Relationship Between Fiber Properties and Fabric Wrinkle Recovery1

Abstract

This research was undertaken to obtain a better understanding of the role of fiber properties in determining fabric wrinkle recovery. For a variety of fibers a one-to-one correspondence was found between fabric crease-angle recovery and a modified tensile recovery parameter, i.e., the average value of tensile recovery (over the range of strains imposed during creasing) measured against a restraining force related to the coefficient of intertiler friction. From this index of recovery, it was predicted that fabric bending recovery would tend toward zero with decreasing strain (increasing radius of crease curvature). Such behavior was observed in the fabrics of nylon and Dacron ² polyester fiber subsequently studied. The tensile recoveries under load, effective frictional re straints, and qualitative fabric-recovery features are presented. The results reported here indicate that the predominant fiber properties controlling fabric recovery can be determined without recourse to a complete mathematical treatment. Consideration of a simple, idealized model showed interfiber friction to be a property which must be con sidered in order to obtain even a qualitative description of the mechanism of fabric recovery from deformations involving small strains.