AN INVESTIGATION INTO WATER MARKING AND COLOR-CHANGE IN TUSSAH SILK FABRIC DURING MOISTURE ABSORPTION

This study investigates the phenomena of water marking and colour chan ge in tussah silk fabric. Fully wetting the fabric and applying a smal l amount of moisture (by steaming) both result in changes in the fabri c's optical properties: fully wetting causes a decrease in the reflect ance of the fibre surface, while exposure to small amounts of moisture results in an increase. Lustre changes (reflectance variations) of tu ssah fabrics after wet or steam treatments are macroscopic effects of changes in the optical reflectance of the fibres and indicate that the visual colour differences in the fabric following water marking or co lour change result from structural changes in the fibres.