A new method in fabric drape measurement and analysis of the drape formation process

In this paper we present the Sylvie three-dimensional (3D) Drape Tester, developed for fabric drape measurements, and its special auxiliary device that exerts dynamical impact on fabrics during draping. In addition, a new draping characteristic, namely the Drape Unevenness Factor, was defined to describe the evenness of the shape of draped textile material numerically. Three special cotton fabrics were woven exclusively for this work. The three fabrics differ only in the twist direction of their weft yarns. The effect of twist directions in woven fabrics and the influence of the applied dynamical impact on drape test results were analyzed. Based on the test results, we also analyze the process of drape formation, offering proposals for modification of fabric behavior models to contribute to better fabric simulations.