Studies of the Movement of Wool Fibers in Fabrics During Felting, With Particular Reference to the Permanency of Pleats

Abstract

Pleats in a worsted fabric which were fast to relaxation in hot water were readily destroyed by light hand washing. This has been shown to be due to small movements of the fibers, of the order of 0.5-1.0 mm. These movements are the initial stage of felting. They destroy the pleats by blurring the position of the region of maximum set and by imposing temporary opposing sets on the fibers. The shape of the fibers has been studied, and their radius of curvature and two other parameters have been meas ured. Fibers from unpleated regions of the fabric undergo similar movements and deforma tions on washing, but their overall shape is unchanged, since it is determined by the geometry of the fabric.