The Abrasion Resistance of Textiles

The Abrasion resistance of textiles is of importance for clothing, furniture as well as for technical textiles. Wear or abrasion might initially “only” influence the appearance, but eventually might lead to the destruction of the textile product. Abrasion is the mechanical deterioration of fabric components by rubbing against another surface. Abrasion ultimately results in the loss of performance characteristics, such as strength, but it also affects the appearance of the fabric. Although maintenance of strength and other properties that enter into performance is crucial in the life of a fabric, often apparel and other textile items are discarded because the fabric appears worn, sometimes long before fabric strength is significantly compromised. One of the most important influences on the abrasion resistance of a textile fabric is the fiber content. Some fibers are inherently more resistant to abrasion than others. For example, nylon and polyester have a high ability to absorb energy (i.e., toughness), which contributes to the abrasion resistance of fabrics made from these fibers. Nylon’s high resiliency and low coefficient of friction also contribute to good abrasion resistance, making nylon an appropriate choice for end uses such as jacket shells, rope, carpet, or luggage.In addition to fiber, yarn, and fabric properties, and fabric configuration during abrasion, abrasion is also influenced by moisture and by the direction of the abrasive force. Just as it affects the strength of textiles, moisture also affects abrasion resistance. The effect of moisture is complicated, in that it can either improve abrasion resistance or cause fibers to abrade more quickly. Moisture can serve as a lubricant, reducing the friction between a fabric and another surface, and slowing the abrasion process. However, in general, fabrics made of fibers that are stronger when wet have better resistance to wet abrasion than to dry abrasion.