Thermal Comfort of Clothing of Varying Fiber Content

Abstract

This paper reports the results of thermal comfort studies on women subjects wearing complete outfits of clothing made from fabrics of cotton, nylon, acetate, and Arnel. The conditions of temperature and humidity were controlled to create environments ranging from slightly cool to hot. Total weight loss, evaporative weight loss, weight gain of clothing, rectal temperature, time of onset of sweating, and skin temperature were the objective measures used. A subjective comfort vote was also taken.

By use of these measures, no significant differences were found among the fiber types in relation to thermal comfort of clothing. At 94° F. and 80% relative humidity the percentages of gain in clothing weight because of perspiration absorption were related to the original weights of the clothing assemblies rather than the characteristic moisture regain levels of the natural versus the man-made fibers. Environmental temperatures of 88° and 94° F. and relative humidity of 80% had decided effects on the comfort vote and total weight losses of the subjects. Evaporative weight loss was affected by relative humidity at all temperatures used in this study.