-, -. --76£BULLETI N M-258-

RAYONDRESSFABRICS

APRI L 1950

- THEIR SELECTION-BEHAVIOR- AND-CAR·E

.'-. ,

ExtE~SION~ERV\CEMONTANA 5TATE COLLt.GEBOZEMAN, MONTANA

,", "~" \JO"" ..t,GEBtiZEMAN

Montana Extension Service in Agriculture andHomeEoononlios, R. B. Tootell, Director. Montana stateColle ge and TIni.ted states Depa.rtzoout of Agriculturecooperating. Distributed in furtherance of: Acts of

Congress,Jlay 8 a.nd June 30.. 1914 0

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RAYON DRESS FABRICSTHEIR SELECTION, BEHAVIOR AND CARE

ByElizabeth M. Birong

The Bewildered Consumer

It is not easy for today's consumer to know which rayon.fabric to choose for best sucoess in washing or drycleaning, whether it be yard goods or ina rea~~to-wear

garment. This problemoi' the right selection is diff'i-··oult because:

1. The average consumer has dH'ficulty in alwaysrecognizing a rayon or rayon-mixed fabric.

2. Evan though the oonsumer oan recognize a rayonfabric - it is diffioult to identify the typeof rayon used~ '

3. The physioal and ohemioal properties of thedifferent rayons vary.

4. The behavior of a fabric varies with the· kind ofrayon and other fi bars used.:

5. The different weaves vary in their oharacteristics.6. The different finishes applied to rayon :f'e.brios

cause a change in the behavior of the fa.brios •.·7. .Labels rarely tell muoh about f'i ber oontent or

expected shrinlaige.8. Though the fabrio may be washable, "the style of

the rea~-made garment may require dry' oleaning.

Let us see how these above reasons mi ght affeot choioeof purohase.

What .Are The Different Rayons?

All rayons are made from ceilulose, such as wood pulpor cotton linters, but the way in which they are manu­factured makes the difference in the final product •.There are two types of rayon- Regenerated Cellu.loseRayon and Cellulose Acetate Rayon. Regeneratedcellulose rayon is manufaotured by ei ther the Viscoseprocess or "the Cup~oniu.m prooess.

Visoose Px'oqessRegenerated oellulose, rayon/", ,"

~uprammonium Prooess

Aoetate rayon-- ~,Cel1ulose Aoetate P~ocess

These rayons are i dentii'ied by ei ther their process nameor by their brand nama. It is well for the oonsumer tolearn to distinguish one rayon from another since thebrand name or process dOeS not always aocompany the pro-duct. "

At present sane manufacturers' are encouraging that 1:;he,word "Estron!t be adopted by all manufacturers to, designateaoetat,6' ray0:0.0,

WhY: This Difference in Rayons l

A oonsumer should know whether she is buying regeneratedoellulose rayon or aoe'tate rayon since they behave' 'differently. This is evident from the following charac-teristios of thB two. '

Aoetate Rayon

is thermoplastio- that is, it will fuse or melt in-contaot with a hot iron. Thil temperatures of f'lat

irons range f'rom 2250 F.to 6000 F• If aoetate' rayonis ironed at a temperature much above 2500 F. a glazeor shine appears. This is partly dependent upon theyarn and fabric struoture. This rayon.fuses (melts)

'at 4500 F. '

_does not absorb water readily. For this reason, itdoes not become as weak when wet, nor shrink as mch,as regenerated cellulose rayon.

_is more resistant to staining or soiling than re­generated cellulose rayon.' '

_dries quickly, since it has absorbed little moisture.

~smore readily affected by gas fading - partioularly-certain colors, if the right dyes and f:i.ni~hes: have

not been used. Work is bein/i; done to overoome this.

will stretch more than regenerated oelluloserayon,-butw:i.l1 also go baok into plaoe faster. '.

loses less strength than regenerated cellulose--rayon when exposed to sunlight, as when used in

glass.curtains •

is not as readily affected by perspiration,-deodorants, and non-perspirants as regenerated

cellulose rayon.' . . . .', . _.

should not be bleached,.as household bleaohes haveno affect other than weakening thi3' fiber.

" .\

at present, does not reaot as favorablyto,oreas~­

-resistant finishes as does regenerated cell,iloserayon. . .

