International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)

ISSN: 2278-3075, Volume-8 Issue-12S, October 2019

Research on Thermal Insulation Characteristic

of Multilayer Clothing
T.Anusha, V.A.Rinsey Antony, P.Jayashri 

Abstract— Winter outdoor clothing is aimed at protecting

human being against harsh environmental conditions, especially
1.2 Outer Layer:
against cold. Thermal insulating properties of a textile material The Outer layer protective against wind and precipitation
plays significant role in protective clothing. Thermal protective .this layer additionally creates a shell on that different
clothing usually is a multilayer construction composed of three practical components of clothing area unit placed. Outer
layers -Base layer, Insulating material, Outer layer. The
layer is created from polymer membrane. it's flexibility,
previously available jacket insulating layer is always filled with
down feather which cause harm to the wearer. This study abrasion and tear resistance is nice and has high sturdiness
concentrates on replacing the middle layer with ecofriendly and color ranges. A technical outer shell is constructed of
natural Fiber-Kapok. Thickness, thermal conductivity, Air materials that supply each breathability and water-
permeability, and wickability properties of fiber and fabric is resistance, a technical outer shell understands that your
determined. The layers are been bonded with Needle punching outside way can cycle between sweating sort of a pig and
and thermal bonding technique. The effect of Multilayer clothing
hunkering down from the storm. the first operate of a shell is
in cold weather is been tested and analyzed using different
proportions of natural ecofriendly-kapok fiber. to guard you from the weather once conditions take a flip for
the worst. Two flavors of outer shells area unit offered:
Keywords: Multilayer clothing, Kapok, Needle punching, arduous and soft. A soft shell are a lot of versatile and
Thermal Bonding breathable, could also be water resistant, however not
waterproof. Some go with a laminated windproof
I. INTRODUCTION membrane, others do not. a tough shell are each waterproof
Winter outside article of clothing is geared toward and windproof however not as breathable. looking on the
protective creature against harsh environmental conditions, categories of conditions you propose on heading call at, one
particularly against cold. Thermal insulating properties of a or the opposite could also be a lot of acceptable. If sustained
textile material plays important role in protecting article of rain conditions may occur, there's no replacement for a
clothing. Thermal protecting article of clothing sometimes water-proof arduous shell. the most effective can provide
could be a multilayer construction and antecedently taped seams, waterproof zipper systems, multiple layers, and
developed jackets consists of 3 layers: materials that supply some breathability even supposing
o Base layer they're waterproof.
o Insulating material 1.3 Middle Layer:
o Outer layer
Middle layer is thermal insulating layer, it's got multilayer
1.1 Base Layer: structure so as to confirm thermal comfort in winter outside
The base layer is sometimes fabricated from man-made atmospheric condition. the center thermo insulating layer
fiber like polyester that is hydrophobic in nature and fast fabricated from thermal insulating materials like down
drying. It are often insulation by producing bless fiber. feathers, it protects the organic structure from excessive heat
Polyester retains its form and thus it's sensible for creating loss. it's direct influence of the warmth energy and coupling
outside article of clothing for harsh climates. A base layer is impact. associate degree insulation layer, whether or not
that the layer nighest to your skin, that means it collects the artificial or down, provides additional loft and heat,
foremost sweat. the aim of this layer is to stay you dry by basically doing what a thick mid-layer will, however
actuation wetness faraway from your skin and spreading it increased, and with a way higher warmth-to-weight
throughout the material. At constant time this cloth ought to quantitative relation
work snugly and retain some insulating properties. ne'er
wear cotton as a base layer, that will wick wetness away, on
the other hand retains that wetness because the cotton loses
its resiliency, loses its heat, and causes an excessive amount
of physical change cooling.

Revised Manuscript Received on September 14, 2019.

T.Anusha, Assistant professor, Department of Costume Design and
Fashion, Sri Krishna Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu,
India.
V.A.Rinsey Antony, Head of the Department, Department of Costume Fig.1.1 Multilayer
Design and Fashion, Sri Krishna Arts and Science College, Coimbatore,
Tamilnadu, India.
P.Jayashri, Assistant professor, Department of Costume Design and
Fashion, Sri Krishna Arts and Science College, , Coimbatore, Tamilnadu,
India.

