EFFECT OF NANO-SILICONE SOFTENER ON ABRASION AND PILLING RESISTANCE AND COLOR FASTNESS OF KNITTED FABRICS

Silicones are the most widely used softeners in textile industry. Silicone softeners are classified into three groups according to particle size; macro, micro and nano-silicones. Nano-silicone softeners penetrate the fabric inner structure more easily than others. Due to the fact that nano-silicone softener application area widens rapidly in commercial use, we give a comparison with respect to performance and color fastness properties of knitted fabrics with and without nano-silicone softener in this study. We obtained and evaluated the properties as abrasion and pilling resistance, rubbing, dry cleaning, and washing fastness using four different knitted samples. Fabrics with nano-silicone softener exhibited poor abrasion but better pilling resistance. Nano-silicone softener treatment does not have significant effect on color fastness properties of knitted fabrics.