Vertical and Horizontal Wicking Rate
topic
Vertical wicking tests suspend a fabric strip with its lower edge immersed in coloured water and measure the height of liquid rise at timed intervals, while horizontal wicking measures the radial spread area of a liquid droplet placed on a horizontal fabric surface; both methods quantify capillary transport velocity as a function of fabric architecture and fibre surface energy.
Role
Foundational moisture transport test for sportswear, medical textiles, and agricultural nonwovens, enabling engineering of wicking rates matched to perspiration production rates and application-specific liquid delivery requirements.