In response to consumer demand for more easy care apparel that is comfortable and durable, the Woolmark Company launched its Total Easy Care Knitwear (TECK) program in 1997. A TECK survey revealed that 70 percent of those queried wanted their wool apparel to be machine washable and 50 percent would pay up to 10 percent more for machine washable woolen apparel. To take advantage of demand in the United States, Woolmark introduced easy care knitwear via the Tommy Hilfiger brandname. Liz Claiborne now has 146,000 easy care garments in its men's and women's collections. Woolmark will target the European market to take advantage of the increased use (50 percent of households by 2006) of tumble dryers among consumers. A special porous resin sheath of 0.13 micron thick makes TECK garments comfortable and durable while providing shrink resistance. Success of TECK garments revolve around elimination of felting shrinkage, relaxation shrinkage, and facing-up.