B-‘I ‘I ‘I9 April ‘I972 CONSUMER SATISFACTION WITH DURABLE-PRESS SHIRTS TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY THE TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION H. O. Kunkel, Acting Director, College Station, Texas ———— Contents Summary _______________________________ __ 2 Introduction ............................................................ __ 3 Rationale ......................... __ 3 Objectives ................................................................ __ 3 Procedures ............................. ............................... __ 4 Garments ......................................................... .. 4 Wearers .......................... .. 4 Care of Shirts ............................................... -. 4 Design of Wear-Trial Plan __________________________ __ 5 Termination of Wear ................................... -. 5 Evaluation of Worn Garments ................... .. 5 Data Evaluation ............................................ .- 6 Results and Discussion .............. ........................ -- 6 Wear History ................................................. _. 6 Fabric Appearance ........................................ .. 6 Shirt Appearance .......................................... .. 8 Shirt Preference by Consumers _________________ __ 8 Commercially Laundered Shirts ................. __ 8 Results of Physical Tests .................................... -- 8 Air Permeability ........................................... __ 8 Breaking Strength ......................................... ._ 9 Tear Strength ................................................ __10 Wrinkle Recovery .......................................... __11 Conclusions ............................................................. __12 Acknowledgments .................................................. --12 ' References .............................................................. --13 Appendix ................................................................. -.13 ————Summary Little is known of consumer satisfaction with durable-press garments worn and laundered under typical circumstances. Because more than 90 percent of men’s dress shirts are produced with a durable-press finish, they were selected as the experimental garment to determine level of consumer satisfaction during ordinary wear and the relationships between satisfaction and physical characteristics of the shirts. Eight white dress shirts of varying poly- ester/ cotton blends and 100-percent cotton were worn over a 2-year period by professional men. The shirts were rotated among the wearers dur- ing the inservice wear te-st, and records were kept of the hours worn. They were evaluated subjectively and objectively by the wearers and a trained panel during the wear test. They were evaluated for smoothness of fabric, general ap- pearance, comfort and color change. All durable-press shirts retained j appearance throughout 72 wear/1 _ and required no ironing. However consumer dissatisfaction with the 0v ance of many shirts necessitated te wear study. Many types of shirts ; and worn looking. ~‘ Consumers rated the polyester/ Y shirts highest overall and preferred to wearing the IOOi-percent cotton -;’ Results of physical tests on the l indicated that there was no single * between consumer satisfaction and properties of breaking strength, -~ p ery, air permeability and tear resis 1 { recovery and air permeability data C’ late best to consumers’ satisfaction w press shirts. ‘ XITY or TODAY'S CHANGING market _> major and continuing technological ‘: in the textile industry cause new y the consumer in the selection, use I clothing items. , elopment of the durable-press con- l-- of the most significant accomplish- rw textile industry; it affected all con- y ready acceptance of durable-press ‘the consumer demonstrates the desire I‘ which retain a pressed appearance §_ and require laundering only for soil s chemical finishes developed to im- i: e characteristics were first applied 1» 1954. The necessity fo-r using a high w of resins in order to obtain easy- a, ies for cotton fabrics resulted in a greatly reduced tensile stre-ngth and {istance Homemakers, anticipating v ironing drudgery, readily accepted d-wear articles. Consumer dissatis- f» complaints soon developed. The ~- industry introduced synthetics cotton and waged an effective pro- l p paign to capture much of the market "eld by all-cotton fabrics. In a 1969 _' - = cent of durable-press shirts owned Yfamilies were of 100 percent cotton, were of the 65 percent polyester/35 n blend and 9 percent were of the rpolyester/EO percent cotton blend (1). tton industry is striving to- increase f... petitive position. Current research promoting desirable features of cot- ) (comfort and ease in cleaning) and ls of durable-press with increased ‘tance (2, 3). ' Rationale 5 epth study of consumer reactio-n to f.» garments is timely: ,4 durable-press concept is very popu- but little information is available ‘cerning consumer satisfaction with i ble-press garments during normal e great variety of blend ratios, includ- w cotton and polyester and 100 percent ‘T g on, offered the consumer in durable- 1;= garments compounds the problems selection, use and care. Comparative 3-: ch associate, Consumer Research Center, _ University. IQNSUMER SATISFACTION WITH DURABLE-PRESS SHIRTS Mary Sue Sfover* durable-press performance of the various fabric blends is of value to the consumer. 