Fabric wrinkling evaluation: a method developed using digital image analysis

The textile and clothing industry has conventionally used subjective methods for the assessment of fabric wrinkling. Indeed, the fabrics were usually evaluated subjectively in reference to a set of visual standards. However, the visual assessments of the wrinkling degree, often showing inconsistencies between wrinkle judgments of observers, are severely influenced by the color and the fabric texture which may exist. In this paper, an objective method which permits an evaluation of multidirectional wrinkling of any colored fabric has been developed using digital image analysis. This method consists in capturing images of the color wrinkled fabrics and processing them in simple steps using image‐processing software. The surface roughness, density, width, length, number, and height of the wrinkles, considered as wrinkling characteristics, were extracted. Wrinkle degree was selected to use as the comparative parameter of the result evaluation from conventional and digital methods. The wrinkle grade of each fabric sample obtained through the conventional technique was statistically compared with that obtained through the digital technique developed. This study demonstrates that the results of the digital method developed for wrinkle evaluation of colored fabrics were similar to those of conventional methods of wrinkling evaluation.