What Is Crocking? Wet and Dry Crocking on Fabrics Explained

Crocking is the transfer of dye from the surface of a dyed or printed fabric onto another surface by rubbing. Wet crocking occurs when the fabric is damp or wet; dry crocking occurs when the fabric is dry. Wet crocking is almost always more severe than dry crocking because moisture mobilises dye molecules that would otherwise remain fixed.

Crocking is tested to ISO 105-X12 using a standard rubbing cloth that is pressed against the fabric sample and rubbed a defined number of times under controlled pressure. The degree of colour transferred to the rubbing cloth is assessed against the Grey Scale, with 5 indicating no transfer and 1 indicating severe transfer. Contract upholstery fabrics should achieve a minimum of grade 4 dry and grade 3 wet to be acceptable for general use.

For a complete guide to crocking, colour fastness testing, and what the grades mean for specification, see our colour fastness and crocking guide. For dye types and how they affect crocking risk, see our dye types guide.