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A 100% PES woven fabric was subjected to a silk-like finishing treatment using a two-factor (soda concentration and vaporisation time), three-level experimental design on a pilot plant in order to examine the influence of process variables on fabric drape and hand, and also to relate weight loss to the properties of the finished fabric. Weight loss in the fabric was significantly related to the process variables studied. By contrast, the vaporisation time affected no drape indicator, even though it interacted significantly with the soda concentration, which influenced three of the five indicators examined. Also the vaporisation time affected no FAST property, but its interaction with the soda concentration had a significant effect on all drape-related FAST parameters. Regression equations accurately predicting drape indicators and physico-mechanical properties of the fabric studied from its weight loss are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usefulness of the fractal dimension of drape (D) to explain the shape of fabrics acquired when allowed to fall freely under the effect of gravity was assessed by using the box-counting method to calculate it for comparison with the drape ratio (%DR) of 36 commercial woven fabrics spanning a wide range of composition, weave type and mass per square meter. These two parameters were found to be highly correlated with %DR, varying over wide ranges and D over narrow ranges. Based on the results, the fractal nature of the drape does not significantly improve on the information about the drape shape in woven fabrics provided by the well-known indicator "drape ratio" (%DR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]