Development of design detail for clothing thermal comfort : measurements with a thermal manikin

Abstract

Special treatments on fabric can reduce skin temperature. It can be achieved by special weaving/ knitting structures or high-wicking chemicals on fabric or yarns. In design aspects, such effect can be partly achieved by applying porous panels on the garment. However, limited research has been conducted to study other more effective design methods and their effectiveness with a scientific approach. To fill this research gap, this study developed a design detail, which was placed underneath the garment to enhance natural ventilation between the body and the layer of fabric. Basic T-shirt design was selected to test the feasibility of this design. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the new design with an objective measurement, a thermal manikin (Walter) was used. T-test was used to analyse the data collection. Thermal insulation (Rt) and water vapour resistance (Ret) were analysed in standing and walking postures. The tests were conducted in a climatic chamber at 20.0 °C and 65 percent RH with an air velocity of 0.3 m/s (no-wind condition) and 2 m/s (windy conditions). The results showed that the new design could reduce water vapour resistance of a conventional T-shirt in windy and walking conditions. The new design detail proved to significantly reduce Ret of the thermal manikin in certain situations. Two academic articles were published which shared and discussed the results. Such findings had not been reported previously in any academic publications. This study justified and demonstrated how the new design method could improve the natural ventilation of a normal T-shirt, thus it began a new area of investigation within related fields. The results and methodology of the present study can allow the sports clothing industry to better target clients. Furthermore, this design can be applied to other types of garments for professional use, such as military and construction work.