Fabric-evoked Prickle in Worsted Spun Single Jersey Fabrics Part 4: Extension from Wool to Optim TM fine Fiber

The Optim^TMfine process transforms the wool fiber to create a new range of fiber characteristics. Previous studies have identified and characterized the underlying mechanism associated with fabric-evoked prickle in wool fabrics. Coarse fiber ends in the fiber diameter distribution which protrude above the fabric surface exert sufficient force to trigger specific nerve endings which lie near the skin surface. This paper demonstrates that the existing mechanistic and predictive model of relative prickliness is applicable to fabrics manufactured from Optim^TMfine fiber as well as wool. In general it was found that a fabric made from Optim^TMfine fiber is less prickly than a similar fabric manufactured from the parent wool. This improvement in fabric-evoked prickle is linked to the reduction in fiber diameter associated with the Optim process. The measurement of the coarse edge of the diameter distribution of fiber ends, e.g. the percentage of fiber ends greater than 32 µm, is commonly used in assessing potential levels of prickle in wool samples. This is less useful in the case of Optim ^TMfine samples owing to potential artifacts in the measurement associated with the non-circular cross-sectional shape of Optim^TMfine fibers.