Purpose The paper aims to investigate the dynamic measurement of the water vapour resistance. The water vapour diffusion kinetics depends on the fibre’s material. So, water vapour resistance measurement times till the equilibrium steady state can vary in the case of natural fibres compared to synthetic fibres. Devices for determining water vapour resistance according to the ISO 11092 standard allow static values to be measured. Design/methodology/approach In this study to investigate the dynamic of the water vapour resistance, a new parameter named “holding period” was introduced and defined as the time from sample placement on the measuring head until the measuring process begins. The holding period was varied as 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240 and 300 s. Wool and cotton knitted fabrics were tested as natural fibres and compared to 100% polyester and 90% polyester/10% elastane as synthetic fibres. Measurements were conducted under both air velocities of 1 and 2 m/s. The experimental test data were statistically analysed based on ANOVA and four-in-one residual plots. Findings Statistical analysis of experimental tests shows that the holding period affects water vapour resistance in both air velocities of 1 and 2 m/s and on the measured values in the case of hydrophilic fibres. Research limitations/implications The study of the dynamic relative water vapour permeability of natural and synthetic is an important area of interest for future research. Practical implications It is recommended to hold the samples on the top of the head measurement before starting the test. Originality/value Following the ISO 11092 standard, the static values of the water vapour resistance were measured without considering the dynamic behaviour of the water vapour diffusion through the textile fabrics. This paper fulfils an experimental dynamic measurement of the water vapour resistance.

The dynamic of cooling heat flow during evaporation of the simple jersey polyester fabrics was investigated in this study. The holding period as a new parameter was introduced to study the dynamic of cooling heat flow during evaporation from the skin through the jersey knitted fabric. The holding period intervals were chosen as follows: 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240 and 300 seconds. The Permetest skin model was used to study and visualize the dynamic of the cooling heat flow at different holding periods. Results demonstrated that adding elastane makes fabrics less cool. Three different stages were noticed concerning the cooling heat flow dynamic: the first with a maximum heat flow (Qmax) indicating the first contact properties of a textile material with the skin. The second is a transition phase where the cooling heat flow decreases to the minimum heat flow (Qmin), and then it reaches the equilibrium (Qeq) mentioning the beginning of the third stage with a constant heat flow. It was found that the holding period does not affect the measured water vapour resistance, in the case of polyester jersey fabrics.

Based on a mathematical formulation of the water flow for different wicking configurations (ascendant-horizontal and descendant), a combined ascendant, horizontal and descendant wicking experimental test was designed to provide detailed measurements of the pertinent wicking performance properties: capillary pressure and in-plane direction permeability. This method was proposed due to capillary flows found in standard vertical wicking tests as well as erroneous assumptions made in other wicking tests. The effective capillary radius was assumed to remain constant as the height of the liquid increases. This assumption would suggest that saturation, capillary pressure, and permeability are also constants. However, experiments show that these properties are only constants in the case of the descendant wicking when liquid front height is varied. The capillary pressure and permeability calculations were made using Darcy’s law and the Lucas-Washburn equation as a function of the saturation level. In the combined wicking test, conducting a horizontal wicking test allows us to calculate the effective capillary radius of a fabric as the saturation rate was found to be constant, which in turn can be used to solve for capillary pressure. That capillary pressure can then be used in a descendant wicking test, where the liquid front flow and the saturation rate remain constant, and Darcy’s law to solve for permeability. A series of experiments was conducted on cotton jersey knitting. The results showed that the ability to wick the water depends on pore size and porosity scales: macro and micropores. The in-plane water permeability was found to be directly related to the saturation rate.

Comfort is the prime need in clothing. It is affected by the properties of fibers, yarns, and fabrics. A good understanding of these factors is essential in the design and conception of functional clothes. Fabric design serves as a manufacturing tool to meet several end-use requirements. The construction specifications and design of knitted fabrics greatly influence the comfort level of the end-use garment. This study aims to investigate the effect of the knitting stitch type and the dyeing process on the clothing comfort of knitted fabrics. For this purpose, five structures were prepared by combining plain, float and tuck stitches: plain jersey, cross miss 1 × 1, single cross tuck, weft lock knit and Lacoste. Then, yellow, and black dyeing were applied. The investigated wear comfort properties were the drying time, the air permeability and the relative water vapor permeability. Tests were conducted on the finished and on domestically washed fabrics. The data obtained were statistically evaluated with Pearson correlation, paired t-test, analysis of variance analysis and the Tukey test. The results showed that tucked fabrics have the longest drying time combined with the lowest air and water vapor permeability. Black variants showed better drying behavior and higher water vapor permeability. Analysis of variance results showed that the structure has a significant effect on clothing comfort. However, the dyeing process exerts a significant influence only on the drying time and the relative water vapor permeability. The paired t-test results indicate that the domestic washing cycles significantly change the drying time and the air permeability of knitted fabrics.

