UNIT I Introduction and

Functional Garments for Medical

and Chemical field
Functional Garments:
• Introduction
• Characteristics and
• Classification of functional garments.
• Size and future growth prospects of world and
Indian market of functional garments.
Introduction
• Functional clothing is a relatively new and
exciting segment of the technical textiles group
— one which is receptive to
 New product developments &

 Technologies and

 Abounding with niche applications.

• It is innovation segment of the technical textiles
Market.
• clothing crosses the conventional boundaries
and integrates with the domains of
– Medicine,
– Biotechnology,
– Nanotechnology,
– Physics and
– Computing among others, to meet the multifaceted
and complex requirements of the user
• The functional clothing field is wide and
diverse with each functionality having its
– Own specifications,
– Material requirements,
– Consequent technologies and
– Processes.
Definition
• Deepti Gupta - It is user-requirement specific
and designed or engineered to meet the
performance requirements of the user under
extreme conditions.
• Functional clothing can defined as a generic term
that includes all such types of clothing or
assemblies that are specifically engineered to
deliver a pre-defined performance or
functionality to the user, over and above its
normal functions
Benefits
• protects individuals from life threatening or
hazardous environments during work or during
sporting activities
• For sports people, Facilitate movement and body
balance in physically challenged individuals,
Enhance stamina or reduce fatigue.
• Enhancing Body Shapes.
• Electronic functionalities with applications in
communication and telemedicine.
• Minimum inhibitory effect on movement and provide
maximum comfort and performance to the user.
Characteristics
• Physiological requirements
– Shape, size, mass, strength and metabolic activities.
• Biomechanical requirements
– Dynamic and behavioral analysis of human
activity.
• Ergonomic requirements
– Mechanical characteristics of clothing should
match the mechanics of human body.
• Psychological requirements
– Peer group, pride, social and cultural background,
aesthetics.
 User Activity Process flow
User Survey
for design of
Work
Environment
Technical
User Requirements clothing
Material Accessories
Seams &
selection
Stitches Garment Design
Material Size and Fit
selection
Pattern Design
Garment Assembly
Openings &
closures
Testing & Analysis Bench scale Pattern Design
Layering &
Zoning Field Trials

