Lecture 3: Finishing and Function of Fabrics.

Our third lecture provided us with lots of information in relation to the different functions and technologies that can be applied to textiles, and also highlighted the possibilities of future functionality in textiles.

In synthetic raw materials, function is frequently added at the polymer stage via micro-encapsulation, which makes these functions very durable. For natural raw materials, function is added at the yarn or fabric production stage where coatings, laminates and prints etc. are applied, which is less durable than if it were added at the polymer stage as it is merely on the surface of the fabric as opposed to being imbedded within it.

Protective Properties: 

-UV Protection. Sunburn prevention can be a big priority when producing contemporary textiles, for example it is mandatory in Australia to have SPF protection in school uniforms and swimwear.  SPF factors can be incorporated into fibres, fabric dyes and laundry detergents. Tighter weaves and heavier weights of fabric offer more protection than loose knits or light fabrics. Polyester, some bast fibres and ceramic good natural protection within them.

-Fire and Spark Resistance. This is imperiteive for the emergency services, military and industrial clothing and nightwear for children. Carpets and upholstery must also be fire resistant. Aramid, glass, carbon and wool fibres all hold some natural resistance, with branded aramid fibres such as Cordura and Kevlar leading the way commercially. Fire resistant finishes can also be applied to natural fibres, as well as using metal coatings to protect. There are also new 'smart' responses such as heat shielding that are becoming more prevalent in the industry.
-Impact Resistance. Impact and abrasion resistance is used within active sportswear and upholstery to help prevent the wear and tear of the fabrics. More importantly it is used in the military and emergency services predominantly in bullet proofing and stab resistant clothing. Stab resistant fabrics use a special coating that allows the fabric to 'heal' itself to prevent the wearer from coming to harm.

Weather Proofing: This is expected in everyday clothing and essential for outdoor sports clothing and equipment. Intelligent solutions and nano-technology play a part, for example the brand Gore-tex create laminates that are lightweight and breathable, yet still remain waterproof. 100% cotton and pure wool can be naturally waterproof. 'Ventile' is a 100% cotton fabric dating back to WW2 and was created to reduce soldiers losing their lives due to the harsh weather conditions. It was made from long staple cotton fibres in a very tight plain weave construction.

Moisture Management: Engineered polyester fibres such as Coolmax and layered membrane protection is designed to keep skin dry and comfortable and is used in sportswear, underwear, socks/shoes, bed linen and sports equipment. It is engineered to draw moisture away from the skin so it can evaporate more easily over a wider surface area.

Temperature Regulation: Fabrics created for NASA such as 'Airvantage' use air chambers within the garment to regulate the temperature of the wearer, as these fabrics are so expensive to produce there are no plans to release this to a commercial market. However cooling jackets using 'Aerogel' take inspiration from astronauts clothing using phase change technology developed for aerospace, which can now be used in sportswear, workwear and bedding. It works by using paraffin wax which is embedded in the textile fibres, when the wearer becomes too warm the wax will melt slightly to absorb the heat and regulate the temperature.

Buoyancy and Inflatables: Air trapping areas can be integrated into garments for sailing and riding and most well recognisable in life vests, inflatable rafts and buoyancy aids. These can be automatically activated by sudden movements and impact, for instance the air bags in a car, to aid human life.


Antistatic: Static electricity causes minor discomfort at best, and fires and explosions at worse. Adding a mental content to a fabric, or the use of a protective finish reduces the danger of this happening. However there are still some safety issues involved as this can be known to cause other problems such as releasing harmful emissions.

Reflective Textiles: Important for safety at night, accessories for cyclists and young children, sportswear/equipment, on industrial sites and for the emergency services. Embedded glass beads or mini reflector dishes reflect light for up to 200 metres, and even works under water on diving suits/equipment. There are explorations for the use of reflective textiles on car doors at night, for added safety.


Refractive Textiles: A biometric colour shift originally found in the hogberry plant. It is where multiple layers of cells interfere with light waves producing an effect akin to a soap bubble, a rainbow. Morpho butterfly wings were an inspiration for fabrics that show colour via the use of phototronics as seen in the company Tejin's 'Morphotex' fabrics. There is a potential use of refractive textiles in sportswear, as they could potentially show visually changes in response to muscle tension, pressure or heat.

Phosphorence: Fibres trap and store light energy and emit it as a glow. 'Permalight' uses zinc sulphate to do so and is available as a printing ink. Electroluminescence uses trapped phosphor powder which is then excited by an electric current. There is a Marmot jacket that uses electroluminescent panels to illuminate areas of the jacket for safety. Interestingly, certain coloured lights are beneficial to health and are actually used in the medical world.

