Active Sportswear Fabrics

Transcription

1 34 Active Sportswear Fabrics Dr. Devanand Uttam, Assistant Professor, Punjab Technical University, Giani Zail Singh Campus, Bathinda, India ABSTRACT In recent years, development in active sportswear fabrics has been progressing to perform high functions and to achieve comfort. The sportswear manufacturing textile industries not only keep their eyes on market diversification for fibrous materials but also on textile science and technology. The use of innovative textile science and technology in the manufacturing of sports and leisurewear fabrics is continuously enhancing day by day to fulfil the requirements for athletics and leisure activities for their better performance in the sports. The performance requirements of many sports goods often demand widely different properties. The contributing factors for developing active sportswear fabrics are: polymer science, fibre science, production techniques, lamination and finishing techniques to obtain sophisticated fibre, modified structure of yarns and fabrics. In this paper, literature related to fabrics properties and works done in development of sportswear have been reviewed. Keywords: Leisurewear, recreation textiles, Sportswear, Sporttech, technical textiles INTRODUCTION In twenty first century, clothing is an important issue for general consumer, active athletes and for those who practice sports just for fitness in their leisure time. The sports fabrics are generally ultra-breathable and have high heat and moisture management properties, light weight, fast drying properties and feature elasticity properties [1]. These fabrics also have superior strength and durability. The latest sports textile materials are much more function for fulfilling specific needs in different sports activities. The sports mean: i. Winter sports ii. Summer sports iii. Outdoor games iv. Indoor games v. Football vi. Cricket vii. Climbing viii. Cycling ix. Flying and sailing sports x. Atheletics xi. Other sports The people are paying more attention to sports activity and that the market for sportswear continues to expand, and those engaged in developing sportswear solutions in this field must therefore feel encouraged to produce an adequate response to these increasingly demanding expectations [2]. The consumers seem to be prepared to spend considerable amounts of money on sportswear and other functional fabrics, which have made the market attractive to many producers. Many researchers and industries are engaged to develop the functional active fabrics. In sports, previously a traditional apparel textile was used. For that the player has to face so many problems [1] such as: i. Sweating which stick the fabric with body ii. Feeling hot during run iii. Improper stretch ability iv. Extra weight of the fabric v. Give protection to body skin during fall on the ground vi. Inadequate fabric for fluid resistance for swimmer vii. Windproof, waterproof fabric for sailor viii. Light weight shoe with proper strength & air circulation ix. High tenacity & resistance to abrasion for the skiwear uniform x. Improper gripping of the shoes during run etc. Therefore, technology has to develop for the above shortcomings. And for that the research activity took place; and the country who were in the foremost are: Japan, Sweden, Spain and United State. Some research centre as well as the manufacturer who are leading in the sports textiles s are: Kanebo Ltd., Unitika Ltd., DuPont, W. L.GORE, Toyboo Co. Ltd., Teijin and Triangle research development corp. PROPERTIES/FUNCTIONS FOR SPORTSWEAR REQUIRED Many different aspects have to be considered when designing clothing for a particular sport [2,3]. 1. The protection/safety functions to protect wearers from adverse weather (wind, rain and snow, etc). 2. The comfort function which gives wear comfort (thermo-physiological comfort, skin sensorial comfort, body movement comfort) to wearers,

