Textile and Apparel Science

Investigation of Air Permeability of Handwoven Fabrics

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Abstract

Handwoven fabrics, which made with cotton and silk, have unique characteristics and feel and are being produced in many parts of Thailand for making handicrafts such as pieces of clothing, embellishments, and home furnishings. It should be one of the largest income sources for many Thailand people, especially in rural areas (Fujioka,2002). In general, handwoven fabrics are not woven as tightly and strongly as machine-produced woven fabrics, resulting in fraying and shifting fabric shape easily during the construction process. To solve this weakness, fusible polyester interfacing liner tends to be ironed onto the back of handwoven cotton and silk before cutting and sewing since it makes the handwoven fabric stiffer and keeps its shape. It results producers can cut handwoven cotton and silk easily and sew them with fabricless-distorted. However, it also affects the thickening of the fabric,resulting negatively to breathability and ability to transfer heat and humid between wearer body and an inner layer of clothing. Thailand locates in the tropics, which is hot and humid across the nation. This research began with the question if adding layers, like fusible interfacing liner, is appropriate in a hot and humid climate and why this technique has used for a while in Thailand.Limited studies have examined the thermal comfort of multi-layer fabrics,especially with fusible interfacing liner (Shabaridharan, 2012). Therefore, the purpose of this study to investigate if the use of fusible interfacing liner is appropriate and how it affects the thermal comfort of the wearer by measuring air permeability in handwoven cotton and silk.

Keywords: air permeability, handwoven liner, thermal comfort

How to Cite:

Ko, S., Kumphai, P. & An, S., (2019) “Investigation of Air Permeability of Handwoven Fabrics”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 76(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.8803