3. A study of the level of performance ac- ceptable in men’s dress shirts and the number of wear-launderings to reach an unacceptable level could provide infor- mation useful in evaluating durable-press fabrics in other garments. Men’s dress shirts. are ideal garments for durable-press finishing. They are used univer- sally, but difficult to iron. Men’s dress shirts were chose-n as the- experimental garments for evaluation in this study because: 1) the con- sumer demands a high level of appearance for men’s dress shirts, 2) they are worn and laun- dered frequently, 3) they are not likely to change in style over the length of a wear-test and 4) shirts are an excellent garment for evaluating durable-pre-ss retention and appearance. The method of inservice wear testing for analyzing consumer satisfaction and durable- press performance of shirts was used in the study. Any dissatisfaction with durable-press garments, whether due to selection problems, to improper care or to unsatisfactory performance, leads to economic loss through disuse or discard. The ultimate quality test of any garment is the consumer’s response; this can best be determined through inservice use. The effects of both home laundering and commercial laundering methods were investigated. The standards of acceptance of durable-press dress shirts by consumers are indicated by re- sults of the study. Obiecfives This study was designed to evaluate con- sumer acceptance of 100 percent cotton and polyester/cotton durable-press shirts and factors which determined satisfaction with the shirts. Specific research objectives of the study were: 1. To determine the overall satisfaction con- sumers derive from the use of selected white durable-press shirts. 2. To determine the relationship between selected physical characteristics of white durable-press shirts and satisfaction con- sumers derive from the use of these garments. 3. To compare the effects of commercial laundering and home laundering on dur- able-press shirts and on consumer satis- faction with the shirts. Procedures Garments The eight shirts selected for study were those with durable-press finish in 100 percent cotton and various blend ratios which were most readily available to the consumer at the start of the study. One nondurable-press cotton shirt (100-d) was also included. Shirts were selected to include varying polyester/ cotton ratios and differing qualities of 100 percent cotton; there- fore, the brands of the shirts selected were inci- dental to the availability of the de-sired blend ratios and quality of the cotton shirts. Each shirt was examined for fabric and construction flaws. Thread count, weight, air permeability, breaking strength, tear strength and wrinkle recovery measurements were determined (Table 1). All shirts were essentially identical in de- sign— solid white and having one or two pock- ets, short slee-ves and a regular spread collar to be worn with a tie. All hang tags and attached labels were removed, and the shirts were coded with indelible ink for identification. The shirts were hung on hangers to remove fold wrinkles. Wearers The men participating in the wear study were chosen on the basis of the criteria: size shirt required by participant, husband’s and Wife’s willingness to cooperate, permanency of residence and husband’s occupation and accessi- bility to laboratory personnel. selected were on the faculty or staff of Texas A&M University where appearance and dress are important considerations. Since the wear study involve-d a rotation of the shirts, it was neces- The eight men" sary that the participants wear the shirt. Care of Shirts The shirts were divided into two g home laundered and commercially i Home-laundered shirts were laundered i tory personnel in a standard model, ~- agitator-type automatic ’washer with ‘ on normal setting for a 12-minute cycle.