.2 The data is shown in Table I. wicking rates of textile fabrics can be de- termining the true value. In estimating
The analysis of variance technique was fined only in terms of a test method. this property, the test method has no
applied to the data set. Because the There is no independent method for de- known bias.

14. Notes

Table I—Data (rate in mm2/s)1 14.1 Available from AATCC, P.O. Box
12215, Research Triangle Park NC 27709; tel:
Operator 1 Operator 1 Operator 2 Operator 2 Operator 3 Operator 3 +1.919.549.8141; fax: +1.919.549.8933; e-mail:
Day 1 Day 2 Day 1 Day 2 Day 1 Day 2 ordering@aatcc.org; web site: www.aatcc.org.
100% 14.2 A suitable marking pen contains ink
Cotton Jersey 40 60 37 39 44 68 that is water soluble, available commercially
34 57 84 70 56 62 such as Paper Mate® Flair® Fiber Tip Pen
41 32 51 60 59 61 from Sanford Corporation, 2707 Butterfield
64 47 68 48 41 60 Rd., Oak Brook IL 60523; tel: +1.630.481.
60 58 55 30 62 46 2200; fax: +1.866.666.8735; web site: www.
papermate.com.
100%
Cotton Interlock 29 25 24 40 23 22 14.3 Available from ASTM International,
28 22 25 16 19 19 100 Barr Harbor Dr., W. Conshohocken PA
27 17 35 29 19 22 19428; tel: +1.610. 832.9500; fax: +1.610.832.
16 19 31 20 21 19 9555; web site: www.astm.org.
37 14 18 18 27 20
100% 15. History
Cotton Woven 120 49 33 120 43 31
47 90 130 110 46 140 15.1 Reaffirmed 2020
47 45 130 170 38 35 15.2 Reaffirmed 2018, 2013. Editorially re-
76 66 160 220 44 29 vised and reaffirmed 2012. Editorially revised
98 51 43 71 27 43 2019, 2016.
15.3 Developed in 2011 by AATCC Com-
1
All values in this table are expressed with exactly two significant figures. mittee RA63.

AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021 AATCC TM198-2011e3(2020) 411
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
AATCC TM199-2013e(2018)e
Test Method for Drying Time of Textiles: Moisture Analyzer
Developed in 2011 by AATCC Commit-
tee RA63; reaffirmed 2018; revised
2012, 2013; editorially revised 2017,
2019.
Foreword
Historically, the textile industry has
utilized many different test procedures
for determining the drying characteristics
of textile fabrics, whether those charac-
teristics are drying rate, time or some
other drying parameter. Within the last
decade, the industry has developed new
technologies that have resulted in an im-
provement in these characteristics, as one
of many attributes associated with the use
of the term “moisture management.”
Many interested groups (textile manufac-
turers, chemical suppliers, retailers, as
well as independent testing laboratories)
participated in the effort to develop and
publish standard test methods to measure
the drying characteristics of fabrics. Un-
official techniques for determining the
drying properties of textile fabrics were
published in the 2008 AATCC/ASTM In-
ternational’s Moisture Management Tech-
nical Supplement: Applicable to Apparel,
Linens and Soft Goods. This test method
formalizes an additional technique that
has been used by several companies.
1. Purpose and Scope
1.1 This test method is intended to
evaluate the drying time of knit, woven
or nonwoven fabrics at an elevated tem-
perature using a gravimetric moisture an-
alyzer. By performing the test at non-
standard textile testing conditions, it is
possible to simulate drying at body tem-
perature or to perform testing at tempera-
tures that simulate conditions of use.
2. Principle
2.1 Water is applied to the test speci-
men and then dried at a pre-selected tem-
perature (37° ± 2°C [99 ± 4°F]); if an al-
ternative temperature is used it should be
reported, in an automated moisture ana-
lyzer. The time required for a test speci-
men to reach a designated endpoint is
measured and recorded as the drying
time.
3. Terminology
3.1 drying rate, n.—the change in vol-
ume per unit time of a liquid that evapo-
rates from a textile.
NOTE: Drying rate is dependent upon
412 AATCC TM199-2013e(2018)e
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
textile construction, fiber content, apparel
construction, finishes, the atmosphere in
which the test is performed, and the vol-
ume challenge of the liquid.
3.2 drying time, n.—the time it takes
for a specified amount of liquid to evapo-
rate from a textile under controlled test-
ing conditions.
NOTE: In this test method the amount
of water is determined in a preparatory
step so that the specimen is wet-out to a
given level. The testing conditions are
controlled by the analyzer.
3.3 endpoint, n.—the point of termina-
tion of a drying test that is either to the
original dry weight of a specimen or
some other agreed value such as dry
weight +4.0% moisture content.
3.4 moisture retention, adj.—for this
test method, the percent moisture reten-
tion of the specimen after being sub-
merged in deionized water for 1 min, and
hanging vertically for 5 min in a con-
trolled environment (see 9.3.2 and for-
mula 1).
3.5 test side, n.—the side, either the
face or back of a specimen, which is up-
permost when placed on the moisture bal-
ance analyzer support platform; the side
onto which the test volume of water is ap-
plied.
3.6 weight loss, n.—the difference be-
tween the saturated weight of a specimen
and the weight after drying.
3.7 wet pick-up, n.—in textile pro-
cessing, the amount of liquid, and mate-
rial carried by the liquid, applied to a tex-
tile.
4. Safety Precautions
NOTE: These safety precautions are
for information purposes only. The pre-
cautions are ancillary to the testing proce-
dures and are not intended to be all inclu-
sive. It is the users’ responsibility to use
safe and proper techniques in handling
materials in this test method. Manufac-
turers MUST be consulted for specific
details such as material safety data sheets
and other manufacturers’ recommenda-
tions. All OSHA standards and rules
must also be consulted and followed.
4.1 Good laboratory practices should
be followed. Wear safety glasses in all
laboratory areas.
5. Uses and Limitations
5.1 The drying of a fabric may be in-
fluenced by fiber content, fabric con-
struction (e.g., thickness or raised sur-
face, such as fleece), mechanical or
AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
chemical processing or a combination of
these aspects.
5.2 Other factors that may influence
drying include the temperature and hu-
midity conditions of the test and the
amount of liquid to be dried. This test
method is performed in non-standard tex-
tile testing conditions. Since this test can
be performed at various temperature set-
tings of the moisture analyzer, test tem-
peratures can be selected to simulate the
temperature of a human body at rest, dur-
ing exercise, or when exposed to outdoor
temperatures.
5.3 This method is based on the appli-
cation of a controlled amount of water to
test specimens, measurement of the dry-
ing rate of that application, and calcula-
tion of the moisture retention based on
that application.
5.4 This method is limited to fabrics
with at least one side that exhibits an ab-
sorbency time within 30 ± 2 s (see
AATCC TM79, Test Method for Absor-
bency of Textiles). It is not applicable to
fabrics that exhibit an absorbency of
more than 30 s, as in such fabrics water
would begin evaporating from the surface
of the fabric as the temperature is being
raised, thereby skewing the results.
5.5 One possible use of this method is
to compare the moisture retention charac-
teristics of untreated versus treated fab-
rics, or to compare the moisture retention
characteristics of a textile material with
or without an additive.
5.6 The results obtained by this test are
not a measure of comfort which is be-
yond the scope of this method.
5.7 The relationship between drying
time measured by this test and absor-
bency has not been defined. Although
TM79 is used in the preparatory steps to
determine which side of a fabric should
be used in testing, this test does not mea-
sure absorbency.
6. Apparatus and Materials