2 35 3. The exercise function to assist positively improvement of athletic records and attainment of one s target, 4. Aesthetic appeal and high fashion ability. S. Function No 1. Heat transport performances 2 Moisture transport performance Table 1: Functions of sport textiles [1] Description In order to meet such requirements, waterproof/moisture permeable fabrics, perspiration absorbing/ fast drying fabrics, warmth retentive fabrics, stretchable fabrics, etc. have been developed. Generally following functions are expected by active sportswear fabrics (Table 1): The sport fabrics require to maintain body temperature during various sports activities. The heat transport properties of fabric make possible to feel the sportsman cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The fibrous material, bulk entrapped air within the fabric affects the heat transport properties of the sportswear. By changing the cross sections of the fibre and by using special chemicals; fabrics are made which have high moisture transport properties. Such fabric keeps the body dry by keeping moisture away from body surface in vapoure and/or liquid form. 3 Anti-static performances Sportswear fabrics have a very high electrical conductivity, so they can dissipate electrical charge. 4 Antimicrobial performances Keeping a normal level of bacteria on the skin offers a high level of comfort and personal hygiene, especially during athletic activities. 5 Ultraviolet protection Sports fabrics can remove UV-A and UV-B rays that are dangerous to the skin, and guarantees an improved level of defense compared to the majority general natural and man-made fibres. A number of desirable attributes of functional sports and leisurewear were [4,5] identified as under: a. Optimum heat and moisture regulation. b. Rapid moisture absorption and conveyance capacity c. Good air and water permeability d. Prevention of a long term feeling of dampness e. Low water absorption of the layer of clothing facing the skin f. Quick drying fabric to prevent catching cold. g. Pleasant to skin, soft, non-abrasive and nonchafing. h. Dimensionally stable even when wet i. Durable j. Lightweight k. Soft and pleasant touch l. Easy care m. Smart and functional design Provision of thermal balance is a function of the clothing in all wear situations. In sports, where an additional or a reduced thermal stress might be critical for the performance and result, knowledge of the thermophysiological properties of clothing is absolutely essential [2,6]. Each sport has its own particular needs [2,7] as shown in Table 2. Table 2: Required function on the main sportswear [2] S. No. Sportswear Required Function 1. Shirts for tennis, volleyball, golf, Sweat absorption, fast drying, cooling. football, rugby, base ball uniform, tracksuits etc. 2. Skiwear, wind breakers, rain wear Vapour permeability, water proofing 3. Skiwear, wind breakers, tracksuits Sunlight absorbing and thermal retention 4. Swimming race and skating costume, ski Low fluid resistance (for water and air) jump and downhill skiing suits, cycling costumes 5. Swimwear, leotards, skating costume. Stretchability, opacity 6. Skiwear, snowboard wear, football and base ball uniform High tenacity, heat melt resistance to abrasion

3 36 It is not simple task to optimize sportswear universally as regards thermo- physiological and sensory comfort, as the marginal conditions differ (Table 3) considerably depending on the target group (professional sports or leisure sports) [8]. Table 3: Marginal conditions for sports clothing [8] S. No. Sports Marginal conditions 1. Professional Sports Physical maximum performance, short wear time, constant climatic conditions. 2. Leisure Sports Active/leisure phases, long term wear time, varying climatic conditions. The professional sportsman practically always produces a maximum physical performance whereby as a rule, the actual sports clothing is worn for a comparatively short time. The climatic conditions (temperature, relative humidity and air speed) are fairly constant during this time. On the other hand leisure sport is characterized by the fact that maximum physical performance is not always achieved and that active phases are interspersed with rest phases. In addition the leisure sportsman often wears his clothing for several hours or the whole day. Wide variations in the climatic conditions may therefore occur. Clothing for leisure sport must therefore have a. considerably greater control range than that for professional sport. This means that clothing which is physiologically suitable for the professional sportsman may be unsuitable for the leisure sportsman, and viceversa. The required thermophysiological properties of sportswear differ in different situations (Table 4) also. For example, when the weather is cold, the clothing must exhibit a high level of thermal insulation, but when the wearer is hot the level of thermal insulation must below Table 4: Requirement relating to sportswear [8] S. No. Weather/condition Requirements 1. Cold weather High thermal insulation effect 2. Warm weather Low thermal insulation effect 3. Moderate Sweating Good water vapour transfer, good moisture absorption (buffer) 4. Profuse Suiting Good water