Conduct Physical Experiments
in World's Consumer Relevant Terms

Consumer-relevant Dingy and Double Dingy (DD) Monitors specially built to leverage

brand's claim discovery and to balance technologies with consumers' benefits

The in-vitro dingy and double dingy monitors are test fabrics models fabricated on commercial fabrics, used by detergency labs as test monitors to be washed/dried according to actual laundry practices around the world.

Compared with conventional non-consumer relevant technical monitors, our dingy monitors are fully washable in specific domestic procedures in line with what happens in the real market to support total cleanliness performance claims and to balance formulations with a consumer-centric approach.

Ample set of clean, soiled and stained fluorescent dingy and double dingy test fabrics according to more than ten (10) regional laundry markets: India (two versions), China (two versions), South-east Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Japan, Western Europe, Russia, Balkans, Middle East/North Africa, Latin America, USA/Canada, Africa Sub-Saharan.

Their specific intended use is to represent real dingy or double dingy white and white-coloured garments that world's consumer use to evaluate laundry results, in the fields of cleanliness, whiteness, colour-care and olfactive-cleanliness.

For the first time in the industry, they provide a relevant visual and olfactive context to understand sensory perceptions. It has opened the door to new instrumental analysis approaches as well as to novel alternatives to conduct sensory analysis not only at lab facilities but also with consumers under real visual and olfactive scenarios.

Laboratories using consumer-relevant dingy monitors are entitled to use the web app Laundry-VR. Laundry-VR is the most advanced digital tool to transform laboratory data into consumer insights and brands associations.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs):

Why dingy or double dingy? What is that?

Why use in-vitro models?

What means spectroscopically characterised?

What is the influence of pigments on cleanliness and whiteness?

Dingy Monitors:

Before: wash 00

After: wash 15

Whiteness Perception. Medium and Long term.

Code: DINGY_WM/

Specified intended use: to represent commercial new and worn (clean dingy) white garments, in which world�s consumers evaluate whiteness attributes, like prevention and restoration, after multiple consecutive household washing/drying processes

One (1) monitor contains six (6) different fabric swatches. Three (3) original white commercial fabrics, plus their three (3) clean dingy versions

There are six (6) different white fabric swatches per monitor. Three of them (first row) represents commercial white garments pre-washed in one cycle with a generic detergent with no dyes and fluorescent agents, and the others three (second row) represents their clean dingy versions after ten (10) cycles of washing/drying cycles, DINGY_CL. Clean dingy fabrics can follow different standard market realities (India, China, Latin America, Europe, USA or others) or customised specific realities according to client needs.

This standardised monitor contains one piece of knitted cotton 100%, one piece of woven poly/cotton 65:35, one piece of knitted cotton/lycra 92:8, and their clean dingy versions. Each swatch of 15 cm X 15 cm, total monitor of 30 cm X 45 cm.

Selling unit: per package of twenty five (25) units

Minimum order: one (1) package of twenty five (25) units

Regular price: US$ 50.5o / unit

Detergency data from these monitors can be processed-analysed-visualised using the web app Laundry-VR. More at: Laundry-VR link

Why dingy? What is that?

Before: wash 00

After: wash 01

Immediate Whiteness and Initial Cleanliness Perception / Body and Ambient Soil Removal

Code: DINGY_SD/

Specified intended use: to represent commercial soiled worn (soiled dingy) white garments, in which world�s consumers evaluate immediate whiteness improvement, or immediate general cleanliness, after first household washing/drying processes

One (1) monitor contains three (3) different fabric swatches. Three (3) homogeneously soiled dingy test fabrics

There are three (3) different fabrics, soiled dingy test fabrics. In just one (1) soiling step, a clean dingy fabric DINGY_CL is soiled uniformly with a combination of fresh body and ambient soils. The final monitor is obtained after a total of eleven (11) washes. All fabric shows a yellowish or greyish or reddish cast pending on the combination of clays used in the process. Soiled dingy fabrics can follow different standard market realities (India, China, Latin America, Europe, USA or others) or customised specific realities according to client needs.

