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WTF Do the ⏺ 🔼 ⏹ on My 👕 Tag Mean?

We recently had a visit to the Vartest lab from Flora Lichtman of Every Little Thing in Brooklyn, NY to discuss textile testing for care label symbols. What resulted is an interesting and informative introduction to the care symbols used in garment labels around the world.

Of special note are comments from John Langdon of Drexel University in Philadelphia (The inspiration for the Robert Langdon character in Dan Brown’s books) on the challenge of intuitively understanding the meaning behind the current symbols. We also get insight from Ginetex, the International Association for Textile Care Labelling, on the origin of the symbols. Ginetex shared that symbol comprehension is surprisingly low – 70-80% of consumers don’t know what 3 of the 5 main care symbols mean.

If you have a question that needs answering, call the Every Little Thing Help Line at 833-RING-ELT. Gimlet Media is the award-winning narrative podcasting company that aims to help listeners better understand the world and each other.

Gimlet Media – Every Little Thing

 

Click here to go to the Podcast.

Dynamic Seam Fatigue (ASTM D4033) assesses the ability of a fabric to be sewn effectively for use on upholstery fabric. The cyclic impact of a weighted wheel over a fabric-covered foam block simulates repetitive stress onto a seat cushion. Just think: how many times this week have you crashed onto your couch after a long work day?

Similar to assessing a portion of your most comfortable reclining chair, a diner booth, or newly upholstered car seat, Dynamic Seam Fatigue testing measures resistance to yarn slippage.  This method is used across a variety of markets—contract & residential upholstery, home, hospitality, and automotive textiles to name a few.

How it works:

The Dynamic Seam Fatigue tester plunges a rubber-faced wheel 7,000 times onto a standard 7-SPI (stitch per inch) upholstery seam. Specimens are sewn in the warp to warp, filling to filling, and warp to filling direction. If after 7,000 cycles, the seams demonstrate no failure, the fabric is determined to have passed the criteria established by ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials) and BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association). ASTM D4033-92 is used, modified by BIFMA X 5.4-2012 Seating Durability Test as the standard test method.

See the machine in action below!

How we can help:

Along with the fabric ratings, Vartest provides photographs of any failing specimens so that the Dynamic Fatigue test report can provide effective communication with the supply chain.

We are happy to share that Adam Varley, co-founder of Vartest Laboratories in NYC has been interviewed and cited in the newly released book by Deanne Clark-Esposito, entitled, “A Practical Guide to Fashion Law and Compliance“.   Adam’s comments are part of a Q&A in “Chapter 5 – Flammability Testing and issues specific to children’s products”.

This guide can be purchased on Amazon.

Click here to learn more about the author, Deanne Clark-Esposito, or Clark-Esposito Law Firm, P.C.

Fashion Law and Compliance

Thread counts are an important characteristic of top of the bed fabrics, both for consumers and technologists.

As commonly used in the United States the thread count, or “T number,” of a top of the bed (bed sheet) fabric is the sum of the ends (lengthwise yarns) per inch plus the picks (widthwise yarns) per inch contained in the fabric.

The most common woven fabric construction for top of the bed fabrics is the plain weave.  Light and scanning electron images of a lightweight 100% plain weave cotton sheeting fabric are shown below:

Light Microscopy of 100% Cotton Sheeting Fabric

Scanning Electron Microscopy of 100% Cotton Sheeting Fabric

Graphically, this is represented as:

Plain Weave

Another common woven structure for top of the bed products is the satin weave:

Satin Weave

Fabrics made of 100% cotton can always have their thread counts determined unambiguously using current definitions, as can intimate blends of cotton and polyester staple (polyester fibers cut up to a length similar to cotton). Top of the bed fabrics containing continuous filament yarns can be trickier to deal with, partially due to unclear definitions of how to count continuous filament yarns in top of the bed products, and partially because of the nature of continuous filament yarns.

The following shows the back of a top of the bed woven satin made with 100% cotton yarns. This fabric uses “10 pick insertion.”  10 individual picks are inserted into the shed (the temporary separation between the upper and lower warp yarns through which the filling is woven) of the loom before the harnesses of the loom alternate and a new shed is formed.

Several years ago ASTM updated the standard terminology for how plied yarns used in bed sheets are counted:

“ASTM D7023 06 (Reapproved 2012) Standard Terminology Relating to Home Furnishings:

thread count, n—in woven textiles as used in sheets and bedding, the sum of the number of warp yarns (ends) and filling yarns (picks) per unit distance as counted while the fabric is held under zero tension and is free of folds and wrinkles, individual warp and filling yarns are counted as single units regardless of whether comprised of single or plied components.

DISCUSSION—The thread count of sheets and bedding articles is frequently displayed on the outside packaging of such items, or utilized in advertising literature. The specific construction of the warp and filling yarns used to construct the fabric in such items may also be displayed. Examples:

“300 Thread count, 2 ply yarn.” A representation of “600 thread count” for this same product would be likely to mislead consumers about the quality of the product purchased.

“Finely woven 380 2 ply fabric.” The representation of “finely woven 760 threads per square inch” is considered to be misleading to the consumer.

The following shows the back of a top of the bed satin fabric made with a 100% polyester filament filling and 100% cotton warp.”

With filament filling yarns the presence of distinct separable yarns comprising a multiple pick insertion fabric can be hard to determine.