vapour transfer, rapid transfer of liquid moisture, low moisture absorption capacity TEXTILE MATERIAL AND FABRIC STRUCTURE FOR SPORTSWEAR It is not possible to achieve all required properties for sportswear in a simple structure of any single fiber. The right type of fiber should be in the right place. The behavior of the fabric is mainly depending on its base fibers properties. The most important properties are: fiber type; weave construction; weight or thickness of the material and presence of chemical treatments [9] Development in polymer Some developments in polymer introduce some special functional properties. Some are as under [1,10]: "Phase Change" materials (PCM) are being developed for sportswear. This means that they contain a chemical that changes from being a liquid to a gel at around body temperature. This alters the fabric's insulation properties so that you can design clothes that keep the body at a constant temperature no matter what happens to the air temperature. These are used in cold weather protective clothing like gloves, boots and hats. Phase change stuff produce microcapsules full of paraffin. When the capsules are heated, the paraffin liquidifies and heat energy is stored. When the environment cools, the paraffin crystallizes again, releasing heat. The paraffin, which is available in different recipes with various melting points, is referred to the phase change material or PCM. Because the paraffin can be formulated with different melting points, the microcapsules can be designed to keep the wearer either warm or cool. Shape memory polymers material can remember and retain its shape or return to a previous form. A garment made from these shape memory polymers is able to sense changes in the surroundings environment; and can evaluate intelligently and control its response to ensure the highest level of comfort. This polymer is also unique as the temperature at which micro-brownian motion begins can be freely specified. This means that the activation point can be set to match the environmental conditions in which a garment is likely to be worn.

4 Textile fibrous material Synthetic fibers can have either hydrophilic (wetting) surfaces or hydrophobic (non wetting) surfaces. Synthetic fabrics are generally considered to be the best choice for sportswear as they are able to provide a good combination of moisture management, softness, lightweight, insulation and quick drying. It is generally agreed that fabrics with moisture wicking properties can regulate body temperature, improve muscle performance and delay exhaustion [11]. Polyester has outstanding dimensional stability and offer excellent resistance to dirt, alkalis, decay, mold and most common organic solvents. Being durable, yet lightweight, elasticity and a comfortable smooth feel, these are all important qualities to consumers for wide variety sportswear applications. Excellent heat resistance, good moisture transport properties, low moisture absorption, easy care properties and low cost make it very useful for sportswear [12]. Otherwise, cotton provides a good combination of softness and comfort. However, cotton is not recommended for use in active sportswear because of its tendency to absorb and retain moisture [13]. When wet, cotton fabrics cling to the skin causing discomfort. The slow-to-dry and cold-when-wet characteristics of cotton make this material unsuitable in conditions in which there are high levels of moisture-either perspiration or precipitation-and where the ambient temperature is low. Carbon Fiber is one of the most recent developments in the field of composite materials. There are many different grades of carbon fiber available, with differing properties, which can be used for specific applications.the desirable physical properties of carbon fiber include its resistance to corrosion, fire and high tensile strength as well as its chemical inertness. With the decrease in its cost over recent years, it is fast becoming one of the leading. Table 5 Features of Entrant fabrics materials in many areas, including performance sport equipment and garments [14,15].The use of carbon fiber as the main structural material in the sport such as various varieties of motor sport, in the construction of road cars, high performance sports equipment, thermal comfort of garments, diving suits, ski wear and active sportswear. Its thermal insulating properties, high tensile strength and less weight makes it popular for making sportswear as it prevents the wearer from fatal consequences [16]. Combinations of cotton, polyester and carbon fiber gave sportswear fabrics with better functional properties than a single fiber type and with greatest performance properties. 