This standardised monitor contains one piece of knitted cotton 100%, one piece of woven poly/cotton 65:35, one piece of knitted cotton/lycra 92:8, soiled dingy versions. Each swatch of 15 cm X 15 cm, total monitor of 15 cm X 45 cm.

Selling unit: per package of twenty five (25) units

Minimum order: one (1) package of twenty five (25) units

Regular price: US$ 54.5o / unit

Detergency data from these monitors can be processed-analysed-visualised using the web app Laundry-VR. More at: Laundry-VR link.

Why dingy? What is that?

Specific Cleanliness Perception. Stains Remotion

Code: DINGY_TN/XX/ (specific for each stain or monitor)

Specified intended use: to represent commercial stained worn (stained dingy) white garments, in which world�s consumers evaluate cleanliness in the garment context, by remotion of specific stained areas after first household washing/drying processes

One (1) monitor contains one or several stained areas immersed in a dingy substrate that surrounds it

This is a dingy test fabric with a localised stained area(s) that represents a stained worn garment ready to wash. Several relevant stains are applied manually at real concentrations levels onto shaded clean dingy fabrics DINGY_CL, wich is obtained previously after a total of ten (10) cycles of washing and drying. Surrounding dingy fabrics can follow different standard market realities (India, China, Latin America, Europe, USA or others) or customised specific realities according to client needs

E. Environmental Soils Monitors

E.1. Combination of three (3) environmental soils and one (1) dingy context in one monitor
Substrate: Dingy cotton 100%. Code: ES1

Each monitor dimension: ~20 cm X ~22 cm

Selling unit: per package of twenty five (25) monitors

Minimum order: one (1) package of twenty five (25) monitors

Regular price: US$ 21.7o / monitor

F. Food and Drink Soils Monitors

F.1. Combination of three (3) drink soils and one (1) dingy context in one monitor
Substrate: Dingy poly/cotton 65:35. Code: DS1

Each monitor dimension: ~20 cm X ~22 cm

Selling unit: per package of twenty five (25) monitors

Minimum order: one (1) package of twenty five (25) monitors

Regular price: US$ 21.7o / monitor

F.2. Combination of three (3) food soils and one (1) dingy context in one monitor
Substrate: Dingy poly/cotton 65:35. Code: FS1

Each monitor dimension: ~20 cm X ~22 cm

Selling unit: per package of twenty five (25) monitors

Minimum order: one (1) package of twenty five (25) monitors

Regular price: US$ 21.7o / monitor

F.3. Combination of three (3) food soils and one (1) dingy context in one monitor
Substrate: Dingy poly/cotton 65:35. Code: FS2

Each monitor dimension: ~20 cm X ~22 cm

Selling unit: per package of twenty five (25) monitors

Minimum order: one (1) package of twenty five (25) monitors

Regular price: US$ 21.7o / monitor

Individual Stains in Monitors (not for collar&cuffs or armpit)

Monitors with individual stains onto a dingy surrounding are produced on knitted cotton 100% or woven poly/cotton 65:35, clean dingy fabrics. Each monitor dimension of ~11 cm X ~12 cm

Selling unit: per package of fifty (50) units of each stain

Minimum order: one (1) package of fifty (50) units of each stain

Regular price: US$ 7.9o / unit

Detergency data from these monitors can be processed-analysed-visualised using the web app Laundry-VR. More at: Laundry-VR link.

Why dingy? What is that?

The Standardised Persistent Body-like Malodorous Monitor

A unique way to measure consistently olfactive cleanliness under a consumer relevant olfactive context:

Code: DINGY_MS/

Specified intended use: to represent commercial worn (clean dingy) white garment with persistent body-like malodorous, that world�s consumers use to evaluate olfactive cleanliness, by masking residual malodorous after first or consecutive household washing/drying processes

One (1) monitor contains one (1) fabric swatch with a homogeneously yellowish or greyish cast.

