CLOTHING COMFORT:

Objective testing

Hema Upadhayay, I.D: 34594 1

 CONTENTS
1. Clothing Comfort: Types of clothing comfort
2. Comfort testing: Types of comfort testing.
3. Objective testing: Areas of application, Importance
4. Methods of Objective testing
5. Historical Background of Objective testing
6. Important parameters and their effect on clothing
comfort
7. Instrument used for Objective testing
8. Advancement in Objective testing.
9. Institutes providing testing facilities in India.
10. Research in the field of Objective testing
11. References
 INTRODUCTIO
N
• Comfort is defined as ‘the absence of unpleasantness or
discomfort’ or ‘a neutral state compared to the more active state
of pleasure’ (Slater, 1977).

• Clothing comfort is defined as a pleasant state arising out of

physical, physiological and psychological harmony between a
human being and the environment.

3
 COMFOR
T

PHYSIC PHYSIOLOGICA PSYCHOLOGI

AL L CAL

Physical comfort : related Physiological comfort Psychological comfort

to the effect of the relates to the ability of :minds ability to keep
external parameters on the clothing to maintain itself functioning
the body. equilibrium between the satisfactorily with the
human body and the external help.
Feeling of well being due environment. It is mainly based
to the harmony between on subjective feelings
physical activity and fashion
and trends that
clothing properties. influence personal
preferences.
Tight fitted garments
PHYSICAL PHYSIOLOGI
DISCOMFO CAL
RT DISCOMFORT

PSYCOLOGIC
AL
COMFORT
 COMFORT TESTING

Testing of different parameters which

determines the comfort properties of
fabric and garment for different end
uses.

Qualitative evaluation of fabric

Subjec
and garment based on human
tive perception.
Evalua
tion
Quantitative Evaluation of
Objecti fabric comfort properties by
ve the application of mechanical
Evalua instruments and equipment.
 Objective
Evaluation
The application of necessary and sufficient instrumental
measurements using set standards and procedures on the fabrics
and clothing.
.

F
e
a
s
i
b
l
e
•S
u
i 7
 AREAS
OF
APPLICATI
ON
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF OBJECTIVE TESTING
FOR
COMFORT

Heated kata thermometer

first attempt to measure human climate comfort
1916 .

Eupatheoscope
Dufton, 1929 in order to imitate the human
body heat loss (eupatheostat), and he termed the
measured variable ' equivalent temperature.

9
•To record the warmth of a room from the
point of view of comfort.

•It consists of a blackened hollow copper

cylinder heated by a carbon filament and a
metal filament lamp, which are controlled
by a thermostat to maintain a temperature
of 75°F.

•The power used was interpreted in terms

of equivalent temperatures.

Eupatheoscope
10
The objective measurement of fabric mechanical
properties can be traced back to the work reported by
Pierce in 1930 in a classic paper” The handle of
cloth as measurable quantity” by Pierce in 1930

First book “Psychology of clothes”

on clothing comfort by J C Flugel in
1930.

clo unit in 1941 by Gagge, Burton, and Bazett was an

important advancement in clothing science as it
provided for a standard measure of the thermal
insulation of clothing.
1 clo equaled the insulation provided by a typical
business suit.

11
• In the late 1950s and 1960s, TEFO started the evaluation of
stress mechanical properties such as bending, buckling,
tensile, shear and compression for the tailorability and
formability of the fabrics into garments.

• Tatsuki Matsuo ( Toyobo Research Centre) identified useful

parameters, and developed a collection of fabrics samples,
which provides an Atlas of fabric hand, combining subjective
feel and objective characterization.

TEFO: Swedish institute for fiber and polymer

research 12
 Efforts of Prof. Seo Kawabata of Kyoto University and
his associates led to the development of The Hand
Evaluation and Standardization Committee (HESC) in
1972 followed by KES (Kawabata Evaluation System)
which was used in the wide spread for fabric
assessment.

CSIRO, Division of Wool Technology, Australia,

developed the FAST (Fabric assurance by simple testing)
system which is commercially available and is also widely
used for the objective evaluation of fabric.
The first thermal manikin was a one-segment copper manikin made for the
US Army in the 40's (Belding). Dr. Harwood Belding first build a headless
and armless manikin from pipes and metal sheets. The manikin had an
internal heater and fan to distribute the heat.

