Moisture from perspiration collects in and passes through clothing as worn, and the properties of clothing fabrics influence both the collection and passage of this moisture. The selection and measure of moisture properties that relate to comfort in wear has proved to be more difficult than first perceived. Dynamic surface wetness of fabrics has been found to correlate with skin contact comfort in wear for

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This paper explores in detail new image enhancement techniques for assessing tuft geometry and concomitant appearance changes in new and worn carpets. Using im proved algorithms and more advanced tuft geometry, saxony tufted carpets of nylon and polyester BCF yams are capable of being extensively and reliably characterized as to texture and changes in appearance with laboratory or floor wear. While still using a relatively low resolution grey level imaging system, the newly developed al gorithms demonstrate how tuft size distribution, number of tufts, evenness of tuft spatial distribution, and aspect ratio (shape factor) of tufts can be objectively measured. Statistical analysis confirms that customary wear levels, and their visual appearance change in carpet, can be separated and correctly grouped by these new techniques. Some limitations of these and other texture-sensitive image analysis techniques are also discussed.

A new instrumental method for the analysis of the stress-strain behavior of fabrics in shear has been designed which utilizes the Instron and its automatic recording. It is similar in principle to the laboratory method previously employed by Treloar. A cotton and a spun viscose fabric were investigated for their dependence of shear properties on specimen shape and normal stress. The range of variables previously investigated by Treloar has been extended to include specimen shapes corresponding to length: width ratios of 1:1 to 20: 1, and normal stresses of 0 to 120 g/cm. It was found that the properties of the long, narrow specimen in shear were much less sensitive to the normal stress than were those of the square specimen, particularly at the important lower values of the normal stress. The more favorable wrinkling behavior of the long, narrow specimen enables one to extend the range of test conditions beyond those of the square specimen. It is further shown that Behre's theory for the incidence of wrinkling could not be experimentally corroborated.

This study investigates new techniques for measuring the influence of fiber, type on fabric surface vapor pressure and temperature, which are related to sensations of cloth ing comfort. Microfine hygrometry and thermometry are used to measure dynamic changes in moisture vapor pressure and temperature on both surfaces of a two-layer fabric assembly under simulated body-clothing conditions. Findings show that fiber type significantly influences transient, comfort-related variables such as changes of inner surface vapor pressure and temperature. Polyester double layer assemblies exhibit the lowest inner surface temperature, but a much higher concentration of moisture vapor. Cotton assemblies show the slowest rate of inner vapor pressure accumulation with the highest inner surface temperature rise. Mixed fabric layers of cotton and polyester reveal moderate inner surface temperature peaks and moderate vapor pressure changes. Using a completely different methodology, this study reinforces other findings that fiber type and finish are indeed important to understanding transient changes in moisture vapor and temperature within fabric and clothing assemblies and their interior microclimates.