‘ ature of the wash water averaged In washers were operated with normal normal water levels. When necessary, i treatment was used. Collars were mo' cleaned with a soft wet brush satu 2i powdered detergent. Bleach and f. tioners were not used. Shirts were rem _ diately after the final spin cycle, shake tangles, then placed in the tumble v l “norma ” cycle. The shirts were tumbl 10 minutes with a 2-minute cool-d Shirts were removed, hung on hange =j tributed to the wearers on the preplan y plan. If the wearer, after evaluating m“ press shirt, decided the shirt needed"? improve the appearance, this was v homemaker. Commercially laundered shirts we weekly by the laundry and were >5 standard procedures. Shirts were t to the laboratory where they were to the wearers following the descri”, plan. Effects of commercial launde " ‘Method of laundering was adapted from t AATCC Test Method 124-1969, “Appearancf Press Fabrics After Repeated Home Launb TABLE 1. DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE SHIRT FABRICS Breaking Tear Yarn count strength strength Air Fiber content (per inch) Thickness Weight (lb) (gm) permeability & shirt cost* Warp Filling (inches) (oz/yd’) Warp Filling Warp Filling (fta/min/fi’) 100 % cotton - a 152 72 .0100 4.001 21.7 19.2 800 800 37.2 $3.98 100 % cotton - b 144 68 .0100 4.275 19.4 19.4 1240 1340 29.0 $3.98 100 % cotton - c 152 64 .0101 4.012 21.4 14.7 800 780 43.2 $4.50 100 % cotton - d** 164 92 .0082 3.104 22.9 17.4 1340 1120 15.8 $2.98 l 35% polyester/ 65% cotton 128 68 .0090 3.549 27.2 17.1 1200 1270 86.1 $5.00 50% polyester/ 50% cotton 92 80 .0080 3.281 25.4 20.1 1080 820 107.6 $4.98 65% polyester/ 35% cotton 135 76 .0080 3.117 29.4 19.7 1250 800 74.1 $6.00 80% polyester/ 20% cotton 136 84 .0062 2.761 34.6 29.0 1300 1240 37.9 $6.00 *All fabrics are plain weave. Retail cost, 1968. **Non-durcible press. 4 h -» much higher water temperatures, of water to cloth and an alkaline ere investigated. l, -r-Trial Plan f ere divided into two groups - home u commercially laundered. The re- It. included three replications of each y, random numbers were drawn to ‘a ns to wearers and numbers to .1 of the eight participants was ran- a position. After the three shirts j.» that position, the wearers moved to “ition and wore three more shirts and ‘e wear-launder cycle was completed w“ had worn all shirts from each i zpositions. "changed positions in the Wear trial, of an individual on the shirts was i'nated. The unworn, unlaundered " served as a basis for evaluation and {- the shirt’s appearance. The Shirt jlDesign is shown in Table 2. Wear the objectives of this study, it '_~' that the shirts remain in wear- F~ useful wear-life. Since the dur- perty of the shirts was a prime 1 in this study, the durable-press iconsidered to be “worn out” when l er found it necessary to press the eve the desired wrinkle-free appear- l of reasons for Withdrawing the further we-ar was developed before Y; n. Because the commercially laun- * were ironed in the laundry plant, no criterion does not apply to them. ; 'teria apply both to commercially f». to home-laundered shirts. The cri- drawal as a result of wear were: flity for pressing or ironing of to achieve a good appearance. ental or other breaks, tearing or : of shirt fabric which could not “adequately remedied for business D _ ASSIGNMENT DESIGN Shirt replications I ll lll Poly / cotton Poly / cotton Poly / cotton O/lOO-q f 80/20 O/lOO-b 80/20 65/35 50/50 65/35 O/lOO-b 35/65 OIlOO-b 50/50 O/lOO-c 50/50 35/65 O/lOO-d 35/65 0/l0O-c OIlOO-a O/lOO-c OIlOO-d 80/20 OIlOO-d 0/l00-a 65/35 3. Expressed dissatisfaction by wearers of the appearance of shirts due to factors influencing appearance: fraying, color change, pilling, loss of body and so forth. 4. Wear at collar or fold line or on collar tips. 5. Breaks and fraying of buttonholes or button pullout. 6. Unacceptable color change to gray or yellow. Although presence of any of these conditions was sufficient reason for withdrawing a shirt from the study, if the damage was not especially noticeable and the wearer did not comment, the garment was left in service until damage became a general source of dissatisfaction. When con- sumer evaluation and opinions showed a general dissatisfaction with the majority of the shirts for dress wear, furthe-r wearing of all shirts ceased at the end of the next wear-laundry cycle, at which time the men had completed wear of the shirts in the eight positions. This insured that all shirts were laundered and worn the same number of times by all participants, thereby sim- plifying the comparison of data from the physi- cal testing of shirt fabrics. Evaluation of Worn Garments Home Laundered: The consumers subjec- tively rated the home-laundered shirt for the fol- lowing characteristics (Appendix): 1. Amount of wrinkling or puckering in shirt body 2. Severity of wrinkling or puckering in collar, side seams, armseye, yoke and pocket Color change Comfort during wear Signs of Wear Necessity for ironing 991??’ After each wear period the number of hours the shirt had been worn and whether the shirt had been worn for activities other than normal use were noted. After every four wear-launder cycles, a panel of three trained women evaluated the worn shirts by comparing their appearance to that of an original, unworn, unlaundered shirt. The same panel compared the fabric in center back of the shirt with three-dimensional, plastic, durable-press standards to rate the wrinkling of the shirt (4)? These readings were then com- pared to those assigned to the inservice wear participants. Commercially laundered: Consumers did not evaluate the commercially laundered shirts for durable-press properties. Color change, signs of “Methods ofwevaluation were adapted from the specifica- tions in AATCC Test Method 124-1969, “Appearance of Durable Press Fabrics After Repeated Home Launder- mgs. 5 ‘Shirt Front - 1w / \ . \ 3 l _ \-. x f’ WARP 1F _ _ . 