[01] Victoria Doris Amankrah, Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Komenda College of Education, Komenda, Ghana. [02] Mavis Koranteng, Department of Vocational Education, Ola College of Education, Cape Coast, Ghana. [03] Pamela Alikem Afua Nyadroh, Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Ada College of Education, Ada, Ghana.

This study was centred on washing cycles using Key and Sunlight Soaps on the colours of attributes of Akosombo Textile Limited (ATL) and Dong Yu Textile Company Limited (DYTCL) Kente fabrics. A factorial design was used for the study. Two printed Kente fabrics from Akosombo Textiles Limited (ATL) and Dong Yu Textile Company Limited (DYTCL) were sampled for the study. The lottery method sampling technique was used to sample 164 specimens from the two selected fabrics. The main instruments for the data collection were a pair of scissors and a pattern cutter. The washing of the fabrics were done in three cycles. The data were first coded and entered into Statistical Package for Service Solutions (SPSS) software version 16.0. The data were presented using tables of frequencies and percentages. Descriptive statistics, inferential statistical analyses were undertaken to assess the statistical significance of the observed differences in the colourfastness and tensile strength of the two fabrics as they underwent washing in Key and Sunlight soap solutions for three washing cycles. A one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test for significant differences in colourfastness and tensile strength between the two fabrics after undergoing three washing cycles in Key and Sunlight soap solutions. An independent sample t-test was used to test for significant difference between ATL and Dong Yu fabrics. An error margin of 0.05 was used for all inferential analyses. The study concluded that, ATL Kente print performed better with Key soap than with Sunlight soap, whereas Kente print from DYTCL performed virtually the same with the two soaps. It is recommended that, Consumers of printed Kente fabrics are advised to use Key soap to wash instead of Sunlight soap.

Washing Cycles, Key and Sunlight Soaps, Kente, Akosombo Textile Limited, Dong Yu Textile Company Limited

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