Design and Manufacturing of an Innovative Triple-Layer Thermo-Insulated Fabric

Abstract

Materials used for creating fabrics featuring insulation and thermoregulation are typically made of multi-layer materials consisting of two outer layers and inner padding, traditionally made from goose or duck feathers or even with synthetic materials. In this context, the development of a fabric in which the insulation is carried out directly thanks to the structure of its weave, i.e., where the thermoregulation function is entrusted to one of the yarns (suitably volumized to reduce its density and trap the air) may be an important improvement compared to the state of the art. Accordingly, the present work describes the development of a new kind of triple-layer thermo-insulated innovative fabric (named T4Innovation), in which the thermal insulation is not obtained by means of a padding but rather through the use of appropriate volumized yarns, able to ensure thermal insulation in a reduced thickness. This fabric is manufactured in a single weaving phase, greatly facilitating the subsequent operations of the garment maker. The designed and manufactured fabric was extensively tested to assess its performance. The test demonstrated the effectiveness of such a new class of textile product in terms of thermal performance, which is comparable to the ones of a padded material. Since T4Innovation demonstrates aesthetic properties very close to that of traditional unpadded fabrics, its future commercialization could open new horizons in terms of design, fashion, and style, which are cornerstones of the fashion textile industry.

The Effect of using Multilayer Fabric in Controlling Water Permeability of some Protective Textiles

“…Multilayer fabric is a type of fabrics which are composed of one or more layers. Multilayered fabrics may consist of various layers of the fabrics which have the ability to complement and enhance the essential comfort [11], [12]. The method of production, fabric structure, materials and weight of each layer can be controlled according to the final usage and required properties.…”

“…Number of layers could play a significant role in moisture and heat transport properties of fabrics. [13], [14]. A good multilayered system should include at least three layers: outermost layers, and an inner layer [15].…”

Special Issue on Innovative Textiles in the Era of Circular Economy

“…In detail, the authors propose a fabric where the thermoregulation function is entrusted to one of the yarns (suitably volumized to reduce its density and trap the air) and suggest that this architecture could an important improvement compared to contemporary fabrics. The new developed kind of triple-layer thermo-insulated innovative fabric (named by the authors as T4Innovation) is able to ensure thermal insulation in a reduced thickness and is manufactured in a single weaving phase, greatly facilitating the subsequent operations of the garment maker [4].…”

Development of a process based on coagulation of polyurethane in aqueous solution for manu-facturing leather-like products

“…Thermal resistance is the ratio between the absolute temperature difference Δ between the two faces of the insulating material (i.e. the fabric) and the amount of thermal energy transferred in the unit of time (thermal flow ) through the unit of surface [20]. Thermal resistance in fabrics can be measured in W/m•K This parameter is certainly one of the most interesting for the coated fabrics manufactured with the new method.…”