6.1 Moisture analyzer with a ceramic
heating element and accurate to at least
0.001 g (see 14.1).
6.2 Deionized water.
6.3 Vertical specimen stand. The stand
should have a horizontal hanger of suit-
able size to hang the specimen using
binder clips. (see Fig. 2).
6.4 Tweezers.
6.5 400 mL beaker.
6.6 Wire screen—standard 0.25 × 0.25
in. mesh (see 14.2).
6.7 Specimen support platform (see
Fig. 3).
6.8 Electronic motorized pipette with
2.5 mL tip, and a dispensing speed of 4
mL/min (see 14.1).
6.9 Computer with software for data
capture (optional).
7. Specimens
7.1 Cut ten 70 ± 1 mm round speci-
mens diagonally across the width of a
sample, to ensure that different sets of
length and width yarns are in each speci-
men or from different sites from a prod-
uct are taken. If the sample being tested is
not large enough to cut ten 70 ± 1 mm di-
ameter specimens across the width, it is
acceptable to test a smaller specimen
size, but must be reported with the test re-
sults. Two of the specimens are to be
used for the preliminary steps, and eight
are for the testing (see Section 9).
8. Conditioning
8.1 Place the specimens on a flat
smooth, horizontal surface without tension
before testing. Condition them to moisture
equilibrium in a standard atmosphere for
testing according to ASTM D1776, Stan-
dard Practice for Conditioning and Testing
Textiles, Table I, Textiles, General (see
14.3).
9. Preparation
9.1 Turn on the moisture analyzer to 37
± 2°C (99 ± 4°F) and allow it to warm up
for at least 30 min.
9.2 Using TM79, place a drop of water
on the face of an extra fabric specimen to
judge absorbency; on the back of another
extra specimen, repeat to determine
which is the most absorbent side to use
for testing. If there is no difference, either
side can be used for testing by this
method. If both sides of the specimen
have absorbency times greater than 30 s,
see 5.4.
9.3 Weigh and record the original
weight (W1) of the specimen. Submerge
Fig. 1—Submersion of specimen in water.
AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
Fig. 3—Specimen support platform.
Fig. 2—Vertical specimen stand.
Fig. 4—Placement of specimen
on support platform.
the specimen in water, as shown in Fig. 1.
9.3.1 Using tweezers, remove the spec-
imen after 1 min and hang on the vertical
stand, as shown in Fig. 2.
9.3.2 After 5 min, remove the speci-
men with tweezers. Weigh and record the
specimen weight (W2). Use formula 1 to
determine the moisture retention.
Moisture Retention (%) =
W2 – W1
-------------------- * 100 (Eq. 1)
W1
where: Fig. 5—Placement of
W1 = dry weight, in g wire screen on top of specimen.
W2 = saturated weight, in g
Use formula 2 to determine the amount
9.5 Follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
of water to add to the fabric:
tion for setting the program operation.
x *W The test endpoint should be agreed upon
y = --------------1- (Eq. 2) by interested parties.
100
where: 10. Procedure
y = amount of water to add, in mL
x = moisture retention (see result of 10.1 Open the sample chamber and
formula 1) place the support platform and wire
W1 = dry weight, in g screen in the sample chamber (as shown
in Fig. 3).
NOTE: This equation assumes the den- 10.2 Tare the moisture analyzer. Place
sity of water is 1 g/mL at 25°C (77°F). the specimen with the selected test side
9.4 Set the electronic motorized pipette up on the support platform (see Fig. 4).
to pickup and dispense the calculated 10.3 Using an electronic motorized pi-
amount of water determined in 9.3. This pette, apply the specified amount of
amount will be used for all specimens deionized water in a uniform manner
from a sample without regard to variation over the surface of the specimen.
in weight of individual specimens from 10.4 Place the wire screen on top of the
the same sample. specimen (see Fig. 5) and start the ana-
AATCC TM199-2013e(2018)e 413
lyzer and software (if applicable). The
moisture analyzer or the software will au-
tomatically terminate the test when the
selected endpoint is reached.
10.5 Repeat 10.1-10.4 for remaining
specimens.
10.6 Record the drying time to the
nearest minute for each specimen.
11. Calculations and Evaluation
11.1 Calculate the average drying
time and the standard deviation for the
sample.
12. Report
12.1 Report moisture retention, aver-
age drying time and standard deviation,
amount of water applied, temperature,
and the end point.
12.2 If the specimens tested were not
70 ± 1 mm in diameter, report the speci-
men diameter used.
13. Precision and Bias
13.1 Precision. Tests for drying time of
textiles using a moisture analyzer were
conducted in 2010, with one laboratory,
two operators, and five samples. The five
samples used in this study were (a) 100%
cotton interlock knit, (b) 100% polyester
twill weave, (c) 100% cotton jersey knit,
(d) 65/35 polyester/cotton blend woven,
and (e) 100% polyester interlock knit.
13.2 Table I Statistical Summary. Data
includes mean drying time, standard de-
viation and the 95% confidence level for
both operators.
13.3 Between-laboratory precision has
not been established for this test method.
Until such precision information is avail-
able, users of the method should use stan-
dard statistical techniques in making any
comparison of test results for between-
laboratory averages.
13.4 Bias. The true value of the drying
time of textile fabrics can be defined only
in terms of a test method. There is no in-
dependent method for determining the
true value. In estimating this property, the
test method has no known bias.

Table I—Statistical Summary Data 14. Notes

Operator 1 Operator 2 14.1 These items may be obtained from any
Drying Time Mean Drying Mean Drying lab equipment supplier.
by Fabric Time, min Std Dev 95% CI Time, min Std Dev 95% CI 14.2 This item may be obtained from any
A 147 4.7 3 158 5.2 4 hardware or home improvement store.
B 115 4.2 3 121 4.5 3 14.3 Available from ASTM International,
C 73 2.5 2 78 2.6 2 100 Barr Harbor Dr., W. Conshohocken PA
D 28 1.7 1 28 1.3 1 19428; tel: +1.610. 832.9500; fax: +1.610.832.
E 85 1.8 1 93 3.5 2 9555; web site: www.astm.org.

414 AATCC TM199-2013e(2018)e AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2021
Copyright © 2020 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists