Further Links Contact Us Search Help

Syllabus | Exams | Assessment | Glossary | Site reviews | Careers

Textiles and Design

Home > Textiles and Design > Properties and Performance of Textiles > Sports clothing

Properties and performance of textiles

---

Keeping cool and dry with technology: textiles and sport

In the Area of Study: Properties and performance of textiles, students develop knowledge and understanding of scientific and technological developments. In this area of study you will focus on the selection of end-use applications of textiles, influenced by the fabric, yarn and fibre properties and fabric finishes of the textile product. In this particular case the end-use application is professional sports and outdoor clothing. The textile products you will investigate include the Greg Norman Play Dry™ clothing and Sportwool™ apparels.

In this tutorial you will analyse and evaluate the functional criteria for professional sports and outdoor clothing, to determine the contributing fabric, yarn and fibre properties and fabric finishes. Use the web sites and information provided to answer the questions. This will help you to analyse how the fabric, yarn and fibre properties and fabric finishes are appropriate for the functional needs of the end-user.

You will conclude your investigation by summarising the information in a structural overview. A structural overview is a visual representation of a topic being studied. It will allow you to see the overall picture and to begin to make connections between the fabric, yarn and fibre properties and fabric finishes by linking together the information and seeing the relationship to the functional criteria of the textile apparel items.

Professional sports and outdoor clothing

First of all think about the following question:
What do you consider to be the functional criteria for professional sports and outdoors clothing?

Although it depends on the sport, some basic functional criteria would be:

• comfortable
• keeps you cool or warm, as required
• breathes
• remains dry even in humid conditions
• weather proof
• allows for movement.
   

The Greg Norman Collection: The Play Dry™ moisture wicking system

This is a range of athletic apparel that incorporates a moisture management system involving the process of moisture wicking. Moisture wicking involves taking moisture away from the body.

Activity 1

Read the information presented on the clothing label then answer the questions below.

1. What function does the moisture management system perform for the wearer?
    
2. Explain how the moisture management system, Play Dry™ works.
    
3. What other treatments or fabric finishes are used in the garments?

Activity 2

Visit the Greg Norman Collection web site and answer the following questions on the Play Dry Solid Polo.

1. What fibre blend is the Play Dry™ fabric made from?
    
2. Describe the Play Dry™ moisture management system and the role of the polyester yarn in the system?
   
   
3. What other non-sporting activities would suit this moisture wicking system? Why?

Summary: structural overview

Activity 3

Using the following link answer the questions to understand how Sportwool™ works.

1. What does Sportwool™ performance blend product do for an athlete's body?
    
2. What fibres are used in Sportwool™ garments?
    
3. What does this unique combination of fibres create in the garment?
    
4. Explain how the properties of wool fibres contribute to the unique vapour management and wicking properties.
    
5. What is the result for the athlete wearing Sportwool™?
   1. List the benefits of Sportwool™.
       
   2. Are there any disadvantages you can think of?
   
    
6. Explain how Sportwool™ creates a cooler microclimate.
7. What is the benefit of the Sportwool™ weatherproof technology?
    

8. Explain how this technology works.

Click on Sportwool in Action to see the range of sporting groups using Sportwool.

See also Woolmark for the natural properties of wool.

Activity 4

Using a structural overview, like the example presented for the Greg Norman Play Dry™ moisture wicking system, show how the fabric, yarn and fibre properties and fabric finishes of Sportwool™ contribute to its suitable end-use.

Activity 1 answers

1. Helps keep you cooler, drier, and more comfortable.
    
2. The clothing utilises a technology that incorporates an advanced micro carrier system that not only wicks moisture away from the skin but also transports it to the outer layer so it can be evaporated into the air.
    
3. Treatments for long-lasting performance and optimum colour endurance.

Activity 2 answers

1. 60% cotton and 40% polyester.
    
2. The moisture management system takes moisture from the body, into a polyester yarn, runs the moisture along the course of the yarn and disperses it into the air, so you feel dry inside and outside.
    
3. Often people would like to walk or cycle to work but they end up feeling so hot in summer that they avoid it. Shirts featuring the Play Dry™ system would be ideal. Also people working outdoors doing manual labour become extremely hot, clothing clings making it uncomfortable to work, often they work without shirts which increases their exposure to the sun. A moisture wicking system may improve this situation.

Activity 3 answers

If wool fibres are in close proximity to the skin, they do not act as a barrier to the mass transfer of water vapour but rather speed up the heat transfer process. This results in muscles which will be cooler and able to work at a higher level without having adverse effects on the finely-tuned temperature requirements of the body.

1. Air-conditions the body before, during and after exercise.
    
2. Next to the skin: Extrafine Australian Merino Wool. The outer face: synthetic fibre.
    
3. Sophisticated temperature and moisture vapour management with strength and easycare.
    
4. Wool is naturally hydrophobic but is capable of holding up to 30% of its mass in vapour. The hydrogen­oxygen attraction process has the effect of allowing wool fibres to pull water vapour into themselves. If wool fibres are in close proximity to the skin, they do not act as a barrier to the mass transfer of water vapour but rather speed up the heat transfer process. This results in muscles which will be cooler and able to work at a higher level without having adverse effects on the finely-tuned temperature requirements of the body.
    
5. 1. Benefits of Sportwool™: Vapour management (feels cooler quicker); drier-to-touch, garments feel less clammy during activity; natural elasticity; natural UV protection; a natural microclimate.
   2. Some disadvantages could be cost and skin irritation for sensitive skins.
   
    
6. The Merino wool fibres in contact with the skin actively attract perspiration vapour molecules before they have a chance to condense to liquid sweat, thus producing a superior heat transfer process.
    
7. The wearer is able to experience a lightweight fabric with a total climate control system, which also includes considerable thermal protection.
    
8. Because the inner face of the fabric contains Merino wool the Sportwool™ weatherproof fabric is capable of pulling significant amounts of vapour into itself via the electrical attraction established between the charged ions in the Sportwool™ Merino wool side chain. The Merino wool basis of the Sportwool Technology reduces the tendency for the vapour the body produces to condense into sweat. It is able to drive the sweat vapour molecules through the waterproof outer layer by hydroscopic absorption and desorption before they condense into sweat.

Activity 4 suggested answer