Down-proofness refers to the ability of textiles (such as down jackets and sleeping bags) to prevent down or feathers from escaping from the fabric surface, seams, or pinholes. Down leakage can reduce the product's warmth, affect its appearance, and impact user experience. Common forms of down leakage include down fibers emerging from yarn gaps and down clusters penetrating the fabric or seams.

The Dry Wet rubbing fastness Tester is a testing instrument used by the American Association of Textile Chemists and textile professionals. This tester measures the ability of a fabric to transfer color from its surface to other materials under dry and wet rubbing conditions. In addition to color transfer testing, the instrument can perform abrasion, dry/wet rubbing, flexural strength, chalking, dry cleaning, polishing, and other tests. Standard pressure and motion methods ensure controllable and repeatable sample conditions.

Background Technology:

Fabrics, carefully crafted from textile fibers and yarns, are soft in texture and possess certain mechanical properties and thickness; they are what we commonly refer to as cloth. As an indispensable item in human life, fabrics are diverse in type and have extremely wide applications. With technological advancements and people's increasing pursuit of quality of life, the fabric industry will continue to maintain rapid development. Simultaneously, with the rise of intelligent manufacturing technology, the fabric production process will become more efficient and precise, enabling personalized customization.

Before fabrics are put into production, they are usually evaluated using a fabric down-proof friction tester. This instrument, also called a fabric down-proof tester or down-proof meter, can simulate the friction conditions in actual use to evaluate the permeability of the lining material (such as down, fibers, etc.) of the fabric when subjected to external forces. This instrument plays a crucial role in quality control and product development in the textile industry. Currently, when conducting fabric down-proof friction tests, a sample bag is generally prepared first. Then, the sample bag and test sphere are placed inside the chamber of the tester. A motor drives the chamber to rotate, causing the sample bag and test sphere to collide and rub against each other. After the test, the sample bag is removed, and feathers, down, and filaments protruding more than 2mm from the fabric surface are counted to evaluate the fabric. However, during the impact and friction between the sample bag and the test sphere inside the chamber, some feathers, down, and filaments may emerge from the sample bag and adhere to the inside of the chamber, making them difficult to remove. Over time, these substances adhering to the inner wall of the chamber can affect the test results.

What is down leakage?

One day, when you're wearing a down jacket and you keep seeing feathers or down feathers swirling around you, don't be surprised—it's the filling from your down jacket leaking out!

Down leakage refers to feathers or down feathers protruding from the fabric or lining of a down jacket. Down leakage has always been a major problem plaguing down garments. Feathers and down going in can be uncomfortable, while feathers going out can affect the appearance of the garment. Therefore, solving the down leakage problem is one of the key factors determining whether a down jacket can establish a high-end positioning in the apparel industry.

Comparison of Testing Principles for Two Methods

Friction Method Test Principle: A fabric sample is made into a sample bag of a certain size and filled with a certain mass of down or feather filling, or a down or feather product is directly cut into a sample bag of a certain size. The sample bag is placed in a plastic bag and mounted on an instrument. Through squeezing, rubbing, and friction, the down-proof properties of the fabric or down/feather product are evaluated by counting the number of feathers, down feathers, down fibers, and down filaments that leak out from inside the sample bag.

The principle of the rotating chamber method: A fabric sample is made into a sample bag of a certain size and filled with a certain mass of down and feather filling, or the down and feather product itself is used as the sample. The sample bag or sample is placed in the rotating chamber of a down-proof tester containing rubber balls. The constant speed rotation of the rotating chamber carries the rubber balls to a certain height, impacting the sample inside the chamber. This simulates the various compressions, rubbing, and collisions that down and feather products are subjected to during use. The down-proofness of the fabric or down and feather product is evaluated by counting the number of feathers, down, down fibers, and down filaments that emerge from the sample bag or sample.

Steps:

1. Preparation: First, ensure the testing instrument is in good working order. Check that the instrument is clean and free of damage or loose parts. Prepare the necessary test samples and reagents.

2. Instrument Calibration: Before use, the instrument needs to be calibrated to ensure accuracy. Follow the calibration instructions in the instrument's user manual.

3. Sample Preparation: Select an appropriate textile sample as the test object according to the testing requirements. Ensure the sample surface is clean, flat, and free of stains or damage.

4. Sample Installation: Secure the test sample to the testing instrument, ensuring good contact between the sample and the instrument. Install the sample according to the instructions in the instrument's user manual.

5. Test Parameter Setting: Set appropriate test parameters according to the testing requirements, such as the number of friction cycles, friction speed, and humidity. Ensure the parameters are set accurately.

6. Test Start: Start the testing instrument and begin the dry and wet friction test. Observe for any abnormalities during the test and record the test data promptly.

7. Test Completion: After the test is completed, stop the testing instrument and remove the test sample. 8. Check the sample for any damage or deformation.

9. Analyze the results: Analyze and evaluate the test results based on the test data and standard requirements. Determine whether the color fastness of the sample meets the requirements.

10. Cleaning and maintenance: After use, clean and maintain the testing instrument promptly to ensure its long-term stable operation.

Applications of Wet and Dry Rubbing Fastness Testers

Wet and dry rubbing fastness testers are widely used in the textile, leather, and coating materials industries to evaluate the ability of materials to resist color rubbing. These instruments simulate the friction process in actual use, detecting color fading or transfer in dry/wet conditions.

Textiles: Used to evaluate the color fastness of textiles to wet and dry rubbing, ensuring their durability and quality in practical use.

Leather: Used to evaluate the color retention of leather materials under friction, ensuring their durability and quality in practical use.

Coating Materials: Used to evaluate the color retention of coated materials under friction, ensuring their durability and quality in practical use.

Electroplated Metal Sheets: Used to evaluate the color retention of electroplated metal sheets under friction, ensuring their durability and quality in practical use.

Printing: Used to evaluate the color retention of printed materials under friction, ensuring their durability and quality in practical use.

The use of these testing instruments helps improve the durability and quality of materials, ensuring their performance in practical use meets expectations.

The testing of fabric down-proofness and wet/dry rubbing fastness plays a crucial role in the textile and related industries. From an in-depth analysis of the principles of down-proofness testing to a detailed explanation of specific testing procedures, and an introduction to the wide range of applications of wet/dry rubbing fastness testers, the key significance of these tests in ensuring product quality and improving product performance is highlighted. As the industry continues to develop, the requirements for the accuracy and comprehensiveness of testing will inevitably increase. Continuously optimizing testing methods and improving the performance of testing instruments will lay a solid foundation for the high-quality development of the textile and other related industries, propelling the entire industry to new heights.