Functional Fabrics:
Making Textiles Work for You

The field of functional fabrics has witnessed an influx of new technologies, new products and materials to meet the challenges of the needs of new industries - such as computer, electronics and telecommunication industries as also to meet the performance objectives of the sports and healthcare industries.

New regulations, standards and testing methods, as well as instruments, are essential for assessing and defining these needs. These new regulations present new challenges to the industry. With new fibers/blends rapidly changing the economic situation, today’s manufacturer needs to be fully aware of the new regulations and the products and processes that will meet them. Companies that adopt the latest technology will have the edge in providing superior products with the best balance of properties at the lowest possible price.

High-performance textiles and yarns are manufactured using high technology fibers like para-aramid, meta-aramid, fire resistant rayon, glass fibre, pre-oxidised acrylic. Functionality can be added to a fabric by applying varied treatments and finishes, by application of nanotechnology, by blending of ultra fabric / fibre or by usage of microfibers.

The following examples (4.1 to 4.5) are methods / ways by which functionality can be added to textiles

4.1 Textile Finishes

Textile finishes enhance the feel and drape of fabrics. This involves the addition of sizing, weighting, fulling and softening agents, which may be either temporary or permanent.

Thermochromic i.e. changing color according to temperature is a function that can be added to a textile material through finishes applied to it. Two types of thermochromic systems that have been used in textiles are: (1) the liquid crystal type and (2) the molecular rearrangement type. In both cases, the dyes are entrapped in microcapsules, applied to garment fabric like a pigment in a resin binder. The most prominent types of liquid crystals are the so-called cholesteric types, where adjacent molecules are arranged so that they form helices. Thermochromism is a result of the selective reflection of light by the liquid crystal. The other method of inducing thermochromism is through rearrangement of the molecular structure of a dye as a result of a change in temperature. The most common types of dyes that exhibit thermochromism through molecular rearrangement are the spirolactones

. Another functional example is that developed by a textile company, Phild, which is a method of spraying or impregnating fabrics with a solution containing titanium powder which enhances the wearer’s health.

Similarly, Reflex Holding, a Norway based textile company has developed a technique which improves the heat transfer of coloured patterns to fabrics

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3XDRY® (by Schoeller Technologies AG, which is a globally active licensing company for innovative textile technologies) is another example where finishing technology has been developed to provide a treatment that retains water resistance on the face of a fabric which increasing wicking on the back. The two functions are truly separated within the fabric, which remains highly breathable.

The use of synthetic fibres and blends in such items as shirts, hosiery, blouses and underwear has increased the need for anti-microbial finishes on clothing. The moisture-transport characteristics of such blends tend to cause a greater degree of “perspiration wetness that occurs with fabrics of wholly natural fibers.

4.2
Combining Textile and Non-Textile Materials

Functionality can also be added in a fabric by the combinations of Textile & Non-textile Materials. Some examples are listed below:

• Combination of Stainless Steel Fiber with Cotton & Polyamide to create a soft & flexible cloth.

• Combination of cotton, copper, polyamide and polyurethane to create a metallic surface.

• Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) embedded in hand-woven linen, that are programmable and controllable through sensors. These can be used in creative arts practice, sportswear & medical use, as well as in interactive costumes for dance, theatre and expressive gallery textiles.

• Metals & Papers in combination with silks & polyesters.

• A technology has been created to convert proprietary materials into miniature reflectors that, when imbedded into fabric by the millions, reflect oncoming light, (such as automobile headlights) in a way that illuminates the full silhouette of a person, bicycle or any other object.

4.3
Nano Metal Coating

Masa is a new nano-metal coating developed by the Suzutora Corporation, a Japanese firm engaged in textile technologies, to provide textile fabrics employed in a variety of applications and with a range of functional advantages. Masa-coated fabrics can, for instance, reflect rays from the sun, including UV (Ultra Violet) and infrared rays, making them very useful as curtain fabrics, They can act as sunscreens, offer visual protection and are said to be capable of lowering a room’s temperature 2-3°C more than conventional sunscreen textiles. This suggests that with high outside temperatures there will be clear energy savings to be made, with less cooling required from air conditioning systems. In addition, while the Masacoated fabrics are transparent from within, they prevent people outside from looking in.