1F \ - / 2e‘ i Weight \ _’ 1w1w W] ,. ¢ / \ 1F 4F l 3 wear and general appearance were noted by the wearers. Professional laboratory personnel eval- uated each shirt after each laundering for signs olfl deterioration and general condition of the s irt. Laboratory analysis of the shirt‘ fabrics: At the conclusion 0f the wear study, effects of wear ~ and laundering were determined for fabric prop- erties of breaking strength, tear resistance, wrinkle recovery and air permeability. All tests were made in laboratories maintained under standard conditions of relative humidity and tem- perature according to the appropriate ASTM designation (5). Breaking strength was determined by the ravel-strip method utilizing a Scott Model J Ten- sile Tester. Six warp and eight filling samples were tested from each shirt. Tear resistance was determined by the falling pendulum (Elme-ndorf) apparatus. Three warp and three filling speci- mens were torn from each shirt. Wrinkle recov- ery was determined by using the Monsanto Wrinkle Recovery Teste-r on six Warp and six filling specimens. Air permeability measurements were taken from six areas of each shirt with a Frazier air permeability machine. All readings were made with the face side of the fabric up. The location of test areas is shown in Figure 1. Data Evaluation Mean values Were determined from consumer and panel evaluation and from physical testing. Due to the nature of the study and the amount of data not statistically comparable, comparisons were made and conclusions drawn on the basis of the mean values. 6 Shirt Back Y lWIlli 4W 1F 111-. ‘ 3 ‘j \ 4r \. 2 ‘Z Figure 1. Sampling did 1 . #0370 ll ll ll ll Results and Discussion Wear History The wear study began in March terminate-d in January 1970. The s fore, were worn through two summ winter seasons — a total of 72 days. p number of hours the shirts were wo i. the average number of hours worn d i. wear-launder periods are given in Ta time varied little within the group oi. Fabric Appearance All durable-press shirts were :~».,' wrinkle free in their original unlaun as evaluated by the research staff. j’ evaluation of the fabric smoothness. on a five-point rating scale (Appen three replications. The new unworn shirts were ra Q ric appearance», indicating a smooth ayp wrinkle-free garment. The excellent TABLE 3. AVERAGE HOURS SHIRTS WORN PER W _ TOTAL STUDY i‘ Shirt fiber content (%) Average Polyester Cotton daily (hr) 100-0 1 1.1 100-b 1 1.1 lOO-c 1 1.0 100-d 10.4 35 65 1 1.1 5O 50 1 1.5 65 35 11.0 8O 2O 1 1.0 Poly/Cotton Acu,‘_ x __'_‘_~~_,__._----—~--—~- 50/50 - 4.5 j! ~‘_ ~_-__ l '~-__ 65/35 g ssauqaoomg arxqeg -—l 2.5 7 1.0 72 O Wear Intervals i ~ fabric appearance ratings at selected intervals. J to mean absence of wrinkles and puckering of the seams and no dis- l5» various parts. tfseparate ratings for the three like one wear-launder cycle were aver- ' “a mean value for that shirt in each es of the wear study. p’ . remained relatively wrinkle free *1 4 72 Wear-launderings. Consumers 'fied with the smooth appearance as they were taken from the of the durable-press shirts was ~- consumers during the study. The consumer evaluations showed that the greatest change in fabric appearance occurred in the first wear-launder cycle. The consumer rat- ings generally remained constant throughout the study showing little or no change from the first through the final wear-laundry (Figure 2). The shirts were also objectively evaluated for fabric smoothness by a trained panel of three members using three-dimensional plastic repli- cas. Durable-press ratings o-f the standardized references ranged from 1 (severe wrinkles) to 5 (wrinkle-free). The panel was more critical in its evaluations of the worn shirts than were the consumers. As with the consumer ratings, the greatest decrease in evaluations occurred in the first Wear-cycle, 1 through 8, with generally little change occurring from that point through 72 Wear-launderings. Though the differences among shirt ratings were not great, some shirts co-n- sistently received higher ratings from both the consumer and the panel. The three shirts rated highest after the first cycle continued to be rated high throughout the study by both the panel and the consumers. The three shirts which retained the most wrinkle- free finish included the blends of 65 percent po1yester/ 35 percent cotton, 50 percent poyester/ 50 percent cotton, and 35 percent polyester/ 65 percent cotton (Table 4). The better quality and more expensive IOO-percent cotton durable-press shirt (100-c) also performed well throughout the study. The 80-percent polyester/20-percent cot- ton blend shirt and the two lower cost 100-percent cotton shirts (100-a, 100-b) were rated somewhat lower throughout the study. The IOO-percent pima cotton, nondurable-press shirt (100-d) was included in the study to evaluate the reaction of the consumer to a nondurable-press garment. Consumer dissatisfaction with the nondurable- press shirt was evident from the beginning of FABRIC APPEARANCE RATINGS AT SELECTED WEAR CYCLES -- —— —— —- Rating group — — — — — — — — — — -— t Consumer Panel f Wear cycle “/., Loss* Wear cycle ‘X, Loss* . Cotton l-8 65-72 from original l-8 65-72 from original >3 190-0 3.9 3.9 3.5 3.4 .4 22 32 h lOQ-b 3.8 3.8 3.4 3.2 q 24 36 ~_ lQo-C 4.2 3.9 3.7 3.6 l? 22 28 loo-d 2.9 3.3 * * 34 p 65 4.3 4.3 4.1 3.7 N, 14 2s 50 ‘l 4.4 4.7 3.9 3.8 l‘ 06 24 35 4.5 4.3 4.l 3.7 , l4 26 -. 