Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine April Issue 2019 | Page 54

HAVE YOUR SAY BREAKING NEWS Tell us your news by emailing at [email protected] To read the latest sustainability news, go to https://apparelresources.com/business-news/sustainability/  Myth Buster Confused between Ironing, Pressing and Finishing? Ironing and pressing are interchangeably used in daily life as well as in garment industry. Although both have common objectives to remove crease, there are fine line of differences between them. Understanding of correct processes is important to adopt correct option; there are several myths regarding ironing, pressing and finishing which need redressal. We need to understand that ironing, pressing and finishing are basically a process with primary objective to remove unwanted crease from garments. Based on fabric types, garment types and time availability, different processes are used to achieve the required performance. Ironing and pressing is same and can be used interchangeably WRONG Ironing and pressing can both remove unwanted crease as well as impart wanted crease. However, same is being achieved differently in both processes. Although in both cases fabric is being compressed between two flat surfaces, in ironing two surfaces rub against each other while in case of pressing no rubbing takes place. Ironing is a time- consuming process while pressing is comparatively faster. Ironing and pressing are the only means of removing crease from garment WRONG Finishing is another way by which unwanted crease can be removed from garment. Instead of compressing the fabric against two flat surfaces, if tension is applied from two ends of the fabric, then also creases can be removed from the fabric. The role of steam remains more or less the same in Imparting crease in a garment for aesthetic reasons is rare; except formal trousers and skirts, creases are rarely required in any garment. There is common misconception that men’s shirt also requires creases; the crease line formed in shirt sleeve is incidental and unavoidable while ironing or pressing in flat table. all three cases – ironing, pressing and finishing. Although finishing is the fastest process amongst the three, the only shortcoming in finishing is that it can’t impart necessary crease in a garment. Form finisher and tunnel finishers use finishing principle to remove crease from garment. Ironing poses greater risk of shining than pressing RIGHT Shining results when protruding fibres from fabric surface are aligned/flattened in regular pattern and thereby light reflection is also regular. As in case of ironing one surface moves against another, so the chances of protruding fibres being flattened/ aligned are high. Pressing is preferred for use in structured garments RIGHT Structured garments are generally three-dimensional; removing crease from three-dimensional surfaces would require one concave and another convex surface to press against each other. Moving iron on convex surface is basically ironing using different shapes of bucks; however, it is difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, buck pressing is preferred for structured garments than ironing. 54 Apparel Online Bangladesh | APRIL 2019 | www.apparelresources.com Finishing is preferred method of removing crease in a garment where fabric texture is important RIGHT Fabric texture is altered maximum on ironing (as iron box rubs against the fabric) and minimum on pressing (as two surfaces are only pressed against each other), whereas finishing does not touch the fabric surface at all. Therefore, all sensitive fabrics like, corduroy, velvet, suede, etc. should preferably be finished (not ironed or pressed) to retain the original texture of fabric. Imparting wanted crease is equally important and frequent like removal of unwanted crease WRONG Imparting crease in a garment for aesthetic reasons is rare; except formal trousers and skirts creases are rarely required in any garment. There is a common misconception that men’s shirt also requires creases; the crease line formed in shirt sleeve is incidental and unavoidable while ironing or pressing in flat table. It must be remembered that crease line formed along seam or in pleats is not wanted crease. Wanted creases are those which are formed in A-Zone of garment, either visible from front or back view of wearer (not from side) to