Re generated· Cellulose Ray~n£. .

oan be ironed with a highartempera.tura .ii"o~ than-aceta.te rayon. -This rayon is notthermoplastio in

the same s.anse, of the word" therefore, doe s not fuseor melt; nowevar, the :f'a.'6Hccan be scorched•

. .:.~ ,.1 l:~:~'l')., ..j:' :,~'}, ,,~:~.; ....

_oan be given a. mild ;bleao.h::~~',tpe,\i;!ab;rio.i s:,whi teeRins~thoroughlY"a.tter ~bleaol-U:ng,.othe.rwise.brgWnstains:rmy.a:PBear w1}.ent;he fab.ri,~~.is, ir..onE!.~,."':

.' "'\:,

" ,'wi."ll weaken'~r deteri o~lil,te whelk,in oonta~t V(d.t}j,-perspirati<on, deodora.nts,· and non,!p~rspi.~~t.f'!i;:

; ..

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So~peneral Charaoteristios of All Rayons

_I;UJ.yon fabrios, unless trea1;;ed w1th a orush-resistant. '~nish or made of orepe yarns, have little elastioity

or rellllienoy. Unless so treatEid, rayon fabrics tend-to ho~4 1I'rlnlcles and retain distortion or stretohingmQr! tl1.e.-n fabrios of same natural fibers.

___White rayons do not 'turn yellow if soil 1s ocmpletelyre1l1o"Md in eaoh launAeringo. Soi'tened -.rater isrec~nded.

_RAyon, like 'Wool. beOaIJeS weak when -wetJ cotton andl,-1W:Q. beoane stronger when wet.

_Most rayons oontinue to shrink with e..oh suoceeding~u~eri.ng.

IdentifYing The Ditferent RAyons

You can identify 'the dittereDb rayons it they are notlabeled. Ravel warp and filling yarns tromthe seam oryardage and burn the £ibars. If they burn qUiokly 11kepaper w1:th little ash, they are of regenerated celluloserayon or ootton. It, lU'ter burning, the alh 1s hard andunbreakable, the :fi hers are acetate rayon. Nylon melta,it does not burn. Acetone, obtained fran your druggist,11111 dissolve aoetate rayon only.

Pi 'her Combinati 0118

Every fi.ber has. characteris't1cs peouliar unto itself.These oharaoi#erlstios should be considered when decidinghow a £abrio should be cleaned and the i#empera'b.lre of the.iron in pressing or. ironing. Mosi# fabrics used in under­garments and dresses will shrink unless treated, but t~

degree of' shrinkage varies. A label stating expeotedshrinkage 'Would save oonsUJmrs 1I10h time· and di:fi'i.culty.

In ma:r:w rayon fabri 08, boi#h a oetato and regeneratedoellulose rayon are used. e1ther as separate warp and.tilling or as f1bar blends. oneot the most oOJlllllonly

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found ways of using both types of rayon is illustratedin rayon shantung, page 15, where,the warp yarns areacetate rayon and the filling yarns are regeneratedoel1ulose rayono .

Another example of the use of both rayon fibers is shownin rayon sharkskin, page 17. Here both types of fibersalternate in the warp and in the filling. 'Wheneveracetate rayon is used in a fabric, a cool iron should beused in pressing or ironing.

Rayon is sOlOOtimes oombined in a fabric with cotton.Butcher rayon, page 19, a type of orash, has a two-plyyarn both in the warp and in the filling•. One ,ply iscot-bon and °l;he other regenerated cellulose. rayon.

Cotto~, Hnanor tr¥lon can qe combined withrayon t6reduce shri:nk:e,ge, inoreases"(;rangth and rw.y or my' not .change the appearan(f8 of the i'abri o. Rayon i s used wi1;hwool mainly to reduce cost, shrinkage and. sometimes t~ .warmth. .

Different Weave Structures... 'IIId _

Before rayon was produced, certain fabric names wereassociated with the natural f'i bel'S - fore~ple, satinand taffeta were taken for gra:p.tec1. as. being made. ofsilk - as was tweed of wool. Toda.y,. rayon oanbe woveninto similar fabrios, thus the need for saying "rayontaffeta tt • .

Certain weaves have characteris1;ics that should be oon..sidered when selecting the style of the garmenb and it spurpose in the wardrobe. These same charaoteristicsshould be considered when deciding whether or not thefabric should be laundered. The rapidity with which afabric absorbs moisture affeots its ease of cleaning.Some fabrios, 'b,y nature or their weave structure andfinish-, are more water-resista.rrli than 0\:;001'8 .. therefore.more difficult to launder - taffeta being a.n example.