GE’s “Copper Man,” a quarter-inch-thick, electroplated copper

mannequin from the early ’40s that the Army used to evaluate the
thermal-insulating quality of protective clothing issued to B-17
and14
1942 Belding collaborated with engineers
at the General Electric Co., build a new
thermal manikin made out of an
electroplated copper shell with electrical
circuits that uniformly heated the surface.

The manikin was made with a feature to

change the surface temperature of the
hands and feet independent of the surface
temperature of the rest of the manikin’s
body.

15
• In 1961, military thermal manikin work was centered
at the new U.S. Army Research Institute of
Environmental Medicine (also known as "USARIEM")
located at Natick, Massachusetts.

• The introduction of the moisture permeability index

(im) was given by Woodcock in 1962 at USARIEM.

• This value is the ratio of the maximum evaporative

cooling, at a given ambient vapor pressure, from a
100% wetted surface through a fabric, to the
maximum evaporative cooling of a psychrometric wet
bulb thermometer at the same vapor pressure.

• This parameter characterized the permeability of

clothing materials to the transfer of water vapor.
16
• Woodcock used a sweating, heated cylinder to
conduct his permeability evaluations of both the
bare cylinder surface and various protective
clothing textiles.

• Goldman and Breckenridge, interested in

utilizing this index for practical clothing
applications, outfitted thermal manikins with
tight fitting cotton skins that could be saturated
with water to simulate a sweat wetted skin
surface.

• This work made it possible to begin a concerted

effort to increase the "breathability" of chemical
and biological protective clothing.

17
• USARIEM 1984 began using a new
articulated, thermal manikin
employing 19 separate heating
zones.

• Ability to simulate the bodily

movements involved in walking
and running.

• The manikin is housed in a

climatic chamber with precise
control over the air velocity
directed at the manikin.
S.n Segmen Serie Materia Posture Country
o t s l
1. 1-Segment SA Copper Standing USA
M 1942
2. 11-Segments ALMANKI Aluminum Standing UK
N 1964
3. Radiatio CEPAT400 Aluminum Standing Franc
n e
Manikin 1972
4. 16-Segments HENRIK Plastic Moveable Demark
2 1973
5. 16 – CHARLI Plastic Moveable German
Segments E y 1978
6. 16 – SIBMA Plastic Sit stand Sweden
Segments N 1980
7. 19-segments VOLTMAN Plastic Sitting Sweden
1982
8. 36-Segments ASSMA Plastic Sitting Sweden
N 1983
9. 19-Segments TOR Plastic Moveable Swede
E n
S.N Segmen Serie Materia Posture Country
o
10. t7- Segments s
CLOUSSEA l Plastic Standing Sweden 1987
U
11. Sweating COPELIUS Plastic Moveable Finland 1988
manikin
12. Female manikin NILL Plastic Moveable Denmark
E 1989
13. 33+3 HEATMAN Plastic Moveable Sweden 1991
Segments
14. 1- segment WALTE Fabric Moveable Hong Kong 1991
sweating R
15. 36-segments HEATMAN Plastic Moveable France 1995

16. Breathin NILLI Plastic Moveable Denmark 1996

g E
17. Manikin
Sweatin SA Plastic Moveable Switzerland 2001
g M
18. manikin
26-segments TO Copper Moveable USA 2003
M
19. 126- segments ADA Composite Moveable USA 2003
M
PARAMETERS
OF OBJECTIVE
TESTING
•Air permeability •Water
•Air resistance vVaappoouurrppeerr
mmeeaabbiilliittyy.
Air ••Water
Water
Moistur
Managemen e WRe
Management stisetraRnecsei
Re ap le n c y
t W
.stancea ter R e p e
llency
COMFO
RT
TESTING
Thermal Hand
Managemen testin
t g
•Thermal •KAWABA
resistance TA
•FAST
•Thermal
Transport
 Thermal
Insulatio Warmt
n h

Air
permeability

Water vapour
Permeability Breathability

Water resistance
and repellency

Stiffness Flexibility
 METHODS OF
OBJECTIVE
TESTING

Destru Non
ctive destructi
ve

Fabric Garment
EQUIPMENTS AND TESTING OF
PHYSIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS FOR COMFORT
 Air
Permeability

•Number of cubic centimeters of air passing through

one square centimeter of fabric per second when the
differential between the air pressures on opposite sides
of the fabric is equal to 12.7 mm of water.

