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Nylon
1.14 specific gravity
Nylon 6 = softening point of 180 ,
melting point 215-220.
Nylon 66 = softening point of 230-235,
melting point 250-260. |
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Polyester
1.38 specific gravity
softening point of 238-240,
melting point 255-260. |
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| Nylon
fiber
characteristics include light weight, high
strength and softness with good durability.
Even when wet, nylon's overall strength may
decrease only about 15%. And, that is minimal
compared to most other natural and synthetic
fibers. Nylon also dries very quickly when
wet. Its proven ability to withstand abrasion
is more than 20X greater than wool and more
than 10X greater than silk or cotton. The
versatility of nylon in activewear, athletic
equipment and outdoor garments has been established.
Colors dye rich and vibrant with a superior
color fastness that manufacturers and consumers
can count on. And, nylon is a good fabric
choice when combined with polyurethane coatings.
Strong acids or phenol may adversely affect
nylon's structural properties. Yet, generally
nylon has excellent resistance to dirt, alkalis,
decay, mold and most common organic solvents.
Nylon is able to withstand moderately high
temperatures without a significant loss of
strength. Yet, prolonged exposure to sun light
(UV) may turn nylon yellow. And when subjected
to elevated temperatures, nylon may suffer
a reduced loss in strength. |
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Polyester
fibers
have outstanding dimensional stability and
offer excellent resistance to dirt, alkalis,
decay, mold and most common organic solvents.
Being durable, yet lightweight, polyester
has elasticity and a comfortable smooth feel
or "soft hand."
These are all important qualities to consumers
for a wide variety of outerwear and recreational
applications. Excellent heat resistance or
thermal stability is also an attribute of
polyester. Basically, polyester is wrinkle
free and impervious to water and moisture.
No change or stretchability occurs  when
polyester becomes wet, yet, polyester fabric
may suffer from color migration if coated
or laminated. |
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Recycling
Flow of Products made completely from Nylon
6
Apparel made completely from Nylon 6 fiber
and resin
from the outer fashion fabric to lining, buttons,
and fasteners
can now be reduced through depolymerization
to the raw material lactam. The raw material
can then be resynthesized to create new nylon
6 polymer
a perfect example of chemical recycling. |
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Denier is the
unit of weight, most commonly used in the US, which
measures the thickness of a filament yarn. Denier
is the weight in grams of 9,000 meters of yarn.
As the number gets larger, the yarn becomes thicker,
as the number gets smaller, the yarn becomes finer. |
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It
is the weight in grams of 10,000 meters of yarn.
Decitex is primarily used in European and Asian
countries for measuring filament yarn. |
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Generally speaking,
if a unit of filament yarn is below 1 denier it
is called a microfiber. For example, if a 70 denier
yarn has 98 filaments, this would be a microfiber.
On the other hand, if a 70 denier yarn has 68 filaments
you cannot call it a microfiber. |
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The most important
advantage is the comfortable feeling or the "soft
hand" to the consumer. Also, it is possible today
to manufacture high performance water resistant
fabrics by weaving microfibers into a high density
structure.
Note: with a special D-WR treatment applied
to the tight woven microfiber fabric, superior water
repellency is available. |
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The main purpose
is for water/wind proofing and to still allow the
fabric breathability since it is uncoated. |
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In the process
of lamination, membrane is bonded to the fabric
with adhesive by applying pressure and heat. |
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Coating consists
of spreading a layer of polyurethane resin directly
onto the fabric. |
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Basically there
are two mechanisms to make coated or laminated fabrics
waterproof and moisture permeable. Microporous coating
or lamination has very small pores that are bigger
than vapor and still much smaller than a raindrop
(the drop's diameter is larger than 3.0 micrometers
= 3.0  *).
This means that the perspiration vapor (the vapor's
diameter is approximately 0.0004 *)
from your skin can pass through the fabric and yet
rain cannot penetrate into the garment. Toray's
ENTRANTGII and ENTRANT-XT are microporous coatings
(the diameter of the microporous coating ranges
from 0.1 to 1.0 *).
Waterproof and moisture permeable fabrics can also
be created using a nonporous coating or lamination.
Toray's ENTRANT DERMIZAX is a nonporous lamination.
