Effect of luxicool fiber usage on comfort properties of knitted fabrics

Abstract

Comfort is an important parameter on textile products that has interaction with skin. One of the most important parameter affecting comfort is fiber content Luxicool fiber is relatively new material and according to its producer, it has superior comfort feeling through perfect moisture and heat transfer capabilities because of its polymer structure. In this study, contribution to comfort of luxicool fibers were tested objectively and subjectively by using in bandage production and knitted fabrics. A bandage producer company is using PA 6 and PU fibers for standard bandage production. Company produced another bandage type using PET/luxicool blended yarn with PA 6 and PU fibers for this study. Besides using doubled yarns with PA 6/luxicool, PA 6.6/luxicool, PET/luxicool, PET/PET and PA 6.6/PA 6.6 fabrics were produced on knitted machines. Bursting strength, pilling, thermal properties (thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, thermal absorptivity), thickness, water vapor permeability, air permeability and dynamic coefficient of friction tests were been made to those bandages and knitted fabrics. In addition bandages were used by people who are doing intensive physical activities. Performances of bandages were investigated by a survey considering general comfort softness, dryness and coolness parameters. As a result; bandages containing luxicool fibers have higher values on air permeability, water vapor permeability, thermal conductivity, and thermal absorptivity but lower values on water vapor resistance, heat resistance, dynamic coefficient of friction, thickness than the other bandages. Depending on the survey, bandages containing luxicool fibers show better performance than the others. The most significant difference is found on dryness parameter.