SHRINKAGE CONTROL

SHRINKAGE CONTROL
• A reduction in the length or width of a fiber,
yarn or fabric is known as shrinkage.
• Growth occurs when a fabric increases in
dimension.
• If fabrics shrink after they have been made
into garments or household items, they may
decrease in size to such an extent that the
item is no longer serviceable.
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL
• Some fibers like wool, cotton and rayon swell
more in water than others.
• So their fabrics are less dimensional stable
than others.
• Shrinkage occurs when tensions are released
by moisture and heat, as in laundering or
steam pressing.
• Predicting lengthwise and crosswise shrinkage
is difficult.
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL
• Many factors contribute to shrinkage:
(1) Fiber type
(2) Blend level
(3) Yarn process
(4) Fabrication type
(5) Number and type of finishing processes
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL
• There are two major type of shrinkages:
(a) Relaxation shrinkage
(b) Progressive shrinkage
• Relaxation shrinkage occurs because the
fibers and yarns are under considerable
tension when the fabrics are made.
• It occurs only once, the first time the fabric is
laundered or dry cleaned.
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL
• Progressive shrinkage occurs each time a
fabric is laundered.
• Unlike relaxation shrinkage, which occurs just
once , progressive shrinkage continues and
the fabric shrinks a bit more with each
laundering.
• Of the major fibers, only wool (felting) and
viscose rayon are subject to progressive
shrinkage.
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL
• Woven fabrics generally shrink more in the
warp than in the filling direction because the
warp yarns are under greater tension during
weaving.
• Knit goods tend to stretch more during
manufacture and the loops are more easily
distorted than woven fabrics.
• So the knitted fabrics are likely to shrink and
change shape even more than woven fabrics.
 COMPRESSIVE SHRINKAGE
• Also called Sanforization.
• More complete shrinkage control can be
obtained by a method called compressive
shrinkage, in which the fabric is mechanically
reduced to its correct warp dimensions.
• A sample of fabric is measured, laundered,
then remeasured and the percentage of warp
shrinkage calculated.
• This is done to estimate the amount of
compression to be given.
 COMPRESSIVE SHRINKAGE
• The fabric is then dampened and placed on a
machine equipped with a continuous thick
woolen or rubber blanket.
• The blanket travels around a small roller and
its outer surface is stretched, as it does so.
• The fabric is fed onto the surface of the
blanket at this point and is held against the
blanket surface.
 COMPRESSIVE SHRINKAGE
• As the blanket leaves the roller, its surface
contracts, and the fabric on its surface is
forced to contract with it.
• Heat is applied at this point for drying and
maintaining the new dimensions.
• The amount of compression applied can be
adjusted by the thickness of the blanket or
the diameter of the roller.
COMPRESSIVE SHRINKAGE

1. Fabric
2. Felt blanket
3. Hot Metal
roller
4. Big cylinder
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL FOR KNITS
• During knitting and finishing, knit fabrics are
subject to tension and stretching, especially in
lengthwise direction.
• The construction of most knits allows for
greater stretch, so they have greater potential
shrinkage.
• The shrinkage may be particularly
pronounced in lengthwise direction, often
accompanied by growth in the crosswise
direction.
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL FOR KNITS
• Knitted fabrics are treated with resin-
containing solutions, wetted, then dried to
relax tensions applied during processing and
compressive shrinkage processes are applied,
similar to woven fabrics.
• Excellent results can be obtained by wetting
fabrics to at least 40 % humidity and drying
them.
SHRINKAGE CONTROL FOR KNITS
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL FOR KNITS
• Synthetic knits are stabilized by heat setting.
• Without this treatment, fabrics may shrink.
 SHRINKAGE CONTROL FOR WOOL
• Shrinkage treatments for wool are of two
types:
(1) Simple mechanical treatments
(2) Chemical treatments
• Mechanical treatments include:
(a) Damp/Steam relaxing
 DAMP RELAXING
• Also called London shrinking or Sponging.
• Used for fine worsteds, but not for woolens.
• A wet wool or cotton blanket is placed on a
long platform.
• A layer of fabric is spread on it and alternate
layers of blanket and fabric are built up.
• Weight is placed on the top for about 12
hours to force the moisture from the blankets
into the wool.
 DAMP RELAXING
• The fabric is hung to dry naturally.
• When dry, the fabric is layered with special
pressboards.
• Preheated metal plates are inserted at
intervals and on the top and bottom of the
stack.
• This setup of fabric , boards and plates is kept
under 3000 pounds of pressure for 10 to 12
hours.
DAMP RELAXING
 CHEMICAL TREATMENTS
• To prevent felting shrinkage, a finish must
alter the scale structure and reduce the
differential-friction effect that prevents wool
fibers from returning to their original position
in the fabric.
• Chemical treatments include:
(1) Surface coating
(2) Halogenation
 SURFACE COATING
• A very thin, microscopic film of a polyamide
solution is surface coated on the fibers.
• It enables the fibers to move back and forth
without entangling.
• It also minimizes pilling and fuzzing, gives the
fabric better wash and wear properties and
increases resistance to abrasion.
 HALOGENATION
• Also called Degradative process.
• Most common degradative processes use
chlorine gas or liquid chlorine compound for
wool fibers.
• Partially dissolve the edges of wool fiber
scales.
• Decreases tendency to catch on each other
and reduces felting.
 HALOGENATION
• Weakens or seriously damage the cortex of
the fiber.
• Texture becomes rough and harsh.
• Fibers subjected to chlorination, often
blended with other manufactured fibers, lead
to uneven dyeing.
 HEAT SETTING
• Fabrics and garments made from
thermoplastic fibers may be stabilized
through heat setting.
• Synthetics can be permanently set into shape
by subjecting them to heat near their glass
transition temperature.
• The heat allows the molecules to relax so the
fiber will not exhibit further shrinkage.
 HEAT SETTING
• Polyester and nylon fabrics are heat-set at
350-4000°F for 20-60 seconds.
• Not effective on cotton or rayon.
• Used to establish permanent dimensions for
synthetics.
• Synthetic knits are relatively free from
shrinkage problems during laundering if they
are properly heat-set.
 HEAT SETTING
• They may undergo thermal shrinkage when
subjected to high heat.
• Uneven heat setting causes the fabric to dry
unevenly and therefore to be subjected to
even heat setting.
• Differential dyeing, bow-bias and yellowing
can result.
• May cause shade variation from side-to-side
if done prior to dyeing.
• May cause variations in shrinkage.