pool durability testing for Metamorphoses
Sep. 27th, 2013 04:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
labricoleuseAt Playmakers Repertory Company, our next two shows of the season (which will run in repertory using basically the same set between both of them) will be Shakespeare's The Tempest, and the Greek mythological drama Metamorphoses.
Those who are familiar with Metamorphoses will perk up--the script calls for a pool of water onstage, in which a lot of the action occurs. This presents an interesting range of challenges for costumers, as we have to look at how the various textiles and costumes will hold up to repeated and prolonged submerging in chlorinated water. As the dyer for this production, that's my responsibility to conduct that testing.
Yep, this is a trash can full of pool water, which is currently located in my dye facility, and in which i have been conducting the submersion tests. Each piece of fabric gets put through the pool water, then hand or machine washed, hung or tumbled dry. I have repeated this process up to 25 times on each swatch.
The small swatches on the left are the brand new, unprocessed fabrics. The larger swatches that take up the rest of the page have been through the pool 25 times. So far we have excellent colorfastness on all the fabrics i've tested! We have, however, had significant shrinkage and loss of elasticity on two of the stretch/knit fabrics tested.
Here's a test i ran for colorfastness on a swatch of custom-printed "performance knit" from Spoonflower.com.
The top "control" piece is untreated, the bottom piece has been through the pool 25 times
with no significant loss of color or print clarity!
Another thing we've been working on in tandem with our props department is water resistance treatments, how to make things go through the pool without getting sodden. My crafts assistant, Lydia Hanchett, and our props assistant Joncie Sarratt, have been experimenting with the Rustoleum product NeverWet. NeverWet is a two-part process, a base coat and top coat, which result in a superhydrophobic surface. It adheres to a range of different surfaces, so Lydia and Joncie have been testing it out on various fabrics, paper, feathers, and other items. Check out some of the results!
Above: Video in which Lydia demonstrates how water rolls off the surface of stretch mesh Powernet fabric.
Paper props test sheets featuring a variety of inks. These pages have been submerged in water--the left one is untreated and soggy and falling apart, but the center and right one are completely intact and dry, both of which were treated with NeverWet. Also shown: fabric rose petal, actual feather, and wooden ornament, all of which completely withstood submersion.
The NeverWet treatment does not stand up to laundering--it would have to be reapplied after washing for anything that did need cleaning. It also does not withstand abrasion, so isn't good for a surface that is going to take a beating in performance. Still, the possibilities are pretty cool, no?
Those who are familiar with Metamorphoses will perk up--the script calls for a pool of water onstage, in which a lot of the action occurs. This presents an interesting range of challenges for costumers, as we have to look at how the various textiles and costumes will hold up to repeated and prolonged submerging in chlorinated water. As the dyer for this production, that's my responsibility to conduct that testing.
Yep, this is a trash can full of pool water, which is currently located in my dye facility, and in which i have been conducting the submersion tests. Each piece of fabric gets put through the pool water, then hand or machine washed, hung or tumbled dry. I have repeated this process up to 25 times on each swatch.
The small swatches on the left are the brand new, unprocessed fabrics. The larger swatches that take up the rest of the page have been through the pool 25 times. So far we have excellent colorfastness on all the fabrics i've tested! We have, however, had significant shrinkage and loss of elasticity on two of the stretch/knit fabrics tested.
Here's a test i ran for colorfastness on a swatch of custom-printed "performance knit" from Spoonflower.com.
The top "control" piece is untreated, the bottom piece has been through the pool 25 times
with no significant loss of color or print clarity!
Another thing we've been working on in tandem with our props department is water resistance treatments, how to make things go through the pool without getting sodden. My crafts assistant, Lydia Hanchett, and our props assistant Joncie Sarratt, have been experimenting with the Rustoleum product NeverWet. NeverWet is a two-part process, a base coat and top coat, which result in a superhydrophobic surface. It adheres to a range of different surfaces, so Lydia and Joncie have been testing it out on various fabrics, paper, feathers, and other items. Check out some of the results!
Above: Video in which Lydia demonstrates how water rolls off the surface of stretch mesh Powernet fabric.
Paper props test sheets featuring a variety of inks. These pages have been submerged in water--the left one is untreated and soggy and falling apart, but the center and right one are completely intact and dry, both of which were treated with NeverWet. Also shown: fabric rose petal, actual feather, and wooden ornament, all of which completely withstood submersion.
The NeverWet treatment does not stand up to laundering--it would have to be reapplied after washing for anything that did need cleaning. It also does not withstand abrasion, so isn't good for a surface that is going to take a beating in performance. Still, the possibilities are pretty cool, no?
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no subject
Date: 2013-09-27 09:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-28 01:22 am (UTC)It does change the hand of the fabric in that it makes it feel a bit gritty, so i would not use it on something like a pillowcase someone had to actually lie on, but for like, a dress train it would be great.
no subject
Date: 2013-09-28 01:33 am (UTC)Of course because of the property of not withstanding a cleaning or abrasion process, you'd have to have some duplicates so that your wardrobe crew could have time to reapply it to a costume after cleaning, while still having a fresh and treated costume available for the next performance, depending on the production schedule.
But wow, what a cool effect it could be in the right situation!
no subject
Date: 2013-09-28 01:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-28 01:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-27 09:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-28 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-28 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-28 01:17 am (UTC)I think it will evaporate from the pool quicker than from the trash can, because the pool will be of equivalent depth but much greater surface area.