4.4
Blending of Fabrics / Fibers

Functionality can also be added in a fabric by the combination of blending various fabrics and fibers. Some examples are listed below:

• Natural Fibers Blended with Synthetics to Improve Strength, Crease Resistance & Easy Care

• Polyamide (warp) and paper (weft) woven together and then hand silkscreen printed. This exquisite fabric, designed in a customized manner in Japan, is used for high-end interiors.

• Microfiber with metal foil spots combine to give a consistent metallic finish. This blend can be used for high-end fashion garments (especially outerwear)

• In another combination, Nuno Corp, a Japanese firm which creates innovative textiles combining traditional aesthetics with the latest computer and synthetics technologies, prepared a blended fabric in which bamboo fibers were combined with rayon, silk, polyamide and polyurethane. Bamboo has anti-bacterial and anti-odour properties.

• A Finnish company used peat and wool to create a blend that has anti-bacterial properties and absorbs radiation. • Fabrics with charcoal as a component can filter odour and pollution. In 2001 The Japanese company Nuno Corp developed a blend fabric made of wool, silk, charcoal, polyamide and polyurethane. Charcoal was used for its health-giving properties as it has the ability to absorb chemical impurities in the air.

4.5
Ultra Microfibers

Using the latest in microtechnology, scientists are building fabrics where the fiber itself is scrutinized and manipulated in minute detail. Microfibres were originally intended for space and military applications, but textile designers today prefer them for their unique appeal. A microfiber is by definition a material in which the yarn’s thickness is equal to or less than 1/60th the thickness of an average human hair. Ultra-microfibers in the market are even finer – some having thickness of just 1/200th the thickness of human hair.

Microfiber fabrics are easy to care for, machine-washable and will not lose their shapes. Fabrics constructed from microbers can also be made windproof whilst breathable. These two qualities together imply that the fabrics prevent the smallest drops of water from entering while allowing the water vapour from perspiration to pass through. These properties result in these fabrics maintaining an even body temperature in all types of weather conditions. It is also possible to have a range of finishing for the Microfibers – crushed and wrinkled finishes that are thermochromic, antibacterial, anti-UV (those that can prevent ultra-violet rays from entering), light sensitive and deodorant. Microfiber blends are used in both prêt-a-porter and haute couture fashion, since these fabrics have a unique appearance and excellent tactile qualities.

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Some other key developments in this sector: Scientists in France have developed a rubber-like material that can self-heal after being snapped in two, offering hope for a future where certain products are simply able to mend themselves.

A Japanese company (Omikenshi, engaged in production, processing and sale of fibers) has developed a type of viscose made from crab shells. This fiber is claimed to have antibacterial properties.

Flexible protection materials are striving to transform traditional protective clothing. These materials stiffen on impact to provide protection when necessary, but also allow comfort and freedom of movement when they are not being called into action.

Conclusion

Fashion is often at the forefront of technology usage. Often new materials and technologies are used in textiles and accessories when they are still too expensive or primitive for other uses. Technology development is on a fast track and shows no sign of slowing down in the foreseeable future. Hence, thefashion fraternity will have a lot of fun over the coming years. The next decades will see the gradual convergence of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive technologies. Typical results will be materials with different tensile, thermal and optical properties, integration of information technology into fabrics, and linkage of our bodies to the network for medical and communication purposes, via clothing or skin-wearables. This will be to an extent that functional components are themselves textile material.

To summarize the key points:

• Wearable technology continues to impress

• Sustainability is vital throughout the industry

• The field of functional fabrics has witnessed an influx of new technologies, new products and materials.

• Other than style and fashion, Comfort, Ease (of maintenance) and Well Being are important attributes being desired.

One thing is certain, in years to come, technological advances done today will change forever the way we dress, the way our clothes look, what clothes do for us and the way our world looks today.

Companies are exploring an innovative and modern interpretation of textiles, inspired by contemporary cultural awareness and advances in technology - an area that has become fully integrated into everyday life.
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