Wrinkle Resistant Fabric

Wrinkle resistant finishes were developed in the early 20th century, as to deal with fabrics derived from cotton, rayon, and linen which were found to wrinkle easily and retain them. Synthetics like polyester, nylon, acrylic and olefin, have a natural resistance to wrinkles and a greater stability since they do not absorb water as efficiently. Wrinkle resistant treatments have been used since 1929, when cotton fabrics were treated with a solution of urea and formaldehyde. The chemical treatment stiffened the fabric, thus making it wrinkle-resistant. By 1950s fabrics made from synthetics and treated cotton were described as “wash-and-wear” to point out that there was no need to iron them. The claim was though somewhat dubious in the sense that they did require some touch-up ironing. In the 1960´s and 1970´s, the developments in the chemistry of textile-treatments led to the discovery of DMDHEU, a chemical agent that made possible a low-cost but superior-quality production of permanent-pressed fabrics, which are now known as durable-pressed finishes. However, these processes weakened clothes; as a result, they wore out faster.