Chromatic Properties: Certain dyes have the ability to change their colour in response to heat, water or UV light. Fabrics that are used in the military and emergency services and also in wound dressing use this dying technology, these textiles can display a warning for extreme heat, danger or infection. There are also personal products that can indicate hormonal changes in the body, such as underwear that can determine if a woman is ovulating. Which I just find really interesting.


Easy Care: Treatments that assist in keeping a textile clean. Certain nanotechnologies and Teflon treatments impart stain resistant qualities. There is also the use of non-iron easy care in shirting and bed lined textiles which prevents creases to a certain extent.

Comfort and Ease: Lycra and Dow XLA are branded elastic fibres that are used heavily in sportswear and underwear as they provide comfort and the feeling of fluidity with the body. Mechanically crimped yarns from synthetic fibres provide a gentler comfort stretch. This is also important in medical applications as it can assist the blood flow and reduce burn scarring.

Aromatic Agents: Scented textiles release aroma when agitated or warmed. Microencapsulation traps the scented particles, aromatherapy elements can also be used, creating multi-sensory textiles and clothing.

Anti-Bacterial Protection: For fibres that assist in protecting the health of the user. Used within garment production, cosmetics, washing powders, underwear, bedding, footwear, sportswear, catering and medical products. Natural antibacterial functions can be found in silver, tea tree, aloe vera and crustacean shells. Some say that antibacterial textiles could reduce the amount we'd need to launder our clothes, however there is a high possibility that the germs would eventually mutate and therefore become resistant to the antibacterial substance.

Insect Repellence: Fabric treatments can assist in reducing the harmful insects that can live in textiles such as dust mites, particularly in bedding, which can be detrimental to the health of asthma sufferers and those with respiratory problems. This is also important to protect young babies before their immune systems develop as they would very easy pick up allergies and develop childhood asthma.

Catalystic Clothing: A relatively new exploration. Can potentially assist in reducing the harmful effects of air pollution, using nanotechnology that can be applied to the fabric through the laundry process. Effectively when the active agent in the fabric is activated by a catalyst (in this case, air pollution) it will get to work to purify the surrounding air.

Health and Cosmetic Benefits: There are coatings that can be applied to fabrics that are called pollen protection as they have a smooth surface which helps them to shed pollen easily, helping to reduce the effects of hay fever. For a standard t-shirt weighing 200mgs a vitamin C content can be imparted that equals the equivalent of 2 lemons. There are treatments applied to textiles to assist in moisturising skin and delivering active health benefits by trapping moisturising capsules within the fibres. Claims have been made by the likes of Victoria's Secret and Miss Sixty that wearing their moisture enriched underwear can actively reduce the look and feel of cellulite. How much truth lies in these claims I don't know.


Conductivity: This is an essential element in interactive textiles. Conductivity can be imparted by the use of metal fibres/content, or with special coatings and printing ink, depending on the product's use and desired functionality. In conductive gloves fine copper thread in used to complete the electric circuit between skin and screen. Conductive power sources are lightweight and flexible and it is also essential for them to be washable, however solar power elements can be woven into the garment as a back-up power source. Gorix is a branded, carbonised fibre with electrical conductive properties used for heated car sets, motorbike clothing and heated diving suits.

Soft Interfaces: using textiles as a carrier, the development of 'ambient technology' plans to create products for the home that are soft and tactile. Furniture that can 'memorise' personal preferences and then adapt accordingly.

Monitoring and Health: The Lifeshirt can record the wearer's vital signs and record it as data via sensors within the garment. This same technology can be used to also monitor emergency workers. it is also used in sport to monitor training, it allows realtime interaction during activity and also provides direct feedback. Can also be used as personal protection via GPS and garments that can shock an attacker. The GPS technology could also track the location of those with health issues in case they come into danger.

Optical camouflage: is also under development, to create camouflage that has an instinctive chameleon effect. Intelligent camouflage built using nanotechnology have the possible ability to divert light wavelengths, to change light from positive to negative refraction, rendering the object invisible.



Image Sources:
http://www.saftechinc.com/
http://www.embracethechange.com/articles/supplier-info/coolmax-and-climarelle-bedding
http://leslieinvancan.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/l-is-for-life-preserver.html
http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blog/list?user=306sf06eygkoc&month=10&year=2009
http://sites.moca.org/thecurve/category/the-geffen-contemporary-at-moca/page/2/
http://qinglianchen.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/space-of-production.html
http://www.dhgate.com/product/japan-anti-cellulite-bur-fat-slimming-pants/113634694.html
http://silvergroup.asia/blog/remote-patient-monitoring-worth-us8-billion-by-2012/