The weaves most oommonly used in rayon dress fabrics areplain and twill.

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Plain Weave

Plain weave, sometimes called tabby, is the simplest ofall weave ~truotures. It is made by a single fillingyarn interlacing a single warp yarn at ri ght angles.Eaoh suoceeding row alternates·w:Lth the previous rem.Plain woven fabrics are generally inexpensive, are easyto launder and allow the air to penetrate to the body.There are mar:w variations of the plain weave 0 Sarna ofthe oommon ones used in dress i'abrics are described below.

a. Plain weave with uneven size warp ax::,d filling yarnsFabrics that are made of uneven size yarns, both 'Warpand filling, are called orashes. Most women are fam­iliar With ootton· or linen crash towelingo This sametype of fabrio is made using spun rayon.* Suoh afabric is seldom closely woV'en because of the ooarse­ness and uneven size of the yarns. The yarns arenot very tightly twisted. Because of these f'aotors,the fabric is qui to comfortable to wear. Rayoncrashes are made of either all regenerated celluloseor aoetate rayon. Sometimes both aoetate and regen­erated pellulose rayon are. used to~ether, or eitherone can be combined wi. th cotton. {Seebutoher rayon,sample number 9., page 19.)

b. P.lai~ weave with slub fi1.li.nfj yarns,Shantung is· an example of thi s variation of plainweave. It may be of all visoose rayon, or as insample nwnber 5, page 15, the warp yarns are aoetatefilament rayon* and 'bhe filling yarns are regeneratedcellulose spun rayon. The filling yarns are spun insuch a way tha.t slubs or knots appea.r at irregularintervals giving the yarns a. nubby and interesting'box·bure to the fabric

>l<Rayon filaments are too long unbroken strands; spunrayons a.re made by cutting the long; filamama into shortstaple leng-bhs and -I; hen spinning these f'i bers.

..

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Plain weave with. crosswise ribsRib weaves, such as found in broadcloth and poplinare made ~J usinr; a groo.tel' numher or finer warp thanfilline; yarns. In order. to accent the rib weave,.such fabrios are closely woven. Since they are com­pact, they do not allow the air to penetrate'bo thebody. This fabric is frequently made of all regeneratedcellulose rayon or in cpmbination with acetate ·rayon.When made in a lightWei ght quality it is easy to handlein laundering. (See rayon broadoloth, sample number 3,page 13.) Faille is also a rib weave ana is made using))oth rayons or in combinati on '1i-l;h wool or cotton."

Plai~'!.~f;tv~]vi..:~l1-.:.c..~.~~Z:I!~. . . ' ...Crepe fabrics var-J noticeably in ,the de:gree of .;tw:ist

. gi von 'b'oths :...·rarp a.nd/or f~ lUng yarns. The higherthe num~er of twists per inQhof.yarns.the morecrinkled orcreped the. yarn b.ecomes.

French. .c.r_8.l?2.·,has little'or notwist.i11thewarI' y~:rnsbut the fill:i.ng yarns have been' given a .moderatetwist all in the same direction; that is, either tothe right or left., Marv rayon blouse and slipmaterials are of a similar construction; also somadress fabrics. The crinkled. surface is hardly notice­able in a French crepe. (See sample number 11, page21.) . These crepes are' usually made of all ree;eneratodcenuloser~yon.· .

Flat crepe has e.. slightly more tinnkled sur~ace thanFrench crepe. It too is used for lingerie and dres:::material.. The warp yarns are given)i ttleor no.- .twist while' the filling yarns a.re given a high~r .•number of twists a.nd every two se"bs of yarns; alternatein tJ1eir dil,"'ecti.on of twist. (See sample number 8.page 18.) These crepes usually have an acetate warpand a regenerated cellulose rayon filline; •." .

8.

George~~e c~epe bas a distinot pebbly or orepadtexture. due to the highly tWisted warp and fillingyarns. Eaoh yarn a1-ternates in direo-tion of twistwith the previous yarn. A fabrio simi1a.r instruoture to the above is rayon sheer _ sample number2, pa.ge 12. The warp yarns are g:ivan a high 1iwi.st,singles alterna:ting; -the filling yarns also have ahigh twist a.lternating in direotion in sets o:f twos.There are more noV'el"by orepe:fabrlcs on the market ­many of: these are of: two-ply yarns, hi ghly "twi. stedand o:f bo-th ace"bate and. regenerated cellulose rayon.

