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Wetting and Wicking -1The most important property of any apparel is comfort. It is a qualitative term and it is one of the most important aspects of clothing. The clothing comfort can be divided into three groups, i.e. physiological, tactile and thermal comfort. Physiological comfort is mainly related to the latest fashion trend and the acceptability in the society and bears little relation to the properties of the fabrics. The tactile comfort has relationship with fabric surface and mechanical properties. The thermal comfort is related to the ability of the fabric to maintain the temperature of the skin through transfer of heat and perspiration generated within human body. Distinguished aspect of wear comfort of clothing is “Thermo physiological wear comfort” which concerns the heat and moisture transport properties of clothing and the way that helps the clothing to maintain the heat balance of the body during various levels of activity. Moisture management is a technique, which helps in fulfilling the thermo-physiological comfort. Moisture management often refers to the transport of both moisture vapour and liquid water (perspiration) from the surface of the skin to the atmosphere through the fabric. Synthetic polymer fibers are playing a significant role in industry for special end use applications. One of the applications involves the formation of yarns to be made into performance fabrics through knitting or weaving. Clothing made of performance fabrics are said to be designed not only for fashion or just a passive cover for the skin, but to critically influence the comfort and performance of the wearer. Mills and manufacturers have engineered these fabrics to manage moisture, regulate temperature, and provide protection from the surrounding environment. They are designed to interact with and modify the heat-regulating function of the skin as the surrounding environment interacts with them. Mainly, performance fabrics are engineered to keep the body dry during vigorous athletic activities. Keeping the body dry, especially during cold weather sports, ensures that the wearer does not lose heat unnecessarily by having wet skin. Interaction of a fabric with moisture affects the two main categories of body comfort: sensorial and thermophysiological (thermal). Sensorial comfort pertains to the satisfaction of the wearer as the fabric or garment is perceived by the basic senses of the body. This type of comfort may be affected by how a fabric feels against the skin, how it appears to the eye, how it smells, or even how it sounds. In the case of performance fabrics worn in hot climates, how a fabric feels to the wearer is one of the most important attributes. Performance fabrics help to ensure that the athlete does not start to feel clammy because, in general, “dry feels better”. Thermophysiological comfort describes hoe the fabric controls the microclimate, which is the air encompassing the body. This type of comfort is crucial during activities performed in colder climates. For example, Polyester based fabrics do not conduct heat, therefore, the air between the body and the fabric increases in temperature due to entrapment of body heat. This is one of the reasons why Polyester is used as a base layer in cold weather sports. If the base layer fabric absorbs and retains moisture it loses this property and its ability to keep the body warm. In general, this type of comfort describes how hot or cold the fabric makes you feel. Continued... Next Page |
