Dress shirts are a staple in any professional wardrobe, and their longevity greatly depends on the care they receive. One crucial factor that often goes overlooked is the level of starch used during laundry. Starch and sizings are additives that can enhance the firmness of fabrics, particularly in dress shirts. In this advisory article, we will explore how starch affects the durability and lifespan of shirts, shedding light on the technical aspects behind this phenomenon.
The Two Types of Shirt Abrasion
Before delving into the impact of starch, it’s essential to understand the two types of abrasions shirts undergo.
- Flat abrasion: It occurs when the shirt rubs against another surface. For instance, areas like elbows, forearms, cuffs, and collars are prone to this type of wear due to constant friction.
- Flex abrasion: It happens when the shirt’s fibers stretch during movement, such as bending an elbow.
Both types of abrasion play a significant role in determining a shirt’s longevity.
The Protective and Harmful Effects of Starch
Starch does offer certain benefits to shirts by adding protection against flat abrasion. A shirt treated with starch can withstand higher degrees of rubbing against surfaces, increasing its resistance to wear in such areas. However, there’s a trade-off: starch stiffens the fibers, reducing the shirt’s ability to withstand flex abrasion.
Understanding Tensile Strength and its Relation to Starch
Tensile strength measures how well fabrics and fibers resist breaking under tension. Research conducted by DLI’s Textile Testing laboratory revealed interesting insights into the impact of starch on tensile strength.
Shirts treated with medium starch and no starch exhibited similar tensile strength. However, significant differences emerged between shirts treated with no starch and those heavily starched. After ten laundering cycles, shirts with no starch had a remarkable 29% higher tensile strength compared to heavily starched shirts. Even after 25 and 50 cycles, there was still an approximately 20% difference between the two groups.
How Starch Affects Tensile Strength?
The primary function of starch is to add stiffness or body to a fabric, which reduces its flexibility. Consequently, when tested, starched fabrics tend to snap rather than stretch, leading to a decrease in tensile strength. Interestingly, when starched and sized shirts were laundered to remove the starch, their tensile strength showed a significant increase of 30%.
Balancing the Pros and Cons
DLI’s study indicates that using starches and sizings does shorten the life expectancy of a shirt due to reduced flexibility, limiting its ability to bend, stretch, and straighten during use. However, it’s worth noting the additional benefits that starch brings. Starched shirts tend to retain whiteness better, maintain a crisper appearance, and exhibit increased resistance to staining.
Opt for Smart Shirt Care with Bluetiee Dry Cleaning and Laundry Services
The level of starch used during laundry indeed affects the durability and lifespan of dress shirts. While starch can provide protection against flat abrasion, it simultaneously decreases a shirt’s ability to withstand flex abrasion, impacting its overall tensile strength.
For those seeking optimal shirt care and longevity, Bluetiee Dry Cleaning and Laundry Services in San Diego offer the perfect solution. Our expert team understands the delicate balance required to keep shirts looking sharp while prolonging their lifespan. With Bluetiee, you can trust that your shirts will receive the utmost care and attention.
