Overview Of Experiments

To improve our anti-microbial liner we need to use the best fabric available to us. We have selected 7 different fabrics to undergo testing (click here to view them). To narrow these fabrics down to one we created 5 tests. Once we completed these tests it was data crunch time. Our results as well as pictures of the testing can be found in the Experiments drop down menu for each test or just click below:

Wash Test

Tear Test

Bacteria Growth Test

Bacteria Detection Test (grocery bag test)

Heat Test

Odor Test

From our 5 tests conducted we have found that Pro Soft antimicrobial fabric has been the most successful. The science team is happy to say this will be the inside layer used on our liner!

Summarized Plan For Each Test

Fabrics Capstone

Our team strives to be as accurate as possible. Every round of a test is conducted exactly like the one before it.

Fabrics We Tested

7 fabrics have been selected to undergo testing. We would love to test a wider variety of fabrics, but time and budgetary constraints limited us to the fabrics you see below. The kite fabric and blue nylon rip stop are made slightly differently than each other despite the similarities between them.

Pro Soft Waterproof Anti-microbial Fabric (highest cost/best quality)

Nylon Rip Stop Fabric (dark blue)

Taffeta Lining (blue taffeta)

Taffeta Lining (white taffeta)

Kite Fabric (Called Grey Nylon Rip Stop in some tests)

Jersey Knit Anti-microbial Fabric

Interlining

Summarized Results

NOTE; This is just a summarized version of each test, full results can be seen in the drop down menu or just click on the name of the test.

Wash Test:

  • Pro Soft: PASS
  • Taffeta (blue): FAIL
  • Taffeta (white lining): FAIL
  • Kite (AKA Grey Nylon Rip Stop): PASS
  • Jersey Knit; PASS
  • Nylon Rip Stop; PASS
  • Interlining: FAIL

All Fabrics marked 'FAIL" are not tested further and are dropped from consideration

Odor Test (Higher Rank means less smell) :

  • Tuna Scent:
    • 1- Pro Soft
    • 2- Dark Blue Nylon Rip Stop
    • 3- Jersey Knit
    • 4- Kite (Grey Nylon Rip Stop)
  • Vinegar:
    • 1- Kite
    • 2- Pro Soft
    • 3- Dark Blue Nylon Rip Stop
    • 4- Jersey Knit
  • No Smell (control)
    • 1- Dark Blue Nylon Rip Stop
    • 2- Pro Soft
    • 3- Kite
    • 4- Jersey Knit

Overall the Pro Soft did the best in this test, but the Dark Blue Rip Stop also showed some positive results.

Bacteria Growth Test

  • Pro Soft - Test 1: Growth Low; Test 2: Growth High
  • Dark Blue Nylon Rip Stop - Test 1: Growth High; Test 2: Growth Medium
  • Kite - Test 1: Growth High; Test 2: Growth Medium
  • Jersey Knit - Test 1: Growth High; Test 2: Growth High

All fabrics had growth on them, but the Pro Soft had the least during one test, and showed about the same growth as all others during our other test. Other fabrics showed medium growth in the first test.

Tear Test:

Although result interpretation is mostly qualitative and often varied from viewer to viewer, we came to the most definitive conclusion possible. To see the pictures for yourself, view Tear Test in the drop down menu or click here.

  1. Jersey Knit
  2. Pro Soft
  3. Grey Rip Stop
  4. Dark Blue Rip Stop

Heat Test: All fabrics had nearly the same attributes, therefore a result could not be determined.


Although it can't be definitively concluded the Pro Soft was the 'best' fabric, it showed great bacterial repulsion, scent repulsion, wash-ability, and tear resistance. Perfect traits for our antimicrobial liner.