Analysis and improvement of tactile comfort of denim fabrics

In this study, tactile comfort of denim fabrics, which have a high share in textile and clothing exports of Turkey, was investigated via objective and sensory evaluations, and studies were carried out to improve tactile comfort. The aim of the study is to propose suggestions regarding tactile comfort enhancement and to investigate the efficiency of suggested procedures with objective and sensory tests. For this purpose, various commercially available denim fabrics were supplied and two different washing processes were carried out with the selected fabric types. In the study, systematic denim fabrics with improved tactile properties were produced and effects of raw material, weave pattern, yarn setting and washing processes were evaluated. Thickness, compression ability, extension ability, bending rigidity, shear rigidity, friction coefficients and surface profile properties of fabrics were experimentally determined. For shear rigidity measurements, a new shear frame apparatus was designed and used. Stiffness-softness, roughness-smoothness, warm-cool feeling and tactile scores of fabrics were determined by sensory tests. Sensory test results were found to be highly correlated with objective measurements, especially for bending rigidity, shear rigidity and fabric pull out test results. The highest tactile comfort scores were obtained for systematic denim fabrics which were subjected to stone washing process and have weft yarns with viscose, viscose-silk or viscose-wool blends. The commercial denim fabrics with polyester-cotton core yarns, especially the stone washed type, were found out to have high tactile comfort scores. All in all, stone washing was found out to be the most effective method that improves tactile comfort. It was also observed that enzyme washing, change in weaving parameters and increase of viscose content in polyester-viscose blend weft yarns provide a significant improvement in tactile comfort. None the less, the effect of protein fibers used in viscose blends, was found out to be relatively small.