FABRIC SCIENCE

TEXTILE FINISHING:
SHRINKAGECONTROL

SUBMITTED TO-
DR. CHETRAM MEENA
SUBMITTED BY-
ANUSHKASINGH
PRAGYA TIWARI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the field of fashion industry, textiles and it’s finishing come up as a most important and
challenging process for the fashion technicians.

Thanks to our knowledgeable faculty Dr.Chetram Meena to guide us throughout the topic and
giving us the chance to work on this assessment.

Not only this assignment gave us the chance to look further into the topic, but also gain valuable
knowledge of how difficult and precise the work of finishing of fabrics is.

We would like to thank each and every person helping us throughout the assessment and would
also like to acknowledge the fact that internet has been a good friend in completing this
assessment successfully.
INDEX

 What is dimensional stability of fabrics

 Define shrinkage in clothes

 Factors for fabric shrinkage

 Methods to calculate shrinkage

 Various shrinkage test

 Shrinkage control

 Types of shrinkage control

 Why is shrinkage control needed

 Sanforization and its machine

 Sanforization v/s Unsanforized

 References
INTRODUCTION

In daily life, newly bought clothes, sheets, and other textiles, after water washing once or twice,
which are not the original size, greatly affecting our user experience. So how did this happen?
And how to prevent this embarrassing phenomenon from happening? This brings us to the
shrinkage of the fabric.

What is the Dimensional Stability of Fabrics?

Dimensional stability of fabric is defined as the change of the clothing material or fabric size
when it is reprocessed due to the properties of a material and the potential thermal contraction
force in the process of processing. The fabric which provides good dimensional stability is
washed many times and the original pleating and shape remain unchanged, and the dimensions
don’t shrink or elongated, which don’t affect the user experience whereas those fabric with poor
dimensional stability usually shrink in sewing, ironing, washing and so on. Among them, the
wash shrink is the problem that consumer pays close attention.

Definition of Shrinkage in Clothes

When a piece of cloth is washed, its dimension gets shortened from its original size after the
laundry process. The process of shrinkage in the fabric's original size is called shrinkage. In
subsequent washing, the clothes tend to shrink more.
Shrinkage happens in any kind of wet processing or heat processing. Shrinkage may happen
lengthwise, or widthwise, or both ways.
Shrinkage is a drawback in the garments if it shrinks more than a certain percentage. In case the
fabric is not pre-shrunk whether it's a knitted or a woven fabric, garment made from that fabric
will shrink to some extent.

Why clothes shrink?

The moisture absorption of fiber is a factor of fabric shrinkage. The tightness of yarn and fabric
structure is another factor of shrinkage. The tighter the structure, the expansion of the fiber cause
the yarn to swell, then the warp height of the yarn in the fabric increases and the length of the
yarn in the buckling state becomes shorter, so the fabric shrinks. Therefore, the higher twist and
volume fraction of the yarn, the greater shrinkage of the fabric.
The processing tension of the fabric also has an effect on fabric shrinkage. If the processing
tension increases, the fiber deformation increases, the internal stress and the slow elastic
deformation increase, then the relaxation and retraction degree of the fabric increases after
soaking, which make the shrinkage rate of the fabric increases. Besides, temperature also has a
great effect on fabric shrinkage, because the high temperature has the effect of relaxation and
expansion, and even heat shrinkage.
Different raw materials of fabrics will affect shrinkage rate and heat shrinkage rate. Under
normal circumstance, fabrics with minimum shrinkage rate are synthetic fibers and blended
fabrics; secondary is linen fabrics; middle is cotton fabrics; the maximum is viscose fabrics. In
addition to this, the shrinkage rate varies from fabrics density, the thickness of yarns, weaving,
dyeing and finishing process. Different kinds of fabrics have been prescribed standard of
shrinkage rate. In the process of dyeing and finishing, some processes like mercerization and
preshrunk can reduce shrinkage rate. Synthetic fiber is easy to deform when heated, especially
nylon fabrics, it shrinks more easily when heated, but it can improve its dimensional stability by
hot setting.

Fabric Shrinkage Percentage Calculation

Fabrics have a common feature that they shrink in wet processing. So before cutting fabric for
bulk production, we must check its shrinkage percentage in washing. The shrinkage percentage
needs to be added to the production pattern. Otherwise, we would not get a proper fitted garment
and measurement would not match the specification sheet.

Step by step guide to calculating fabric shrinkage percentage is shown below.

