Abstract: To study the memory properties of shape memory woven fabric with high tightness, fifteen shape memory fiber(SMF)/cotton woven fabrics of high tightness in which SMF show different distribution was designed and developed for the experiment together with a reference fabric on shape memory property. The result show that the numerical value on shape fixity ratio(Rf) of all fabrics is in high consistency level. As a whole with the increasing of SMF content the shape recovery ratio(Rr) would rise more distinct in warp direction than in weft direction. If the tightness in one direction of a fabric is higher than a certain limit the frictional resistance between warp and weft would cause performance insufficiency of shape recovery in another direction. The contraction and shear effect caused by tensile loading on one direction of a fabric make it having certain shape memory property also in another direction even if SMF is distributed only in one direction. When high tightness woven fabric have a fixed SMF content or have no SMF at all in one direction, the shape memory properties in another direction would rise with the increasing of SMF content.

Key words: high tightness, shape memory fiber, cotton, woven fabric, shape memory property