The drying capacity of fabrics is an important feature for sportswear. Furthermore, the environmental impact of these products is crucial for the sustainability of the humankind. Combining the eco-friendly feature with clothing comfort is the golden solution. Claims have been made on the comfort level of COCONA® new biodegradable polyester yarn. This study is dedicated for investigating these claims. Six knitted fabrics were made in this work, three were made with COCONA® polyester yarn and three others were made with its biodegradable version. A comparison between the drying time, as a clothing comfort property, of these two groups of fabrics was done on finished and domestically washed fabrics. Results indicate that after finishing and washing, knits made with the biodegradable COCONA® yarn have a superior capacity for drying than knits made with the conventional COCONA® polyester yarn. After the domestic washing cycles, drying times of biodegradable fabrics show a slight improvement compared to the regular ones.

Water vapour diffusion through textile fabrics plays a crucial role in maintaining body comfort. Developing and producing comfortable textiles is a major challenge for manufacturers of fibres, yarns and fabrics. This study aims to develop a simple model to predict the water vapour permeability of textile fabrics as a function of their structural parameters to assist manufacturers in developing comfortable fabrics. To achieve this goal, geometric modeling of the woven structure was proposed to calculate porosity at the micro-and macro-pores level. Two mathematical models were introduced based on the principle of diffusion of water vapour through a textile fabric. To validate the two models, a series of 18 samples was prepared with three basic fabric structures: Plain, Twill and Turc Sateen. To vary the compactness of the structures, three weft densities were chosen: 18, 21 and 24 picks/cm. In addition, since the material influences water vapour diffusion, two types of weft yarns were inserted: 50% CO/50% PET and 100% PET. The results show that the two models are reliable for predicting water vapour resistance (Ret) depending on the structural parameters of the textile fabric.

The final colour prediction of a weave design made of dyed yarns is a difficult problem. This study shows how a geometric model can be developed to obtain the final colour prediction objectively. For this purpose, a woven material was divided into weft, warp and pores. Then, all parameters needed for the calculation of each colour contribution were identified. A geometrical model based on construction parameters was developed to predict the surface colour contribution of each coloured yarn in a weave surface. To validate the predicted colorimetric data, a visual assessment experiment was conducted. Then, the difference between the predicted and actual colour appearance of the weave pattern was evaluated and analysed in function of weaving structures, and weft yarns colours. For this purpose, simple woven structures (plain, twill 1/3, basket 2/2 and satin Turc) with four coloured weft yarns were used. Results show that the proposed model could correctly predict the final colour of weave designs. Therefore, the model has the potential to eliminate subjective evaluations and reduce prototype sample production by automating the process of weave/colour simulation, thereby reducing the cost and time for product development. The methods of utilization of colour in woven textiles depend upon the composition of the weave design to be woven and the structure parameters of the cloth.

Joining the great performance and sustainability is the clothing dilemma of the twenty-first century. Efforts have been made to invent new functional fibers without harming the environment, during the manufacturing process, or even after the product use. COCONA ® is a polyester yarn widely employed in sportswear for athletes, given its capacity to maintain the core temperature at an optimal range. The sustainable program launched by this yarn producer depicted adding a biodegradable character to their products while preserving the original functionalities. Our study aims to compare the wear comfort properties namely the air permeability, the water vapor permeability and the drying behavior of the two yarns (regular and biodegradable). In this study, six knitted fabrics were produced: where three using the regular COCONA ® yarn and three using the biodegradable COCONA ® yarn with the same pattern and machine settings. Results showed that using the biodegradable COCONA ® yarn increases the breathability and improves the drying capacity of loose knitted fabrics and it has no significant effect on tightly knitted structures.

Thermo-physiological comfort refers to the heat and moisture transport properties of clothing and how the clothing helps maintain the body's heat balance during various activities. To maintain the thermoregulation of the body, the resulting sweating should be absorbed by wicking fabrics close to the skin and evaporated to the ambient air. In this study, a mathematical model was developed considering evaporation during the capillary rise, based on the geometric configuration of a jersey-knitted fabric and taking evaporation into account. This model was used to calculate the evaporation coefficient. Based on the activities of the worker, sweat diffusion is controlled by capillary diffusion and moisture evaporation. The effect of air velocities of 0 m/s, 1 m/s, and 2 m/s, representing non-walking, walking, and running activities of a worker, respectively, was studied during capillary diffusion. The experiments were conducted at different relative humidities. The results show that the evaporation coefficient depends on the worker's activities and the relative humidity ratio.