To find out more about bed sheets, Take A Video Tour Of An Indian Top Of The Bed Factory or contact us directly.

Vartest is an ISO 17025 Accredited Laboratory in Manhattan providing fast turnaround and technical drill down testing for all aspects of fiber, yarn, fabric and end product testing.

“The U.S. Department of Defense has tapped Drexel University as a key leader in the creation of a $75 million national research institute that will support American textile manufacturers in bringing sophisticated new materials and textiles to the marketplace. [1]”

Vartest looks forward to being a technical resource for AFFOA projects, as part of the Fabric Innovation Initiative (FIN). This resurgence of cutting-edge textile technology in the North East harkens back to the birth of the US textile industry in the North East and the development of a significant textile technology department at MIT, but with a pleasant and welcome, modern high-tech twist.

[1] http://www.rle.mit.edu/fabric/

Adam Varley is giving a presentation at FIT for “Global Sourcing in the Textile Industries.”

Download the Slideshow from his presentation here: Working with Labs

Visit the Fashion Institute of Technology website.

News Release
For Immediate Release

AATCC Recognizes Varley, Greeson With TCR Service Award

     RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., USA, April 10, 2014— H. Kenneth Greeson of Cotton Incorporated and Adam R. Varley of Vartest Laboratories Inc. were honored by the AATCC Technical Committee on Research (TCR) with the TCR Service Award in recognition of their achievements and service to AATCC. The award was presented at the 2014 AATCC International Conference in Asheville, NC, on April 3, 2014. Varley was recognized for his contribution toward the development of the Fiber ID Technical Supplement and for almost yearly additions or revisions to Test Methods TM 20 and TM 20A in an effort to make those the most complete test methods in the world. Greeson was recognized for his contribution toward the major revision of AATCC Test Method 97 (Extractable Content of Textiles) for the 2014 AATCC Technical Manual. Greeson attended North Carolina State University (NCSU) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in textile chemistry. His current position at Cotton Incorporated is Manager, Textile Chemistry Research, in the Textile Chemistry Research department. His primary responsibilities include research and development in the field of fabric finishing, including areas such as wrinkle resistance, moisture management, repellency, flame retardancy, and abrasion resistance. His responsibilities also include management of the Finishing Research Laboratory.

     Varley is Technical Director and Co-Founder of Vartest Laboratories Inc. He attended the Fashion Institute of Technology from 1978 to 1980, working toward an Associate Degree in Textile Technology. In 1987 he graduated with a BA in Computer Science and Business Management from New York University and in 2001 he received a Master of Textiles, Textile Chemistry and Apparel Management, from North Carolina State University. He has been a member of AATCC since 1978 and has been active in several research committees, especially in RA24, Fiber Analysis Test Methods, where he has served as chair or acting chair and is currently chair. Outside of AATCC, Varley has served on ASTM Committee D13 for textiles, two subcommittees responsible for test method and specification development, and on the US Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for ISO/TC38-Textiles for Working Group 22, Chemical Test Methods.

     The Award: The Technical Committee on Research Service (TCR) Award was established in 2008 to recognize those members who have contributed greatly to the AATCC organization in a technical capacity. Senior members of the Association with at least five years of continuous membership in AATCC, who have contributed outstanding technical service to the Association through activity in a research committee, are eligible. Selection is by unanimous choice of the TCR Service Award Committee, composed of the current Chair of Technical Committee on Research, Vice Chair of TCR, Chair of the Executive Committee on Research (ECR) and the Secretary of TCR. The Award consists of a plaque and an honorarium, presented at the International Conference.

     About AATCC: AATCC, the Association of Textile, Apparel & Materials Professionals, is the world’s leading not-for-profit association serving textile professionals since 1921. AATCC, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C., USA, provides test method development, quality control materials, and professional networking for members in about 60 countries throughout the world.

For a photo of our TCR Service Award winners, please visit the following links:
– Adam Varley: http://www.aatcc.org/media/pr/2014/AdamVarley.jpg
– Ken Greeson: http://www.aatcc.org/media/pr/2014/KenGreeson.jpg

Adam Varley, Vartest’s Technical Director & COO was honored to be the recipient of the TCR Service Reward “In Recognition for His Service to AATCC Research Committees”. On Thursday, April 3rd 2014, Adam attended a luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville, North Carolina, and was presented with this award for “his contribution toward the development of the AATCC Fiber ID Technical Supplement and the continuous updating of AATCC Test Methods 20 and 20A.”

Vartest Laboratories, Inc. recently appeared on ABC’s 20/20 in a special titled “20/20 True Confessions: Dirty Little Secrets from the Dry Cleaners”. In the segment, 20/20 sampled 10 drycleaners in Manhattan with identical garments containing mustard, wine, and nail polish stains. Vartest Laboratories was chosen to perform a Spectrophotometric Analysis of the stains on the returned garments to discover just how many of the selected drycleaners were able to remove the stains the best.

The ABC special as well as the results of the investigation can be found here: 20/20 True Confessions

Learn more about Spectrophotometric Analysis
, AATCC 130, AATCC 135, AATCC 158, and many of the other tests offered by Vartest on the Vartest Laboratory website here: www.vartest.com

Vartest Laboratories now offers Same Day Service for select testing where it is feasible to do so. Such testing is subject to a 100% Premium Charge.

Check out the rest of the conditions as well as the tests we offer for Same Day Service on our Feasibility List.