Not Appropriate Appropriate

Production
Classification
Based on Application
1. Protective (extreme weather, NBC, injuries)
2. Medical (therapeutic, bio sensing)
3. Sports (performance enhancing)
4. Vanity (body sculpting, body support)
5. Cross functional (military, space suits)
6. Special needs (disabled, elderly, pregnant)
Class Subclass
Protective Functional Protection against extreme
Environmental heat or cold, fire, rain, snow,
hazard protective dust, wind or UV exposure
Biological, Protection against ingestion,
chemical and penetration or skin contact of
radiation hazardous chemicals, toxic
hazard protective gases, body fluids, germs or
radioactive particulate matter
Hazard protective Slash and cut protection,
ballistic and blunt impact
protection
Medical Functional Pressure garments for
Therapeutic lymphatic and venous
and disorders, management
rehabilitative
Bio-sensing Monitoring of
physiological
parameters, heart rate,
blood oxygenation,
body temperature,
telemedicine
applications
Sports- Performance enhancing, fatigue
functional reduction, body shaping to reduce
drag scar
Vanity- Body shaping, support and
functional contouring for enhanced
appearance
Cross- Multifunctional performance,
functional protection, life support, comfort,
assemblies communication
Clothing Enabling clothing for elderly,
for special infants, and disabled
needs -
Protective Clothing
1.1. Protection against environmental hazards -
Natural or occupational
Extreme heat, fire, cold, rain, snow, dust, wind,
UV exposure.
1.2. Protection against biological, Chemical and
Radiation hazards
– Ingestion,
– Penetration or skin contact of hazardous chemicals,
– Body fluids,
– Toxic gases,
– Germs or radioactive particulate matter.
1.3 Protection against injuries
High impact –
• Extreme sport applications - motor biking, snow
boarding
• Ballistic.
Blunt impact-
• Anti –riot , cricket ball hockey, collisions, falls.
Cut/ Slash –
• Meat cutting, chain saw work
Medical Clothing
2.1 Therapeutic/ Rehabilitation
• Compression garments for burns, venous and
lymphatic disorders, post operative.
• Proprioception for bodily function impairment
(body strength, sensory motor skills.
2.2 Biosensing clothing
• Used to map critical physiological parameters
-heart rate, blood oxygenation, pulse rate, body
temperature.
• Critical care in ambulatory mode for elderly,
disabled.
• Fitness assessment of sports persons , military
personnel.
3. Sports Clothing
• Minimum restriction, maximum protection, enhanced
performance
General Sportswear
• Aesthetic,
• Skin drying,
• Moisture transport
• Body temperature control
• Antibacterial
• UV block
Performance sportswear
• Compression
• Blood circulation, higher oxygen supply
• Lower muscle vibration, reduced fatigue
• Body shape modification
• Aerodynamic for wind resistance
4. Vanity Clothing
Clothing designed for body sculpting
• Used to compress, uplift or support certain body
parts preferentially to create a sculpted look.
• Invisible support built into seams, special
construction techniques.
• Pants, undergarments, Posture shirt
5. Cross Functional clothing assemblies
Clothing required to fulfill several essential
functions
– Military Clothing
– Space suits
Protection, performance, communication, comfort all are
equally critical.
Cross functional clothing assemblies
Military Clothing
Protection from hazards - ballistic, environmental
(temperature, wind, precipitation, terrain, insects),flame,
nuclear, chemical and biological agents, IR detection, laser,
microwaves, static electricity and mental stress.
Functionality – Perform military tasks with ease, mobility
Compatibility with other elements : helmet, gas mask,
ballistics gear, survival vest, cooling systems and hand and
foot gear.
Communication: (GPS, monitoring and discreet devices).
Identification: Friend or foe
Space suit
Everything an astronaut needs to stay alive –.
• Stable internal pressure.
• Mobility- Achieved by careful joint design.
• Breathable oxygen.
• Temperature regulation
• Shielding against UV radiation, particle radiation
• Protection against small micrometeoroids
• A communication system
• Means to recharge and discharge gases and liquids
• Means to maneuver, dock, release onto spacecraft
• Means of collecting and containing solid and
liquid waste
Clothing for Special needs
Design considerations include changed body
shape, limitations of strength and mobility,
social and psychological needs.
– Aged, paraplegics, disabled.
 Size and future growth prospects of world and
Indian market of functional garments.
• The field of functional clothing is one of the fastest
growing segments of technical textiles market and has
seen tremendous growth in the last one decade.
• The functional Apparel market size was valued at
$282.30 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach
$505.80 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR
(Compound annual growth rate) of 7.7% from
2019 to 2026
• Asia-Pacific region has been considered as one of
the emerging regions in the global functional
apparel market registering a CAGR of 8.9%.
• As per the CBI-Ministry of Foreign Affairs report,
the global sports and fitness clothing market is
expected to be valued at $231 billion by 2024.
• The global industry is driven by increasing
demand for performance boosting apparel and
protective clothing to protect individuals from sun,
rain, wind, and snow.
•
• Moreover, growing health awareness among
individuals and rising inclination towards
performing workout activities, which help to
fight against various diseases, are expected to
boost the market growth.
• The global functional apparel market size is
segmented into
– Product type,
– Application,
– Distribution channel, and
– Region. 
• Based on product, the market is segmented into
– Sportswear,
– Active wear,
– Protective clothing,
– And others.
• Based on application, the market is segmented into
– Sports industry,
– Outdoor clothing, and
– Healthcare.
• Based on distribution channel, the market is segmented
into
– Offline and
– Online.
• By region, it is analyzed across
– North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico),
– Europe (Germany, Spain, UK, Italy, France, and rest
of Europe),
– Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Australia, South
Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific), and
– LAMEA (Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE,
and rest of LAMEA).
Surgical, intelligent functional and therapeutic
clothing:
• Fibre requirements,
• Characteristics,
• Design and development process of functional
garments used for medical application.
Medical textiles
• Medical textiles are fiber-based products and
structures used in a medical environment either
– for the treatment of an injury or
– for the provision of an appropriate condition
in the clinical treatment of a wound or an
illness.
Medical-functional clothing
• This category refers to functional clothing for
healthcare.
• Characteristics typically include
– Absorbency (wound-dressing),
– Air permeability (surgeons’ gowns, staff
uniforms) and
– Durability (pressure clothing).
• These types of functional clothing may be
categorised into four separate and specialised