Step 1: Prepare the wash test sample

Cut fabric from the roll and take fabric specimen of 110 cm X 110 cm (length X width). If you
have multiple lots of fabrics rolls, take a sample from each lot.

Step 2: Measure before washing

Mark a square of 100 cm X 100 cm (You can only mark + at the corner of the square.). Use a
fabric marker to mark the fabric. This is before wash measurement of fabric length and width.

Step 3: Wash the fabric sample

Wash the specimen following dip wash or machine wash as needed. Follow washing instruction
provided by your buyers. Or follow the standard washing method to find the shrinkage
percentage for washing.

Step 4: Dry the sample after washing

Dry the fabric specimen as specified. Do line dry or tumble dry as specified in the test method.

Step 5: Measure after washing

Lay down the specimen on a flat table. Remove creases but don't stretch the fabric. Measure the
fabric length and width following marking points and note it.
Now calculate shrinkage percentage specimen fabric using the following formula

Fabric Shrinkage %= (Length before washing - length after washing)*100/Length before

washing
Fabric Growth% Calculation
In some fabrics instead of fabric shrinkage, you may get fabric growth in lengthwise or width
wise or in both directions. In that case, use following formula to calculate fabric growth
percentage.

Fabric growth% = (Length after washing - length before washing)*100/Length before washing

Fabric Shrinkage Rate Test

Shrinkage rate refers to the percentage that fabrics size presents shrink when washed or soaked,
which is also an indicator of measuring the degree of fabric shrinkage. The level of fabric
shrinkage rate is one of the criteria to measure product quality. The commonly used shrinkage
rate test methods are mainly mechanical shrinkage method and dipping method.

1.Mechanical Shrinkage Method

a) Test Apparatus and Materials
Shrinkage Tester , AATCC 1993 Standard Detergent WOB, No Phosphorus ECE Standard
Detergent, Oven, Scale, Sewing Thread, Pen, Fabrics, etc.

a. Shrinkage Tester

b) Test Principle
Fabrics with specified dimension are handled in water of a certain temperature in a certain time;
then measure the length change in the warp and weft direction after fabrics are dried and evaluate
shrinkage of fabrics. Mechanical Shrinkage Method usually adopts shrinkage tester to complete
the test, and it is divided into two types: cylinder washing machine adding materials from the
front door, stirring washing machine adding materials from the top.

c)Test Procedure
 Detergent is put in washing machine. AATCC 1993 standard detergent (not contain
fluorescent brightener) suits for Type B washing machine adding materials from the top,
while No Phosphorus ECE Standard Detergent (contain fluorescent brightener) suits for
Type A and Type B washing machine.
 Washing temperature, water level, and washing time are set. Prepared sample and
washing accompany are put in detergent, handled as chosen washing program.

 After fabrics are washed, you can choose one of the following 6 drying methods to dry it:

1. Hanging dry — after dehydration, fabric is perpendicular to the ground in the length
direction, hanging on a string or smooth pole and drying in room temperature and
stationary air.

2. Drip dry — Sample without dehydration is perpendicular to the ground in the length
direction, hanging on a string or smooth pole and drying in room temperature and
stationary air.

3. Flattened dry — sample is flattened on the drying rack with horizontal screen, removed
wrinkles to make it flat but not to let it deform or extend, dried in the room temperature.

4. Flat pressing — sample is put on the flat pressing machine, removed bigger wrinkles by
hands. As request of drying sample, putting down the pressing head, sample is hot
pressed in a or more short periods until it is dried. Choose apposite temperature and
record temperature and pressure used.

5. Tumbling drying — sample and washing accompany is put in tumbling dryer (Figure 6),
and choose the drying stall. As for fibers which are sensitive to hot, a lower temperature
is better.

6. Oven drying — sample is mounted flat on filter screen in oven, noticing not to make it
deform or extend. The temperature of oven is set in 60℃ ± 5℃, and drying it.

Tumbling Dryer
d) Measurement and Calculation
Soaking, sample is flattened horizontally on table at a state of no tension. Under the condition
that no any tension is applied to it, shrinkage rate is measured directly by shrinkage scale; or
scale is used to measure the length (accurate to 1mm) between 3 pairs of marks in warp and weft
direction of fabric, then take averages respectively and replace the data to the following formula
to calculate fabric shrinkage rate:
Shrinkage rate = (the length of latitude and longitude before washing − the length of latitude and
longitude after washing) ÷ the length of latitude and longitude before washing

B. Dipping Shrinkage Method

a) Test Apparatus and Materials: Scale, Sewing Thread, Wetting Agent, Blankets, Pen, fabrics,
etc.

b) Test Principle
Dipping shrinkage method is fitted to textiles improper to wash sharply. Before washing, sample
should mark the size. The shrinkage of fabrics is judged by the size change of marks before and
after washing.

c) Test Method

 Soaking fabric is put on a 600mm*600mm*600mm glass without tension.

