Blog Post 2: Field Trip: Put It to the Test

Put It to the Test

Fabric rips. It tears. It scuffs. It gets dirty. Think about all the things that clothes, materials, and fabrics go through on a day to day basis. But how do we know that the materials we are exposed to all the time will hold up? After fabrics are made, they go through a series of many tests to determine how each type of material will act in certain situations such as abrasion, tearing, and shrinking.

            Instances where fabric is exposed to abrasion happen all the time, especially when the fabric is upholstered to chairs that get sat, stood, and spilled on. There is, in fact a test to determine how well a fabric will hold up in these instances. The fabric is put through something called the Martindale Abrasion Tester. This machine will test how well the fabric holds up by rubbing the fabric, using pressure that is caused by either a 21 or 28 oz/in weight. When the machine is done, the fabric can be evaluated by a change in appearance, breakage in yarns, or loss of mass. When a material can withstand the pressure without any of these things being a big issue, a customer is more likely to use the fabric in an area that endures a lot of use.

            Abrasion can be just one of your worries when it comes to holding up through daily activities. Things can get caught on the fabric and cause the material to rip, snag, or tear. The tearing strength is also tested before those luscious materials can be used as drapery, sewn into pillows, and upholstered to your favorite chair. This type of testing is called the Tearing Strength Elmendorf Method. This machine tests the average tearing force of a piece of fabric from the energy of a falling pendulum. The fabric must rip all the way through in order to count. If the fabric does not rip or slips, the test must be re-done with heavier weight. Accurate testing will show how a fabric can act in a situation where it is exposed to a sudden heavy load.  

            Ok, so the abrasion and tearing has passed the test but one question that might be common is, “what about the fact that some of my fabrics shrink and some do not?” There is a test for this also. It is referred to as Dimensional Changes of Fabrics Accelerated (Quickwash). True to its name, this test stimulates a washer and dryer like many have at home to determine how much a piece of fabric will shrink. There are marks that get put on the fabric before the wash and dry. After the cycles have finished, the marks are measured by computers to see how much they moved. This test is very important and relatable for people who have ever had materials shrink because shrinking is not something that can be reversed.

            These tests answer the common questions asked about the durability of fabrics. It is important for fabric to be long-lasting and sturdy. So next time you sit on that comfy sofa or admire your attractive pillows, remember all the tests the material had to pass to be a part of your home.