Deposition and redeposition of body soils during continuous cycles of wearing-washing-drying-wearing, accumulate organic fatty-like residues on fabrics, mainly synthetics, capable to be oxidised by temperature and natural UV radiation; this reality generates peculiar malodorous easy to notice as characteristic of long-life used garments. This condition is well noticed in bed-sheets and underwear, usually poly/cotton mixtures, which is nearly not-removed by normal laundry processes. CONSUMERTEC has reproduced these conditions in a standardised way, creating a set of test fabrics to act as a consumer relevant context for olfactive cleanliness perception studies.

It is expected that contains a complex odour profile characterised by: aldehydes, organic acids, ketones and esters with fatty smell notes from lipids oxidation, strongly fixed to synthetic fibres. These monitors, have been in use by CONSUMERTEC during the last decade, as a unique and valuable tool to differentiate fragrance technologies present or capable to be present in the laundry market in products like soaps, detergents, softeners, boosters and alike.

These standardised monitor are prepared on:

• woven poly/cotton 65:35, used on shirts, blouses, bed linen
• knitted cotton 100%, used on t-shirts, underwear
• knitted cotton/lycra 92:8, used on sports and casual garments
• knitted poly/cotton 65:35, used on blouses, shirts, underwear, and sports garments

Each monitor of 15 cm X 15 cm

Selling unit: per package of fifty (50) units

Minimum order: one (1) package of fifty (50) units

Regular price: US$ 13.8o / unit

Why dingy? What is that?

The Coloured and Dingy White Monitor

Colour-care perception with simultaneous local contrast effects:

Code: DINGY_CC/

Specified intended use: to represent commercial worn (clean dingy) coloured garment that combines white and colour areas, in which world's consumers evaluate colour-care benefits of laundry products after consecutive household washing/drying processes

One (1) monitor contains six (6) fabric swatches, four (4) coloured, one (1) original white and one (1) clean dingy white

Current trend in the garment industry is the combination of colours and whites strips. One colour cloth is now the exception. This textile trend is a real challenge from the colour-care perspective, because now the problem is not only to preserve colours but also to preserve the whites areas, because if both are part of the visual scenario, there is full interaction between them. Detrimental changes in the whites areas will affect significantly the colour-care perception due to local contrast effects, colour will be perceived dull. This new dingy monitor from CONSUMERTEC offers for the first time a practical standardised alternative to technology innovators to experiment in the field of colour care in consumer relevant terms.

Contrast effects or chromatic induction are very well know phenomenology in vision science but not implemented in the detergency industry, due to the regular use of basic colorimetric procedures. Algorithms to compute this visual effect needs a more complex approach. CLLS collection of algorithms coded by CONSUMERTEC offers this capability grounded on very recent advances in numerical models to represent more realistic interaction between white and colour in the same surface visual scenario.

The monitor contains four (4) coloured swatches which are new original fabrics, commercial or standardised (AISE standards). Additionally it contains one (1) white swatch which is a new original fabric and another one (1) which is a clean dingy swatch, DINGY_CL, prepared according to relevant consumer realities, i.e. it represents a clean dingy white garment after ten (10) cycles of washing/drying cycles following different standard market realities (India, China, Latin America, Europe, USA or others) or customised specific realities according to client needs.

This standardised monitor is prepared on cotton 100%. Each monitor of 22 cm X 40 cm.

Selling unit: per package of twenty five (25) units

Minimum order: one (1) package of twenty five (25) units

Regular price: US$ 22.6o / unit

Detergency data from these monitors can be processed-analysed-visualised using the web app Laundry-VR. More at: Laundry-VR link.

Why dingy? What is that?

The Dingy Aged Coloured Monitor with Fabric Damage

To measure fabric-care attributes of laundry products:

Code: DINGY_CD/

Specified intended use: to represent commercial worn coloured garment with fabric damage after consecutive cycles of washing/drying and abrasion, in which world's consumers evaluate fabric-care benefits of laundry products after more consecutive household washing/drying processes

One (1) monitor contains four (4) fabric coloured swatches, two (2) original or new, two (2) aged with fabric damage

The majority of everyday coloured clothes are not new. They have become noticeably different to similar new garments after successive cycles of washing and drying after use. Some level of fabric damage appears, specially pilling in cotton and poly/cotton fabrics, which is formed due to rubbing or abrasion during normal wear: the �aged garment�. Some laundry technologies have shown the potential to both exacerbate the fabric damage or restore, in some level, the garment�s appearance.