A nonporous coating or lamination utilizes the polymer's
molecular movement (micro Brownian movement) to
efficiently absorb perspiration vapor and disperse
it throughout the fabric.
*1(micrometer)=1/1,000mm(millimeter) |
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It is difficult
to say. The difference is that coatings come off
gradually while delamination happens more rapidly,
once the fabric begins to delaminate.
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Simply, water
repellent indicates that water beads on the fabric.
Waterproof is the degree of water pressure that
can be applied to a fabric, yet still keeps the
water on the outside of the fabric. |
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Over time water
repellent finishes tend to wear off. Yet, if the
fabric is fully coated and seam taped securely you
can expect the garment to be waterproof for an extended
period of time. Occasionally, you may feel a slight
coldness because the outer shell of the fabric becomes
"wet" which is caused by a decrease in the water
repellency of the garment. However, it is important
to note that this does not mean that the fabric
is leaking. |
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Waterproofness |
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can be measured by four (4) different methods: |
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Low Hydraulic
Pressure Test (JISL-1092):
It is used to measure from 1,500mm-2,000mm.
The unit is "mm  (millimeter
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High Hydraulic
Pressure Test (JISL-1092):
It is used to measure over 2,000mm. The unit
is "kg/ "
(kilograms per square centimeter) (approximately
1kg/=10,000mm
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Mullen Burst
Test (ASTM-D751):
This is achieved by using the same machine
that measures the "bursting strength of fabric"
and it is measured in "PSI" (Pounds per Square
Inch). |
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ISO Pressure
Test JISL-1092, ISO 92 and ISO 811
standard ISO test |
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method uses different equipment but the function
of the machine is the same, in that it applies
pressure by water to the fabric to indicate
at what point the fabric will begin to leak. |
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Water
Repellency |
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water repellency is tested by a simple test
called the "shower test" (JISL-1092). An actual
"shower" of water on the fabric is used to
determine what the fabric looks like. After
the "shower" the drops that are close to a
perfect sphere indicate the higher grade of
water repellency. The formula is written;
"LO-100pts/L20-80pts" which means "the water
drops initially make perfect spheres on the
fabric, and after 20 wash cycles still make
80 points of the original perfect spheres."
However this level "after 20 washes 80% of
the finish is retained" is the established
Toray standard for a "durable water repellent
finish." |
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Different minimums
are required for different types of fabric. For
example an umbrella does not need as high a water
resistance as ski or moutaineering outerwear. Fabrics
used in skiwear or snowboarding should require at
least 2,000mm of water resistance. |
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Yes, water repellency
is closely related to moisture permeability. If
water repellency is poor, water will layer on the
fabric surface, which eventually prevents moisture
vapor from the inside being released to the outside
of the garment. |
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When the humidity
level between the fabric and the wearer rises to
100%, the vapor condenses and changes into drops
of water. This condition of drops of water sticking
to the inside of the garment is called "dew condensation."
Also, when cold air touches the surface of a garment
and the temperature of the garment suddenly changes,
the difference between the temperature inside and
the temperature outside of the garment relates to
the dew condensation level. If a fabric does not
have a dew condensation control system to inhibit
the difference in temperature inside versus that
outside of the garment, the dew condensation will
occupy the micropores and prevent the garment from
being comfortable to the wearer during temperature
changes. |
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Non-Coated
Pros:good hand feel/weight/breathability
Cons: limited water
resistance (=maximum 1,500-2,000mm
and not durable in continuous rain.) Bottom line:
suitable for light water applications or casual
wear.
WP/MP Coated
Pros: waterproofness
(=possible to achieve 20,000mm )
Cons: in general,
compared to non-coated fabrics, limited moisture
permeability, heavier in weight, and a stiffer hand
feel. Bottom line: Suitable for real rainwear or
heavy-duty clothing. |
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ENTRANTGII is
used in many activewear and outerwear applications.
ENTRANT-XT offers advanced performance in waterproofness
and in moisture permeability and condensation. It
is a premium high technology outerwear product,
proven by extended independent testing and considered
among textile and clothing experts to be one of
the best performance waterproof breathable fabrics
in the activewear market today.