 Another glass with same size is covered by the sample.
 The distance between each pair of marks is measured, accurate to 1mm.
 Sample is soaked in 15~20℃ water in a free state for 2h after measured. Liquid level
should be higher than the sample at least 25mm. 0.5 g/L efficient wetting agent is
added in water. Water should be soft water or hard water whose thickness is no more
than 5/100000 calcium carbonate.
 Sample is taken out. Four angles of fabrics are folded toward the center and move it to
the blanket. Another blanket is covered on the sample, pressing to remove extra water.
 Sample is dried in a condition of 20℃±5℃.
 The dried sample is humidified in standard atmosphere. Achieving the balance, the
distance of each pair of marks should be measured again.
d) Result Calculation

Shrinkage rate = [(the length of latitude and longitude before soaking − the length of latitude and
longitude after soaking) ÷ the length of latitude and longitude before soaking]×100%

C. Steam Shrinkage Test

a) Test Apparatus and Materials: Sleeve Steam Meter, Sewing, Scale, Several Fabrics.

b) Test Principle
Fabric is influenced by steam under the condition with no pressure. The size change of fabric
before and after steamed reflects the shrinkage of steamed fabrics.

c) Test Method

 Sample Preparation
Four samples are taken from longitude and latitude respectively. Sample size: length is 300mm;
width is 50mm. No obvious spot is on the fabric. Through pre-humidified (temperature is no
more than 50℃, relative moisture is 10%~25%) for 4h later, sample is humidified in a standard
atmosphere (temperature is 20℃±2℃, relative moisture is 65%±2%) for 24h.

 Test Procedure
1. Two marks are made symmetrically on the two sides of fabric whose distance is
250mm.
2. The length between marks measured is length before steamed, accurate to 0.5mm.
3. The steam goes through the steam cylinder at the speed of 70 g/min (tolerance is 20%)
for at least 1 min to pre-heat the cylinder. If temperature in cylinder is too low, pre-
heating time should be extended appropriately. Steam valve should be open in the test.
4. Four humidified samples are mounted flat on wire stent of each layer, put in cylinder
right away and kept in 30s.
5. Sample is removed from the cylinder, cooled in 30s and then put in cylinder again.
Sample is put in and out of the cylinder repeatedly for three times.
6. After recycling for three times, sample is put on the smooth plane to cool down.
7. After pre-humidified and humidified, the length between marks measured is the length
after steamed, accurate to 0.5 mm.
 Result Calculation
Steam Shrinkage rate = [(the length before steam – the length after steam)÷ the length
before steam]×100%

The average value of steam shrinkage rate in the longitude and latitude should be calculated
respectively and retained one number after the decimal point.

Shrinkage Control
Shrinkage control processes are applied to control the shrinkage of a fabric size by compressive
shrinkage, resin treatment, or heat-setting. Compressive, or relaxation, shrinkage is applied
to cotton and to certain cotton blends to reduce the stretching they experience
during weaving and other processing. The fabric is dampened and dried in a relaxed state,
eliminating tensions and distortions. The number of warp and weft yarns per square inch is
increased, contributing greater durability, and fabrics treated by this method are usually smooth
and have soft lustre. The process involves spraying the fabric with water and then pressing the
fabric against a steam-heated cylinder covered with a thick blanket of woolen felt or rubber. The
manufacturer is often required to specify the residual shrinkage, or percentage of shrinkage, that
may still occur after the preshrinking process.
Rayon’s and rayon blends may be stabilized by the use of resins, which impregnate the fibre.
Such fabrics may also be stabilized by employing acetals to produce cross-linking, a chemical
reaction. Such synthetics as polyesters and nylons, which are heat sensitive, are usually
permanently stabilized by heat-setting during finishing.
Shrinkage of wools is frequently controlled by treatment with chlorine, partially destroying the
scales that occur on wool fibres and thus increasing resistance to the natural tendency of wool to
felt. Other methods employ coating with resins that attach to the scales in order to
discourage felting shrinkage.

