Hand feel

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A baby wearing many items of soft winter clothing: headband, cap, fur-lined coat, scarf and sweater

Hand feel (Hand, Fabric hand, Fabric feel) is the property of fabrics related to the touch that expresses sensory comfort. It refers to the way fabrics feel against the skin or in the hand and conveys information about the cloth's softness and smoothness. Hand feel is an estimated and subjective property of different fabrics, but nowadays, hand feel could be measured and assessed statistically.[1][2][3]

Terms[]

There are different terms in use for describing the softness of textile materials. Wool trade term for the same is ''Handle'' or ''A good handling''. The opposing term is ''A poor handling'' that suggests the material's poor or harsh hand feel.[4]

Meaning[]

Hand feel (also called handle or drape[5]) is one of the basic characteristics that are necessary for sensory comfort that is related to tactile comfort.[6] It is related to the friction between the clothes and the body. It is associated with smoothness, roughness, softness, and stiffness of clothing material. The degree of tactile discomfort may vary with individuals. Some of the terms that describe the tactile sensations are clingy, sticky, scratchy, prickly, soft, stiff, heavy, light and hard.[7]

Objective[]

Fabrics during manufacturing becomes harsh that is undesirable hence they are made soft again for end users or useful input materials for subsequent processes.[8] The hand feel matters in selecting the fabrics for a particular category or line; for instance, Softer clothes are preferred for children. Ladies' clothes are designed with lighter and softer than men's cloth.[1]

Softening and stiffening[]

Softening finishes are aimed to make materials, soft, in against to that stiffening finishes are intended to make materials, stiff in order to prevent sagging. Stiffening adds crispiness to the light sheer fabrics. Stiffening involves the application of thermoplastic resins and polymers. Parchmentising is a kind of finish that stiffens the treated cellulosic materials while imparting translucency.[9]

More objectives of hand feel are:


Fabric drape[]

Drape (draping or fabric drape) is the property of different textile materials how they fold, fall, or hang along with a three-dimensional body. Draping depends upon the fiber characteristics and the flexibility, looseness, and softness of the material.Drape finishes can also alter the draping properties of clothes.[6][10][11] Draping clothes embrace feminine beauty.[12][13]

Loft[]

Hand feel adds compression resiliency; Soft fabrics tend to spring back to their original shape.[6]

Sewability[]

Soft fabrics are more compatible in sewing. Softness improves the sewability of the fabrics.[14][15][16] Handfeel helps not only in selling the goods and comfort but also aid in sewing (avoids stitching holes).[17]

Factors[]

Hand feel may vary with the composition, various yarn parameters (such as hairiness, twist and yarn count), and gsm (fabric weight), and fabric construction.[1] Some undesired acid, alkaline, and temperature treatments can make certain fabrics harsher.[18]

The judgement of fabrics on the scale of soft to harsh is affected by the following parameters.

Fiber properties and yarn[]

The staple length and diameter of the constituting fibers affect the softness of the materials. More considerable fiber length needs less twisting, and loosely twisted yarns tend to have a softer hand feel. Examples are egyptian, and pima cotton is softer than cotton with shorter fibers. The same is with Silk, and synthetic fibers that have infinite length are softer.[19][20][1][21]

Surface contour[]

The surface contour of the fiber characterizes its outer surface along its shaft and may be rough, smooth, scaly, serrated, convoluted, or striated, all of which contribute to the friction, softness, and texture. The property is important for the texture and hand feel of the fabric that is made. [22][23]

Fabric construction and thickness[]

The fabric construction and thickness of the cloth can present harsh or soft handfeel. Usually, the fine and lightweight structures with loose weave or knit constructions are more delicate until the twisted or textured yarns are not used. On the other hand, heavy, and thicker fabrics could be soft or harsh depending upon the after treatments and varied yarn forms.[24][25]

Process[]

The feel of some fabrics like silk (satin), fine muslins (mulmul), rayon (modal or lyocell), nylon and microfibers' fabrics are naturally soft. Still, in large, it is manipulated with different processes and finishing techniques. Fabric softeners and certain surface finishes such as napping help improve the hand feel of fabrics.[26][27][28]

Fabric softeners[]

Fabric softeners are substances that aid in the softening, durability, and drape of fabrics. Softeners also help in providing body to the fabrics and they facilitate other finishing processes, such as wrinkle resistance finish where fabrics become stiffened due to the finish. Silicone compounds, substituted ammonium compounds, fats, wax emulsions, and oils are the most commonly used softening agents.[9]

Surface finishes[]

Surface finishes are the treatments that alter the surface and feel of the textiles. They include several mechanical and chemical applications.

Mechanical[]

Napping[]

Napping or Raising produces a soft and fibrous surface, it is a mechanical finish. A machine equipped with metallic wires that breaks the yarns and creates a fibrous surface on the surface.

