Assessment of reflectance and color differences of wool fabrics after abrasion

Abstract

This paper focuses on the assessment of color differences and percentage reflectance changes that occurred in dyed wool fabrics after different cycles of abrasion for different constructional parameters of the fabric. Twelve wool fabrics having different constructional parameters were used. The fabrics differed from each other by their weft yam counts, weft densities, warp densities and the fabric weaves. The warp yam type and count and the warp yam twist were the same for all fabrics. The dyeing of the fabric samples were performed by using a commercial I : 2 metal complex dye (Mix Dye). Four different 44 abrasion levels (2500, 5000, 7500 and 10 000) were used. The percentage reflectance values of the abraded fabrics were measured and color differences between the original (control fabric, dyed but not abraded) and abraded fabrics were calculated. Percentage reflectance values and color difference values are presented in figures for changing fabric 14 constructional properties. The percentage reflectance values and color difference values were higher for the wool fabrics having thicker siro-spun weft yams and having higher weft and warp densities. The effect of increasing abrasion cycles on percentage reflectance values and on color differences was more visible for plain woven wool fabrics. Photographs of the abraded fabrics are presented to show them surface of the wool fabrics after 10 000 abrasion cycles. It was observed that the yarn breakages occurred on the fabric 14 surface because of the lower tenacity of the wool fibers made the fabric surface smoother as a result of the siro-spun yam structure. It is concluded that the broken ends of the fibers played an important role in surface reflectance beyond a certain abrasion level which was observed to be 7500 cycles.