Abstract:

Thermal comfort properties, i.e. thermal conductivity, thermal absorption and thermal resistance, and the water vapour and air permeabilities of fabrics woven from different cross sectional shaped polyester fibres were investigated. A total of eight woven fabrics were produced in two different weave patterns (plain and twill) from polyester yarns of four different fibre cross sectional shapes (round, hollow round, trilobal and hollow trilobal). The fabrics consisting of hollow fibres had higher thermal conductivity and thermal absorption values but lower thermal resistance, water vapour and air permeability values than their counterparts of solid fibres. The twill fabrics produced from trilobal fibres showed the lowest thermal conductivity and thermal absorption but the highest thermal resistance, water vapour and air permeability.