How To Add Drape To Your Sheet Materials:
If you are having trouble streaming the video above, it can be downloaded directly from the Micrex Website using these links: HD format (15 MEG), SD format (5 MEG), Mobile format (3 MEG).
Drape does not necessarily imply softness – it is simply decreasing the stiffness of a stiff sheet.
Click here to read a complex test method for drape.
Softness is important anytime a material comes in contact with humans.
What Are Softness, Drape & Hand?
Despite the best efforts of scientists around the world, the definition of softness remains subjective. For example, Asian consumers perceive a smooth surface as soft; whereas, North American and European consumers attribute a cushioning aspect to softness.
Softness is actually a mixture of many different attributes including, drape, hand, and tactile response. For example, drape is different from softness and hand. It is in part the ability for a sheet to form or adjust around an object.
The determination of material “hand” – whether subjectively or objectively – is a rigorous process. Recognizing that mechanical properties of a material (bulk, extensibility, etc.) can be manipulated, measurement of hand is usually compared to something else. “Silk like” is an example of a fair description of hand. Sample “A” being smoother and more silk-like than Sample “B” would be another valid characterization of hand. Refer to this book on the topic.
The Micrex Process Softens Substrates to Improve Products
The Micrex Process softens a substrate through “working” or “breaking” the web. Micrex converted products are used as wipes and absorbent linings, are sewn into medical gowns, and are used in a large variety of other applications.
Micrex is an industry standard for high-end products:
Example: Sontara® wiper processed on the Microcreper’s comb roll configuration
- Increased softness, drape and bulk
- Fine embossed pattern added to the wiper surface
- Mechanical process – no chemicals or effluents involved
- Dry process – no steam or drying needed
- Result: minimized operating costs
Sontara® is a registered trademark of DuPont, Inc.
Example: Medical papers processed on our “rigid retarder” configuration
- Used for surgical gowns, drapes and other “Operating Room” applications
- Benefits from the Micrex process: improved comfort, reduced noise, improved absorbency