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Color Fastness to Washing

Color fastness to washing is the one of the most important test conducted in textile industry to know the strength of the color. By using this test we can assure that color using on the product will withstand for a particular time frame. So, this is very important test.

There are 2 methods used for conducting this test.
1. ISO 105 C06
2. AATCC 61

TEST EQUIPMENTS. 

• Landrometer
• Standard reference detergents without optical Brighteners like ECE or AATCC 1993 specified by the standards
• Multifibre fabric
• Stainless steel balls
• Beach & Beach activators
• Grade 3 water

PROCEDURE:

• Specimens are cut into 4x10 cms size (ISO) and 4x15cms size (AATCC)
• Attach the multifiber along with the specimen
• A wash liquor is prepared using Grade 3 water, the appropriate detergent and additives. The detergents that are specified are the ECE standard reference detergent WOB and AATCC Standard Reference Detergent 1993 WOB
• The Composite specimen and multifibre is placed on the wash wheel pot containing wash liquor and stainless steel balls as may be required. The wash wheel may be run for the approximate time duration.
• The specimens are removed, rinsed and dried in a air temperature not exceeding 60 degree.

RESULT AND INTERPRETATIONS:

The results are evaluated in three ways.

1. Change in shade - Loss of color or tone as comparing to the original 
2. Extend of staining in Multifibre
3. Self staining if any

Standard grey scales are used for the assessment where grades between 1 and 5 are given
in half steps. Assessment needs to be done with clean grey scales using masks and under
standardized lighting conditions in a dark room.

Color Fastness to Rubbing

Color fastness is the test that designed to determine the degree of color which may be transferred from one surface to another test specimen by rubbing (Both wet and dry).

There are two methods for Rubbing fastness.

1. ISO-105-X12
2. AATCC-08

In ISO-105-X12 the wet pickup of the rubbing cloth is 100%. In AATCC-08 the wet rubbing cloth will be 65% also we check rubbing in Dry cloth. In wet rubbing the wet the cloth as per the test method and give rating with the help of Gray scale. Similarly for dry rubbing we test the specimen by rubbing and then compare the staining and give dating with the help of grey scale.

     Color fastness to rubbing is the main test which is always required for every dyed or printed fabric. If the color fastness to rubbing result is good then its other properties like washing fastness and durability improves automatically because the rubbing is the test which test the fixation of color on a fabric.

      Generally rubbing fastness depends on "Nature of fabric color" and " Depth of the color".

Construction of the fabric nature is also plays a important role in Rubbing test. Like Pigment, Disperse, Direct has its own fastness properties to rubbing. There are few dark colors like Black, Navy, Red, Burgundy, Royal blue which have very poor fastness properties because of the chemical structure. Like black color is a carbon base color and the particle carbon size is larger than the other colors so the rubbing fastness is poor. Same for Red, Navy and blue colors also.

So, to improve the fastness more binder is added to improve the fastness of these colors. It doesn't mean that we cant able to improve the fastness to these colors. the required result can be achieved but the production cost will increase. On the other hand the construction of the fabric also gets effects the fastness properties.

The result we can get normally are like below.

                    Light colors                         Medium colors                           Dark colors
Dry                   5                                               4                                        3-4 & 4
Wet               4 & 4-5                                        3                                        2 & 2-3