Anti-wrinkle finishing and no-iron textiles

Anti-wrinkle finishing

Anti-wrinkle finishing is sometimes also called anti-wrinkle finishing. Since most polymer materials, especially synthetic resins, are used as anti-wrinkle finishing agents, it is also called resin finishing.

Resin finishing is done with polymer materials. By adding other components, its purpose and function, in addition to anti-wrinkle, can also be anti-shrink, waterproof, water-repellent, water-absorbent, soft, antibacterial, antistatic, flame retardant, warm, etc. Strengthen, wash easily and change the feel.

Strictly speaking, the purpose and function of anti-wrinkle finishing is to make textiles less likely to wrinkle or to easily return to their original shape, and to maintain a flat appearance during use. In addition to resin finishing, other chemicals can also be used for cross-linking.

It is not difficult to understand that the essence of anti-wrinkle finishing is to improve the stability of the textile form. Therefore, while improving the wrinkle resistance, it often also produces anti-shrinkage and non-iron effects.

In some materials, anti-shrinkage and anti-wrinkle (property), durable pressing (property) or non-iron (property) finishing are often used together. In fact, anti-wrinkle finishing is different from shrink-proof, no-iron and durable press finishing in terms of purpose, method and measurement index.

Non-iron textiles

Non-iron textiles refer to textiles that must meet four requirements: dimensional stability, appearance smoothness, pleat retention and seam appearance after washing and drying.

In order to unify the meaning of terms, my country’s textile standards stipulate that no iron textiles include shrinkresistant and wrinkle free and durable press textiles.

Since people’s requirements for the morphological stability of textiles generally include anti-shrinkage and anti-wrinkle properties, anti-shrinkage and anti-wrinkle properties are used as a term in my country’s textile standards.

For products that are required to maintain pleats after washing and drying (such as skirts, trousers, etc.), non-iron means durable pressing;

For products that do not have pleats or creases or do not require pleats to be maintained after washing and drying, such as shirts and casual wear, the meaning of non-iron only means shrinkage and wrinkle resistance, and only includes dimensional stability and appearance smoothness after washing and drying. and seam appearance requirements.

Therefore, fabrics only have anti-shrink and anti-wrinkle products, but there are no durable press products; styles and products have both anti-shrink and anti-wrinkle products and durable press products.

Anti-shrinkage and anti-wrinkle properties refer to the ability of textiles to maintain satisfactory dimensional stability, flatness and seam appearance after repeated washing during use. Anti-shrink and anti-wrinkle textiles refer to textiles that still have anti-shrink and anti-wrinkle properties after five cycles of washing and drying.

Durable press properties

Durable pressability refers to the performance of clothing and textile products that can be restored to a state suitable for wearing or use after multiple washings during use without ironing or only light ironing. In addition to the requirements for dimensional stability, flatness and seam appearance, durable press properties also require the retention of pleat appearance.

Durable press textiles refer to textiles that still have anti-shrinkage and anti-wrinkle properties and maintain a pleated appearance after five cycles of washing and drying.

The wrinkle resistance of fabrics can be characterized by the wrinkle recovery angle (WRA) of the fabric.

The international market for washable and wearable cotton fabrics generally requires a wrinkle recovery angle (WRA) ≥ 250°, a DP grade of 3 to 4, and a tensile strength loss of ≤ 40%. The wrinkle recovery angle (WRA) of durable pressed textiles is generally 250°~300°, the DP grade is ≥3.5, and the tensile strength loss is ≤40%.

In 2002, my country formulated my country’s national standard for non-iron textiles, GB/T 18863-2002, with reference to international standards. In addition to the requirements for physical properties, color difference, yellowing and hygienic performance, this standard also requires anti-shrinkage and anti-wrinkle properties:

After 5 cycles of washing and drying, the appearance smoothness is ≥3.5 (GB/T 13769292, equivalent to ISO 7768-1985);

Seam appearance ≥ Level 3 (GB/T 13771);

The dimensional change rate is -3% ~ 3% (GB/T 8628, GB/T 8629, GB/T 8630, if there are other standards for clothing, the clothing standards will apply). However, mulberry silk and its blended interwoven anti-shrinkage, anti-wrinkle and easy-iron textiles have no requirements on the appearance of seams (see GB/T 15551).

For durable pressed textiles, it is also required that the pleated appearance standard is > level 3 after 5 cycles of washing and drying.

It should be noted that after 5 cycles of washing and drying, the method for measuring anti-shrinkage and anti-wrinkle properties and durable press properties is consistent with international requirements.