Thermal resistance of fabrics vs. thermal insulation of clothing made of the fabrics

Abstract

The protection of a human body against the negative environmental factors, especially the cold, is one of the crucial functions of clothing. Clothing creates a thermal barrier between the human body and the surroundings. The protective efficiency of clothing goods depends mostly on thermal insulation properties of textile materials applied in clothing. The clothing design, fitting to a user’s body, and a number of layers also play an important role in the phenomenon of the heat exchange between the human organism and its surroundings. The thermal insulation properties of textile materials can be measured by means of different testing devices, such as the “skin model,” the Alambeta, the Permetest, and the Thermo Labo. A measurement of clothing goods from the point of view of their thermal insulation is performed using a thermal manikin. The article presents an investigation of thermal insulation properties of vests by means of thermal manikin. The investigated vests have been made of different textile materials: woven and knitted. The thermal insulation properties of fabrics applied in vests have been measured by means of the Alambeta. The article presents and discusses the relationships between the thermal insulation of vests according to the thermal manikin and the thermal resistance of fabrics applied in the vests.