Many parameters affect sportswear comfort. Therefore, we selected five sportswear fabrics designed for jogging and hiking T-shirts to study their structural characteristics and to investigate the influence of these characteristics on the clothing comfort properties. The areal weight, the thickness, the loop length and the course and wales densities were calculated. Investigations were performed on air permeability, water vapor resistance and drying time/rate properties of selected fabrics. We found that an increase in the mass per square meter and in thickness decreases the air permeability and increases the water vapor resistance of knitted fabrics. The air permeability is proportional to the loop length, while the water vapor resistance is inversely proportional to the loop length. Finally we did not find any significant relation between the fabric’s structure characteristics and the drying time/rate.

This study explores the influence of functionalization process of cellulosic structure on its mechanical and comfort properties. Chitosan hydrogel has been synthetized and applied on cellulosic fabric to impart pH-sensitivity and antimicrobial behavior. The hydrogel bounded rate onto the surface was enhanced by a previous chemical activation of cotton fabric. Antimicrobial behavior was confirmed by investigation of the antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogene and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The pH stimuli-responsiveness behavior was also confirmed and the pH-dependency swelling of the chitosan hydrogel was successfully transformed into cellulosic sites. The resulting fabric was confirmed suitable for medical, surgical and also transdermal therapy applications. Meanwhile, these modifications have unexpectedly altered basic mechanical and comfort properties. It was established that the proposed antimicrobial treatment caused slight decrease in air permeability and made the support thickener. The obtained results revealed also that tensile behavior and the ultimate comfort properties were greatly influenced by the chemical activation.

ABSTRACTIn this work, chitosan hydrogel has been synthesized and used to impart pH‐sensitivity and antimicrobial finish to cotton fabric. In order to enhance the incorporation rate of hydrogel, anionic, and cationic activation of the textile surface was applied and then compared. The antibacterial activity of the fabric was then studied. The results revealed an enhancement of the antibacterial activities of the modified fabrics against Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogene, and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria's. The capacity of material to respond to pH change was studied and confirmed using contact angle method. The anionic fabric treated with hydrogel showed a better pH‐responsiveness. Scanning electron microscopic testing results has also confirmed that the deposition of hydrogel was clearly better with the anionic activation. The characteristics of breathability of the fabrics were analyzed. The results show that the moisture management behavior of the finished materials is significantly better than the control one. Although the permeability to air has reduced by 10%, the permeability to water vapor remained practically unchanged. Furthermore, the effects of the antibacterial finishing on the physical properties of the cotton fabrics were also investigated. It was established that the functionalized samples have changed structure parameters, thickness, air permeability, tensile strength, and resistance to wrinkles. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46645.

The utmost parameters that measure the thermo-physiological comfort of garments are thermal conductivity. thermal absorptivity and water vapor permeability. In this paper, thermo-physiological comfort was studied with different weave design and moisture content. Thermal properties and water vapor permeability in dry and wet state of all fabric samples were determined by ALAMBETA and Permetest respectively. Results showed that the weaving structure and yarn composition in weft were closely related to the thermal properties and water vapor permeability in presence of moisture. Woven fabric samples were constructed by varying the weave design and weft composition. in wet state, moisture content up to 20%, weave structures exhibited non-significant behavior for thermal properties due to air fraction. As the moisture content enhanced, woven structure made with polyester weft yarn provided cooler feeling with skin contact.

Satisfaction of wearing of clothing is generally affected by clothing comfort properties and specifically by psychological perceptions of the wearer. A woven fabric mostly contains protruding fibers on the surface, which should be removed by burning, clipping, or brushing for appropriate processing. This paper deals with the effect of brushing on thermo-physiological comfort properties of woven fabrics. Three basic woven structures (plain, twill and sateen) were selected for this study. Thermal conductivity, thermal resistance and thermal absorptivity of these fabrics were measured by the Alambeta tester. Moreover, also water vapor permeability and air permeability were experimentally determined. The brushing treatment was applied manually by 1% and 3% of weight loss. A sample without brushing was considered as reference. Consequently, brushing affected the thickness, thermal properties, air permeability and water vapor permeability. With the increase in brushing application water vapor transmission decreased but thermal resistance increased.