Crepe fabrfcs drape and fall into soft folds and aresuitable for dressy 1;ype gar·mnts. Because of theelastioity of 'the. orepe yarns 'the fabric retains fgwwrinkles, but it IIUi.y also stre'tch notioeably. Crepefabrios shrink when laundered or when pressed if· muchsteam is used. Some fabrioscan be stretohed orironed baokinto shape, but garments lose theirni.ceappearanoe and. strength beoause of im.proper pullingin ironing.. Highly oreped fabrics should be carefullydry 0 leansd.

Twill Weave

Twill weaves are recognizedby' the diagonal line acrossthe surf'aoe orfaoe of 'the fabrio. (See- sa.mp:J.e number 1,page 11.) Twills are lMde by ha:ving one or more fi1.1ingyarns interlaoe groups of' warpso In each suoceeding rawa filling yarn ·progresses at a set nUIllber of warps ­forming tlte diagonal line •.: All things being equal, thereare more yarns per square inch in a twill fabric than ina plain weaV'e. This makes -the fabrio firm and compact.Twill weaves lend themselves· best to-tailored styles.Beoause these fabrios are compaot, they are'W'a.rm·and nottoo easy to handle in laundering. Twi 11 fabrics aremade 'With one type of rayon, both warp. andfi lling, orwi th the warp of one 'type and the filling of the othertype.

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Satin is a variation of the twill weave and is used insame dress and slip fabrics and for liningsa Satins aremade of all one type of rayon or with an acetate warpand a regenerated cellulose rayon filling.

Different Finishes

l,'inishas used on rayon fabrilcs today may give stabilityto the fabric, make it wrinkle-resistant, water-repellentand impart body to the I1Rterial. Some fabrics may betreated so that there is Ii ttle distortion in use, suchas in laundering or ironing. Some of these finishes arepermanent thro~gh many c lea.nings; othe rs are remove dindr-y cleaning or launderingo A label tellin{5 this isthe oonsumer's only means of recognizing such treatedfabrics.

Labels On Yard Goods and Garments

Linge.rie garments are more often labeled as to i'i.bercontent than are dresses. One frequently finds a tagattached to undergarments telling that the fabrio israyon and giVing di rections for laundering. Not manytags state what type of rayon is used. However, the fact'chat a cool iron is reconnnended indicates that aoetaterayon his been used. There are fewer tags giving eventhis i.nformation attaohed to ready-made dresses - and.even fewer to yardage.

Vlhatconsumers really need to know i snot only What typeof rayon was used in the fabrio .but· the expected orresidual shrinlaJ..ge. It is easy to pre-shrink yardage,but ready-to-wear ganoonts must be labeled with thisinformation.

Learning the hard and expensive way thr.ough testing andexperience will corrbinus until consumers demand moreinformative labels.

lvIany home-sewers buy rayon that lends itself 'lVell tolaundering but make the mistake of ohoosing a style withmuch dra.pery or many tailored thicknesses 0 Thisnakesit necessary to have the ga.rm;lnt'dry oloaned.

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AJr ANALYSIS OF TWELVE COl\1MONLY USED RAYON DRESS FABRICS

A stu~* ViaS undertaken to help oonSUIOOrs see how somerayon dress fabrios behave when laundered. Twelve cOIlllllon­ly used and popularly prioed :fabrios were given standard'laundel'ing tests. Sa.mples were washed five tizoos inlukewarm water and nxi.1d soap. Another set of samples waswashed the same number of tiIIElS, but in hot water and astronger soap. The amount of fraying of 3/4-inoh pinkedseams was measured for both laundering mthods(l Testsf'or identifying the presenoe of' insoluqle finishes wereoonduoted.

Ordinarily, a person would not think of laundering highlycraped f'abrics such as rayon sheer, page'12, and flatorepe JI page 18, ye-b sane women have purchased -thesefabrios for "better dresses" - had them dry oleaned forthe length of -time used as a ~tter dress, and thendeoided to launder "them, only to find that the garmntshrunk beyond U5e.

