Abstract
Since cotton fabrics with ripple finish treatment form wavy furrows on the surface or bumpy patterns, air circulation during wearing is good and the fabric is cool to the touch. The finishing principle is based on the mercerization, which utilizes the fact that cotton fibers contract in a concentrated NaOH solution. In this study, as fabric specimens, cotton fabrics with yarn counts of 40's, 60's and 80's were used. Concentrations of the NaOH solutions were 15%, 25%, and 35%. After dyeing fabrics using Rubia akane nakai, color and other properties were measured. As the concentration of the NaOH solution increased, the fabric became thicker and denser, and the number of occurrence of the prominence and depression per unit length became larger. The color of the region contracted by ripple finish became darker after dyeing, while the color of the untreated region became lighter, which enhanced the cubic effect of the ripple finish. As the count of the cotton yarn increased, the dyeability became better. As the concentration of the NaOH solution increased, the air permeability became lower.