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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.L1140.10812S19 564 & Sciences Publication
 Research on Thermal Insulation Characteristic of Multilayer Clothing

The middle layer which consist of down is a good thermal II. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY
insulator and are widely used. However it is often obtained
by subjecting ducks, geese and swans. It is found that
feather removal is likely to be painful and can categorized
as an ethical problem.
Another drawback is they also lead to allergic problems.
Considering these drawbacks a potential alternative to down
insulation is made.
The primary condition for clothing comfort of cold
weather is to state by thermal insulation and permeability
(air and water) to maintain the warmth condition. The water
vapor and moisture transport from the skin through clothing
to the environment in cold weather and its dependence on
clothing thermal and evaporative resistances and layering in
cold clothing designs. Moreover thermal insulation and
number other requirements are protection against wind, rain
and snow. The most important properties of cold weather
clothing are insulation and breathability. In cold weather the
clothing should provide the required insulation for
protection against the cold and it should allow the
transmission of perspired sweat from the skin to the
environment. The insulation and permeability determines
the amount of heat and moisture exchanged between body
and environment is to maintain the wearer dry and warm.
Cold weather clothing required high level of protection
from extreme cold and wind conditions. The design and
development of cold weather clothing is challenging and
critical process. The selection of suitable textile material for
cold weather clothing minimizing the physical stress on the
wearer.
Wool and pile fabric have been used for the cold weather
clothing in ancient times. After that the synthetic fibers like
polyester and acrylic were used in making the cold weather
clothing. The researches have been carried out to develop
new and effective synthetic insulating materials to provide
protection against cold.
Put goose down filling:
This research focuses on development of natural fiber
based multi-layer clothing is to overcome the already
available goose down multi-layer clothing for extreme cold
weather. In this research micro denier polyester base layer,
kapok fiber filled middle layer and fleece outer shell layer
were developed for this study. The developed sample were
tested the thickness, thermal insulation, water vapor
permeability and air permeability were analyzed.

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Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.L1140.10812S19 565 & Sciences Publication
 International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)
ISSN: 2278-3075, Volume-8 Issue-12S, October 2019

blend with the proportion as mentioned above. Since, the

main aim of the project is to produce eco-friendly and
cruelty free natural fiber in the place of down feather so,
again thermal bonding technique was adopted, by keeping
kapok constantly by making alteration in its blend i.e.,
polypropylene was replaced with low melt polyester with
different proportion as follows:
o 70% kapok with 30% low melt polyester.
o 80% kapok with 20% low melt polyester.
Then the thermal bonding was carried out with 110°c
upto 130°c and then with 150°c up to the maximum of
180°c, where it still resulted in a failure. There is lack of
2.1 Materials: time duration for completion of project work we adopted the
First trial, Kapok and polypropylene were purchased from other technique.
kowishkka silk cotton and mattress, Dindigul, second trial,
2.2.2 Achieved Method:
kapok was purchased from local distributor, Tirpur, Fleece
fabric ( 248 GSM and Thickness of 1.058) was purchased In the recently available multilayer cold weather clothing
from Tirpur, and micro denier polyester fabric (170 GSM with goose down, filling technique was followed. Since time
and Thickness of 0.342) and low melt polyester were wasn’t sufficient to source different quality fiber that would
purchased from apparel industry Tirpur. be applicable for the needle punching and thermal bonding
techniques, the previously adopted method was used. Where
2.2 Methods: instead of using needle punching or the thermal bonding
2.2.1 Trialed Methods: technique, filling technique was carried out with two
different proportion:
o Web formation
o 100% kapok.
o Needle punching technique.
o 95% Kapok with 5% polypropylene.
o Thermal bonding technique.
Needle punching technique: III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Web formation is made with kapok and polypropylene Kapok with low melt polyester blends sample was
(which is sourced from dindigul) by utilizing the machines prepared by filling technique. Evaluation of samples were
available in textile department PSG, with different carried out to determine the GSM, thickness, thermal
proportions of kapok and its blends as follows: conductivity, water vapor permeability, air permeability and
o 100% kapok wicking. The results of the tested samples were discussed
o 97% kapok with 3% polypropylene below.
o 95% kapok with 5% polypropylene
After web formation, needle punching technique is tried 3.1 GSM:
in PSG INDO-TECH Centre of Excellence (COE) 3.1.1 GSM Of Fleece:
Neelambur, Coimbatore. Due to some technical issues we Table 3.1 GSM of Fleece fabric
couldn’t complete needle punching technique with that SERIAL SAMPLES GSM VALUE
formed web. NO.
Secondly, the both web formation and needle punching 1 Sample -1 2.441
was done with the same proportion as mentioned above, in
PSG INDO-TECH Centre of Excellence (COE) Neelambur, 2 Sample -2 2.552
Coimbatore. Where the web formation was uneven due to
3 Sample -3 2.385
the loftiness of the kapok. Though the web formation was
uneven we tried for needle punching with those loosely 4 Sample -4 2.625
packed web.
Even in the second attempt of needle punching the result 5 Sample -5 2.412
wasn’t good due to the less strength of the fiber. Even then Calculation:
the other attempt was made with other technique (thermal Average = 12.415/5
bonding). = 2.483×100=248
Thermal bonding technique: GSM of the Fleece fabric = 248 GSM
As we discussed previously the thermal bonding
In the above table 3. 1. The GSM of the fabric and the
technique was tried from the formed web during the needle
number of samples. Likewise readings were obtained from
punching technique again due to some problem in the
five different samples of the same fabric and the average
properties of fiber, still then the result wasn’t good.
value gives the GSM of the fleece fabric.
Even after many attempts were made to source finer
quality fiber at last we got the best quality kapok fiber from
a local distributor, tirpur. Though we got finer property fiber
still the web formation was not possible with polypropylene

