The transport of moisture and liquid in fibrous assemblies, like yarns and fabrics, is crucial for thermophysiological comfort in functional textiles, including activewear, protective clothing, and health and hygiene products. Understanding these complex liquid transport processes has involved both standardized and non-standardized testing methods. One key tool, the Moisture Management Tester (MMT), was developed in 2002 to objectively measure moisture spreading and transfer between fabric surfaces. In 2009, the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) established Test Method 195, which uses the MMT to assess moisture management properties in textile fabrics. However, this standard primarily addresses clothing comfort by measuring basic moisture spread over time and distance.

In applications like patient support systems and incontinence products, moisture behavior differs: patient support systems involve slow application of small liquid quantities, while incontinence products handle larger fluid amounts applied at a rapid rate. These variations require tracking liquid movement in multiple directions. Wickview, a new system equipped with integrated cameras, uniquely captures and records video and images, measuring multidirectional liquid movement through fabrics or fabric layers. This work demonstrates Wickview's capabilities in evaluating applications such as patient support and incontinence products. With its comprehensive parameter measurements and visual tools for studying liquid transport, Wickview broadens the scope of quantitative machine measurements, offering enhanced insight into moisture and liquid dynamics across various textile applications.

Urinary incontinence is a widespread condition, particularly among middle-aged women and nearly half of individuals over the age of 70. Current management relies heavily on disposable absorbent products, which raise significant environmental concerns due to their fossil-based content and single-use nature. The development of sustainable, reusable alternatives is therefore of growing importance, particularly within material science and healthcare applications.

Unlike menstrual products, reusable solutions for urinary incontinence must accommodate the higher volume and lower viscosity of urine, which increases challenges related to leakage control and rewetting. In this study, a materials-driven approach was employed to address these challenges through systematic research into fiber selection, yarn engineering, and textile structure optimization.

A range of fiber types and yarn constructions were evaluated for their liquid management properties, including absorption capacity, wicking behavior, and retention under pressure. This led to the development of a novel multilayer textile architecture, designed to achieve efficient liquid penetration, rapid distribution, and long-term retention without the use of non-reusable superabsorbent polymers (SAPs). The resulting structure balances capillarity and storage capacity across layers, while minimizing rewetting to the surface.

The final demonstrator, a lightweight and flexible washable product, was assessed through laboratory tests and user trials against commercially available solutions, including one disposable and two reusable products. Results demonstrated that the new multilayer textile outperforms existing reusable products in both absorption and retention and approaches the performance of disposable products.

This research highlights the potential of fiber- and structure-level material innovations to enable sustainable, high-performance absorbent products, and lays the groundwork for further research to address products for heavier incontinence.

Medical textiles is a growing area due to the ageing population. With the increased number of ageing individuals, disorders like bedsores and incontinence are becoming more frequent. Individuals having limited mobility or being completely bedbound are supported by interfaces such as mattresses and cushions, so-called patient support surfaces. In these conditions pressure and shear forces can cause damage to the skin and soft tissues resulting chronic wound named pressure ulcers. 

As the world's population ages, the number of people with reduced mobility is increasing. Individuals with reduced mobility or who are completely bedridden are supported by mattresses and cushions, known as patient support surfaces. The purpose of these support surfaces is to reduce pressure and shear stress on the skin and underlying tissues to prevent pressure ulcers. Although mechanical forces are the primary cause of pressure ulcers, moisture is a critical but often overlooked factor that contributes to skin breakdown. Therefore, controlling humidity between the skin and the support surface is crucial to prevent pressure ulcers. This study investigates how knitted textiles can act as effective barriers for moisture management at the skin-support interface. The study focuses on knitted fabrics with varying yarn densities. These fabrics are evaluated using WickView, a promising machine-based testing method that does not yet have widespread documented use. Its advanced imaging system enables real-time visualization and measurement of moisture distribution across different textile surfaces. The study highlights the differences in transverse and in-plane wetting between the knitted fabrics as well as the advantages and limitations of WickView as a moisture management evaluation method. Findings from this work contribute to the development of medical textiles and support ongoing efforts in pressure ulcer prevention, with implications for both academic research and clinical practice.

