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Improving comfort in clothing

Edited by G Song, University of Alberta, Canada.

Woodhead Textiles Series No. 106

Wear comfort has been listed as the most important property of clothing demanded by users and consumers according to recent studies. A fundamental understanding of human comfort and a knowledge of how to design textiles and garments to maximise comfort for the wearer is therefore essential in the clothing industry. Improving comfort in clothing reviews the latest developments in the manufacturing of comfortable apparel and discusses methods of improving it in various articles of clothing.

The book begins by outlining the fundamentals of human comfort in clothing, from the human perception of comfort in apparel and factors which affect it such as the properties of fibres and fabrics, to laboratory testing, analysing and predicting of the comfort properties of textiles. Part 2 discusses methods of improving comfort in apparel, from controlling thermal comfort and managing moisture, to enhancing body movement comfort in various garments. Part 3 reviews methods of improving comfort whilst maintaining function in specific types of clothing such as protective garments, sports wear and cold weather clothing

The international team of contributors to Improving comfort in clothing has produced a unique overview of numerous aspects of clothing comfort, provides an excellent resource for researchers and designers in the clothing industry. It will also be beneficial for academics researching wear comfort.

ISBN 1 84569 539 9
ISBN-13: 978 1 84569 539 2
November 2010
480 pages  234 x 156mm  hardback  
Approx. £150.00 / US$255.00 / €190.00

Not yet published

About the editor

Dr Guowen Song lectures in human ecology at the University of Alberta, Canada. His research concentrates on the protection and comfort of textile materials and garments with particular emphasis on the understanding and modelling of heat and moisture transfer in clothing.

Titles which may also be of interest:
Clothing biosensory engineering
Thermal and moisture transport in fibrous materials
Biomechanical engineering of textiles and clothing
Engineering apparel fabrics and garments
Textiles for cold weather apparel
Advances in apparel production

Contents

PART 1 FUNDAMENTALS OF COMFORT AND ASSESSMENT
PART 2 IMPROVING COMFORT IN APPAREL
PART 3 IMPROVING COMFORT IN PARTICULAR TYPES OF CLOTHING

PART 1 FUNDAMENTALS OF COMFORT AND ASSESSMENT

Factors affecting comfort: human physiology and the role of clothing
A Kumar Roy Choudhury, P K Majumdar and C Datta, Government College of Engineering and Textile Technology, India
 - Definition of comfort
 - Human physiological aspect of comfort
 - Energy metabolism and physical work
 - Human heat balance
 - Clothing as near environment
 - Various aspects of clothing comfort
 - Comfort variables
 - Effective temperature and comfort chart
 - Response to extreme temperature
 - Development of heat stress and its control
 - Protective clothing
 - Future trends and further information and advice
 - References

Properties of fibers and fabrics that contribute to human comfort
S A Hosseini Ravandi, Isfahan University of Technology and M Valizadeh, University of Guilan, Iran
 - Introduction
 - Comfort properties of fibers
 - Physical modification of fibers
 - Comfort properties of yarns
 - Comfort properties of fabric structures
 - Conclusions
 - References

Wool and garment comfort
J Stanton, Department of Agriculture and Food (Western Australia), Australia
 - Introduction
 - Wool quality
 - Benchmarking: wool quality in retail garments
 - Comfort in wool garments: a new assessment protocol
 - Wool garment comfort assessment
 - Comfort response of individuals
 - Wool quality and garment comfort
 - Conclusions
 - Sources of further information and advice
 - Acknowledgments
 - References

How consumers perceive comfort in apparel
F S Kilinc-Balci, Auburn University, USA
 - Introduction
 - How humans sense comfort
 - The nervous system
 - Human brain
 - Skin and its functions
 - Structure of the skin
 - Senses and sensory receptors
 - Skin and senses
 - Sensations and fabrics
 - Psychological factors and overall comfort perception
 - Conclusions
 - References

Laboratory measurement of thermo-physiological comfort
L Hes, Technical University of Liberec, Czech Republic and J Williams, De Montfort University, UK
 - Introduction
 - Thermo-physiological comfort
 - Thermal resistance
 - Water vapour transport
 - Air permeability
 - Wicking, buffering and absorbency
 - New developments and future trends
 - References

Testing, analyzing and predicting the comfort properties of textiles
F S Kilinc-Balci, Auburn University, USA
 - Introduction
 - Characterization of comfort
 - Testing, analyzing and predicting neurophysiological comfort
 - Testing, analyzing and predicting thermophysiological comfort
 - Design-oriented comfort model
 - Future trends
 - References