Major
•CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 36 – M89.
•ASTM D – 737.
EQUIPMENTS
USED

Air Permeability Tester 27

ASIAN Air Permeability Digital Air
tester Permeability
teste
r

Akustron Air
Permeability
tester

28
 Portable
Air Permeability
Dynamic Air Tester TEXTE
Permeability Air Permeability
ST
tester tester
• Moisture vapour permeability
• The ability of a fabric to allow perspiration in its
vapour form to pass through is measured by its
moisture vapour permeability in grams of water
vapour per square meter per 24 hours.
• A fabric of low moisture vapour permeability is
unable to pass sufficient perspiration and this
leads to sweat accumulation in the clothing and
hence comfort.
 MOISTURE COMFORT RELATED
TESTING
1.WATER VAPOUR PERMEABILITY

A)Gravimetric methods: Most simple and commonly used

methods. These methods are named also “cup method” and
“dish method”.

Cup Inverted cup 31

31
method method
B) Sweating Guarded Hot
Plate

ISO 11092: 1993 (E)

32
 Permetest skin model (Sensora instruments)
TEM PER ATUR
R E L A T IV E
E SENSOR
H U M ID IT Y FAN
SENSOR

WIND CHANNEL
P O R O U S L AY E R SIMULA-
TING THE HUMAN SKIN
WI T H I NT EG RATE D SEN-
SAMPLE
S O R O F COOLING P O W E R

M E A S U R ING
HEAD

THERMAL IN S T R U M .
IN S U L A T IO N B O DY

TEM PERATURE HEAT IN G W ATER

SENSO R INLET
ELEM ENT

•Slightly curved porous surface is moistened and exposed in a wind channel to the parallel air flow
of adjustable velocity.

•The tested sample is placed on the wetted area of diameter about 80mm.The amount of evaporation
heat taken away from the active porous surface is measured by integrated system.

•In the beginning of the measurement, the measuring head is first covered by semi permeable foil to
keep the measured garment dry. Then ,heat flow value (q) without a sample is registered.

•The full-size garment is inserted between the head and the orifice in the bottom of the channel.
With the signal gets steady, the level of qs, which quantifies heat loses, of wet measuring head
covered by a sample, is registered.

• Both values then serve for automated calculation of mean value and variation coefficient of the
following characteristics of the tested fabric/garment.
 Water Resistance and
Repellency

Standard Test Methods

 AATCC Method 21, Water repellency: Static absorption
test
 AATC
C
Meth
od
22,
Water
repell
ency:
Spray
test
34
 AATC
 SPRAY
RATIN RAIN
GS TEST
ER

35
BUNDESMANN WATER HYDROSTATIC HEAD
REPELLENCY TEST TESTER
 THERMAL
INSULATI
ON
 TOGMETER

Single plate method: In this method the specimen

under test is placed on the heated lower plate as
above but it is left uncovered.
The top plate being used to measure the air
temperature (T3). The air above the test
specimen has a considerable thermal resistance
itself so that the method is in fact measuring the
sum of the specimen
Two plate method: In this method the
specimen under test is placed between
the heated lower plate and an
insulated top plate. The top plate has a
low mass so that it does not compress
the fabric. The temperature is
measured at the heater (T1), between
the standard and the test fabric (t2)
and between the fabric and the top
plate (T3)
 GUARDED HOT
PLATE

The guarded hot plate is used to measure thermal

transmittance which is reciprocal of the thermal
resistance. The apparatus consist of a heated test
plate surrounded by a guard ring and with a
bottom plate .
the test fabric in place the apparatus is allowed to
reach equilibrium before any readings are taken.
This may take some time with the thick
specimens. The amount of heat passing through
the sample in watts per square meter is measured
from the power consumption of the test plate
heater. The temperature of the test plate and the
air 500mm above the test plate are measured.
 ALAMBETA INSTRUMENT

Alambeta measuring device is a fast measuring

of transient and steady state thermo-physical
properties (Thermal insulation and thermal
contact properties).
1. Thermal conductivity (a)
2. Thermal absorption(b)
3. Thermal resistance (r)
4. The ratio of maximal to stationary heat flow
density (q max/qs)
5. Stationary heat flow density qs at
the contact point (qs)
6. Samples thickness.
 ASTM F1868
Standard Test Method for Thermal and Evaporative Resistance of
Clothing Materials Using a Sweating Hot Plate

• This test method covers the measurement of thermal

resistance and evaporative resistance under steady-state
conditions for fabrics, films, coatings, foams, and leathers,
including multi-layer assemblies, as used in clothing systems.
 ASTM F1291-
Temperature Ratings: Heat05
transfer models are used with the insulation
value to determine the temperature ratings for comfort at different
activity levels.