The testing of fabric moisture management is crucial for textile development in healthcare, activewear, personal protective equipment (PPE), etc. Research and industry rely on efficient quantitative testing by moisture managementinstruments, yet a deeper understanding of these devices and their ability to assess fabric moisture management isneeded. This paper provides a thorough comparison of two fabric moisture management testing instruments, MoistureManagement Tester (MMT) and WickView, by looking at each instrument’s performance in assessing various aspects oftransverse and in-plane liquid transport. Based on the polyester and viscose fabrics tested in this study, the resultsindicate that MMT is more suitable for testing initial wetting and rapid transverse wicking in fabrics, whereas WickViewis unique in detecting directional in-plane wicking in one dimension and two dimensional in-plane wicking. The study alsohighlights limitations for both instruments. Limited spatial resolution for MMT and temporal resolution for WickViewaffect the test results’ accuracy. WickView’s ability to provide raw data allows for customizable analysis, which makes itpreferable for development and research, whereas MMT is more efficient for routine quality control. Furthermore, theimportance of adapting grading systems and general moisture management values according to the intended end use isemphasized. This study is useful for professionals seeking a deeper understanding of instrument-based fabric moisturemanagement testing.

Several qualities influence the processability of textile staple fibers: inter-fiber cohesion being one of the most important properties. Although various methods to measure this property have been explored, there is no consensus on the optimal technique, and existing methods often require specialized machinery. This article introduces and evaluates a straightforward method that utilizes only a carding machine and a tensile tester, both standard equipment in yarn laboratories. The proposed cohesion test method involves preparing carded webs, cutting them into nine rectangles, and then subjecting these samples to tensile testing. The method was initially assessed for repeatability and the normalization of results. Further experiments varied the fiber material (cotton and polyester), fiber organization, direction of fiber hooks, and finishing treatments. Force curves and their gradients were analyzed, alongside video footage, to study inter-fiber interactions during testing. The results demonstrated that the new test method could differentiate between fiber materials, fiber organizations, and quantify the effects from finishing treatments. The cohesion force (CF) of CO fibers was 30 % of that of PES fibers; carding had a greater impact on CO fibers compared to PES fibers, and treatment with lubricant reduced the CF by up to 35 %. However, the weight and dimensions of the samples must be controlled to ensure repeatability. In conclusion, the developed inter-fiber cohesion test method offers a promising and accessible approach to analyzing inter-fiber interactions in staple fibers.

The mechanical textile recycling process significantly reduces fibre length. Previously, we explored how lubricant pre-treatment before mechanical recycling reduced the fibre length loss. In this study, we added simulated wear to assess its influence on the fibre length output. We also evaluated the influence of sample shape and feed direction on recycling efficiency. We treated plain woven cotton textiles were subjected to either sandpaper grinding or steel needle raising. Finishing treatments with polyethylene glycol 4000 and Afilan CFA 100 were also used in combination. Samples were prepared in two shapes and fed into the recycling machine with warp threads oriented longitudinally, perpendicularly, or diagonally. Recycling efficiency was evaluated based on fibre length and the degree of fibre opening using a novel air flow permeability test. The results showed that sandpaper treatment degraded fibres, while the raising treatment improved recycling efficiency. A previously unreported finding was that the size, shape and feeding direction of woven fabrics showed significant effects on the fibre length output. Material fed with a thread system aligned longitudinally to the recycling machine direction resulted in a higher proportion of opened fibres and fewer unopened fabric pieces. It was further observed that the yarns aligned longitudinally with the feed direction exhibited significant opening, while those oriented perpendicularly remained largely unopened. The new method for measuring the degree of opened fibres proved effective and holds promise for future application. These findings provide tangible guidance on the mechanical recycling protocol and means to improve output assessment procedures.

The environmental burden of the textile industry can be decreased with an increased use of mechanically recycled fibers. However, it is well known that the recycling process is harsh and shortens the fibers substantially. Still, little has been investigated about the influencing factors of the fiber length loss. 

