Functional clothing: Membrane

Functional clothing: Membrane

 
Today work- and outerwear are geared for outdoor life. The clothing now a day protects against wind and rain, and still leaves the body in a pleasant climate. Brands which have made developments with in this area are; Sympatex and Gore-Tex – they have developed important requirements for weather-proof clothing which are:

-Waterproof: protects against rain or snow

-Windproof: protects the body against cooling down, being able to breath (perspiration is channeled out as water vapour and the skin is able to breath)
-Fashionable: An important factor for even workwear. The membrane is hidden inside the clothing and is therefore easy to make fashionable. It is the outer fabric that must be fashionable.

Membrane comes in many materials and structures.

Sympatex: (the hydrophilic membrane) is made of polyester without pores. The surface is closed and is therefore waterproof because no moisture from outside can get through. In side there are moisture-absorbing molecules that transfers the perspiration outwards. The difference between outside- and body temperature ensures that the direction is correct.

Gore-Tex: (microporous membrane) is made of synthetic material called: polytetraflouroethylene (also known as Teflon). The microporous membrane has around 1.4 billion openings in each single square centimeter. The small openings prevent rain or snow from permeating inwards - in this case a rain drop 20.000 times bigger than the membranes openings and can therefore get through one of the openings. But water vapour particles are much smaller than the openings – therefore perspiration from the skin can easily permeate the pores.

Different systems:

 

Upper material laminate

Membrane is a double layer laminate as the membrane is bound directly to the upper material.

Insert laminate

The membrane is laminated on a light backing fabric and worked between the upper material and lining for utmost protection against weather.

Lining laminate

The membrane is bound to the inside lining.

Three-ply laminate

Both the upper material and the lining are bound to the membrane.
The manufactures of membrane wants to ensure that the clothing is wind- and waterproof and have some instruction that has to be done. An example could be that the seams must be laminated and pockets, press studs and zippers must also be wind and waterproof.

The properties for a membrane are:

-Dry and warm
-Good protection against the weather
-Creates a pleasant body climate

Purchaser

The terminology of a membrane is important for a purchaser to know if you are working in a company that makes work wear, rain clothing or other sportswear that demands weather protection or the properties as the membrane has.

Source

http://www.ivc-ev.de/live/index.php?page_id=74