Setting Standards

From the time of fabrics being handmade on a loom, to the introduction of machines in the industrial revolution, to the current world of digital technology in the textiles industry, we have progressed a long way.  With the assistance of technology, there are standard tests that can be done to make it easier to choose the right fabric for the right application. Whilst modern technology has not produced these tests, the use of them to create standards in modern times is incredibly helpful. Here are some examples.

Martindale Rub Test

Image courtesy of James Dunlop Textiles

In basic terms this is the durability of the fabric before it starts to show wear and tear.  This is a worldwide recognised test making it easier for designers to determine what application the fabric is suitable for.  The higher traffic areas such as commercial use in hotels, restaurants, and places like galleries for instance need a higher martindale rub test than a lounge that is used for occasional seating. 

The technology behind this is that there are tests done with the amount of times the disc can oscillate sandpaper or wool across the fabric before it starts to show distress.   General domestic use is 15000-25000 for everyday use and for commercial use martindale value is 25000-30000.

Benefits of knowing how durable a fabric is will come into play when evaluating the life and use of the fabric you are using and its application, commercial fabrics have different standards to domestic fabrics based on high traffic usage.

Fabric Pilling/Fuzzing and Brush Test

Another test that used to deliver standards to the textile industry is the pilling test. Not too dissimilar to the Martindale rub test, this time there are two pieces of the same fabric oscillating in a figure 8 to a standard minimum and compared.  On a scale of 1-5, five having no pilling whatsoever.

Fabric pilling is a term used for loose strands or balls of fibre that form on a piece of fabric. The fabric becomes loose from moving around when we sit or brush up against something causing loose fibres to twist together into small balls.  The washing machine can also cause this friction. 

I’m sure we’ve all had a garment that has done just that, balls of fibre building up where friction has occurred under the arms of a garment, or on a new rug or furniture in your home.  

Colour Fastness

Now this one is so important for the longevity of your fabrics.  This is a test measuring how well a fabric will withstand fading. Fading can occur from UV light, washing/dry-cleaning perspiration and rubbing.  Fading is all about the colour depth, hue and brightness of the fabric.  You buy a fabric for furniture to last and look the same colour and not fade over time or even worse end up on your hands or garments you are wearing.  One of the most noticeable fabric exposures are curtains or any fabric that is directly exposed to the elements is the test of all tests.  

Fortunately technology has provided tools to test colour fastness. There are so many ways to measure this including UV testing, washing temperatures and detergent ratios, grey scale or spectroscopic colourimeter.  But ultimately everything fades when exposed to UV it’s just how much and how noticeable it is. The fabrics that are less likely to fade are solution dyed fabrics, polyester and olefin.  

These are just a few examples of the many ways technology works to provide better quality fabrics through testing, creating standards and better use practice for longevity. We all want to age gracefully and fabrics are no exception, these standards and measures make it easier for choosing the best fabric for your application to do just that...age gracefully.