curing

Curing is a textile finishing process that involves baking a garment or its components in a heated chamber. This process serves two main purposes: to permanently set creases in fabrics, particularly in "permanent press" or "durable press" garments, and to decompose auxiliary materials used during sewing, such as backing for embroidery.1

In the context of durable press fabrics, curing is essential for imparting characteristics like shape retention, permanent pleating, and wrinkle resistance. This can be achieved through precuring, where the resin-treated fabric is dried and cured before garment construction, or postcuring, where the garment is made and then cured. Drying, a related process, removes excess moisture from textiles using mechanical methods and evaporation, with careful control of temperature, humidity, and time to avoid making the fabric harsh. Bleaching, another preparatory finishing process, is used to whiten fabrics by removing natural color or impurities, often using chemical agents like hydrogen peroxide.234