The Freedom Fiber

Effectively to finish Dow XLA

blend fabric

Pg. 1
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric Finishing
Piece Dyeing Fabrics

First step of fabric finishing: relaxation

•Proper fabric relaxation will lead to highest stretch level

•Maximum stretch level will give highest dimensional
stability
•No extra process is required to get a stretch fabric
Key point:
Temperature Control

Pg. 2
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric Finishing
Piece Dyeing Fabrics

The key to promote maximum relaxation:

•Reduce warp tension, to reduce the resistant
force in order the weft yarn to have maximum
relaxation.
•Avoid stretching the fabrics in weft direction,
throughout the dyeing and finishing process,
•Keep the temperature during the first wet processes in
the range of 50-60°C,

Pg. 3
DOW XLA retractive force pattern as
function of process temperature

Pg. 4
 RETRACTIVE FORCE FOR 9.5 Ne YARNS
10% SHRINKAGE 20% SHRINKAGE
5 5

Load at 20% Shrinkage, gf

Load at 10% Shrinkage, gf

Lycra 140den
4 4

3 3
XLA 210den
2 2

1 1
XLA 140den
0 0
20 40 60 80 100 20 40 60 80 100

Temperature,°C Temperature,°C
Pg. 5
 COMPARISON OF FIBER AND YARN SHRINK FORCE
9.5 and 14Ne Yarns with 140den XLA
100
Yarn Shrink Force / Fiber Shrink Force (%)
90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20 14 Ne Yarn (5.2x Draft) 10% Shrinkage

14 Ne Yarn (5.2x Draft) 20% Shrinkage
10 9.5Ne Yarn (5.5x Draft) 10% Shrinkage
9.5Ne Yarn (5.5x Draft) 20% Shrinkage
0
20 40 60 80
Temperature,°C

Back to summary
Pg. 6
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric
Finishing

Dow XLA elastic fiber is different from other

fibers
•It had been designed to give COMFORT STRETCH
•DOW XLA fiber require less force to stretch than spandex-
based fabrics.DOW XLA fiber “comes back” in a much softer
way,
•Dow XLA has show much higer retractive force at 50ºC
•Steaming , heat treating Dow XLA, will reduce the Dow XLA’s
retractive force,see.
•Such properties has a strong impact on finishing

Pg. 7
 YARN SHRINK FORCE MEASUREMENTS
9.5Ne Yarns with XUR110: The Effect of Draft and Steaming
6
9.5Ne XUR110 4.5x Draft 60°C
9.5Ne XUR110 4.5x Draft 60°C STEAMED
5
9.5Ne XUR110 5.5x Draft 60°C
9.5Ne XUR110 5.5x Draft 60°C STEAMED
4

3
Load, gf

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Shrinkage, %

Back to summary Pg. 8

DOW XLA
Tech Review Presentation

Thermodynamics

Pg. 9
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric Finishing
Piece Dyeing Fabrics

Make the right preliminary tests

For non-steam yarn

•Wash a greige fabric sample in a lab washing machine

•Load water at room temperature at the beginning
•Rise approximately 2°/min until it reaches 50°C (120°F).
•Proceed 30 minutes at this temperature with continuous
alternate tumbler motion to allow for maximum relaxation.
•Cleaning powder also helps to induce relaxation.
•Estract water to lighten the fabric
•Dry without tension in a tumbler dryer at 80°C (175°F) for
30 minutes.

Pg. 10
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric
Finishing Piece Dyeing Fabrics

Pg. 11
Residual retractive force in spandex
and DOW XLA after “heat setting”

Pg. 12
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric
Finishing

Pg. 13
Fabric width control during dyeing and
finishing for non elastic woven fabric

Pg. 14
Fabric width control during dyeing and finishing
for elastic woven fabric

Pg. 15
 Changes in width of Dow XLA woven
fabric

• on loom • 177 cm
• off loom • 152 cm
• Desized • 135cm
• Mercerized • 132cm
• Washed • 127cm
• Dyed • 133.5 cm
• Saforized • 135.5 cm

Pg. 16
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric
Finishing Piece Dyeing Fabrics

Pg. 17
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric Finishing
Piece Dyeing Fabrics

Applying finishing processes

•After complete fabric relaxation

singeing, scouring, bleaching, mercerizing, washing,

drying, dyeing, sanforizing, decatizing, steaming,
pressing

can be applied at standard conditions used for non-

elastic fabrics.

•No need for specific chemical selection and/or

concentration control

Pg. 18
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric Finishing
Piece Dyeing Fabrics

Scouring and Desizing:

•It is possible to combine scouring and/or desizing
with the fabric relaxation step
•The temperatures must be set and controlled in
order to achieve both relaxation and scouring/desizing
efficiency.
•In the case of desizing, it is advisable to check for
residual sizing agent on the fabric after this process.
•No restriction is needed for concentration of
chemicals (NaOH and other)

Pg. 19
DOW XLA: Woven Fabric Finishing
Piece Dyeing Fabrics

Drying and heat-setting

•Fabric width after relaxation is an equilibrium between the retractive force of
the elastic fibers and the resisting force of rigid fibers and fabric structure.

•The retractive force of other elastomers increases

with temperature: see picture
•The retractive force of DOW XLA Elastic fiber
decreases significantly when the temperature of
the fabric goes above 60°C (140°F).

•Drying can be done in a stenter frame, (130 and

150°C) or on heated cylinders. (130°C )
•Best dimensional stability can be acheived by avoiding streching during
drying.

Pg. 20
DOW XLA
Tech Review Presentation

Pg. 21
Residual retractive force in spandex
and DOW XLA after “heat setting”

back
Pg. 22