Fabric Comfort: New Research Developments

Summary

This paper deals with the concept of fabric and clothing comfort using a new structural model in which both neurophysiologic and thermo physiological aspects are addressed. The model is primarily design-oriented in the sense that it provides textile manufacturers with many guidelines of how to produce fabric comfort by design, not by guesswork.
The phenomenon of fabric comfort has been evaluated by numerous investigators around the globe. The fascination about this phenomenon stems from the fact that comfort is a universal sensation that is largely realized by human of all ages, gender, and background, yet no simple characterization can be offered to describe it. In recent years, the need to objectively characterize this phenomenon has been stimulated by the wide spread use of internet commerce, where minimum or no intimacy with the fabric is possible prior to ordering, receiving, or using the product. This trend calls for better characterization of human perception and integration of this characterization into the overall description of textile products. In addition, an objective characterization of fabric comfort can assist manufacturers and designers in developing textile products that exhibit optimum comfort levels under different environmental and physical conditions.
In the analysis of human perception of fabric and clothing, two terms have traditionally been used: comfort and handle. The Webester’s Dictionary defines comfort as “a satisfying or enjoyable experience”. Handle, on the other hand, is defined as “to try or examine (as by touching, feeling, or moving) with the hands”. These two definitions imply a fundamental difference between the two terms. While the comfort feeling is a result of over time experience with the object of concern prior to passing judgment on its performance, handle is an instantaneous judgment of the object through physical handling.
In general, the two terms are somewhat related particularly in relation to the ne

This paper was first published on the earlier Egytex website. The text above is the summary that was published there.