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New grading system for testing textile wicking

Swatches | April 1, 2023 | By:

WickView in its vertical testing position alongside a laptop showing example wicking test data. Photos: WickView

United Kingdom-based textile testing solutions provider James Heal has announced a new grading system for moisture management testing that literally turns the assessment of wicking behavior within a fabric on its head.

The WickView moisture management test instrument enables the wicking properties of a textile to be tested both vertically and horizontally, to better reflect real-life wear conditions. Many other instruments and test methods available test only horizontally.

Integrated cameras are mounted either side of the test specimen within the WickView, that, combined with the intuitive TestWise software, uniquely track, record and measure the multidirectional movement of moisture through a fabric on both skin and face sides. Numerous parameters can be measured for comparison, and features in the software allow users to identify and discount aspects that may skew the results, such as the effects of gravitational pull and runoff, giving the most precise results.

“The WickView has pushed the boundaries of moisture management testing, and together with TestWise software offers a totally fresh approach,” says Guy Smithurst, James Heal head of technical. “Having designed the instrument, written the test method and developed the grading system, the entire James Heal team … [has] created a new concept in this area of performance testing, providing manufacturers with a system to identify moisture movement and behavioral pattern, giving a ‘true wicking value’ of a fabric.”

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