43
Evaporative Resistance of
Clothing ASTM F2370-05

44
HAND
PROPERTIES
•The Kawabata evaluation system (KES) is used to measure
the mechanical properties of fabric.

•Developed by a team led by Professor Kawabata in the

department
of polymer chemistry, Kyoto University ,Japan.

•KES is composed of four different machines on which a total

of six
tests can be performed:

• Tensile & shear tester – tensile, shear

• Pure bending tester – pure bending

• Compression tester – compression

Tensile LT Linearity of load extension curve
WT Tensile energy
RT Tensile resilience
Shear G Shear rigidity
2HG Hysteresis of shear force at 0.5º
2HG5 Hysteresis of shear force at 5º
Bending B Bending rigidity
2HB Hysteresis of bending
moment
Later compression
LC Linearity of compression thickness curve
WC Compressional energy
Surface RC Compressional resilience
characteristics
MIU Coefficient of friction

MMD Mean deviation of MIU

Fabric construction SMD Geometrical roughness
W Fabric weight per unit area
 Automatic Tensile & Shear Tester-KES-FB1

This machine is a new automated model of tensile and shear

tester that can measure tensile property and shear property of
fabrics, papers, non-woven fabrics, and films by one machine. 48
 Automatic Pure Bending Tester - KES-FB2

This machine is a new automated model of bending tester

that can measure bending property (bending rigidity,
hysteresis in bending moment) of fabrics, non-woven fabrics,
and yarns, hairs, optionally.
49
 Automatic Compression Tester - KES-FB3
This machine is a new automated model of compression tester that can
measure compression property such as fabric thickness, work of
compression and recoverability of fabrics and films by applying
compression load.
50
Automatic Surface Tester - KES-FB4
This machine is a new automated model of surface tester
that can measure surface property of fabrics, papers,
non- woven fabrics, and films.
51
 FAST (Fabric assurance by simple
testing)

•FAST has been developed by CSIRO in Australia which is designed to

predict the properties of wool and wool blended fabrics that effect
their tailoring performance and the appearance of the tailored
garments in wear.
•These instruments also give information which can be related to the
fabric handle.
•Unlike KES-F system, FAST only measures the resistance of fabric to
deformation and not the recovery of the fabric from deformation.
•However , The FAST system is much cheaper, simpler and more
robust than KES-F system, and , as such, perhaps more suited to an
industrial revolution.
•FAST can predict how a fabric will perform when made up into a
garment- an information of importance for fabric manufactures,
suppliers, finishers and garment makers.

52
•Test results from FAST-1,-2,-3 can be recorded instantly and automatically, FAST-4
results are recorded manually.
•The results are plotted on a control chart to provide a fabric fingerprint, which
weather
indicatesthe tested fabric will be suitable for the intended 53
 FAST-1 (Compression Meter)

Measures the thickness of the fabric under two fixed

loads

First the fabric is measured under the And then again under a load
load of 2g/cm2 of 100g/cm2

54
 FAST-2 (Bending Meter)

•Measure the stiffness or conversely, the flexibility of a fabric.

•The instrument works on the cantilever principle, which involves pushing a
fabric over a vertical edge until it has bent to a specified angle (41.5)
•Stiff fabric will need pushing further to bent to this angle, whereas a
flexible, or limp one will fall quickly.
•The bending rigidity , which is related to the perceived stiffness, is
calculated from bending length and mass/unit area.
•Fabrics with low bending rigidity may exhibit seam pucker and are prone to
problems in cutting out.
•They are difficult to handle on an automated production line.
•A fabric with a higher bending rigidity may be more manageable during
sewing, resulting in a flat seam but may cause problems during moulding
as it is stiffer
55
 FAST-3 (Extension Meter)

•Measures the amount (in per cent) that the fabric will stretch under
three fixed loadings (5,20 and 100g/cm)
•Fabrics are measured at all three loads in the warp and weft directions
and
(at the lowest load only) in a bias direction of 45.
•Bias extension is converted to shear rigidity which is directly related
to fabric looseness.
•the
Bothgarment
high and
maker
low is
values
not aware
of Extensibility
of can have serious 56
 FAST-4 (Dimensional stability Test)

•In this test (which requires a laboratory oven), the fabric is

subjected to a cycle of drying, wetting and then drying again.
•After each stage the fabrics dimensions in both warp and weft are
measured
•The results give valuable information to the garment maker as
to how the dimensions of a fabric will change when exposed to
moisture.
•The test method enables the Dimensional stability properties of the
fabric to be split into clearly identifiable components whose cause
and effect are quite different.
•The se are: Relaxation shrinkage and Hygral expansion.