3.3 Types of fabrics A wide range of woven, knitted and nonwoven fabrics are commercially available for sportswear and normal wear. These fabrics differ in their structure such as entrapped air, pore shape and size, bulk and surface properties etc. which may affect the heat and moisture transmission characteristics of the fabrics. For sportswear [9], knitted fabrics are preferred as these fabrics have greater elasticity and stretchability compared to woven fabrics, which provide unrestricted freedom of movement and transmission of body vapour to the next textile layer in the clothing system [2,17,18]. With new combinations of fabrics and yarns, and with developments in fabric construction, knitted fabric appears to be the ideal base for active sportswear. Knitted garments are mainly worn next to the skin and therefore deserve particular attention. 3.4 Modification in fabric structure For many active sports wears, Toray Industries Inc. [19, 20] is marketing successively a series of waterproof/breathable fabrics Entrant in order to expand exports of fabrics. Some main versions of Entrant fabrics features are summarized here (Table 5)

5 By making layered fabrics Layered fabrics became common for active sportswear. The performance of layered fabric in thermophysiological regulation is better than single layer textile structure [2,8,9,13]. Each layer has distinct function; the layer next to the skin is to wick away the perspiration rapidly to the outer layer, which absorbs and dissipates it rapidly to the atmosphere by evaporation. In doing so, it takes away some of the body heat and keeps the body cool. On the inside, a synthetic material with good moisture transfer properties, e.g. polyester, nylon, acrylic or polypropylene is used whereas on the outside, a material which is good absorber of moisture, e.g. cotton, wool, viscose rayon or their blends can be placed (Figure 1). The conductive inner layer transfers the liquid perspiration rapidly to the absorbent outer layer chiefly as a result of the capillary effect. The absorbent outside of the textile material functions as a buffer zone for excess perspiration. In another way of constructing a physiologically functional fabric is three-layer structure (Figure 2). The use of superfine or microfibre yarn enables production of dense fabrics leading to more effective capillary action, with better thermo-physiological regulation. Figure 1 Two layered type fabric structure for active wear Figure 2 Three layer fabric structure for active wear 3.6 By improving finishing technology Various types of finishing agents such as water repellent finish, wicking enhancer finish, hydrophilic finish and newer nano-finishes etc. are applied to alter the transmission characteristics of the fabrics. 3.7 By using microfibress The use of microfibers in the fabric introduce some special properties in the fabric. Toray has developed H2OFF made up of polyester microfiber fabric [20,21] with a unique high-density weave structure comprising millions of microcrimped fiber loops. It also features superb and durable water repellency, superior breathability and windchill resistance and attractiveness with soft hand. 3.8 Other modifications Presentably various type of hollow fibre, and hollow)/micro-porous yarn fabrics are produced [22,23]. These enhance the fabric properties such as: light weight, high thermal insulation, soft and quick drying. The use of

6 39 such type of material in the sportswear may improve the functional properties of the fabrics. The invention of elastic was probably the most important step in the evolution of sportswear. First it was just used to hold athlete's shorts up, but now whole garments are made of elasticated materials like lycra. It is also important in injury treatments like compression bandages[10]. Fabric technologists have spent much time re-inventing the humble sock. Not only are socks now high wicking, but they also have anti-odour finishes. An anti-microbial finish can also be added to guard against the fungus that causes athletes foot. The very latest socks are fractionally fitted anti-friction socks. The outer layer of the sock grips the shoe, the inner layer grips the foot so that the friction is taken up by the two layers, and not by the skin. APPLICATIONS OF SPORTSWEAR FABRICS Sports textile has versatile use. Some uses of Sports Textile are given below [1,24]: i. Sports composites ii. Artificial turf iii. Ballooning