In recent years, as living standards have improved, people's interest in moisture-wicking, quick-drying apparel has grown steadily. Consumers now recognize these garments' ability to absorb moisture, provide breathability, and wick away sweat. This is particularly common in sports activities. Many global brands incorporate moisture-wicking, quick-drying fabrics into their clothing lines. Due to social and economic growth, demand for functional fabrics continues to rise. Research on moisture-wicking fabrics is ongoing. It evaluates a fabric's performance in heat and moisture transfer when the human body perspires. This aids in assessing the fabric's functionality. Fabric drying rate testing measures how quickly moisture evaporates from a fabric under specific conditions. Its core principle involves calculating moisture loss per unit time by monitoring changes in the fabric's mass or moisture content during the drying process.

1. What is a high-dry-rate fabric?

Fabrics with fast drying speeds can quickly absorb and wick away sweat. These materials are typically highly breathable and moisture-wicking. They allow perspiration to evaporate rapidly, keeping the body dry and comfortable. Below is a summary of common fast-drying fabrics.

Polyester: It quickly absorbs sweat from the skin and then evaporates.

Nylon: Excellent breathability and moisture absorption, suitable for sportswear and outdoor clothing.

Polyester: Used for quick-dry clothing and athletic wear. It wicks moisture and dries rapidly.

Polyester/Cotton: These blended fabrics combine polyester and cotton. They offer the comfort of cotton with the quick-drying properties of polyester. Thus, they are a common high-dry-rate fabric.

Spandex: Often added to athletic fabrics to enhance elasticity and comfort. Spandex has poor moisture absorption. However, it helps the fabric conform better to the skin, accelerating sweat evaporation.

Ice Silk: A specialized fabric for athletic wear featuring a unique fiber structure and manufacturing process, offering moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties.

2. Drying Speed Test Standards

AATCC has approved two new test standards. They evaluate fabric drying speed using the following standards and methods to analyze fabric dryness:

AATCC Test Method 200-2013, Drying Rate of Textiles in the Absorption Range: Airflow Method

AATCC Test Method 201-2013, Fabric Drying Rate: Hot Plate Method

These tests simulate real-world wear conditions by exposing fabrics to air and skin contact.

3. Test Purpose and Scope

AATCC 201, the heated plate method, is a commonly used test for fabric drying rate. The contact heated plate is set to 37°C (100°F), matching human body temperature. This simulates perspiration on the skin. The method applies to various fabrics, including knits, woven, and nonwovens.

4. Test Principle

The drying rate of a fabric corresponds to its evaporation rate. The fabric is placed in contact with a specific amount of water at the interface of a constant-temperature heated metal plate.

5. Test Method

Sample Preparation: Cut fabric samples to a fixed size (typically matching the hot plate area). After equilibrating under standard environmental conditions, fully wet the samples and remove excess surface moisture to ensure consistent initial liquid-holding capacity.

Contact Heating: Lay the wet samples flat on a constant-temperature hot plate (simulating human skin temperature, typically set at 33°C ± 1°C). The upper surface of the samples is exposed to an environment with controlled humidity and airflow velocity.

Dynamic Monitoring: Using a precision balance connected to the hot plate, record sample mass in real-time at fixed intervals (e.g., 5-minute, 10-minute intervals) until mass stabilizes (constant weight), at which point testing ceases.

6. Data Calculation and Application

Data Calculation: Consistent with traditional methods, the core calculation is the “unit area drying rate,” using the following formula:

Drying Rate (g/(m²·h)) = (Mass at t₀ - Mass at t_n) / (Sample Area × Test Interval)

Additionally, record the “time to reach constant weight” and “drying rates at different stages” (e.g., initial rapid drying phase, later slow drying phase).

Application of Results: Primarily used to evaluate the “wearability drying performance” of intimate apparel, such as determining whether undergarments dry quickly after perspiration to reduce dampness and stickiness. It can also compare the impact of different fibers or finishing processes (e.g., antibacterial hydrophobic finishing) on the drying performance of intimate fabrics.

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