Why Do Fabrics Become Wrinkled? Posted on January 4, 2011 under Champion Service, Cleaning Tips, Garment Care. | no comments.
I have a huge thing about wrinkled clothing, so much so that I drive my children crazy. My children have gone so far as to tell me that the clothes were made that way, with wrinkles in them… I didn’t fall for that one either. I’m sorry; I just don’t think you should run around in wrinkled clothing. It’s a self respect thing; it takes a few minutes to take an iron to it. Okay so why do clothes wrinkle? The biggest culprit is heat and water, heat breaks the bond that holds the polymers in place, which is a technical way of saying the fabric fibers in place. Upon cooling the fibers than rearrange themselves in the position they are in as they cool. Some fabrics are more prone to wrinkle than others, Natural fibers such as cotton, hemp, linen are the most apt to wrinkle, clothing made from bamboo, rayon, polyester, and spandex are less likely to wrinkle. Silks tend to fall in the middle.
Another thing that should be taken into consideration is the weave type of the garment; knits are less likely to wrinkle than woven garments. Now this is interesting high quality long staple organic cotton fibers are less likely to wrinkle than lower quality conventionally grown short fibers. It’s all about the quality of manufacturing. As I stated previously the cause of wrinkling is due to heat and water, it becomes complicated when we take into consideration the differing fiber types and at which point does that fiber begin to wrinkle.
Fibers such at cotton, hemp, and linen are more susceptible to wrinkling due to what we call the transition point, when the covalent bonds that bind the polymers together weaken. Heat is only half of the problem; water is also a cause for wrinkling. It has been found that water moisture causes cotton fibers to swell and soften, making it easier for fibers to move and change shape. Regenerated fibers such as bamboo, rayon, and polyester are less likely to wrinkle because of the comical treatment they undergo.
All natural fibers as well as synthetic have a propensity to wrinkle. There is a wide array of products on the market that can help minimize wrinkling, and there are some wives tales you could use, though be it at your own risk, that may help. In Naples Florida, that’s where Champion Cleaners is located, we have a tendency of wearing more of the natural fabrics due to our humidity factor so removing wrinkle are a most. My suggestion of course would be for you to bring them to me, you know the expert, and let me handle the wrinkles while you are off playing golf…
But whatever you do just remember when in doubt ask your dry cleaner.
