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Real people don't have crushes...
ANUPREET BHALLA
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Wrinkle free garments are an amazing advancement in textile industry. With no sweat and no threat from crushes, they are a boon in this summer.
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INTRIGUING THOUGH it may sound, foundations of the present day edifice of the highly gigantic textile manufacturing factories were laid by the Palaeolithic man using bone needles for sewing with animal material or plant fibres. Through the intervening centuries, the art of spinning and weaving has given way to plethora of fabric finishes that culminate in modern day dressing. It is a `truism' that substances return to their more stable forms. Today, fabric finishes work to defend this tendency.
It is summer time, which means that it is excessive wrinkle time. It is the peak time for induction and interviews and thus it is time to look `wrinkle free'.
The expansion, diversification and development of the textile industry to mind boggling proportions has led to the production of `perma press' and `wrinkle free' garments. These garments come into actuality with the aid of fabric finishes. Finishing processes are the additional processes applied after the fabric is produced. These processes allow the fabric to perform in a predictable manner, making it more serviceable, attractive and better suited for a specific use.
`Wrinkle free' is the smart summer fabric. It is no fairy's wand that creates the magic but the advancements in this field of knowledge to meet the demands of current modes. Changes in patterns of living, in work routines, in care of clothing...all necessitate rapid technological advances.
With not much time to oneself, the customer today needs for instance a pair of trousers that say "pull me up and wear me out''; or say a shirt which does not eat time in ironing but gives us bonus time to eat breakfast instead!
The crease resistant finish creates this magic. This finish is increasingly important in an age that lives at an accelerated pace and often from a suitcase.
The purpose of this finish is twofold in nature. It contributes firstly to an increased face value (in terms of smoothness) and secondly to an increased utility. Primarily, the crease resistant finish prevents deformation of the fabric by withstanding undesirable and unintentionally introduced folds. These finishes broadly apply to cottons, linens and rayon blends.
To obtain this wonder concept, the fabric is saturated with resins, reactants and catalysts and then subjected to a `curing process' (the application of heat by baking or pressing to cause a reaction in the finishing agents applied to the fabric). `Wrinkle free' fabric is obtained by a "pre-curing'' method wherein the process is applied prior to garment construction i.e., before the garment is stitched.
In sync with the season, the market exposes the customer to `perma-press' shirt. The `durable press' or the `permanent press' garment is achieved by a post-curing method wherein the constructed garment is cured.
The advantages of the above mentioned finishes are manifold in nature. These fabric finishes eliminate/reduce the need for ironing as they allow the garment to be worn, washed, tumble dried and worn again. Anti-wrinkle finishes lend ease of maintenance and minimum exertion of energy. They also provide shape retentive qualities, sharp crease and flat seams. Because of the percentage of resin used, much needed drapeabilty can be obtained. These fabric finishes reduce the retention of undesirable folds and creases. Like every coin has two sides, the `wrinkle free' and `durable press' garments have a disadvantage too.
They cannot be successfully altered, as seam and hem creases cannot be pressed out. But the over riding question is that how often do we alter our ready-made shirts or trousers?
The market is flooded with sundry brands that offer `wrinkle free' clothing for both men and women. Lee, Color Plus, Raymond, Vivaldi, Basics, Lerros, Cairo are a few brands offering anti-crushes. This wonder concept is spilling over hoardings, window displays of retail outlets and brand showrooms, press advertisements et al. With a spirit of experimentation, go ahead and slip into anti-crushes. You would be equipped to rock the floor straight out from the gym.
Proper care of `PP' (perma press) and `wrinkle free' clothing requires machine washing with cool water rinse and machine dry at a synthetic setting. Hand washing and drip-drying is fairly satisfactory though. The finish processes stated here cause the yellowing of fabric when bleached; care labels should be carefully read before using bleach.
With technical advancements as changing as chameleon's colouring, wrinkle free saris should not be far away.
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