In line with this, CONSUMERTEC has developed these unique kind of test monitors by a combination of ten (10) cycles of washing/drying with soil ballast, and abrasion using robotics arms to rub fabrics in a full controlled way. Coloured aged monitors, original and aged, are offered to assist R&D efforts to verify/discover brand�s claims or to balance consumer benefits with technologies cost. It is recommended to use instrumental analysis to quantify changes on colour appearance and visual sensory analysis to quantify changes on pilling content.

One unit of the monitor contains four (4) commercial swatches:

• two (2) originals, one cotton 100% (light grey or blue) and one poly/cotton (light violet or light blue), 15 cm X 15 cm each
• two (2) aged/deteriorated, one cotton 100% (light grey or blue) and one poly/cotton (light violet or light blue), 15 cm X 15 cm each

Selling unit: per package of twenty four (24) units. ninety six (96) total swatches: forty eight (48) original swatches and forty eight (48) aged swatches

Minimum order: one (1) package of twenty four (24) units

Regular price: US$ 20.5o / unit. US$ 492.oo / package

Instrumental data (colour change) from these monitors can be processed-analysed-visualised using the web app Laundry-VR. More at: Laundry-VR link.

Double Dingy Monitors:

Dingy collar&cuff:

Double dingy collar&cuffs:

Collar and Cuffs Stained Monitor. Dingy and Double Dingy

Code: Dingy_TN/CP/ or D-Dingy_TN/CP/

Specified intended use: to represent commercial stained worn (stained dingy) white garment collars, in which world�s consumers evaluate cleanliness in the collar context, by remotion of the specific stained area after first household washing/drying processes

Dingy version contains one (1) double-layered fabric swatch with two (2) areas: collar and cuff stained area immersed in a dingy substrate that surrounds it

Double dingy version contains one (1) single-layered fabric swatch with two (2) areas: collar and cuff dingy stained area immersed in a dingy substrate that surrounds it

Consumer cleanliness assessment of laundry product is not the same around the world, but it has been found that some washing problems are nearly the same despite different cultures and habits. Consistently, remotion of easily perceived stains present on white collar and cuffs constitute one of the icons linked to final consumer value delivered by laundry products.

Unfortunately this simple cleanliness perception fact from the consumer point of view, is a very complex process from the R&D perspective, not only due to the complexity of the inorganic and organic constituents of the stain, but also due to the interaction of different fabric surroundings (the area in direct contact with the skin and the rest of the collar area) on final consumer cleanliness perception. CONSUMERTEC, using a custom-built non-contact mini spectrofluorimeter, has characterised the absolute spectrometric properties of very small fabric areas (less than 6 mm2), like the strip-shaped remanent collar and cuffs stained area after some process of wash, and its fabric surrounding, as well as accurate determination of typical fluorescence spectroscopy properties like: quantum absorptance function, quantum yield, and total, reflected and luminescent radiation coming from the fabric and capable to reach consumer's eyes.

Our approach is a test fabric with a stained area on different dingy surroundings that simulate a worn white collar. with one area of fresh stain in case of dingy version or a dingy stain in case of double dingy version that mimic the combination of body and ambient soil, specifically a mixture of components of four groups: sweat gland secretions, sebaceous gland secretions, dead skin cells, and ambient particle and dust. The final monitor is obtained after a total of ten (10) washes and one (1) complex staining step. Surrounding dingy fabrics can follow different standard market realities (India, China, Latin America, Europe, USA or others) or customised specific realities according to client needs.

