Changes in surface morphology of Tencel fabric during the fibrillation process

Abstract The changes in surface morphology of Tencel fabric at each step of the fibrillation process were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that after the removal of sizing materials in the desizing process, fibrillation started to occur and the fibrillation effect was further enhanced with the formation of long fibrils during primary fibrillation. Long fibrils, with an average length over 100 microns, needed to be removed by enzyme treatment in order to prevent fibre entanglement leading to pill formation and an adverse surface appearance. After secondary fibrillation, short fibrils, with an average length of 10 microns, were generated causing the ‘peach skin’ effect. However, tumble drying did not generate the long fibrils again but affected the soft hand feel of the ‘peach-skin’ effect.