TEXTILES.ORG
Because of the U.S. phaseout of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs begun in 2007, organizations are in search of equivalent lighting replacements to be used for product testing methods, such as appearance, crease retention and stain-release tests.
In collaboration with Cotton Inc., Telelumen, Textile Color and Sourcing Solutions, VeriVide Ltd. and others, the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) is working to find LED lighting that will replicate the test results produced by fluorescent or incandescent lighting used in its standardized procedures.
For example, in a smoothness test, the fabrics would be evaluated under an overhead fluorescent light after a series of washing and drying cycles, and their appearance would be compared to a set of reference standards before receiving a grade of 1 to 5, 1 being the least smooth, and 5 being the smoothest (without wrinkles).
Researchers performed the first round of LED lamp studies in March, viewing creased specimens under different lighting conditions.
Lasting 25 to 50 times longer than incandescent lighting, LED lighting is also a more sustainable option. LEDs are more efficient than incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, and less energy is wasted as heat.
“At VeriVide, we understand the importance of accurate and repeatable viewing conditions for visual and digital assessment,” Adam Dakin, VeriVide’s sales manager, says. “[And] we are pleased to be asked to provide our technical support and to develop an up-to-date, future-proof solution for the appearance retention test methods.”
AATCC also has a committee dedicated to exploring ways to help retailers choose lighting for viewing color that accurately represents what customers will see in stores.