1. Dingy version:

• Prepared on double-layered woven poly/cotton 65:35 or one-layered cotton 100%. Each monitor of 10 cm X 10 cm.
• Selling unit: per package of fifty (50) units
• Minimum order: one (1) package of fifty (50) units
• Regular price: US$ 12.5o / unit
  

2. Double dingy version:

• Three (3) additional cycles of soiling and washing on a dingy substrate
• Prepared on one-layered woven poly/cotton 65:35 or one-layered cotton 100%. Each monitor of 10 cm X 10 cm.
• Selling unit: per package of fifty (50) units
• Minimum order: one (1) package of thirty three (33) units
• Regular price: US$ 18.8o / unit.
  

Detergency data from these monitors can be processed-analysed-visualised using the web app Laundry-VR. More at: Laundry-VR link.

Why dingy? What is that?

Double dingy armpit on poly/cotton:

Double dingy armpit on cotton:

Armpit Stained Monitor. Double Dingy

Code: D-DINGY_TN/AX/

Specified intended use: to represent commercial stained worn (stained dingy) white garment armpit area, in which world�s consumers evaluate cleanliness in that area context, by remotion of the specific stained area after first household washing/drying processes

One (1) monitor contains one (1) fabric swatch with two (2) areas: armpit stained area immersed in a dingy substrate that surrounds it

Probably is the second more problematic and common body stain in the consumer market and from the consumer point of view, a truly headache for the person in charge of laundry. From a technical point of view this is really complex stain that results from the interaction of deodorant product ingredients with underarm human secretions and proteinaceous residues, under oxidative conditions at certain temperatures, in a continuous cycles of wearing and washing.

Our approach has been to model and simulate consumer realities in order to obtain a standardised stain with relevancy to different market scenarios.The visible stain is generated after three (3) cycles of staining and washing, onto a clean dingy fabric. The final monitor is obtained after a total of thirteen (13) washes. Relevancy depends on different commercial deodorants present in the market, and different surrounding fabric's dingy conditions, which in turn can follow different standard market realities (India, China, Latin America, Europe, USA or others) or customised specific realities according to client needs.

• Prepared on knitted cotton 100% or woven poly/cotton 65:35. Each monitor of 11 cm X 12 cm.
• Selling unit: per package of thirty three (33) units
• Minimum order: one (1) package of thirty three (33) units
• Regular price: US$ 18.6o / unit
  

Detergency data from these monitors can be processed-analysed-visualised using the web app Laundry-VR. More at: Laundry-VR link.

Why dingy? What is that?

Double dingy menstrual fluid:

Double dingy socks:

More Double Dingy Monitors:

1. Underwear Liner with Menstrual Fluid. Double Dingy

Code: D-DINGY_TN/MF/

Combination of blood and proteinaceous material

• Three (3) cycles of soiling and washing on a dingy substrate
• Prepared on knitted cotton 100%. Each monitor of 11 cm X 12 cm.
• Selling unit: per package of thirty three (33) units
• Minimum order: one (1) package of thirty three (33) units
• Regular price: US$ 18.6o / unit

2. Socks. Double Dingy

Code: D-DINGY_TN/SS/

Combination of particle inorganic and proteinaceous material

• Three (3) cycles of soiling and washing on a dingy substrate
• Prepared on knitted cotton 100%. Each monitor of 11 cm X 12 cm.
• Selling unit: per package of thirty three (33) units
• Minimum order: one (1) package of thirty three (33) units
• Regular price: US$ 18.6o / unit

3. Urine-related area. Double Dingy

Code: D-DINGY_TN/UR/

Combination of electrolytes and organic non-fluorescent and fluorescent dyes

• Three (3) cycles of soiling and washing on a dingy substrate
• Prepared on knitted poly/cotton 65:35. Each monitor of 11 cm X 12 cm.
• Selling unit: per package of thirty three (33) units
• Minimum order: one (1) package of thirty three (33) units
• Regular price: US$ 18.6o / unit

4. Pillow. Double Dingy

Code: D-DINGY_TN/PW/

Homogeneous soiled area (not focal stained area) by a combination of fatty, inorganic and proteinaceous material

• Three (3) cycles of soiling and washing on a dingy substrate
• Prepared on woven poly/cotton 65:35. Each monitor of 15 cm X 15 cm.
• Selling unit: per package of thirty three (33) units
• Minimum order: one (1) package of thirty three (33) units
• Regular price: US$ 16.5o / unit

Detergency data from these monitors can be processed-analysed-visualised using the web app Laundry-VR. More at: Laundry-VR link.

