Comfort Analysis of Woven Cotton/Polyester Fabrics Modified with a New Elastic Fiber, Part 2: Detailed Study of Mechanical, Thermo-Physiological and Skin Sensorial Properties

This paper is a detailed study of the influence of various design parameters on the performance properties of woven polyester/cotton fabrics for professional wear end use. The design parameters studied were the polyester content, the effect of introducing elasticity on the weft (weft stretch) and the use of fabric treatments and, more specifically, the use of a stain repellency treatment. The comfort elements studied here were the fabric thermal and moisture management properties (thermal resistance, water vapor resistance, water buffering, and wicking and drying rates) and the tactile attributes (four selected Kawabata mechanical properties, three Primary Hand parameters and the Total Hand). Fabric mechanical properties were also investigated. All properties were modeled using multivariate correlation techniques. The results obtained showed that the weft stretch has a significant influence on tactile comfort as well as on mechanical properties and fabric thermal resistance. The results also showed that polyester content and the application of the functional treatment are the key design elements in controlling fabric performance.