Sports textiles is one of the emerging areas of technical textiles. The use of cotton in this segment has declined over the years due tc strong competition from synthetic fibres like polyester and polypropylene. Cotton fibres possess excellent comfortproperties wher the human body is at rest or during mild activity levels. However, at higher ambient temperatures or during strenuous bodily activity, the wearer perspires profusely so that clothing worn next to the skin becomes saturated with perspiration. Ideally, the liquid on the body surface or in the inner layer of clothing should be quickly transferred to the outer layer and the liquid has to evaporate from the outer layer to the environment. In case of cotton, due to its good absorbency and strong affinity to water, the moisture is retained in the fibre structure and hence liquid transportation is difficult. Hence research efforts are urgently needed to develop cotton products with improved moisture management behaviour. In this article, various aspects related to clothing comfort of sports apparels and strategies for improving the performance of cotton textiles have been discussed.
展开▼
