WOOLLEN GARMENTS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 309, 24 September 1943, Page 6

WOOLLEN GARMENTS

Progress Toward NonShrink Finish

(By Telegraph. —Press Association.) DUNEDIN, September 23. At a meeting of the New Zealand V opi Manufacturers’ Research Association in Dunedin, an account was given by tne director. Professor F. G. Soper, of the progress made by various New Zeitlanu woollen mills toward the nSn-shrink finish of woollens. It was explained that in the research association laboratories, which are housed in tbe chemistry department of the University of Otago, standard shrinkage tests are carried out in special apparatus which demonstrates the effect of 20 average washes 1months previously. Knitted material, that underwear, showed considerable variations of shrinkage in the test. The mills are now using an improvement of a method which has been employed in this country tor a number ot vears and in the majority of cases the shrinkage in the standard test is now well within the limits required in the British specification for unshrinkability. Such an improvement represents a very great increase in the useful life of garments. Among processes mentioned by Professor Soper, was the Woolindras process, which, he said, was well recognized to give highly uniform treatment and would still further lengthen the useful life of woollen garments. This process would shortly be in commercial operation. Other non-shrink processes had been considered and some were still under investigation. Different non-shrink processes gave a slightly different surface finish to the wool fibre and some were more desirable for certain uses than others.