As much as half of the wear on fabrics during use may occur in laundering. Consequently, it is important to control the laundry process so that good appearance and adequate soil removal are balanced with minimum abrasive damage. Abrasion may occur both in washing and in drying, and studies have shown that water quality, detergent type, and drying conditions are important variables affecting the amount of damage. Figure 1 shows varying amounts of abrasion that can occur along a fabric crease after repeated Iaunderings.

This investigation was supported in part by a USDA contract.