Tukatech introduces the first “feel factor value” to all their fabrics based on a mathematical calculation using bend and surface friction values in all warp, weft, and shear directions.
Fabric feel factor is a number which someone may be able to learn and associate in their mind when imagining what the fabric will feel like. This is similar to understanding a weather report where for example the temperature is 56 degrees Fahrenheit but “feels like” 65. This “feels like” conveys that the temperature is warmer than the current temperature. This may be due to various reasons in the environment for that day including wind velocity and humidity. Simply telling the relative humidity is a certain value or that the wind is at a certain velocity does not instantly convey the feel factor of the temperature. However, if it is told that the temperature feels like 65 degrees it instantly conveys what to expect.
A similar analogy has been applied to fabrics. For example, most of apparel people know from experience how soft a fine silk scarf feels like and know that burlap is rough. A number can be assigned to fabrics that will convey to the mind the feel factor of the fabric. If the softest fabric was a 10 on a scale of one to 10 and the roughest was a 1 then the others are all in between. This determination from most used fabrics now can be classified with reference number for each and a feel factor for new fabric will help design community to “digitally feel” the fabric while they can see the drape and movement of fabric in TUKA3D. These values can then be tabulated and the mean for each fabric taken and assigned to that fabric.
“What do you feel when someone say it feels soft like baby’s skin, or it tastes too salty, or the sound is too loud. As humans, we do have our sensory abilities to predict taste or listening on a decibel factor, same senses can relate these “feel factor” to predict the feel of fabrics by comparison numbers of known fabrics. We wanted to give designers the “feel factor” to help speed up the product development process in digital format as well as consumers to digitally feel the fabric before making their purchase” said Ram Sareen, CEO-founder of Tukatech.
For more information about our latest fabric feel factor feature, TUKA3D or any other solutions, email here.
