Dimensions of most fabrics change after cleaning (particularly
laundering), with most change occurring after the first laundering
cycle and dimensions stabilising after five or ten launderings [5]. In
addition to dimensional change, other changes to fibres occur with
multiple washing and drying cycles; the fibres becoming more
fragile and an increased number of fibre fractures occur, the extent
pilling of may increase and fibre fibrillation is visible microscopically
[6]. Laundering may also cause further yarn relaxation,
swelling and re-arrangement of the fibres [7]. Thus, the fabrics
stabbed by Kemp et al. [4] may not exhibit the same visual
characteristics if further laundered. The aim of the study was to
determine whether washing and drying affected the severance
morphology of this set of stabbed fabrics.