2Q 3.8 3.9 3.3 3.3 l 22 34 shirt-—not evaluated by panel. ited from original/unworn fabric smoothness ratings. All shirts received a 5 rating (smooth appearance, no wrinkles). the wear study as indicated by low ratings on all satisfaction factors evaluated. The level of wrinkle-free performance ac- ceptable to the consumer as measured objectively by the panel appears to be a durable-press rating of 3+ when using the Monsanto three-dimen- sional plastic replicas. At this rating, the con- sumers were satisfied with the fabric smooth- ness of the durable-press shirts; they did not feel the need to press the shirts to achieve an accept- able appearance. Shirt Appearance The general appearance of all new shirts was quite favorable, and all were in good condition. Consumers used objective ratings on a five-point scale in evaluating factors contributing to shirt appearance. The panel compared the appearance of the worn shirts with an original, unworn shirt. Shirt appearance evaluations by the consumers and panel showed little change from the first cycle through the final cycle. However, increas- ing dissatisfaction with the shirt appearance of the 80-percent polyester/ZO-percent cotto-n blend and the two less expensive cotton shirts (100-a, 100-b), plus the extended length of the wear study, resulted in termination of the wear study after the eighth cycle (72 wear-launderings for all shirts). Consumer complaints at this time were that the shirts had lost their crispness and appeared “washed out.” Wear on the collar tips and the sleeves edges of the cotton shirts were mentioned. As with fabric appearance, the consumers rated the polyester/cotton blends of 50/50, 65/35 and the 35/65 highest. The panel, using a different rating scale, also rated these three shirts at the top throughout the study. Shirt appearance eval- uations by both the consumers and the panel did not indicate the deteriorating appearance of the shirts. Both may have overrated the shirts to- ward the end of the study due to the length of time during which the shirts performed much above their expectations. Undoubtedly shirts were rated less critically at the end of the study than at the beginning. During the wear study, relatively few repairs were made on the shirts. These were of a minor nature and included re- placing damaged or missing buttons, restitching pocket seams and occasionally removing stains or spots. The broken stitches on the pockets of most shirts were caused by the added strain of carrying either a clip pencil or a glass holder in the pocket. Shirt Preference by Consumers Comfort is a factor which affects a wearer’s reaction to a garment. The comfort ratings by the consumers throughout the study showed that they generally preferred the same shirts which were higher ranked in both fabric appearance and general shirt appearance. The exception was the 80/20 blend shirt which ranked lower in fab- 8 ric and shirt appearance but was comf 1 the wearers. It was the lighte-st weight‘ thinnest shirt included in the study. Consumers rated all 100-percent co I‘ below the polyester/cotton shirt in a Wearer comments indicated that the l i fort ratings for the all-cotton shirts W by the heaviness and “boardiness” of t‘ Wearer comments, written and v - indicated that the retention of a. " " appearance at the end of the day w 9* requirement for satisfaction with the s Each type of shirt received a sco ’ ing of all factors pertinent to its u; appearance and comfort. The ran if shirts for the measured factors is sho ble 5. Mean values indicate that the cotton shirts of 50/50, 65/35 and 35/, received the highest scores when i? the other five shirts. . Commercially laundered Shirts Problems arose immediately with appearance of the commercially lau i‘, ments. The poor appearance of many to ironed-in wrinkle-s, missing buttons.