Sueding[]

Sueding is a similar finish to napping, but it's a delicate finish; the arrangements on the machine, such as bristles, are softer.[29][6]

Shearing[]

Shearing improves the appearance and feel of the fabric by cutting the loops or raised surface to a uniform and even height.[30]


Chemical[]

Main article: Chemical finishing of textiles
Mercerizing[]

Mercerizing improves the characteristics of the cellulosic materials and improves the feel and aesthetics of the treated fabrics.

Bio polishing[]

Bio polishing or Enzyme wash is applicable in cellulosic fibers; it is a cellulase enzyme treatment that helps cut protruding fibers and produce a clean, lustrous and softer material.[6][31]


Functional finishes[]

Functional finishes add value other than handfeel and aesthetics.[6] Moisture wicking is an example of functional finish that enhances the wearer's comfort.

Testing[]

So far, the hand feel was a subjectively judged parameter by simply sensing it by manual touch. But now, there are hand feel testers that can evaluate the quality with parameters of bending, roughness, compression and friction.[32][33][34]

Tests[]

One of the instrumental test methods is  "AATCC TM 202:2014," which measures the "feels and looks" similar to manual sensory perceptions.[35]

Kawabata evaluation system[]

The Kawabata evaluation system predicts human responses and understands the perception of softness. Additionally, it can be used to determine the transient heat transfer properties associated with the sensation of coolness generated when fabrics come into contact with the skin while being worn.[36][37]

How different fabrics feel when someone judges them manually[]

Manually evaluating the fabric's feel is subjective. Perceptions of different people may differ. Skillful assessment may require experience in the handling of different fabrics. Thermal conductivity also plays a role in how different fabrics feel.

  • Cotton, linen, and rayon are good conductors of heat. The heat from the finger may be lost on touching while judging. Thus, these fibers "feel cool to the touch."
  • Wool feels warm as it is not a good conductor of heat. The heat is not lost when someone puts his/her finger on the fabric of wool, it remains there and that is why the wool feels warm. Wool has elasticity and is springy as well.
  • Silk, like wool, feels warm. It is elastic and feels smooth. [38]

See also[]

References[]

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  2. ^ Wilusz, E. (2008-05-21). Military Textiles. Elsevier. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-84569-451-7.
  3. ^ Purushothama, B. (2019-01-31). Handbook of Value Addition Processes for Fabrics. Woodhead Publishing India PVT. Limited. p. 380. ISBN 978-93-85059-92-6.
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  5. ^ Wilson, Kax (1979). A history of textiles. Internet Archive. Boulder, Colo. : Westview Press. p. 346. ISBN 978-0-89158-491-9.
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  8. ^ Hummel, John James (1885). The dyeing of textile fabrics. p. 237.
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  10. ^ Sinclair, Rose (2014-11-08). Textiles and Fashion: Materials, Design and Technology. Elsevier. p. 727. ISBN 978-0-85709-561-9.
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  12. ^ Baines, Barbara Burman (1981). Fashion Revivals: From the Elizabethan Age to the Present Day. Batsford. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-7134-1929-0.
  13. ^ Shukla, Pravina (2008). The Grace of Four Moons: Dress, Adornment, and the Art of the Body in Modern India. Indiana University Press. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-253-34911-8.
  14. ^ Dyer, Elizabeth (1927). Textile Fabrics. Houghton Mifflin. p. 341.
  15. ^ Dooley, William Henry (1930). Clothing and Style: For Dressmakers, Milliners, Buyers, Designers, Students of Clothing, and Stylers. D. C. Heath. p. 284.
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  18. ^ Army, United States Department of the (1972). Technical Manual: TM. p. 7.
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  21. ^ Hollen, Norma R.; Hollen, Norma R. Textiles (1988). Textiles. Internet Archive. New York : Macmillan. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-02-367530-0.
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  23. ^ Kadolph (2009). Textiles. Pearson Education. p. 22. ISBN 978-81-317-2570-2.
  24. ^ "Fabric Thickness - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  25. ^ Textile Asia. Business Press. 1993. p. 34.
  26. ^ Inc, Time (1952-03-10). LIFE. Time Inc. p. 143.
  27. ^ Knecht, Edmund (1911). "Finishing" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 378–382.
  28. ^ The Indian Textile Journal. Indian Textile Journal Limited. 2012. p. 98.
  29. ^ Choudhury, Asim Kumar Roy (2017-04-29). Principles of Textile Finishing. Woodhead Publishing. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-08-100661-0.
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  32. ^ Intertek's High Performance Textile Testing - Fabric Touch Test (FTT), retrieved 2021-04-28
  33. ^ An analysis of fabric 'hand' and 'feel '
  34. ^ "Fabric Assurance by Simple Testing - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
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