57
•The whole results are plotted on a
chart, which is similar to the chart
produced by the KES-F system.

•The shaded area show regions

where the fabric properties
are likely to cause problems in
garment manufacture.

•These limits have been determined

from experience and apply only
to the worsted suiting's for which
the systems was originally
designed.

58
Recent
advances
 Modern
Manikin
s

CHARLIE CHARLIN
1st E

Measurement of
Wearing Comfort
CHARLIE 4th

Measurement of
Sleeping Comfort
CHARLIE 3rd
60
 A.D.A.M. = Advanced Automotive
Manikin

•World's most advanced thermal comfort manikin

having 126 individual sweating zones.

•Developed for the Department of Energy's National

Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

•Mimics human responses such as sweating and

breathing with incredible accuracy.

•High spatial resolution and rapid response to

environmental changes allow it to respond realistically
to transient, non-uniform inputs.

•All electronics including batteries and a wireless

transceiver for true cordless operation of all manikin
systems.

61
 S
I
M

N
• Constructed of a thermally conductive carbon- epoxy shell
with embedded heating and sensor wire elements.
• Jointed at the hips and shoulders only, with simplified hands and
feet, and having 13-zones.
• Complete turn-key system for sleeping bag and environmental testing
• Hidden hanging hook at top of head provides an attachment point for
support, when needed
• System includes a PC computer and Thermal DAC control software
62
 NEWTON
• Complete turn-key thermal manikin
system perfect for a broad range of
clothing and environmental testing.
• Developed using advanced CAD digital
modeling and is constructed using a
thermally conductive composite shell with
embedded resistance wire heating and
sensor wire elements.
• Available in standard 20, 26, or 34-zone
configurations.
• Optional removable fabric sweating
skin with computerized
fluid flow.
• Motorized walking motion and
support stand available.
• Breathing machine with
nose/mouth manifold and filter available
63
 SHERLOCK
• "Sherlock" is the latest member (2014) of a
large "test family"
• Sweating thermal articulated manikin
possible to measure both the thermal
insulation and the breathability of
clothing of all kinds using one measuring
system.
• Work in closely controlled conditions.
• Different ambient temperatures and
humidity levels can be simulated, along
with other external influences such as
wind, radiated heat and rain.
• "Sherlock" will have to work until he
"sweats," so that the moisture management
of clothing can be assessed in real
wearing conditions.
64
 CONCLUSIO
N

•The quality and performance characteristics of fabric and clothing

are closely related to their basic engineering properties and can,
therefore, be control led through fabric objective measurements.

•These measurements provide objective communication between

various sectors of textiles and clothing industries, thus facilitating
fabric specifications for quality and performance requirements and
transactions based on these specifications.

•The development and application of fabric objective measurement

technology is consistent and compatible with the continuing trends to
high technology in the textile and clothing industries.

65
REFERENCE
S• Anonymous retrieved on 23 march 2015 from
http://nptel.ac.in/courses/116102029/55

•Behera B.,K., and Hari, P.K. 1994. Fabric quality evaluation by objective
measurement. Indian Journal of fiber & Textile research. 19, pp168-
171

•Anonymous retrieved on 20 march 2015 from

http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/tpacc/comfort-performance/kawabata-evaluation-

system.cfm

•Ingvar Holmér. 2004. Thermal manikin history and applications, European

Journal of Applied Physiology© Springer retrieved on 23 march 2015
from
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-004-1135-0/fulltext.html

•Anonymous. 2009. Clothing physiology. 2009 retrieved on 17 feb 2015

REFEREN
CES
•Das B. et al., 2007. Moisture transmission through textiles. Part II:
Evaluation methods and mathematical modelling. AUTEX Research Journal,
Vol. 7, No3. Retrieved on November 30 from http://www.autexrj.org/No3-
2007/0236.pdf

•Saville, B.P., 2004, Comfort, Physical Testing of Textiles, The textiles

Institute, Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge, England, pp 209-243.

•Slater,K.,1986, The assessment of comfort, Journal textile Inst., 77(3),pp

157-171.

•Uttam,D.,2012,Objective Measurement of heat transport through clothing,

International Journal of Engineering research and Development, 12(2),pp
43-47.

•Kaplan, S. and Okur, A., 2012, Thermal comfort of sports garments with
objective and subjective measurements, International journal of Fiber &
Textile research , 3, pp 46-54.
THANK
YOU