‘ ous stains resulted in their being ret laundry to be reprocessed often t i» length of the wear study. Many s ' came stiff and discolored due to the A laundering treatment. Extreme co v5; satisfaction with the shirts resulted ' nation of this phase of the study at} launderings. at Results of Physical Tests Air Permeability . The extent to which air passes w rics is one of the properties which := comfort of clothing. The change in =-~ gives information on the change of _, itself due to wear or launde-ring. ' The Frazier Air Permeability y was used to measure rate of air if feet per square fo-ot of fabric per‘ (ft3/min/ft2) -— ASTM Designation- Readings were obtained on the ori' shirts and at the conclusion of the TABLE 5. CONSUMER EVALUATlONS—RANKED IN I Shirt Fiber content Fabric Shirt appea r- appear- Polyester Cotton ance once lOO-a 7 6 l 00-b 5 7 lOO-c 4 4 I lOO-d 8 8 35 65 3 3 5O 50 l l 65 35 2 2 80 2O é 5 l~ CAL TEST RESULTS OF WORN FABRICS AT CONCLUSION OF WEAR STUDY (72 WEAR-LAUNDERINGS) ; Retention of Retention of Air permeability t breaking strength tear strength ("ls increase Wrinkle recovery ~ (7., of original) (% of original) from original) (7. recovery) Warp Filling Warp Filling Warp Filling 84.3 100 67 76 35 75.6 71.1 100 100 83 63 8O 77.2 72.8 93.5 100 79 83 60 78.3 79.4 100 98.3 65 85 91 54.4 55.6 100 100 96 67 34 82.8 81.1 85.8 91.0 100 100 104 83.3 87.2 100 93.4 100 99 55 82.8 83.9 94.5 90.7 95 79 83 79.4 82.8 A; measured on six areas of each shirt 1- avoid inclusion of the same yarns ‘i. The average of 18 readings from the shirts was considered the air permea- that shirt. There was little variation i rates among the three shirts. of the ; or between areas of the same shirt. i eability of all fabrics increased with laundering. The consumers’ opinions ‘hirts had become limp and “washed upheld by the increase in air permea- ‘p; of the worn shirts. Increase 0f air j y rates ranged from 34 to 104 per- 6 . 'ginal shirts with the lowest number lf~ r inch had substantially higher air rates. These shirts, the 50/50, 65/35 blends, also had the highest rate of air- V) the conclusion of the wear study. rated more comfortable to wear than rmeable cotton shirts. "5-1 polyester blend shirts, 80/20, had fl wer permeability rate than the other ‘i: , both before and after the wear *1 re 3). The fabric, however, had the i ~ and was the lightest weight and if all durable-press shirts in the study, bably accounted for the high comfort the consumers. urable-press cotton shirts (100-a, 100- § had much lower air permeability rates, after wear, than the blends (except 0/20 blend shirt) (Figure 3). These f e originally the heaviest weight and s: All 100-percent cotton shirts were j. by all consumers to be less comfort- , the blends. A air permeability rates and lightness of V. were the two factors which appeared I‘. - the comfort of the shirt most. lStrength irbreaking strength of the warp and fill- xietermined on both the original and the a . Six warp and eight filling specimens gen from various parts of the shirt (Fig- ure 1). The average of the 18 warp and the average of the 24 filling breaking strengths from three identical shirts in the wear study were considered the breaking strengths for that shirt. The variations between breaking strength re- sults from the three like shirts were negligible. As expected, overall strength of the original shirts increased with increasing polyester con- tent. At the conclusion of the wear study, the polyester blend shirts were still superior to the 100-percent cotton durable-press shirts in strength. The breaking strength of the original sam- ples and the worn-laundered samples are com- pared in Figure 4. The average o-f 790 wear- hours and launderings of the shirts did not de- teriorate the strength of the fabric as much as 225 Poly /Cotton 225 I / / / so/so j 7 x § 120 — — 12o 10o - - 10° "l N 8O - -— 5° a J-l U! ‘l4 \ \ B 3 - - B‘ E R l“ fir“ ti’. 6o - - 60 40 .-. .. 40 — q 20 - - 2o o ' ' o ~o 72 original wear/launderings Figure 3. Air permeability rates of each shirt fabric before and after wear. 9 35 llll - Warp Worn X - Warp Original I - Filling Original Z-Z-Z-Z- " Filling Worn 25- 20- Pounds k | c1 rrrrv" O'Q.O.Q.Q.0.Q.Q~.J . .~.~.~.'.'.~.'.'.'.'.e.w.v.2.- q e 0'05.» .‘Z‘Z‘I°2‘2‘I'I'- n 444 0A4 FO'G'TI'TQ'I'I'I’I°TI’C‘ f1’ 1o - t _ E1 I Figure 4. Br_ w, of each shirt ’ and after w- 0/100-b 0/100-c " 0/100-d 35/65 50/50 Shirts (polyes ter lcotton) was expected. The retention of original break- fabrics. By the Elmendorf tear e: ing strength ranged from 84.3 percent to 100 tears are started from a cut made in. percent for the shirt fabrics (Table 6). and are extended by a quick-drop T S ‘h weight pendulum. Such tears are s‘ “ e“ "°“9 developed from any sudden strain putg Tear resistance was measured to evaluate ric. Two warp and two filling tear ' the effect of we-ar and laundering on the shirt mens were cut from each shirt. The ||l| -Warp Worn 15°° ' w - Warp Original 1400 _ g - Filling Original $53; - Filling Worn. 1300 — i’ j 1200 - l E _ 1100 - 3 5:3 1000 — U} a 3 90o - U 800 - 700 — 600 — Figure 5. Tear strength of each shirt fabric before 500 _ and after wear. 1; 0| O/lOO-a O/lOO-b O/IOO-c O/lOO-d 35/65 Shirts (polyester/cotton) l0 six filling tears were considered J : h for each type shirt. Variability 4» ngth was low for all like shirt tretention of original strength was , e polyester/cotton shirts than for i‘: cotton shirts. Little loss in tear f ed by wear and laundering was gof the study shirts (Figure 5). The w/35 blend shirts showed no reduc- strength either in warp or filling. ‘p e in fabric strength for the remain- a ‘cated that the factors