Previous research has shown that the parts of a garment that is more worn, lose less fiber length in the mechanical recycling process.1 One explanation could be that a loss of fibers during wearing create a more open structure of the textile. By removing fibers from the yarns in a textile, the yarn structure is partly broken down, and the yarn linear density is decreased. The strength of spun staple fiber yarns is dependent on the friction and contact surfaces between fibers. In addition, fiber migration, the variation of radial position of a fiber in the yarn, causes the fibers to lock between different helical layers and thus creates a self-locking mechanism giving strength to the yarn.2 Removal of any fiber in such a yarn affect all fibers in contact with that fiber. This in turn makes both the textile and yarns weaker and consequently more easily disentangles in a mechanical recycling process – keeping more of the fiber length. 

The work at hand investigated this theory by subjecting woven cotton textiles with abrasion treatment prior to mechanical recycling. We compared two different methods of abrasion with unabraded textile. The two pre-treatment abrasion methods used were rubbing with sandpaper and raising with steel pins. By measuring the fiber length post mechanical recycling, we could estimate the efficiency of the recycling process in respect to preservation of the fiber. 

Results showed that only the raising process had a positive impact in mitigating fiber length loss through the recycling process. During the rubbing with sandpaper, the fabric was pressed and thus became denser. On the contrary, the raising process pulled out the fibers and created a fuzzy surface. As the removal of any fiber affect all fibers in direct contact, even fibers in the center of the yarn are affected when surface fibers are pulled out or weakened. The raising process extracted fibers which opened up the fabric and affected the yarn structure. Hence, the yarns were more easily disentangled in the recycling process. The result gives great insight into the mechanisms of mechanical recycling and can be used for future development of the same. 

Close to 30% of garments bought online are returned, often due to issues of fit. These issues often relate to size selection, which is challenging without physically trying on a garment. Alternative methods need to be explored to select the best size in lieu of physically trying apparel on. To address this issue, we compare the size selections based on primary measurements and size charts, virtual garments, and real garments. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was carried out in an experimental setting. The participants (36, predominantly White females, aged 21–56) made size selections and evaluations based on virtual and real blouses and trousers. Selecting the size based on virtual garments is more accurate than size selection based on primary measurements and size charts, scoring 57% and 42%, respectively. Further research should be used to improve the virtual fitting room, with benefits such as fewer returns and more satisfied customers.

Wearable Electrocardiography (ECG) sensing textiles have been widely used due to their high flexibility, comfort, reusability and the possibility to be used for home-based and real-time measurements. Textile electrodes are dry and non-adhesive, therefor unlike conventional gel electrodes, they don't cause skin irritation and are more user-friendly especially for long-term and continuous monitoring outside the hospital. However, the challenge with textile electrodes is that the quality and reliability of recorded ECG signals by smart garments are more sensitive to different factors such as electrode placement, skin humidity, user activities and contact pressure. This review will particularly focus on the research findings regarding the influence of electrode placement on the quality of biosignal sensing, and will introduce the methods used by researchers to measure the optimal positions of the electrodes in wearable ECG garments. The review will help the designers to take into account different parameters, which affect the data quality, reliability and comfort, when selecting the electrode placement in a wearable ECG garment.

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use a systematic model for detecting misfit between the garment and the target group.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an empirical–analytical methodology, the systematic model was tested. The input data were run through the model to generate the output data, which were analysed, including basic statistics. The purpose of the analysis was to detect misfit and improve the garment measurement chart. This procedure was repeated until a clear result was reached.

Findings

The result of this study is an optimised garment measurement chart, which considers the garment’s ease, different sizes/proportions in relation to a target group. The results show that it is possible to use a systematic model to define the shortcomings of a garment´s range of sizes and proportions.

Research limitations/implications

Further studies are needed to verify the results of the theoretical garment fit and their values in relation to real garment fit.

Practical implications

If the systematic model is implemented to improve the theoretical garment fit, this may have effects on the available garment sizes and its proportions, resulting in increased theoretical garment fit for the target group.

Originality/value

The paper presents a systematic model for detecting and eliminating theoretical fitting; the model includes both garment ease allowance and defined points of misfit.