A simple subjective test method is described to evaluate the prickliness of fabric samples, and its reproducibility and consistency are assessed. The test is used to evaluate the prickliness of a set of wool knitted samples covering a range of fiber diameters. The finer (19 micron) wool samples are nonprickly, and prickle increases as the mean fiber diameter increases. Reducing fiber/fiber friction with silicones reduces prickle, suggesting that a reduction of fiber/fiber friction is an important mechanism in antiprickle treatments.
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