Effect of Layering on Comfort Properties of Nonwovens

Nonwovens are the constituents of almost all protective clothing because compared to woven fabrics nonwovens perform better as cushion, thermal insulator, absorber etc. But due to direct fiber to fiber bonding nonwovens are stiffer and bulkier than woven fabrics. Previous research proved that thermal insulation and thermal resistance are two major important phenomenon of nonwoven which are very useful in protective clothing as well as in industry. These two characteristics play an important role in thermal comfort of garment. Thermal insulation of nonwoven can be improved by increasing its GSM, using finer fibers or by making nonwoven structure bulkier. Thermal resistance value of nonwoven can be improved by using inherent thermally resistive fibers, use of reflective finishes or increasing GSM to thickness ratio. All these ways to improve thermal insulation value and thermal resistance value adversely affects comfort properties like stiffness, air permeability etc and also increases the cost of product. Present research gives a simple solution to improve the thermal insulation and thermal resistance of nonwoven fabric by affecting neither its comfort properties nor cost.