of wear and 7 ened the fabric. Breaking strength ' indicate this loss of strength. There ratio of tearing strength to Ingth for any o-f the eight shirt fab- 'ther direction of these fabrics. ‘p. of appearance of white shirts is i "th spotless whiteness and freedom The latter, without the necessity ‘pressing, is largely dependent upon pf a fabric to resist, or to recover, f e se or wrinkle recovery of the shirt u easured with the Monsanto Wrinkle V... The extent to which the fabric i» om the crease when placed in the iwas measured in degrees. The crease ‘as calculated as follows: scale reading (°) >< 100 180° we % =- |||| -Warp Worn j - Warp Original I - Filling Original L. , 5514i ~ Filling Worn foo 00000 000 0000 Q0 I I I‘0.0.I.I.C-O.U.I.I.O.I.O.I.I.O.I.I-I.I.0.0.0-0.0-0.0.0.I.I.U.U.I.O.I- Six warp and six filling wrinkle recovery samples were cut from each shirt. The averages of 18 warp a.nd 18 filling readings from the three like shirts were considered the wrinkle recovery for that shirt. The average percent wrinkle recovery of all original unworn-unlaundered durable-press shirt fabrics was approximately 80 — ranging from 79 percent to 85 percent— in both warp and filling directions (Figure 6). Wrinkle recovery angles of the original shirt ranged from 142 to 153 de- grees. At the conclusion o-f the wear study (72 wear-launderings), wrinkle recovery (warp plus filling) of the 100-percent cotton durable-press shirts had decreased ,5 to 8 percent. This small loss in wrinkle recovery ability indicated that the durable-press properties of the fabric sustained little deterioration from the wear and laundering of the shirts. The polyester/cotton blend shirts showed little or no decrease- in percent wrinkle recovery when compared to their original like shirts (Fig- ure 6) . Ranking of the worn shirts for their wrinkle recovery factors conformed roughly to the panel ratings for fabric appearance as measured against the three-dimensional plastic replicas. The 50/50 blend shirt was rated highe-st after wear by the panel. This shirt also was rated highest by the subjective opinions of the consumers at the con- clusion of the study. The 65/35 and 35/65 blends were rated as numbers 2 and 3 respectively, by both the panel and the consumers. The same rating occurred when shirts were measured by the wrinkle recovery tester. Figure 6. Percent wrinkle recovery of each shirt fob- ric before and after wear. O-c 0/ 100-d Shirts (polyes ter/ cotton) sales sso 63s ll The fabric appearance of the all durable- press garments was at an acceptable level to the consumer at the conclusion of the Wear study. This was shown by the fact that none of the shirts was pressed or ironed during the study. Therefore, percent wrinkle recovery averages 0f 75 or more appeared to be the level at which the consumer was satisfied with a durable-press dress shirt without ironing. Conclusions The durable-press properties of the shirts retained a high level of smoothness throughout the wear study. Neither the durable-press 100- percent cotton nor any polye-ster/cotton blend shirt required ironing or pressing during the study. This indicated that the durable-press fin- ish had not deteriorated and that the fabric smoothness was at a level satisfactory to the con- sumers. However, increasing dissatisfaction with the general appearance of many of the shirts necessitated terminating the study. This dissat- isfaction was due to the feeling that the shirts had become “limp” and “Washed out”. Of the measurements made, air permeability rates seemed to relate best to co-nsumers dissat- isfaction with the durable-press shirts. Air per- meability rates of all shirt fabrics increased with wear and laundering, giving evidence of a break- down of yarns and fabrics and resulting in the loss of crispness and “washed out” look. Wearer and panel evaluations of the shirts and the data obtained from the physical tests in the fabrics of these shirts were similar (Table 7). Both groups ranked the 50/50, 65/35 and 35/65 blend shirts 1, 2, 3, respectively, on two satisfac- tion factors - fabric appearance and shirt ap- pearance. In the ranked fabric test data for wrinkle recovery as measured by the Monsanto Wrinkle Recovery Tester, and in the wearer and the panel rankings and ratings, the same shirts were rated 1, 2, 3. The consumers’ subjective evaluations of comparative smoothness were in agreement with results of the physical test. The panel ratings of the fabric appearance, using the three-dimensional plastic replicas for evj wrinkling, were ranked in the same ' though the panel seemed to be more cri the worn shirts than were the consume Both original and worn breaking =j strengths of the polyester/cotton s ' . higher than those o-f the durable-press shirts. The worn shirt fabrics showed =. no loss of strength asi measured by a - raveled strip. However, tear strength I, worn shirts gave some indication of d '_ tion of the fabrics. 