PART 2 IMPROVING COMFORT IN APPAREL

Improving thermal comfort in apparel
C Ho, J Fan, E Newton and Raymond Au, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, P.R. China
 - Introduction
 - Different approaches of improving the thermal comfort of clothing
 - Conclusions
 - References

Improving moisture management in apparel
R S Rengasamy, Indian Institute of Technology, India
 - Introduction
 - Transport of perspiration
 - Fundamentals of moisture transfer between human body and environment
 - Factors influencing moisture transport
 - Improving moisture transport
 - Clothing requirements for different environmental conditions
 - Developments in moisture management
 - Future trends
 - References

Improving tactile comfort in fabrics and clothing
A Das and R Alagirusamy, Indian Institute of Technology, India
 - Introduction
 - Comfort and neurophysiology
 - Human tactile sensation
 - Fabric mechanical properties and tactile- pressure sensations
 - Warmth or coolness to the touch of fabrics
 - Improving the textile surface properties for tactile sensation
 - Predictability of sensory comfort
 - Improving electrostatic propensity
 - Future trends
 - Conclusions
 - References

Garment pattern design and comfort
P Watkins, London College of Fashion, UK
 - Introduction: Fundamental principles of fit in apparel
 - Clothing comfort and fit
 - Manual and mechanical stretch testing
 - Stretch pattern development
 - Future trends
 - Conclusions and sources of further information and advice
 - References

Improving body movement comfort in apparel
S P Ashdown, Cornell University, USA
 - Introduction: fundamental principles of movement in apparel
 - Fashion and functional apparel: aesthetics, protection, performance and movement
 - Materials and design strategies to provide appropriate movement performance
 - Movement and garment stretch/pressure/compression
 - Research and testing of prototype designs for comfort and movement
 - Future trends
 - Sources of further information and advice
 - References

PART 3 IMPROVING COMFORT IN PARTICULAR TYPES OF CLOTHING

Evaluating the heat-stress and comfort of fire-fighter and emergency responder protective clothing
R Barker, North Carolina State University, USA
 - Introduction
 - Background
 - Laboratory tests for clothing heat stress
 - Laboratory tests for clothing comfort
 - Research needs
 - References

Improving comfort in military protective clothing
S Duncan, DRDC Suffield, T McLellan, DRDC Toronto and E G Dickson, Royal Military College of Canada, Canada
 - Introduction
 - Historical perspective
 - Threat level and concept of operations
 - Understanding system level whole-body protection: baseline performance
 - Civilian style protective systems
 - Adsorptive undergarments
 - Cold war individual protective equipment (IPE)
 - Post-gulf war individual protective equipment (IPE)
 - Asymmetric operations individual protective equipment (IPE)
 - Conclusions
 - Future trends
 - Acknowledgements
 - References

Balancing comfort and function in textiles worn by medical personnel
W Cao, California State University - Northridge and R M Cloud, Florida State University, USA
 - Introduction
 - Surgical gowns
 - Surgical gloves
 - Surgical masks
 - Future trends
 - References

Improving comfort in sports and leisure wear
V T Bartels, Bartels Scientific Consulting GmbH, Germany
 - Introduction
 - Market share of sports and leisure wear and affected group of users
 - Definition of sports and leisure wear
 - Influence of sportswear on everyday and leisure wear fashion
 - Physiological demands on sports, everyday and leisure wear
 - Testing sports, everyday and leisure wear comfort
 - Textile constructions for sports, everyday and leisure wear
 - Application examples
 - Recent and future trends in sports, everyday and leisure wear
 - Testing comfort of sports, everyday and leisure wear
 - Conclusions
 - Sources of further information and advice
 - References

Cold weather clothing and comfort
I Holmér, Lund University, Sweden
 - Introduction
 - Thermal comfort and heat balance
 - Requirements for comfort in the cold
 - Principles for cold weather clothing
 - Future trends
 - Sources of further information and advice
 - References

Achieving comfort in intimate apparel
W Yu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, P.R. China
 - Introduction
 - Sensorial comfort for intimate apparel
 - Thermal comfort for intimate apparel
 - Motion comfort for intimate apparel
 - Aesthetical comfort for intimate apparel
 - Hygienic comfort for intimate apparel
 - Acknowledgements
 - References