Wash care basics of a garment entail the economic ways ofusing it for a prolonged time. The life span of an apparel product made out ofsilk is governed by many parameters. Character of fibre, fabric construction,weight, and different mechanical and chemical finishing methods are some ofthem. Deviation in laundering instruction often leads to loss in aesthetic andfunctional significance of a silk product, and ultimately results in consumerdissatisfaction.
During practical use silk items are soiled but economicrealities require used items be cleaned and refurbished for reuse withoutsubstantially altering their functional and aesthetic properties. The careaspects will vary depending on the fibre content, and such other aspects on thefinishes, linings, insulations, trims, and embellishments on the garment.Built-up dirt can get ground deep into the fabric, making stains difficult toremove and can even damage the fabric. Rubbing causes the stain to move deeperinto the fabric that may be difficult to remove. Further, the heat in the dryermay permanently set the stain in a fabric.
Natural fibres can release gummy/oily substances, which canbe attracted to manufactured fibres like polyester and nylon during processing.Chlorine bleaching needs to be prohibited, which can otherwise damage highperformance products made from spandex Fabrics, linings, or insulations couldshrink or be otherwise damaged from using too hot temperature or from leavinggarments in the dryer too long. Apparels made from fibres such as acrylic,nylon, polyester, and polyolefin tend to dry quickly and thus to be watchedcarefully. Polyolefin can actually melt if the dryer temperature gets too high.
Care labelling rule requires manufacturers and importers ofapparel and certain piece goods to provide necessary care label instructionswhen those products are sold. The purpose of the rule is to give the consumeraccurate care information to extend the useful life of garments. Consumers haveto select the correct techniques to restore the attributes of the textiles.These labels must be permanently attached, and remain legible for the life ofthe garment. Sometimes symbols may be used in conjunction with words but willnot by themselves satisfy the requirements explicitly.
Care labels, often, are the deciding factors when consumersshop for clothing. While some of them opt for the convenience of dry cleaning,others prefer the economy of buying garments, which they can wash. Somemanufacturers try to reach both markets with garments that can be cleaned byeither method. The care label rule allows providing more than one set of careinstructions, if a reasonable basis for each instruction set exists.
About the Authors
Dr. Subrata Das is having more than two decades of workingexperience in shop floor, R&D, QA and teaching, he is presently working asa Scientist at Central Silk Technological Research Institute, Bangalore
Mr. Ramapa J has around 16 years of experience in extension,training and in SCTRI and Central Silk Board, Bangalore. Presently, he isworking as a Scientist "C" in CSTRI and is pursuing PhD inVisvesvaraya Technological University, Belgaum.
Originally published in Apparel Views; June 2009
Publishedwith due permission from the author
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