Thermo-Physiological Comfort Properties of Sportswear ...

29, Apr. 2024

 

Thermo-Physiological Comfort Properties of Sportswear ...

Consumers expect high-performance functionality from sportswear. To meet athletic and leisure-time activity requirements, further research needs to be carried out. Sportswear layers and their specific thermal qualities, as well as the set and air layer between materials, are all important factors in sports clothing. This research aims to examine the thermal properties of sports fabrics, and how they are affected by structure parameters and maintained with different layers. Three inner and four outer layers of fabric were used to make 12 sets of sportswear in this study. Before the combination of outer and inner layers, thermal properties were measured for each individual layer. Finally, the thermal resistance, thermal conductivity, thermal absorptivity, peak heat flow density ratio, stationary heat flow density, and water vapor permeability of bi-layered sportswear were evaluated and analyzed. The findings show that sportswear made from a 60% cotton/30% polyester/10% elastane inner layer and a 100% polyester outer layer had the maximum thermal resistance of 61.16 (×10 3 K·m 2 W −1 ). This performance was followed by the sample made from a 90% polyester/10% elastane inner layer and a 100% polyester outer layer, and the sample composed of a 100% elastane inner layer and a 100% polyester outer layer, which achieved a thermal resistance value of 60.41 and 59.41 (×10 3 K·m 2 W −1 ), respectively. These results can be explained by the fact that thicker textiles have a higher thermal resistance. This high-thermal-resistance sportswear fabric is appropriate for the winter season. Sportswear with a 90% polyester/10% elastane inner layer had worse water vapor resistance than sportswear with a 60% cotton/30% polyester/10% elastane and a 100% elastane layer. Therefore, these sports clothes have a higher breathability and can provide the wearers with very good comfort. According to the findings, water vapor permeability of bi-layered sportswear is influenced by geometric characteristics and material properties.

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1. Introduction

Due to an increase in interest in the indoor–outdoor sports and outdoor leisure hobbies, there has been a considerable growth in sportswear consumption in recent years. More interest in sports has been fueled by more leisure time, increased health awareness, increased indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, and the advent of well-designed functional apparel [1]. The use of active sporting materials has increased in recent years, allowing them to serve several activities while maintaining comfort. The use of cutting-edge textile science and technology in the production of sports and leisurewear materials is advancing every day in order to meet the demands for the improvement of performance in athletic and leisure activities [2]. Many sports activities have different clothing expectations, and the requirements for sportswear change according to the weather. For example, cold-season sports apparel must provide adequate thermal insulation as well as weather protection [3]. In dry weather, windproof clothing may suffice, but in wet weather, a waterproof outer layer is required. Low heat insulation qualities and high air permeability are expected from clothes worn in hot weather conditions to reduce heat stress. Water repellency properties are preferable to air permeability blocking in hot and rainy weather conditions [4].

Much research has focused on bi-layer structures to achieve a high level of comfort [5,6,7,8,9,10]. This is because the performance of layered fabrics in thermo-physiological regulation is better than that of single-layer textile structures [11,12,13,14]. Several researchers have investigated the influence of fiber fineness and cross-sectional shapes [15,16] as well as the effects of fiber type, stitch type [17,18], yarn type [19], fabric structure [20,21,22,23,24], bi-layer fabrics [25,26,27], multi-layer sportswear [28,29], blended fabric [30,31], and 2D and 3D designs of sportswear [17,32,33,34].

Researchers reported that bilayer fabrics (knitted/woven) can be used as moisture-management fabrics without any additional treatments [30,35]. Mbise et al. found that the hydrostatic pressure difference between the two layers of spacer fabric is one of the factors affecting moisture transfer [8]. A studies on the effect of yarn composition and knitting structure on bi-layer knitted fabrics [36]; a comparative study of eri-silk, wool, and bamboo knitted fabrics [37]; and a study of 100% eri-silk for active sportswear applications [38] have previously been conducted. The air permeability, water vapor permeability, thermal conductivity, wicking, and drying ability of bi-layer knitted fabric made up of polypropylene as the inner layer and modal as the outer layer with one tuck point of repeat were found to be higher when compared to other bi-layer, plated, and single jersey structures [6].

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Udaya Krithika et al. explored the moisture management capabilities of bi-layer knitted fabrics knitted using the same or various mixtures of cotton and polypropylene yarns. The face and reverse surfaces of micro-denier polyester and polyester staple fiber were investigated. The moisture management qualities of the fabrics created which determined the warm-cool feeling were evaluated, and the micro-denier polyester (inner) and the micro-denier polyester (outer) fabric had a higher moisture management property, offering high levels of comfort; it was recommended for summer, active, and sportswear, according to the findings [7]. shows the construction methods of bi-layer sportswear fabrics. The combination of layers can use adhesive bonding or stitching. Bonded layers provide high tensile strength, and bonds have the potential advantage of design flexibility. However, in terms of operating costs and total processing time that may be used to earn a profit, toxicity stitching is more effective than bonding [39].

Researchers found that a bi-layer knitted fabric with a one-tuck point made of bamboo had higher air permeability, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability, wicking ability, and drying rate than other materials, while moisture absorption was reduced [40]. Synthetic material with good moisture transfer properties, such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, or polypropylene, is used on the inside of a multiple-layer textile, whereas a material that is a good absorbent of moisture (e.g., cotton, wool, viscose rayon, or their blends) can be used on the outside [2,41,42,43]. According to Thangamuthu et al., when using a double-layer fabric, the inner layer that comes into contact with the skin should be made of synthetic materials with good moisture-transfer qualities, such as polyester, acrylic, nylon, and polypropylene. Materials with strong moisture absorption capabilities, such as cotton, wool, viscose, or their blends, are suggested for the outer layer [6,44].

According to the literature review, the most popular choice for sportswear is a combination of several layers. Earlier research, on the other hand, only looked at a small number of fiber blended textiles. The impact of fabric structure and the order in which sports fabric layers are mixed on garment comfort have not been investigated. In recent years, many sportswear manufacturers have begun producing numerous varieties of sport layers with a range of fabric properties. However, previous research has not fully addressed these developments to determine the improved quality of existing sports clothing. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of cloth layering in garments and their maintenance on the thermal comfort of sport fabrics. Sport fabric layer combinations and their effects are also within the scope of this research. Sportswear, thermal conductivity, thermal absorptivity, thermal resistivity, peak heat flow density ratio, stationary heat flow density, and related parameters including water vapor permeability resistance were evaluated and analyzed.

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