Generally speaking, warp yarns shrink more than fillingyarns. This is due partly to "bhenecessary tensionapplied in wea,vine and in the subsequent finishing. Allof the fabrios shrank more than 2% per yard in the warp(lTwo :fabrios had. less than 2% shrinkage in the. filling,and. one stretched•. PiscQUnbing the orepe fabrics, thewarp shrinkage for the reIlll.ining 10 fabrics ranged fran4.4% per yard to as high as 22.5%. In general, the spunrayons and fabrics Wlth i:ihe lower yarn counts shrank·slightly less than the filament rayons and fabrics withthe high yarn counts.

*This study was financed by the Researoh Foundation,Montana State College, and oarri.ed. out under the super­vision of Elizabeth Birong, Textile and Clothing Depart­ment, with Mrs. Helen Mayf'i eld l Montana. AgriculturalExperiment Station, and Lora V. Hilyard, Montana Exten­sion Servioe, as oonsultan"bs. Aoknowledgment is mad~ ofthe assistance of' Mrs. Alma Hagar and Mrs. Rausie LouCuinmings,. Home Economios graduates of Montana State Col­ledge, and students in "the 1iextiles classes, who did theroutine work in performing the tests.

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As stated previously, two types of laundering tests wereconducted: Test A - laundered in lukeivarm water and mildsoap; Test B - laundered in hot water and strong soap. Thephotographs show the shrinkage that occurred in e. 10" squareof material. Under each sample photographed are shrinkageresults calculated in inohes per square yard for Test A.Five of'the samples shrank slightly less when washed in hotwater and mild soap. However, either the hotter water orstro~ger soap caused a slight fading or color change.

Fabric No. 1 - Rayon Gabardine

Warp' shri~'ge:2 7!8'" per yard'

Fil11hg stretched:1/411 rier Y6:rd ' .

Yarn ·Coi.,mt*: 110 Warp x 56'£i1liri~' .

'.

This so';;cal1e d rayon"gabardine is' Dlerely·>e.n .un"; ". ~

even.twill, not a gabardinetWl.li. .,. .': .".....; .. '

..... -' " "

This·tabriciS' made' '6r 'f':e;geil.;";.- arata'd' '·e~ellui··ose···ra.y6·ri:'~s'taple

yarn and,wa~ 'gi:ve'nan ins ol~ .uble:'WrtDklb -re!ilis·t'ant<:rfl:ii:s}l"of'cel1ulo'sEl aoetate"an<!'ure'aformaldehyde. ..A:rw fab~o

"bivenI:C'oeliul0.seacet~te· ....... finfs.n·· shou1dpei

. ironed ;8rf' ",, the wrong side"with a. lerw . "

... "'temp'eratUre iro.n to prevent',·" an 'unattractive~glaze' appear·...:

ingon the fabri 0:.;" . ': ': :....:;,.... +. '. i::'

There was a 511 ght fading and gain in wei ght iriJ:hdi;h!~wash,.,"bests. .Amount of shririk:aee ~.s n9t af'fected.py the ohangein water temperature<.or 'stre:i:fg:bh o-f '.soap.:,"<!tn:. both methods,"bhe fa~r~c shrank,2 7/8" per warp yard ~d stre,tched 1/411

per}'\:?:L;ng f.~rd;!,., ." " ,,_," :':'i~ ;-.:.;'~ ~ :~"'.'

>.: ."': -~..: f ;:.:J ..:: ..

*NUiii'ber of wa.rp and f'illing yarns per square inch.

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The amount the seam frayedindioates that the fabrioshould have some simple seamfinish such as edge-stitchingor overoasting.

Sinoe twill fabrios are gen­erally closely woven and oom­paot, the fabric has a gooddeal of body. Only simpletailored styles should be .selected. Beoause of -bhefabrio wei ght and -bhe addi­tional insoluble wrinkle­resistant finish, it is noteasy to handle this fabri cin home laundering.

