Mass Measurement
Ratio of the dry weight of chemical solids applied to a substrate relative to the initial dry weight of the textile material. The chemical add-on percentage defines the amount of finishing agent, such as a crease resistant resin or a softener, that remains on the linen fabric after drying and curing. It acts as the primary metric for verifying that a finish meets the buyer’s specification for performance.
Processing Control
Application begins at the padding mangle where the cloth is submerged in a liquid bath containing dissolved or emulsified active ingredients. Rollers squeeze out the excess liquid to achieve a specific wet pick up level. Because the concentration of the bath is known, the final amount of solids fixed to the fibers is calculated by multiplying the wet pick up by the bath concentration.
Evaporating the water in a stenter frame leaves only the desired chemical load behind.
Performance Boundary
Excessive loading of chemicals can lead to fiber embrittlement or a significant loss in tear strength. Most mills target a narrow range to balance the desired handle with the physical durability of the cloth. If the percentage falls below the minimum, the intended functional properties like water repellency fail to materialize.
