Apparel manufacturers shift their attention tothe high-performance end of the Moisture Management Fabrics Market andconsumers place increasing importance on the performance of garments, accordingto the latest issue of Performance Apparel Markets.
Moisture management is one of the keyperformance criteria in today's apparel industry. It is defined as the abilityof a garment to transport moisture away from the skin to the garment's outersurface. This action prevents perspiration from remaining next to the skin. Inhot conditions, trapped moisture may heat up and lead to fatigue or diminishedperformance. In cold conditions, trapped moisture will drop in temperature andcause chilling and hypothermia. Excess moisture may also cause the garment tobecome heavy, as well as cause damage to the skin from chafing.
Any garment which is worn next to the skin orworn during exercise benefits from moisture management properties. The range ofapplications for such fabrics continues to expand as new fabric technology isreleased on to the market. In addition to sportswear and active wear, there isalso growing interest in moisture management fabrics from the flame retardantapparel market.
Moisture is transported in textiles throughcapillary action or wicking. In textiles, the spaces between the fibreseffectively form tubes, which act as capillaries, and transport the liquid awayfrom the surface. As a rule, the narrower the spaces between the fibres in afabric, the more effectively they will draw up moisture. For this reason,fabrics with many narrow capillaries, such as microfibres, are ideal formoisture transport.
Another factor which affects moisture managementis absorbency. However, while greater absorbency increases the ability formoisture to be drawn into the fabric, the tendency of absorbent fibres toretain such moisture affects comfort levels, as the garment becomes saturated.It has been shown that fabrics which wick moisture rapidly through the fabricwhile absorbing little water help to regulate body temperature, improve muscle performance and delay exhaustion.
Generally, the most effective moisturemanagement fabrics are high-tech synthetic fabrics which are made frompolyamide or polyester microfibres. These are lightweight, are capable oftransporting moisture efficiently, and dry relatively quickly. Moisturemanagement capabilities can also be enhanced by using certain finishing processes, by varying the fabric or fibre construction, or by using a blend of fibre types.
"Push-pull" fabrics -- bicomponentmaterials composed of a non-absorbent material on the inside and an absorbentmaterial on the outside -- have proved to be an effective construction formoisture management fabrics. This is because the absorbent material on theoutside draws the moisture away from the skin while the non-absorbent materialkeeps the skin dry.
In terms of key producers, one of the world'sleading manufacturers of polyester-based moisture management materials isInvista. This company's CoolMax and Thermolite brands are found in a wide rangeof garments for sports and outdoor activities. However, the pace of developmenthas accelerated over the past ten years, and a growing number of companies arenow competing with these brands. Well known names in this field include AmericanFibers and Yarn, Comfort Technologies, Hind, Honeywell, Intera, Intex, Lenzing,Marmot, Milliken, Mitsui, Nano-Tex, Nike, Patagonia, Pearl Izumi, Polartec,Reebok, Rhovyl, Schoeller, Tomen, USA-Pro, and Wellman. The number ofpolyester-based moisture management fabrics on the market has also increaseddramatically in recent years, and includes Capilene from Patagonia andPolartec's Power Dry.
As manufacturers of sports and active outdoorwear strive to improve the functionality of their collections, the future willsee further developments in the field of moisture management fabrics. Forexample, the area of nano-fibres looks set to revolutionise the moisturemanagement market. In addition, the next generation of "smart"textiles could see the development of fabrics which are able to respond tochanges in the environment by adjusting their pore size or thickness to allowmoisture through.
About the Author:
Sam Anson
AKTRIN Textile Information Center
Web: Moisture Management Fabrics Market
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