FABRIC-EVOKED PRICKLE IN WORSTED SPUN SINGLE JERSEY FABRICS .1. THE ROLE OF FIBER END DIAMETER CHARACTERISTICS

Fabric-evoked prickle is studied in a range of worsted spun single jer sey knitted wool fabrics made from wools with different fiber diameter characteristics. Relative prickle sensation in these fabrics can be p redicted from the density of coarse fiber ends per unit area of fabric , with the percentage of fiber ends greater than 32 mu m in diameter b eing the key factor. Naturally occurring variations in the percentages of coarse fiber ends at a given mean fiber diameter found in individu al fleeces can lead to significant differences in fabric-evoked prickl e.