The Kawabata Evaluation System (KES) is a system of sensitive electronic equipment designed to accurately measure the low-stress mechanical and surface properties of the whole range of flexible fibrous products, namely woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, and nonwoven materials. The system consists of a bending tester, a compression tester, a surface tester, and a combined tensile-shear tester. The uniqueness of the equipment lies in the fact that the instruments permit the measurement of the complete recovery behavior of the fabrics, in addition to the deformation behavior. Also, the peak loads for different mechanical tests can be pre-selected to suit the specific use of the test results (such as softness measurement, measurement of flexibility, surface roughness, elastic recovery, the ability to withstand cyclic loading, etc.). The precision and versatility of the equipment, therefore, provide unique opportunities to produce and deliver truly "engineered" products for a range of demanding end uses. The measurements can also be used to select the most appropriate raw materials, product designs, and processing parameters for a wide a range of products and production processes.

This paper describes the specific mechanical and surface properties that can be measured using the KES equipment. It gives some examples of how the measurements were used in recent years to improve nonwoven products and production processes. It also describes the future scope and application possibilities of the equipment for the nonwovens industry.