[seams frayed 1/16 inoh.1

This fabric was labeled "dry olean", yet many mothers usethis fabrio for teen-age youngsters vri'bh the idea of wash­ing the garlMnt. Garments of thi s fabric, if they nus"bbe washed, should be ironed sligh-bly damp and on -bhe wrongside, using lO\'V' temperature. If necessary to press thetrimming from the right side, oover the garment with a.lightweight ootton cloth to prevent color ohange and shine

The medium to dark shades have been foond to take on at'white It cast when washed and ironed. Some of thi s may bedue to the fabrio retaining soap. To safeguard againstthis, use softened.water for sudsing and the first rinse,and use sufficient rinses to remove a:r:v trace of soap.Even some dry oleaners have not been ~o() suocessful inrestoring the original appearanoe if thefabrio has beenbadly soiled"

Fabric No. 2 - Rayon Sheer

This fabric is a sheer rayon orepe made of highly twistedregenerated oellulose rayon yarns. The 3/4" seam frayedalmost completely. As mentioned before, any fabrio of

Warp shrinkage:7 7/8" per yard

.Fillin~ shrinkage:33/4" per yard

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Seams frayed: 9/16"

such weave structure should not be laundered. nOr shouldmuoh moisture be used when pressing.

This material is most sui table for styles using sort foldsor draperyo It ,is sheer. 0001.. and 1:ry nature of its crepeweave. wrinkle-resistant.

Fabrio No.3 - Ra~on Broadoloth

Yarn count:: 112 warp x 15 filling.

Rayon broadoloth is sometimes called l'luji. It:i,a similar"bo poplin - plain weave with crosswise rib. (See weaves.page 5.)

This !'abri c is made of regenerated oellulOlle rayon. bothwarp and filling.

Most woman buy this lightweight fabric expeoting tolaunder the garment, yet the warp or lengthwise shrinkagefor this was the greatest of all s~ples tested. If onewere fi guring on three yards for a garment, one 'VTould

Warp shrinkage:;'~8': l!S" per yard

rilling shrinkage:1/2 11 per yard

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Seams frayed: None

neEidJ,to'cpurohase 2/3 of a ya.:rd extra.for pre-shrinking.Because the warp shrankmoretha.n ,thei'illing, the doi:;sbeoame distorted.

Th~,ra;.w:a:Si' a ~s1ight color .cha.ngeinboth. types' of wasbing.No finish was applied to this fabric.

There are se~ral ·advnnta:ges to a fabric of this. type.It is light enough in',;reight'to 'bEl'ea.siiy handled inlaundering. Since it is -of t"egeneratedoelluloserayon,the tempe rat':Ureof the iron can be approximately thesame~ as ,that usedf'or cotton•. Wrinkles iron out readilyii;, ,:bhe'fabrl6 is dAmp when ir,one d. .No seam;f;i.ni.sh i'snecessary.

,ddr:,tj', ,~:,:'::': FJapn,o No. 4 - Spun ,Ray;on,

Yarn Count: 74 warp x 62 fillingo.':",

,.

This, i'a;'Pnci,s"lllade· .of spun regenera.ted, cellulpse rayon "in a.· plain :wea.ve.

This fabric and sample No.6, a spun rayon print, shrankthe least in the wa.rp of all samples tested, However.

Warp Shrinkage:1 1/2" per yard

Filling Shrinkage:2" per yard

15

Seams frayed: None

-the filling shrinkage for this sample was high and more-than ·the warp. Shrinkage was reduoed.by washing in hot'Water.

There was no change in color in ei thar wash tests, nordid the seams fray.

This fabric was treated with a cellulose acetate finish.

I-t was labeled "hand wash". This fabrio is often pur­chased for simple tailored garments for grQWing girlswi. th a view tcn.vard home laundering. "Wi. th this in mind,-the garJOOn-t should be kept free frambulq tailoringdetails.

Fabric No.5 - Rayon Shantung

Yarn count: 113 warp x 58 filling.

The-characteristic of shantung is the uneven slub fillingyarns irregularly spaced. (See weaves, page 6.)

This shantung has an acetate:! rayon warp and a regeneratedoellu1ose rayon filling.

It is frequently used in wash dresses and blouses, ye~

the high warp and filling shrinkage would indicate, thatthe garment would best be dry oleaned or the fabri 0 pre­shrunk.

Warp shrinkage:6 3/4" per yard

Filling shrinl~ge:

1 3/4 11, per yard

16

Seams· frayed: 1/8"

This shantung had been gi.ven a water-soluble finish thatwas :!nore notoieably removed when washed in hot water.leaving the fabric limp.

A slight fading occurred when ,hot water and strong soapwere used.

The seams frayed s Ii ghtly indi oating that edge-stitchingor overcasting would be desirable.

Fabric No.6 - Spun Rayon Print

Yarn count: 66 warp x 44 filling.

This fabric was soid as spun rayon but when tested wasfound to be all cotton. It is a plain woven fabric oflow yarn oount and is typical of the fabrics- selectedby many women because of its ease in laundering.