areas of application, as follows:
– Healthcare/hygiene clothing,
– Surgical clothing,
– Therapeutic clothing,
– Intelligent functional clothing.
Classification of medical-functional clothing
Areas of Kind of clothing
application
Healthcare/hygiene • Healthcare uniform
• Clothing for nursing staff,
nurse’s uniform
• Clothing for patients, scrubs,
patient wear
• Medical coats, tabards
• Medical protective clothing (in
isolation wards and intensive
care units)
• Protective gown for dentist
• Protective gown for veterinary
Surgery •Surgical clothing
•Surgeon’s gowns, caps
•Surgical cover cloths
•Surgical hosiery
•Surgical hosiery with graduated
compression characteristics
Therapeutic • Pressure clothing
clothing • Tubular elasticised net garment
• Far infrared therapeutic clothing
• Infrared shape wear
• Anti-microbial underwear
• Anti-irritant’s underwear
Intelligent • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation vest
functional • EKG Vests for heart patients
clothing • Intelligent biomedical clothing
• Intelligent clothing’s physiological
monitoring
• Intelligent clothing in pre hospital
emergency care
• Intelligent functional clothing for
personal health records and medical
information management
Constituent elements of medical textile products
• Textile materials used for medical applications
include
– Fibers,
– Yarns,
– Fabrics, and
– Many types of composites
• Fibers used in the medical textile industry may
vary from natural fibers such as cotton, silk, and
regenerated wood fluff to synthetic fibers such as
polyester, polyamide, polyethylene,
polypropylene, and glass fiber.
 Applications of different types of fibers in medical
textile products
Fiber type Applications
Cotton Surgical gowns, bedding, sheets, pillow
covers, uniforms, surgical hosiery
Viscose Caps, masks, wipes
Polyester Gowns, masks, surgical cover drapes,
blankets, cover stock
Polyamide Surgical hosiery
Polypropylene Protective clothing
Polyethylene Surgical covers, drapes
Glass Caps, masks
Elastomer Surgical hosiery
Characteristics of medical textiles
• From a scientific point of view, medical textiles
are located at the interfaces between technical
disciplines and life sciences.
• On the one hand, the technical aspect concerns
textile engineering, material chemistry, process
control, testing and certification, etc.,
• On the other hand, life sciences such as
medicine, microbiology, and other related
subjects are required for the development of
functional performances of these products
 Fibre used in medical textiles must fulfill the
following criterion:
• The fibres must be nontoxic
• Must be non-allergenic
• Must be non-carcinogenic
• Must be able to be sterilized without impacting
any change in their physical or chemical
characteristics
• Where necessary biodegradable
• Where necessary non-biodegradable
• High level of protection as well as a good
wearing comfort during medical treatment.
• The major requirements for medical textiles
are
– Absorbency,
– Tenacity,
– Flexibility,
– Softness,
– Biocompatibility, and
– At times biostability or biodegradability.
• Primary wound dressings are placed next to the wound
surface.
• They are required to possess the following properties.
– Healing properties, regulated mainly with
substances which are applied or added to the
dressing.
– Causing no mechanical injury to a granulating
wound.
– Low adherence.
– Stable spatial structure.
– Easy penetration of wound exudate into the
absorbing dressing.
– Painless changing of the dressing.
SURGICAL DRESSING
• They are usually used as coverings, absorbents, protective or
supports for the injured part.
• The different types of surgical dressings are:
– Primary wound dressing
– Bandages
– Adhesive tapes
Requirements of surgical dressings are:
• They should protect the wound from environment and from
infection
• They should effectively absorb exudation of wounds
• They should give mechanical support for the damage and
surrounding tissue.
• They should be durable, sterilisable and also easy to handle.
PRODUCTS USED FOR MEDICAL SURGICAL
DRESSINGS
• The modern wound dressing is usually made of three
layers-
(a) Wound contact layer
• It should not stick to the wound or cause maceration of the
skin if the dressing is not changed.
• It can be woven, knitted or non-woven made from silk,
viscose, polyamide or polyethylene.
(b) Middle absorbing layer
• If has to absorb blood or liquids while providing a
cushioning effect to protect the wound.
• It is generally a non-woven composed of cotton or viscose.
(c) Base Material:
• It provides a means by which the dressing is
applied to the wound.
• The material is coated with acrylic adhesive to
hold the dressing in place, eliminates the need
for bandage.
Absorbent
• Similar to wound pads used in surgery. Manufactured
from well bleached, carded and cleaned cotton fabrics.
• Absorbent lint is cotton of plain weave, warp nap raised
on one side, by a process known as linting EPI 36, PPI
32, used as an external absorbent and protective dressing
and
• For the applications of oilments and lotions, as antiseptic
adsorbent and protective dressing in first aid treatment.
• Surgical and other gauze provide absorbent materials of
sufficient tensile strength for surgical dressing.
• They are made of cotton gauze loosely woven. Now-a
days nonwovens are used.
Bandages
• These are narrow cotton or linen, plain weave cloth of
low texture, either woven or knitted. There are
different types
• Cotton and rubber elastic net bandages- for sprains
and strains
• Cotton rubber elastic net bandages- net fabric of lace
construction.
• Plaster of Paris bandages- cotton cloth is impregnated
with a mixture of calcium sulphate
• Orthopedic cushion bandages.
• Crepe bandage- elastic in nature due to special weave
allows it to stretch twice its Length.
 Various types of bandages along with their function are
mentioned below:
1. Simple Bandage: Hold dressings in place.
2. Elasticated Bandage: Impart support and conforming.
3. Light support Bandage: Management of sprains or strains.
4. Compression Bandage: Treatment and prevention of deep
vein thrombosis, leg ulceration.
5. Orthopedic Bandage: Used under plaster casts, provide
padding and prevent discomfort.
6. Gauze: Serves as absorbent material.
7. Lint: Used as protective dressing for use in mild burn
applications.
8. Wadding: Prevent wound adhesion.
Protective eye pad
• Scientifically shaped to lit over the eye used in
outpatient clinic and industrial department.
Adhesive tapes
• It is narrow, plain weave fabric having a coating
of adhesive paste. It is used with other pads to
conform them on the injury.
Sterilization
• It is the process used to inactivate microbiological
contaminants and thereby transform the non sterile
items into sterile ones.
• It is essential for hospital applications that sterile
products are employed, and there are various
techniques by which this can be achieved.
• Sterilization by steam, dry heat, ethylene oxide, and
irradiation process are used depending on the
product type and fibre characteristics.
• A sterilization process can bring about changes in
properties as strength, absorbency and appearance