TYPES
 Relaxation- The once only change in fabric dimensions associated with the release of
strains set up in the fabric during spinning, weaving and finishing (e.g. if a fabric is dried
under a high tension during finishing).
 Progressive-This occurs each time a fabric is laundered. Unlike relaxation shrinkage
which occurs only once, progressive shrinkage continues and the fabric shrinks a bit more
with each laundering. Of the major fibers, only wool and viscose rayon are subject to
progressive shrinkage.
 Residual-Residual Shrinkage is the latent shrinkage of a fiber , filament, yarn or fabric.
 Swelling shrinkage:
Swelling shrinkage results from the swelling and de-swelling of the constituent fibers of a
fabric due to the absorption and desorption of water.
 In swelling shrinkage, in a fabric the warp yarn must either increase in length or the weft
threads must move closer together.
 Felting shrinkage:
Felting shrinkage results from the frictional properties of the component fibers and it
causes them to migrate within the structure. This behavior is normally considered for
fibers having scales on their surface such as wool.

Wool can be made shrink resistant by treatment. Chlorine treatments remove the scales.
Resin treatments are used to mask the scales.

SHRINKAGE CONTROL METHODS

 Relaxation shrinkage-
1. Sponging (Relaxation Method) » Used for woolen and
worsted fabrics; it consists of thoroughly wetting the fabric
with water or steam and allowing the material to dry slowly
in a relaxed tensionless state. This does not make wool
washable or shrink-proof; it permits wool to be steam
pressed or caught in rain without severe shrinking.
2. Resin Treatments (Relaxation Method) » Used for fabrics
of rayon and cotton; it involves impregnating rayon and
cotton with resins and then curing which stabilizes the
fabric and thus reduces its tendency to distort. Resins also
provide crease resistance. It is preferable to hand wash
resin treated rayon fabrics. Finishing that Alter Durability
― Shrinkage Control
3. Compressive Shrinkage (Relaxation Method) Used for
woven cotton, tubular knit cotton, linen and rayon; the
method consists of mechanically compressing the fabric
lengthwise by overfeeding onto a large roller with damp
blankets.
4. Heat Set (Relaxation Method) Used for fabrics from
thermoplastic fibers such as nylon, polyester and acrylic; it
is based on the principle that thermoplastic materials will
become stabilized in their configuration in which they
happen to be when heated to their softening temperature.
5. Finishing that Alter Durability ― Shrinkage Control.
 Progressive shrinkage-
1. Chlorination: Attacks wool surface scales to reduce felting
Low cost, but strength loss & harsh feelFabrics made from wool
2. Special Application Resin treatment: Used for wool fabrics.
3.IWS Super wash –Excellent machine wash ability without
losing strength and fabric hand
Sanforizing:
Sanforizing is a controlled compressive shrinkage process, which is applied on woven fabric to
achieve shrinkage before making the garments. After sanforizing the residual shrinkage of
woven fabric may be zero. In sanforizing process shrinkage is achieve by passing the cotton
fabric onto a movable elastic felt blanket is released it assumes a shortened conditional. Thus
the cotton fabric is forced to conform this compression.
Sanforizing Process:
Sanforizing is a mechanical finishing process of treating textile fabrics to prevent the normal
dimensional alternation of warp and weft. It is also called anti-shrinkage finishing process. It is a
process of treatment used for cotton fabrics mainly and most textiles made from natural or
chemical fibres, patented by Sanford Lockwood Cluett (1874–1968) in 1930. It is a method of
stretching, shrinking and fixing the woven cloth in both length and width, before cutting and
producing to reduce the shrinkage which would otherwise occur after washing .

Simplified diagram of the sanforizing method of producing shrinkage

Sanforizing process is based on the principle that when a elastic felt blanket is passed around a
metal roller in contact with it, its outer surface is process extended and the inner surface
contracted. So the process is called controlled compressive shrinkage process.

Sanforizing Machine:
The machine used for the sanforizing process is called "Sanforizing Machine" which reduce
residual shrinkages on both knits and woven. Sanforizing Machine (Figure-1) means a machine
consisting of a large steam-heated cylinder, an endless, thick, woolen felt blanket which is in
close contact with the cylinder for most of its perimeter, and an electrically heated shoe which
presses the cloth against the blanket while the latter is in a stretched condition as it curves around
feed-in roll. Sanforising machine is a very imperative machine in textile finishing process.
Sanforizing Machine is used at the last stage of woven fabric processing. In this stage fabric
shrinkage is controlled by means of mechanical application and using steam. The shrinking
process takes place between the rubber belt and the heated shrinking cylinder. The pressure roll
presses the rubber belt against the heated shrinking cylinder and the rubber belt is thereby
stretched.
The steps for Sanforizing can be summarized as follows:

1. The fabric is dampened with steam, which softens the fabric for adjustments to be
made in length and width.
2. The width is adjusted by a stretching action with the help of a small stenter in which
the fabric is gripped along its selvedges.
3. The fabric is then held firmly against a heavy woolen blanket, which is under
controlled tension.
4. As the tension of the blanket is relaxed to the desired measurements, the fabric shrinks
uniformly in length.
5. The fabric is then carried around a heated cylinder where it is dried and the surface
achieves a special type of finish.
6. A sample is tested again to assure that residual shrinkage on laundering to be reduced
to 0.75% or less.
Process flow chart of sanforizing:

Batch
↓
J-scray
↓
Weko
↓
Damping cylinder (to increase moisture)
↓
Load cell 1
↓
Camera sensor (EPI &PPI check)
↓
Pressure roller
↓
Rubber felt (5mtr)
↓
Load cell 2
↓
Nonwoven belt
↓
Cooling roller
↓
Camera sensor
↓
Outlet j-scray
↓
Batching
Working Principle:

1. Sanforizing process is based on the principle that when a rubber felt is passed through
a metallic roller having a temperature of 120°c, its outer surface is process extended and the
inner surface contracted. So, the process is called controlled compressive shrinkage process.
2. The process of sanforizing includes the stretching and manipulation of the fabric
before it is washed.

Procedure:

1. The batch fed to the sanforiser. It passes through the j-scray and cloth guider to weko.
Here water is sprayed on the fabric.
2. Then the fabric comes to the damping section, in presence of steam the fabric gets
moisture.
3. Through load cell (tension maintain) and camera sensor (it checks the epi and ppi of
the fabric) it is passed to the rubber felt section, here the roller temperature is 120°c.
4. Due to high temperature the rubber gets squeezed and as the fabric is in contact with
the rubber, fabric also gets the shrink.
5. Then through the load cell 2, nonwoven belt and load cell3 it comes in contact with the
cooling roller.
6. After cooling the fabric, it goes through the outlet j-scray for batching.

SANFORIZATION MACHINE
Need for shrinkage control
Sanforized or unsanforized jeans are different.Unsanforized jeans will shrink about 5-10% in the
waist and length (in the waist they quickly expand again during the wearing). Levis started to use
the term “shrink to fit – STK”. These jeans need some care before their first wearing. For denim
heads, it is just another ceremonial step in their long-term process of personalization RAW
denim. Unsanforized jeans need to be soaked in warm water to shrink to the right size.
Unsanforized jeans before and after soak
 There is no need to worry with sanforized jeans because there is minimal shrinking. As we have
already described the process of sanforization above, it’s about action of heat, water and pressure
on fabric. Except removing shrinkage, there is also possibility of removing some characteristic
features as for instance its roughness and it can cause flattening of fabric. Because unsanforized
denim doesn’t go through any further process after its woven, it retains all properties which are
caused by the type of cotton, the way it’s spun, dyeing and weaving of the fabric. Generally,
predominate opinion that unsanforized jeans fade better and faster and it’s possible to achieve
more unique fading pattern than with sanforized jeans. But it’s not a rule, because here too it
depends on many other factors. In general, unsanforized denim is only woven in mills which
specialize in the production of high quality textiles. Sanforization is relatively natural part of
making fabrics today.
CONCLUSION
The topic for our assessment “Shrinkage Control” comes up as one of the demanding properties
in fabrics by customers as well as producers and manufacturers due to the wastage of fabric and
the fit issues which shrinkage control gives a solution to.
Although the process can be bit costly, in long run, it is a fabric saving and cost efficient process
which provides long run and full consumption of the fabric.
REFRENCES
1. https://www.onlineclothingstudy.com/2016/01/how-to-control-shrinkage-in-knitted.html
2. https://www.slideshare.net/sheshir/shrinkage-37827655
3. Textile - Moth-repellent treatments | Britannica.com
4. Types of Shrinkage in Fabric | Fabric Shrinkage/Contraction | Online Textile Academy
5. How to Calculate Fabric Shrinkage Percentage in Garment and Textile Industry?
6. What is Fabric Dimensional Stability? How to do Shrinkage Test? - Testex
7. Sanforizing/Anti-Shrinkage Finishing | Sanforizing Finishing Process - Textile Learner
8. The Art of Shrinkage Control: Shrinkage Basics | CottonWorks™
9. Principles of Textile Finishing by A K Roy Choudhury