With ENTRANT-XT the
condensation is exceptionally low
six times less than standard ENTRANTGII. (5g/ >)
ENTRANT-XT offers a new high performance fabric
addition to the growing ENTRANT line of activewear.
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Three layers of
lamination or coating consist of fabric, membrane
and tricot backing. They are necessary, in order
to improve the durability of the fabric. Tricot
is applied to the membrane and not directly to the
fabric. These three layers do not require an additional
lining. This is ideal for non-bulky, lightweight
thin performance garments that are mostly preferred
for activewear. |
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Delamination is
when the membrane separates from the fabric. If
abrasion occurs directly to the membrane delamination
may occur. |
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PTFE membrane
has micropores and is laminated to the fabric.
ENTRANT-XT is a polyurethane microporous coating.
ENTRANT-XT is a specially engineered fabric coating
with extra high strength and durability. In the
manufacturing process
from the fibers, to the weaving, and the dying,
to the D-WR coating process γΩ ENTRANT-XT is total
quality controlled. The company's advanced vertical
manufacturing process ensures the consumer optimal
performance and comfort in the ENTRANT-XT line of
activewear.
Also, Toray's ENTRANT DERMIZAX which has a polyurethane
non-porous lamination with an over 200% stretchable
membrane and a soft hand offers excellent flexibility.
It is applicable for a multitude of stretchy shell
type activewear applications. |
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Wicking
is an efficiently designed system for dispersing
perspiration throughout the fabric which results
in rapid evaporation of perspiration and body
vapor.
Basically there are
3 approaches to creating the wicking function.
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By fabric
structure (ex. FIELDSENSOR) |
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By yarn
structure (most sport knits in the market
are this type.) |
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By chemical
reaction (ex. STUNNER QD) |
Among these
three different mechanisms, in the fabric
structure, number one, FIELDSENSOR works best.
The unique FIELDSENSOR three dimensional (3-D)
wicking mechanism is similar to the capillary
action found in the earth's natural plant
life.
Additionally an important benefit of FIELDSENSOR
activewear is that repeated washings normally
have no negative affect on the fabric's function.
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Because of the
wicking activity, the garment stays dry and comfortable
to the wearer. |
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Basically rip
stop is a name of fabric with a characteristic diagonal
over-weave. It is specially designed to prevent
rips or tears from continuing further. Toray offers
a wide range of rip stop fabrics from lightweight
to heavyweight in various contemporary designs. |
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Dirt, dust,
oils and harsh detergents can all decrease the protective
function of a garment. All these agents are humidity-friendly
and therefore they may impair the garment's water
repellency and waterproofness. That is why manufacturers
often recommend regular washings to help maintain
the fabric's protective functions.
If a garment is washed according to the care instructions,
there should be no serious damage to the waterproof/breathable
fabrics for the first 50 washings. Washing the garment
frequently may help to ensure that the garment lasts
longer and wears and performs better. In addition,
products such as "Scotch Guard"* are recommended
for extended water repellency.
Machine washing a garment is preferable to dry cleaning,
for the garment as well as the environment. A garment's
color, especially if it is polyester, may blur if
dry cleaned. Make sure that any activesport garment
that is washed has been thoroughly rinsed of all
detergents. Dry in the shade. After drying, it is
best to iron with low heat (approx. 140or
284 ),
so that some degree of water repellency can be recovered.
After washing and drying, you should keep your garment
away from high temperatures, humidity and direct
sunlight (UV rays). Also, it is always best to store
garments at room temperature.
If the coating or lamination of your garment is
made from polyurethane, it will naturally lose some
of its effectiveness over time. The chemical breakdown
begins gradually.
If a garment is laminated, it is important to take
extra care to prevent delamination from abrasion
or undue stress to the fabric. |
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* Scotch Guard
is a registered trademark of 3M |
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In general, waterproof/water
repellent/breathable garments have stitching that
is sealed with seam sealing tape on the inside so
that penetration does not occur. Therefore, if there
is "water penetration" it can mean that water is
seeping through the stitching and not necessarily
through the fabric. This can occur if seam sealing
tape has been damaged or even unknowingly altered
in any way. |
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For Printing |
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b)
water repellency?
