Relaxation Shrinkage of Wool Fabrics: Its Occur rence in Worsteds and Dependence upon Cloth Structure

Abstract

Relaxation shrinkage measurements have been made on seven worsted fabric struc tures from five different mills. It appears that the warp shrinkages differ significantly between mills and also between structures; by contrast no regular variation was dis cerned for the weft shrinkages.

Examination of the load-extension curves of these fabrics has shown big differences in the extensions which occur in the warp direction at loads typical of those found in finishing machines. A linear relationship between relaxation shrinkage and fabric ex tensibility in the warp direction is shown to hold for all mills.