If this all sounds like deja vue, all over again, you’ve probably seen the 1951 British comedy, “The Man in the White Suit”, starring Alec Guinness.   

It’s about an inventor who develops a miraculous material that never gets dirty and doesn’t wear out.  When news of this non-perishable suit is found out, both the local plant bosses and workers try to silence the discovery, fearing an end to their business. 

THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT

Theatrical release: April 1951.

Filmed at Ealing Studios, London, England.

The film received a 1952 Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.

In his 60-year film career, Alec Guinness (1914–2000) was best known for his roles in the Ealing comedies, and for playing Obi Wan-Kenobi in George Lucas’s STAR WARS films.

Wrinkle free garments have been available since the early 1990’s when textile manufacturers began to apply finishing agents to fabrics to prevent or decrease wrinkles.  

Wrinkle-resistant finishes are obtained by using chemical agents that act as catalysts forming cross-links between adjacent cellulose polymer chains. 

Cross-linked cotton provides some elastic and resiliency properties that help clothes to avoid forming wrinkles.  Garments with this finish are identified by names like "Easy Care", Durable Press", "Wrinkle-Resistant", "Wash and Wear", and "No-Iron". 

Hagger first introduced this patented technology in men’s trousers in 1992. Their "Wrinkle’ Free™" line was such a success that they had 76 percent of the market by December of 1993. 

Several problems have been associated with these wrinkle-resistant finishes.  The process tends to attract grease and oil stains, it eventually washes out, the fabric degrades, and there are formaldehyde fumes.  

The formaldehyde resin finishes used emits formaldehyde fumes for the life of the fabric!  Symptoms of formaldehyde vapor inhalation are tiredness, headaches, coughing, waters eyes, and respiration problems. 

The major application methods used are: pre-cure; post-cure; garment-dip; spray; and vapor phase. 

Liquid ammonia mercerization is an improvement to this process.  The treatment is applied at ultra-low temperatures and produces a smooth surface; swelling of the fiber to a circular cross section; improved absorbency, strength and luster; and a very soft touch.  

The three other options for making a fabric wrinkle resistant occur after it has been made into a garment. 

Clothing Climate Control 

How would you like to have a coat that senses whether you are hot or cold and adjust the temperature around your skin! 

This tech advance is in a material first developed for NASA for use in astronaut gloves, and is now being added to everything from sneakers to cold weather coats. 

Colorado based Outlast Technologies developed the “smart” apparel under the brand Proshield, which uses micro encapsulated “Thermocules” applied to fabrics. 

A garment with Proshield phase change fibers, senses body temperature. Excess heat generated by your body is absorbed into the Outlast Thermocules.  Stored heat is released back to your skin as needed.

Other notable fabric applications. 

THE HISTORY OF SCOTCHGARD: 

In 1953 Patsy Sherman, a scientist at 3M in St. Paul, Minnesota, was working on a new kind of rubber for jet aircraft fuel lines. Some of the latex mixture splashed onto a pair of canvas tennis shoes. Over time, the spot stayed clean while the rest of the canvas soiled. Sherman enlisted the help of fellow chemist Sam Smith. Together they began to investigate polymers, and discovered an oil and water repellant substance with potential for protecting fabrics from stains. Smith and Sherman jointly hold 13 patents related to their research. In 2001, they were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for their discovery.

Scotchgard™ Fabric Protector was first introduced in 1956, and by1959, a Scotchgard protector was ready for wash-and-wear cotton materials applied at the textile mill.

In 1963, Scotchgard protector in aerosol cans was introduced. While consumers were already aware of Scotchgard protectors, this was their first opportunity to apply it themselves.

With the growing popularity of permanent press fabrics in the 1960s, 3M was faced with yet another challenge. These fabric blends attracted oil-borne stains and held them during washing. The search was on for a formula that would repel stains and ease the release of stains. They needed a polymer that was both hydrophobic and oleophobic in air (repels oil and water), yet hydrophilic in water (allows the release of stains).

A problem with permanent press fabrics, popular starting in the 1960’s was that the fabric blends attracted oil-borne stains and held them during washing. The search was on for a formula that would repel stains and ease the release of stains. 3M set out to produce a polymer that was both hydrophobic and oleophobic in air (repels oil and water), yet hydrophilic in water (allows the release of stains).  In 1967 Scotchgard™ Dual Action Stain Release treatment, a repellent release formula for permanent-press fabrics, tablecloths, removable upholstery fabrics and linens was introduced.

 

 -- Andy Gilchrist