Why dingy? What is that?

In order to ensure quality, test fabrics are subject to an instrumental evaluation control when each batch of fabric is completed; it is done according to the amount of fabric, which is recorded on a control chart. Coefficient of variance of less than 5% is guaranteed.

The fabric should be stored in a dark place and at low temperatures (approximately 5�C). It is also recommended that the package be opened only when tests are to be conducted. Under these conditions, the fabrics will have a six-month life expectancy.

• Standard delivery under Incoterms rule EXW (Ex Works)
• Delivery time for materials in stock, less than one (1) labour week. Delivery time for materials not in stock is less than three (3) labour weeks
• Payments are due in 30 days invoice date. Invoice is delivered as a service of material preparation, in .pdf format, once the order is received.
• DHL is our preferred international courier. Others under request.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The "clean" fabric worn by consumers is not clean, it is a "dingy" fabric (�percudido� in Spanish or �encardido� in Portuguese). After the first cycles of wearing/washing/drying/wearing, some level of body and ambient soil redeposition occurs as well as white fabrics become yellowish due to a light induced loss of fluorescence, and finally become tinted by deposition of dyes coming from others garments and more importantly by deposition of dyes present in laundry product to improve visual perception. Therefore white clean garments in the market are really clean dingy garments, not-new-garments ready to wear, not ready to wash.

CONSUMERTEC has designed a group of test fabrics to represent this complex reality relevant to the worldwide laundry market. Laundry markets that we represent are: India (two versions), China (two versions), South east Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Japan, Western Europe, Russia, Balkans, Middle East/North Africa, Latin America, USA/Canada, Africa Sub-Saharan. Each laundry market has been characterised by: environmental particle matter, land clays and dust, natural sun radiation during drying/wearing, washing conditions and laundry products. The general code of these group of clean dingy monitors are Dingy_CL.

In real market conditions, clean dingy garments become soiled or stained during consumer wearing:

• worn garments are considered soiled by consumers if a general appearance is different to the original clean status, usually a yellowish or greyish cast is easily detected visually in most of garment surface which is corroborated by smell evaluations and crease presence. The general code of these group of soiled dingy monitors are Dingy_SD

• beside that, worn garments are considered stained when an extraneous material-coloured area is easily detected visually; some garment areas typically checked looking for stains are among others: knees areas, front areas, collar and cuffs, armpits, and pants bottom areas. The general code of these group of stained dingy monitors are Dingy_TN

• finally, some worn garment areas are considered as dingy stained areas when the same area becomes soiled or stained in a repetitive fashion: soiled, then washed partially, then soiled again; with the obvious consequence that soils tend to accumulate and then become difficult to be removed, the �tough stained areas.� Examples of such areas/soils are: collar&cuffs, armpit, socks, menstrual fluid, pillows and urine-related garments including pet-fabrics. The general code of these group of double dingy (DD) monitors are D-dingy_TN

The word dingy is also used by consumers in regards to a different, yet related, aspect. It is used to refer to a specific garment area, an area that became soiled and stained nearly every time the garment was worn. Examples of such areas/soils are: collar&cuffs, armpit, socks, underwear liner (with menstrual fluid), pillows and urine-related garments including pet-fabrics. In all of these cases, a specific area in a garment becomes noticeably soiled, then washed, then soiled again in a repetitive fashion with the obvious consequence that soils tend to accumulate and then become difficult to remove: the �tough dingy areas�. In line with this, CONSUMERTEC develooped the double dingy (DD) monitors, a group of test monitors that combine two consumer-relevant facts: dingy soiled/stained areas on dingy substrates. Currently available DD monitors are: collar&cuffs, armpit, underwear liner (with menstrual fluid), socks, pillows and urine-related fabrics, produced after ten (10) cycles of washing/drying of the substrate and three (3) more cycles of soiling and washing to generate the dingy stained area.