fabrics iv. Parachute fabrics v. Sail cloth vi. Sports nets vii. Sports footwear viii. Tents for sports ix. Swimming costume x. Sleeping bags xi. Sports equipment xii. Cycling xiii. Golf xiv. Tennis xv. Mountaineering, xvi. Skiing, xvii. Cricket, etc. CONCLUSIONS Modern peoples are paying more attention to sports activity. The use of sports fabric is increasing day by day in various sports and leisure activities. The consumers seem to be prepared to spend considerable amounts of money on sportswear and other functional fabrics. During designing the sportswear fabrics, the aspects which are considered: protection/safety functions to protect wearers from adverse weather, comfort functions which gives wear comfort (thermal, sensorial and body movement comfort), exercise function to enhance performance of athlete, and aesthetic appeal and high fashion ability. The required functions of sportswear fabrics differ in different situations such as type of sports, environmental conditions and level of activity etc. Sportswear developed by using special type of polymer, type of fibrous material, modifying the fibre/yarn/fabric structure, lamination, finishing technology and manufacturing technology etc. The introduction of high functionality and comfort in the sportswear fabrics provide unlimited scope for sportswear fabrics. REFERENCES [1] Sports and recreation textiles, - Assessed on [2] Ishtiaque, S. M., Engineering Comfort, Proceedings on Smart Textiles, their production and market Strategies, Ed.: S. Gupta, NIFT, New Delhi,India, 2000, pp [3] Development Active Sportswear Fabrics and Synthetic Fibre Producers, JTN, Dec.,1983, pp [4] Haberstock, H., Special Polyester Yarn Knitted Fabric for Sportswear with Optimum Functional and Physiological Properties, Milliand, April 1990, pp E [5] Mayer, W., U. Mohr and M. Schuierer, Hightech-textilien der beitrag der ausrustung am beispiel der funktionellen sport-und freizeitbekleidung. Int. Text. Bull. Vere-dlung 2. [6] Meinander, H., Heat Stress in Sportswear, Text. Asia, 1995, 26(8), pp [7] Yonenaga, A., Engineered Fabric for Active and Comfort Sportswear, ITB Int. Text. Bulletin, 1998, 4, pp [8] Umbach, K. H., Aspects of Clothing Physiology in the Development of Sportswear, Knitting Technique, 1993, 15(3), pp [9] D Silva, A. P., and Anand, S. C., Responsive Garments for Sportswear, Proceedings on Smart Textiles, their production and market Strategies, Ed.: S. Gupta, NIFT, New Delhi,India, 2000, pp [10] The Science of Sports; s/ science_of_sport/dressed_swimwear.shtml - Assessed on [11] Anonymous World sports active wear. [12] Adanur, B.S.S. and W. Sears, Handbook of Industrial Textiles. Technomic Publishing, Inc., USA [13] Sule, A. D., Bardhan, M. K. and Sarkar, R. K., Development of Sportswear for Indian Conditions, Man Made Text. in India, April 2004, p [14] Bahl, O.P., Z. Shen, J.G. Lavin and R.A. Ross, Manufacture of Carbon Fibers. In: Carbon Fibers, Donnet, J.B., T.K. Wang, J.C.M. Peng and S. Rebouillat (Eds.). 3rd Edn., Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.

7 40 [15] Hongu, T., G.O. Phillips and M. Takigami, New Millennium Fibers. Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge, England. [16] Zhao, Z. and J. Gou, Improved fire retardancy of thermoset composites modified with carbon nanofibers. Sci. Technol. Adv. Mater., Vol / /10/1/ [17] Behera, B. K., Mani, M. P., Mondal, A. K., and Sharma, N., Comfort Behaviour of Cotton Polypropylene based Bi-layer Knitted Fabrics, Asian Text. J., May 2002, pp [18] Buhler M. and Iyer C., An Investigation into Opportunities for Further Developments of Functional Knitwear for the Sportswear Sector, Knitting Technique, Germany, 1988, 10(5), pp [19] Active Sportswear Fabrics, High Functions and Comfort, JTN, The Int. Text. Magazine, Jan. 2001, No. 554, pp [20] Chaudhari, S. S., Chitnis, R. S., and Ramkrishnan, R., Waterproof Breathable Active Sports Wear Fabrics, The Synthetic and Art Silk Mills Research Association, Mumbai, - Assessed on [21] Chaudhary, S. S., Chitnis, R. S. and Ramkrishan, R., Waterproof Breathable Active Sportswear Fabrics, The Synthetic & Art Silk Mills Research Association, Mumbai, Assessed on [22] Rognoni, U., Polyamide Hollow Fiber for Apparel, Chemical Fibers Int., 1999, 49(6), p 506 [23] Mukhopadhyay, A., Ishtiaque, S. M., and Uttam, D., Impact of structural variations in hollow yarn on heat and moisture transport properties of fabrics, Journal of the Textile Institute, 2011,102(8), pp [24] Sports Textile/Sporttech Properties of Sports Textile Application/Uses of Sports Textile, - Assessed on