This fabric had both soluble and insoluble finishes.

17

Warp shrinkage:1 1/2" per yard

Filling shrinkage:1/2" per yard

There was a noticea.ble colo:rb1eeding and fading when,vashed in hot water and .strong soap. ., .

The se~ frayed slightly indicating a s~ple tlD1sh'such as pinking. overcast",ng, or edge-stito'hi,ng 'WOuldbe desirable. . ' .'

Fabric No. 7 - Rayon Sharkskin.

Yarn count: 83 warp x 68 filling •.

Thi splain 'Wbven fabric has a :warp and filling of alter- .nating aoetate and regenerated cellulose rayon. For thisreason, it should be handled as if' mali~ of all acetaterayon.

Rayon sharkskin is commonly used for tailot~d blOtii:u3s.dresses, and in the heavier weight for summer suits.It is made of' filament. rayon wi th practi cally no twistto the yarn. For this reason, the yarns paok closelytogether in weaving thus greatly reducing the amounb ofa.ir tha.t can penetrate to the bottr.

Warp shrinkage:35/8'1 per. yard

Filli~shrinkage:1 1/2" per yard

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Seams frayed: . 3/is tl

Most women. qxpeot to launder. pas'\;el oolors, if the sha.rk­skin is lightweight, yet i;he.warp,shrinkage is .noticeable.This fabric has a water-soluble finish whioh was mostlyremoved in.>hot ·we,ter, washing•.Sharkskin shau1dbe ironeddamp ~~h:.a:-m9dera~eiron.,· -. -

The amount of fraying indicates the need for a firm seamfinish or closed se~.

Fabri.c No. 8 - _Rayon Flat Cr~

Yarn cOlmt: _135 warp, X 78.f.illingo

As mentioned prl!)'~iwslY, samples lifo. -2 and 8 are made ofcrepe yarns and shouid not be la.undered because of theexcessive shrinkage.

Thi s ha.t crepe ~.s_:of regenerated'cellul,~serayon 'withouta finish.-

Warp shrinkage:7 1/2" per yard

Fi lUng shrinkage:5" per yard

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Seams frayed: 1/4"

There was a slight oolor ohange when washed in lukewarm\ve.rm water and a more notioea.ble fading when washed inhot water.

Fabrio No. 9 - Butoher Rayon

Ya.rn oount: 36 warp x 26 filling.

lJntil reoently, this fabrio was oalled butoher linen butbeoause of the Rayon Labeling Rules, it is now properlyidentified as butoher rayon. It was. probably oalledbutcher linen beoause of its resemblanoe to this orashfabric, yet it is made of regenerated oellulose rayona.nd ootton. Fabrios of coarse uneven size warp and fill­i.ng yarns in plain weaves are typioal orashes. Thisfabric has 2-ply 'warp and filling yarns; 1 ply cotton,and the other, regenerated cellulose rayon. Not allorashes are of 2-ply yarns nor are they of mixed fejrios.

This fabrio ha.s a oellulose aoetate f1nish.

Warp shrinkage::3 3/411 per yard

Filling shrinkage:1 '1/2" per yard

20

Seams frayed: ' 1/4" U

~-----.Jl

I

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This sample had anaxtreme color change when 'washed by'eithor method yet -the clerk who :sold it saidi t was"colorfast" but that it would shrink. However, theshrinkage was not as great as for some other fabrics.This fabrio shrank more when washed in water hotterthan luk6'Wl:).rm.'·

The amount the seams frayed indicates a need for edge­stitching and/or overcasting!)

Fabric·,l~o. 10 -Sl'un Rayon Print

Yarn count: 94 warp x 89 i'i lling.

This plain woven fabri 0 i's made of regenerated cellulosespun rayon. It has been given an insoluble orush­resi stant fi.nish -that not o:rtly imparts resilienoy quali­-ties but also crispness or body. However, the fabricwas not labeled in thi s respect and the customer would tobe at a loss to mow whether the finish would be permanent. )

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· Wa.rp shrinkage:3 3/4" per ya.rd

Fil1in,g shrinkage:3 1/8" per yard

21

Seams frayed: 3/16"

This fabrio shrank the S8.1l8 &JIlQUnt in both methods oflaundering.