1 Wearer preferences and opinions of thi worn are felt to be reliable. Wearers I particular reason for favoring any sh' they did not own them and had no ch selection. Overall, consumer comments a uations indicated a preference for we ‘i polyester/cotton blend shirts, 50/50, 1 35/65. The more expensive and better all-cotton, durable-press shirt, 100-c, =5» next best by the consumers for good fab shirt appearance; however, they prefe ; wear the lighter weight blend shirt. ' Results indicated that there is no s’ lationship between consumer satisfacti physical test data. Wrinkle recovery and meability data seem to relate best to c _i_ satisfaction with the shirts in this stud Acknowledgments The author is grateful to those who l. .-__ in the wear study for their faithful we 5 evaluation of the shirts over a 2-year ; Appreciation is also due Katherine T. K technician, for assistance in physical _ evaluations and preparation of manuscri Mention of a trademark or a proprietary product p constitute a guarantee or warranty of the produc Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and does r1 its approval to the exclusion of other products also be suitable. TABLE 7. RANKING OF SHIRTS AT CONCLUSION OF STUDY: CONSUMER AND PANEL EVALUATION AND PHYSICAL TESTS shin Fabric. Shirt Fiber content appearance appearance Consumer Air Breaking Tear Polyester Cofion Consumer Panel Consumer Panel Comfort permeabiliiy strength strength TOO-a 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 8 TOO-b 6 7 6 7 6 6 6 5 TOO-c 4 4 4 4 5 5 8 6 TOO-d 8 * 8 8 8 8 4 7 35 65 3 3 3 3 4 2 3 4 5O 5O l I I I 2 I 5 I 65 35 2 2 2 2 I 3 2 3 80 20 7 6 7 6 3 4 l 2 *Non-durable press. Not rated by panel. 12 References ‘I n of Committee RA-75 of the AATCC at jational Technical Conference of the Ameri- »- tion of Textile Chemists and Colorists, ;Press——A Study of End Use Performance as They Relate to Accepted Laboratory . . ,” Atlanta, Georgia, November 6, 1970. W., “Durable Press—What Price Cot- erican Dyestuff Reporter, January, 1971, _ Panel Evaluation of frable Press Shirts and Fabrics durable pres-s shirts will be evaluated actors: 1) total appearance of the i appearance of the fabric and 3) color A 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wear-and-care l appearance will be judged by com- y of the five experimental shirts to _ which is in the center of each group Note particularly the collar, pocket, t, buttonholes and seams. The rat- below, range from 5 to 1. ks better than Control; very slight or {puckering and wrinkling; wear Without . ; ing. about like ‘Control; slight pucker- 1 and loosely set wrinkling; wear with- pressing. slightly worse than Control; mod- te puckering and wrinkling, but not I objectionable. 3. Proceedings, Tenth Cotton Utilization Conference, New Orleans, April 29-May 1, 1970. 4. American Association of Textile Chemists and Color- ists, 1967 Technical Manual of the AATCC, AATCC Iélaticfnal Headquarters, Research Triangle Park, North aro 1na. 5. American Society for Testing Materials Committee D-13, ASTM Standards on Textile Materials (With itelated Information), Philadelphia: ASTM, Septem- er 1963. Appendix 2 Looks considerably Worse than Control; not smooth and flat, obvious wrinkling, puckering and pulling, would require pressing. 1 Looks much Worse than Control; badly distorted, very objectionable, lack of smoothness and flatness which would definitely require ironing. The fabric in the shirts will be evaluated alone by comparing it to the durable press plastic models. These models are numbered and show varying degrees of creases and wrinkles. Con- sider how many wrinkles there are, and how prominent they are. Rate each shirt from 5 to 1 by the corresponding number shown of each sample. The color of the shirts will be compared to the original unworn and unlaundered shirt. Rate each shirt by the following scale: 4 Looks whiter than original 3 Looks the same as original 2 Looks greyer than original 1 Looks yellower than original l3 NAME DA SHIRT NO. _.________. LAUNDER PERIOD CONSUMER EVALUATION OF SELECTED MEN’S a WHITE DRESS SHIRTS AT INTERVALS DURING WEAR I. Fabric Appearance: (before ironing) Amount of wrinkling or puckering in shirt body. Shirt No. 1 2 s 4 5 6 7 s No noticeable wrinkling Slight wrinkling Moderate wrinkling Severe wrinkling Very severe wrinkling Shirt N0. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Collar Side seams Yoke, pocket, armseye III. Color Change: Check '(\/ ) applicable description. Shirt No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Color same as when new Shirt appears greyer (dingy) II. Shirt Appearance: (before ironing) Use 5 to 1 rating in Part I. a Shirt appears yellower of Shirt: Smooth, cool, not scratchy. Shirt No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Shirt No. 5 iron for of ironing ironing for Wear: Fraying, pilling, broken threads of collar, buttonholes or shirt body. Shirt No. 5 The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station . Texas University POSTAGE AND i College Station, Texas 77843 Q5059”; ’ . . . . AGR cuL H. O Kunkel, Acting Director-Publication I 1