Finishing

Finishing

Introduction

Every fabric needs to look appealing to the eyes and feel good when touched. This can be achieved through fabric finishing. It is a process of converting woven or knitted fabric into a more useable material. The main modification done by finishing is improving the look, performance or hand feel. It not only changes the fabric appearance but also provides aesthetic value, improves its softness, adds comfort and durability, provides safety and improves the performance of the fabric. Finishes can also be applied during yarn formation stage. Some of the uses of finishing are:

·               To improve the appearance of the fabric like colour, pattern and shine

·               To change the texture of the fabric by giving finishes like embossing, brushing and smoothening

·               To improve the feel of the fabric by making it softer, crispier or firmer

·               To improve the drape of the fabric by adding or removing weight to it

·               To improve the wearing qualities of fabric like crease resistance, stain resistance, flammability and water proofing

·               To modify the care requirements of the textile like easy wash, quicker drying time, colourfastness and less shrinkage

Different fabrics undergo different finishing techniques depending upon the nature of fabric, its physical and chemical properties and its intended use. Finishing operations differs according to the properties imparted to the textile material.