Fabricsurface properties are important because of their psychological and physicaleffects on a person's appreciation of a fabric. The sensations perceived fromthe contact of clothing with the skin can greatly influence the overall feelingof comfort. The subjective feeling of fabric is a complex result ofpsychological and physiological responses of the human body and physicalproperties of the fabric. Fabric characteristics such as fiber type, threadlinear density, thread density, weave type and yarn twist affect how a fabricfeels to the touch. Surface properties also help in perception of thesmoothness and crispness of the fabric. Geometrical roughf1ess is anotherimportant factor affecting perceived softness of a fabric.


Inthe determination of fabric handle, fabric smoothness/roughness plays animportant role. This is evaluated by friction and surface unevennessmeasurements. The physical parameters taken into account to estimate the fabrichandle are coefficient of friction and geometrical roughness of the fabricsurface. These two parameters influence fabric abrasion resistance. Abrasion isbasically the wearing away of any part of a material by rubbing against anothersurface. Textile materials become unserviceable due to abrasive wear. Abrasivewear is caused mainly due to friction between the fabric and solid objects incontact with fabric, the wearer's body and environmental particles such as dustand grit. It is important to consider abrasion and friction characteristicsfrom a mechanical damage point of view which subsequently results in the lossof aesthetic and physical fabric quality.


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Thisarticle was originally published in The Textile Review, March, 2012, publishedby Saket Projects Limited, Ahmedabad.


About the Author:


NitinS Dhoot is an M.text in Textile Technology from the D.K.T.E Textile andEngineering Institute, Ichalkaranji