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Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1996

Washable Textiles for Men’s Suits

During the initial meetings and after the tests of the first pilot products (suits) it was decided to concentrate on men’s jackets produced of wool and wool blends, as problems with water washing of trousers seemed to be less than, or the same, as for the jackets.

It was decided, that the clothing manufacturer Falbe-Hansen Konfektion A/S (FHK) should contact all their present suppliers and ask them to supply water washable materials, which were to be included in the first initial tests with washable jackets.

DTI Clothing and Textile (CT) were at the same time to contact institutes, companies etc., which were supposed to be active and have experience within this field, with the aim of comparing their results with FHK’s pilot production of jackets.

Four types of textiles were chosen and their fabrication and weight were examined. The jackets were washed 10 times each after two kinds of washing which were domestic washing and wet cleaning.

The project has proven, that it is possible to construct and produce a washable jacket not only of 100% polyester, but with an outer fabric of wool/polyester, interlinings of polyester/viscose, lining of triacetate/nylon and collar felt of 100% polyester. The main reasons why it has been possible to produce a washable jacket are that specifications were fixed and thorough tests of the used materials were carried out.

It has not been necessary to change the construction of the jackets. All seams, placing of interlinings etc. have been retained. The choice of material and construction has proven conclusive.

The manufacture of the jackets was the same as with an ordinary jacket. It has not been necessary to reinforce the seams etc.

From the beginning it showed that in the case of pure wool and wet treatment the interlining and the wool behaved differently whereby the interlining came loose.

In the blended fabric wool/polyester tests showed that some constructions could work together, for example with a shrinkage of ± 1 %.

Agents and producers of interlining have received the project description and have also shown new developments, but problems are not yet solved satisfactorily. (Same selection in washable and non-washable products).

Regarding producers of outer fabric it must be assumed, that the demand for more washable products will grow and that they will enlarge the effort in this area.

Lining producers do not consider this market as attractive yet, why the development is minimal.

Producers of collar felt do not develop washable products.

Looking closer at the washing results it appears that outer fabric of 100% wool is not suited for water washing, but blending with polyester improves the results considerably. This characteristic of blending polyester with other fibres can be seen for lining, interlining and collar felts as well.

Analysing the importance of yarn count it seems that same yarn count in length and width has a positive influence on the washing results. The setting of the fabric and the elasticity of the construction does not seem to have any influence.

By choosing washing method, either domestic washing or wet cleaning, tumble-drying should be avoided, because the fine and loose fabrics such as linings, interlinings and collar felts are influenced.

The biggest problem of the project was to find suitable washable interlinings. Apart from this the full-scale tests showed that the attachability of the interlinings with repeated washings was fluctuating.

Author/ institution

Birgitte Steenbeck, Bjarne Ahrens og John Hansen, Dansk Teknologisk Institut. Beklædning og Textil

This report is subsidised by the National Council for Recycling and Cleaner Technology

ISSN no. 0908-9195
ISBN no. 87-7810-623-0

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