Finally, continuous redeposition of body soils, including fatty materials present on dingy fabrics, become a source of unpleasant smells in used garments, not removed during washing cycles, but masked by some laundry products and not by others. Consumers easily detect this peculiar rancid-like smell on worn fabrics which is characteristic of long life garments. The general code of these group of malodorous dingy monitors are Dingy_MS

Consumer understanding means experimentation. The challenge for innovation teams is to understand how different consumer segments around the world perceive benefits during the complex interaction with brand and products under a myriad of scenarios. The only reliable way is to characterise market realities piece by piece, one in a time. In-vitro models are one of those pieces.

Using in-vitro dingy test fabrics models, for whiteness, cleanliness, olfactive-cleanliness or colour-care understanding, marketing teams will be more confident in using fabric monitors which appear similar to the real ones. R&D teams use in-vitro models to include market realities in the lab, and have the opportunity to conduct experiments to understand the influence of several variables, including different technologies and formulas, on final performance from the point of view of the market.

CONSUMERTEC dingy fabrics are part of the experimental work at detergency labs as well as part of marketing activities to collect consumer responses from visual sensory analysis at home level under real visual scenarios.

Most of CONSUMERTEC monitors are produced from commercial white fabrics, which means fabrics with high levels of fluorescent agents and pigments applied in the textile mills. That simply fact changes everything in fabric subsequent reflected and emitted radiant energy capable to reach consumer eyes. Extraneous material on them generate complex collisional fluorescence quenching process, that changes significantly fluorescence emission profiles and quantum absorption functions. For that reason, in order to predict further changes on fabric reflectance and emission under illuminant with different UV relative content, it is mandatory to precisely characterise the fluorescence properties of dingy fabrics, which become fabric fingerprints, and the starting point to generate predictive spectral properties.

For many years the laundry industry introduced coloured pigments on bar, powder and liquid detergents only due to aesthetics reasons, and the favourable consumer acceptance was interpreted as a matter of product hedonics. However in the last decade, new understandings about visual perception, specifically the importance of lightness and colour contrast, have helped to move our attention on the positive influence that pigments would have on cleanliness and whiteness perception. Now this field is part of the brand and product design efforts.

Low levels of shading dyes with a greenish, bluish or reddish cast, combined with the greyish and yellowish shade due to soils redeposition and loss of fluorescence (after several cycles of washing and drying), configure the specific fabric surrounding area for the remanent stained area after some washing process. Final consumer cleanliness-enough perception will rest on final comparison of those two areas; by this way pigments design affect cleanliness perception, and that will be more or less critical depending on fabric-pigment affinity.

Whites are not the perfect white (100% reflectance of incident radiation on the visible spectrum). Commercial white fabrics on the garment markets contain high levels of fluorescent agents and are well pigmented, mainly with a bluish, greenish or reddish cast. On the consumer side, the acceptable and preferred level of whiteness is strong affected by previous perception during years as well as local conditions like white fabrics on the market and also by leading pigmented washing products. Finally, what consumer segments consider as enough and acceptable level of whiteness on critical garments after 10, 30 or more than 50 washes (as happens with white school uniforms), has to be locally characterised and understood, and well planned as part of the consumer value proposal which is designed by innovation teams.

Last but not least, it is now well understood that during soaking stages, the visual perception of wetted pigmented white fabrics, i.e. the level of change detected in comparison with the dirty condition, has a definite influence on the final consumer cleanliness and whiteness benefit perception, which is a good example of a priming effect; in other words the product has to show that performs fine from the beginning! Therefore, visual perceptions of pigmented wetted fabrics at the soaking stage (when exists) has also be designed.

Spectral reflected radiance factor. Dingy fabrics wetted with pigmented laundry products, during soaking stage: