#Dyeing, Drying, Finishing

2025-07-03

WickView Moisture Management Tester recognized by new AATCC industry standard

James Heal’s WickView Moisture Management Tester now has an official industry standard, with the new test method just released by The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), TM217-2025 – Liquid Moisture Management Vertical and Horizontal Wicking - Image Analysis.

WickView Vertical with laptop © 2025 James Heal

In a revolutionary advancement in moisture management assessment, the test method TM217-2025 has been developed by the AATCC in conjunction with the textile test instrument designer and manufacturer James Heal, to help the textile and garment industry to better understand wicking properties in textile fabrics.

The new test method requires an advanced test instrument that incorporates state-of-the-art imaging technology and data analysis to measure, evaluate and classify wicking properties of textile fabrics, oriented in both vertical and horizontal directions, uniquely provided by the James Heal WickView.

This method of testing does not replace existing tests, which use basic distance and time as a measure to assess the spread of moisture but gives an alternative that better reflects actual wear conditions, and therefore a truer picture of a fabric’s real-life performance.

Integrated cameras mounted either side of the test specimen within the WickView, uniquely track, record and measure the multidirectional movement of moisture through a fabric on both skin and face sides, even on patterned or dark fabrics. Numerous parameters can be measured for comparison, and features in the software allow users to identify and discount aspects that may skew the results, such as the effects of gravitational pull, giving the most precise results.

With the James Heal WickView and AATCC test method combined, textile laboratories can be confident that they are testing to achieve the most realistic, accurate results. A wealth of data is available within the WickView software, from video recordings of the live test through to the resulting graphs and tables showing the grades of performance across a range of parameters. All of which can be shared digitally.

James Heal Business Development Manager, Colin Whittaker comments, “Present-day developments called for a review of moisture management test methods to bring procedures in line with contemporary testing technology, and the AATCC has undoubtedly taken the lead in this. It has been a huge team effort involving every department at James Heal, with support and guidance from the team at AATCC.

The WickView combined with the new AATCC test method offers brands, retailers and manufacturers the opportunity to gain deeper insights into the moisture management of their fabrics and garments.”

AATCC TM 217-2025 is now available through the AATCC website and will be included in AATCC 2026 Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures, set to be released in January 2026.

Established in Halifax, UK in 1872, James Heal design and manufacture textile testing instruments and consumables, sold worldwide. The brand is part of the wider PPT Group, with sister brands each focusing on testing many aspects of materials and products.

SETEX turns dyeing and finishing data into daily production control

At ITM 2026, SETEX will show how textile mills can use machine, recipe, quality and energy data for more reliable daily production decisions — not as another reporting layer, but as part of the running dyeing and finishing process. With OrgaTEX X3 MES, E390x/C390x controllers, CamCOUNT and FabricInspector Portable, SETEX connects planning, machine execution and fabric-related quality insight within existing mill structures.

Tradition and Innovation – Phoenox Textiles Ltd. relies on state-of-the-art carpet back-coating line from Brückner

For more than 70 years, Phoenox Textiles Ltd. has been synonymous with quality, reliability, and inno-vation in the textile industry. Founded in 1954 in Huddersfield (Yorkshire, UK), a region with a long tradition in textiles, this family-owned business has continued to evolve without losing sight of its roots. Today, in its fourth generation under the leadership of the Mosley family, Phoenox successfully combines decades of experience with a clear, forward-looking corporate strategy.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.