Sports Fabrics And Moisture Management
Sports are becoming a favorite pass time globally. Be it Soccer, Cricket, Tennis, Basket Ball, the need for change is there and markets have jumped at the opportunity to tap this growing industry .Sports fabrics are also known as Moisture management fabrics.
Moisture management is one of the key performance criteria in today’s apparel industry. It is defined as the ability of a garment to transport moisture away from the skin to the garment’s outer surface. This action prevents perspiration from remaining next to the skin. In hot conditions, trapped moisture may heat up and lead to fatigue or diminished performance. In cold conditions, trapped moisture will drop in temperature and cause chilling and hypothermia. Excess moisture may also cause the garment to become heavy, as well as cause damage to the skin from chafing.
Any garment, which is worn next to the skin or worn during exercise benefits from moisture management properties. The range of applications for such fabrics continues to expand as new fabric technology is released on to the market. In addition to sportswear and active wear, there is also growing interest in moisture management fabrics from the flame retardant apparel market.
Moisture is transported in textiles through capillary action or wicking. In textiles, the spaces between the fibres effectively form tubes, which act as capillaries, and transport the liquid away from the surface. As a rule, the narrower the spaces between the fibers in a fabric, the more effectively they will draw up moisture. For this reason, fabrics with many narrow capillaries, such as Microfibers, are ideal for moisture transport.
Another factor, which affects moisture management is absorbency. However, while greater absorbency increases the ability for moisture to be drawn into the fabric, the tendency of absorbent fibers to retain such moisture affects comfort levels, as the garment becomes saturated. It has been shown that fabrics which wick moisture rapidly through the fabric while absorbing little water help to regulate body temperature, improve muscle performance and delay exhaustion.
Generally, the most effective moisture management fabrics are high-tech synthetic fabrics, which are made from polyamide or polyester microfibers. These are lightweight, are capable of transporting moisture efficiently, and dry relatively quickly. Moisture management capabilities can also be enhanced by using certain finishing processes, by varying the fabric or fiber construction, or by using a blend of fiber types.
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Tags: absorbency, active wear, apparel industry, apparel market, capillaries, capillary action, cold conditions, excess moisture, fabric technology, fibers, flame retardant, hypothermia, management properties, microfibers, moisture transport, outer surface, spaces, sports, textiles
