The market for moisture management fabrics is set to grow as
apparel manufacturers
shift their attention to the high-performance end of the sector
and consumers place increasing importance on the performance of
garments, according to the latest issue of Performance
Apparel Markets.
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 fibres in a fabric, the more effectively they will draw up
moisture. For this reason, fabrics with many narrow capillaries,
such as microfibres, 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 fibres
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
microfibres. 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 fibre construction, or by using a blend
of fibre types.
"Push-pull" fabrics -- bicomponent materials composed
of a non-absorbent materia on the inside and an absorbent material
on the outside -- have proved to be an effective construction
for moisture management fabrics. This is because the absorbent
material on the outside draws the moisture away from the skin
while the non-absorbent material keeps the skin dry.
In terms of key producers, one of the world’s leading manufacturers
of polyester-based moisture management materials is Invista. This
company’s CoolMax and Thermolite brands are found in a wide
range of garments for sports and outdoor activities. However,
the pace of development has accelerated over the past ten years,
and a growing number of companies are now competing with these
brands. Well known names in this field include American Fibers
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 of polyester-based moisture management fabrics on
the market has also increased dramatically in recent years, and
includes Capilene from Patagonia and Polartec’s Power Dry.
As manufacturers of sports and active outdoor wear strive to improve
the functionality of their collections, the future will see further
developments in the field of moisture management fabrics. For
example, the area of nano-fibres looks set to revolutionise the
moisture management market. In addition, the next generation of
"smart" textiles could see the development of fabrics
which are able to respond to changes in the environment by adjusting
their pore size or thickness to allow moisture through.
Performance Apparel Markets is a quarterly publication from Textiles
Intelligence. Each issue includes business information and analysis
of the market for high performance activewear and corporate apparel.