In this paper, a saturation rate during the capillary rise of a textile fabric was determined. A mathematical model based on the Archie’s law, considering the electrical resistivity, saturation rate and fabric tortuosity was established. In order to determine the saturation exponent a calibration method was introduced. According to this method the spatiotemporal distribution of the saturation rate during the capillary rise is presented. This method was also used to evaluate the saturation rate during the horizontal and downward capillary rise. It was found that the saturation rate remains constant for the case of the horizontal and descending impregnation.

Satisfaction of wearing of clothing is generally affected by physical processes include heat and moisture transfer. Ironing is one of the most finishing process which is extensively used in garment manufacturing. This paper deals with the effect of ironing on thermo-physiological comfort properties of plain woven fabrics. Different fibre composition were selected for this study. Thermal conductivity, thermal resistance and thermal absorptivity of these fabrics were measured by the ALAMBETA tester. Moreover, water vapour permeability and air permeability were experimentally determined. Consequently, ironing affected the thickness, thermal properties, air permeability and water vapour

Our aim is in conceiving innovative processes in the whole recycling value chain, including the waste treatment fields in the objective to economize water, energy and to create clean and safe environment in the main establishments of the University of Monastir and in the City of Monastir. The main mission is to establish circular economy concept by creating a sustainable development, based on research, innovation, cooperation and participation. The main objectives of the Monastir living Lab (MoLL)is to widespread the good practices from the smart campus to the smart City! The strengths of Monastir Living Lab are the existance of an important synergy between research, industrial and societal activities, especially in textile and fashion domains, chemistry, water treatment, energetics, electro-mechanics, biotechnology and health science. The University of Monastir campus is essentially based on an important collaborations and projects with industry in textile, packaging, electric-electronic-laptop devices recycling, public organisations and associations. For research and development, our Living Lab is synergy with various laboratories and specialities from the University of Monastir (UM); a multidisciplinary university with a medical campus and a technologically campus. Furthermore, UM is very active in international cooperation with several European projects (Erasmus Mundus, Erasmus Plus, Tempus, H2020...).

A recycled textile materials were thermo physically characterized in terms of thermal conductivity and diffusivity. Two samples waste linter (WL) and tablecloth (WT) were produced by shredding and mixing. Thermal conductivity and diffusivity were experimentally determined by means of the Box Method equipped with a flash. The Parker equation and Degiovanni equation were used to evaluate the thermal diffusivity. Studied properties were compared to other usual building insulating materials. Results show that the thermal conductivity of WT and WL were 0.033W/mK and 0.039W/mK, respectively. In addition, the thermal diffusivity was found to be about 5.8×10−3m2/h in the case of WT and about 3.8m2/h·10−3 for WL sample. Therefore, the recycled textile materials have competitive thermal properties and could be used in the building insulations materials.

This study focus on the insulating thermal properties of an insulating composed of textile waste in order to exploit the many advantages by the implementation of such material: matter gain, environmental and ecological advantages, creation of job sites and finding a new field of exploitation of recycled textile waste. In this work, we have used two structures of textile waste samples comminuted: Textile linters of waste, “WL”, and a tablecloth of textile waste, “WT” to insulate the building by blowing or by recovery. This paper describes the results of research of hydrous behavior of such support and its impact on thermal properties, in particular, the diffusion coefficient of water vapor, the kinetic absorption, the moisture uptake and its effect on the thermal conductivity. Compared with other insulators, they present competitive thermal properties: Their conductivities varied between 0.033-0.059 w/mK for tablecloth and 0.039-0.063 W/mK for the linters respectively, when the relative humidity varies from 50% to 90%. Spite of their loss of insulation ability with increasing relative humidity, they could be considered, always, as civil construction insulation materials. They react rapidly to absorb a considerable rate of humidity (15.5% for the Tablecloth and 23.6% for linters of their dried weight), so moderate the climate by capturing the excess of moisture. Their diffusion coefficients of water vapor

Capillary kinetics of textile knitted fabrics are investigated considering the effect of transverse swelling in fiber and yarn scales. A mathematical model was developed based on the industrial construction parameters, the capillary mechanism and the swelling ratio on both porosity scales: macro and micro. The capillary kinetics are used to determine the yarn and fiber diameters after swelling and compared to those determined using a microscopic method. In order to validate our model, a series of experiments was conducted on jersey knitted fabric using raw materials with different swelling ratios: cotton and PET. The results showed good agreement between the two methods of diameter determinations.