Compression behaviour of woven terry fabrics

Fabric compression is a decrease in intrinsic thickness with an appropriate increase in pressure. The compressibility of the terry fabric depends on fibre properties, yarn parameters, weaving parameters, loop length, loop density, loop geometry and post-weaving treatments. In this research, all the factors responsible for fabric compression have been studied. It is observed that loop density, loop length, loop-shape factor, pile yarn twist, pile yarn count, fibre length and pile yarn structure have a significant effect on the compression behaviour of the terry fabric. With increase in the loop-shape factor, loop length and loop density, the linearity of compression curve, resilience increases and specific compression energy reduces which depict that the fabric is getting better in terms of softness to touch. It is also observed that pile yarns produced from ring spinning, zero twist, MCU-5 cotton, porous yarn and finer yarn produce better terry fabric in terms of compression behaviour and surface properties. The loop geometry modelled in the form of shape factor correlates with the compression of the fabric. The research also helps to design a towel by controlling loop geometry.