'1'here 'WaS no fading in either washing method, but thesea.ms frayed slightly more (1/4") in the hot water andstrong soap than in the lukewarm water and mild soe.p(3/16"). .

I Fabric No, 11 - Rayon Print (Twalle)I . .'

~arn count s 111 warp x 78. filling.

This .fabric has a coined f'aDrlC name, "Twalle" a.nd 1s~hat .simila~ tci a Frenoh orepe stNoture, ~IlY

irayon blouse and slip materials are or the same yarn'and weave structure. It is of regenerated filamentlrayon withaut tim s h.

F'abri cs of this type are easily laundered but have ex­cessive warp shrinkage. Yardage should be wellshrunlcbefore ulJing.

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. Sea.nis f~yed: 1/8"Warp shrinkage: .'5~ .7/an ·:per .yard'Filling shrinkage:

1/4" per yard rCracks Jlppear if the fabric is subl-j-e.-ct-e-d-.~t:--o-:-'-f-ri-ct-i-o-n-a-s-..J( ~in rubbing or twi. sting in hand wringing. Suoh fabricsshould be rolled in a towel rather than wrung out~" I

,There .wasn(). color change ;in launderini'and tpe sea.InSfraye d slight1y.:

.....Fabrio no. 12 - Spun Rayon .Print

Yarn count :.-70warp x 57 ri.1litrg.

This spun rayon ·fabric is typical of the types used for~~habledresses. It is of regenerated cel1~lose rayonmade, ~n a plai.n weave. Both cellufose a.cetate ancl.ureaforma1d.~Wde ri.nisl:es are applied to impart body ~n'"hand~' tQ·:the fabric. These finishes also. 10W'er·.th~W'rinkii~g 'prop~rlies of' the £~bric~ ' .. '..

T.he~hrink8.ge for this. fabri,pW'as lowe.rthan f'Qr. Jl!.ost of .the· samples tested'J~ut not as law assampJ"e.,No~, ;4 .~nd 6.Shrinkage remained the same for·bothwater"temperatures.

".,' .

Warp shrinkage: ... 2 1/4" per yard}'~l1ing shrinkage:

13/4" per ya~d

23

Seams frayed: None

Iron this .fabric slightly damp and with a moderate iron.

There was no ,fading orsaam fraying ine1 thar iaundeting'mothod.

Suxmnary

Fe,'f rayon dress. fabrics are labeled as to whether theyare ace'cate rayon or reGenerated cellulose rayon. Youcan di stingui sh one from the other by burning a firNwarp and filling yarns. Acetate rayon has a ha:rd un­breakable ash while regenerated cellulose rayon has aS of't, foe.th0ry ash similar 'co cotton. Aoetone willdissolve acetate rayon.

Hayon, like all ·otherfabrics unless 1Jreated, shrinkswhen washed •.. Pre-shri..nk yardage before :maki.ng thegarment.

Since rayon loses strength when wet, care should be takennot to use too muoh friotion when washing rayon fabrics.

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To avoid a glaze or shine, iron rayons slightly damp.rather than notioe~bly damp or vret.!arid o~ "rrone; side.

Rayons are more easily ironed if they are not allowedto dr.l completely. Sprinkling may oause 'VlB.ter spottingand an uneven distribution of moisture.

Because acetate rayon is thermoplastic manufacturers canpermanently set pleats and oreases.

Acetate rayons have the desired qualities neoessary fora draped-style garment.

Aoetate ra.yon requires a cool temperature iron forpressing or ironing. A hot iron will melt the f'i. bers.oausing a permanent glaze.

·When spun rayon fabrics are made of a blend of acetateand regenerated oellulose rather than all regeneratedoellulose rayon, shrinkage, stretohing and sagglng arereduced.

Delustered or dull rayon yarns are generally not asstrong as the bright yarns. However, bright yarns aremost frequently used in household furnishings, lingerieand evening or "dressy" ms.terials.

Rayon yardage se1eoted for washable garments should bemade up into simple styles for ease in ironing.

Most rayons are slippery and slide about the table whencutting out a garment. If the wrong side of oilcloth isplaced up on the table~ the rayon will not slide about.

Of the fabrics analyzed it WaS found that those havinga crush-resistant finish lost some of this finish witheach suooeeding washing. The removal of. the finish wasmore noticeable when the fabrics were washed in ho"bwater and strong soap.

Look and ask for labels describing: Fiber content, oaredirections, and expected shrinkage.