Fulling

in the manufacture of textiles, the process of shrinking or condensing woolen and worsted fabrics to render them firmer and stronger. The primitive method of fulling cloth was to tread it with the bare feet in water. It is said that our surnames of Fuller, Walker, and Tucker all came from the fact that those who performed this labor, variously called fulling, walking, and tucking, were called by these names.

The present process of fulling is understood more readily by one to whom the condition of woven fabrics as they come from the loom is familiar. Many of the fabrics admired and found serviceable by reason of their close, firm weave appear loose, elastic, and almost flimsy before the fulling process. The shrinking of blankets and woolen garments, whereby they lose elasticity and gain in thickness and hardness, is avoided carefully by the housewife. The fulling process performed in the manufacture of the very fabrics from which these garments are made is, however, a necessity. Not only the beauty, but in many instances the durability and warmth of a material would be lacking were this process omitted. Fulling is effected by the application of moisture, heat, and pressure. The cleansing and scouring of the fabric is accomplished ordinarily at one operation with the fulling. This scouring rids the cloth of the oil used previous to spinning, and of the sizing used in dressing the warp. The cloth is well saturated with hot water and soap and, in the fulling mill, as the machine is called, is pressed and squeezed between wooden rollers partly immersed in water. Twelve hours in the mill will shrink ordinary cloth two-fifths in breadth and one-third in length. The goods are taken out of the mill frequently, and are stretched, turned, and inspected. Experience and judgment are required by the fuller, as the length of time cloth should be fulled varies greatly. After fulling, the soap is washed from the fabric, and it is tentered, that is, stretched carefully that it may dry evenly.

See Oiling; Sizing