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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.L1140.10812S19 566 & Sciences Publication
 Research on Thermal Insulation Characteristic of Multilayer Clothing

3.1.2 GSM Of Micro Denier Polyester: =0.342

Table 3.2 GSM of Micro Denier Polyester Thickness of Micro Denier Polyester= 0.342
SERIAL SAMPLES GSM VALUE
NO. The aboveTable.5.4 shows the thickness of the fabric and
1 Sample -1 1.731 the number of samples. Likewise readings were obtained
2 Sample -2 1.854 from five different area of the sample in the same fabric and
3 Sample -3 1.685 the average value gives the thickness of the fleece fabric.
4 Sample -4 1.761 3.3 Thermal Conductivity:
5 Sample -5 1.652
Table 3.5 Thermal conductivity testing
Calculation:
Average =8.683/5
= 1.7366×100 = 173
GSM of the Micro Denier polyester fabric = 173GSM

In the above Table 3.2 shows the GSM of the fabric and
the number of samples. Likewise readings are obtained from
five different samples of the same fabric and the average
value gives the GSM of the micro denier polyester fabric.
Calculation
3.3.1 Thermal insulation of Kapok:
Thermal conductivity of kapok = 0.115707
Thickness = 10mm
Thermal Insulation= thickness in (m) / thermal
conductivity
= 0.001 / 0.115707
= 0.0086 w/mk
MDP FLEECE
3.3.2 Thermal insulation of kapok with low melt
3.2 Thickness
polyester:
3.2.1 Thickness Of Fleece: Thermal conductivity of kapok = 0.033069
Table 3.3 Thickness of Fleece fabric Thickness = 10mm
SERIAL.NO THICKNESS VALUE OF Thermal Insulation= thickness in (m) / thermal
FLEECE conductivity
1 1.21 = 0.001 / 0.033069
2 1.21 = 0.0302 w/mk
3 1.26
4 1.27
5 1.29
Calculation:
Thickness =5.294/5
=1.058
Thickness of Fleece fabric = 1.058

The above Table.3.3 represents the thickness of the fabric

and the number of samples. Likewise readings are obtained
from five different area of the sample in the same fabric and
the average value gives the thickness of the fleece fabric.
3.2.2 Thickness Of Micro Denier Polyester:
Table 3.4 thickness of Micro Denier Polyester Thermal Conductivity Test Sample
SERIAL.NO THICKNESS VALUE OF FLEECE
1 0.35
2 0.34
3 0.35
4 0.34
5 0.33
Calculation:
Thickness =1.71/5

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Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.L1140.10812S19 567 & Sciences Publication
 International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)
ISSN: 2278-3075, Volume-8 Issue-12S, October 2019

The Fig 3.2 shows the air permeability of kapok and its
blends. Where the kapok blend with low melt polyester has
high air permeability than the 100% kapok because of the
structural property of kapok and low melt polyester.
3.5 Water Vapour Permeability:

Fig.3.1 thermal property Water vapour permeability

From the Fig.3.1 shows that the thermal conductivity,
thermal insulation, and thermal resistance of kapok and its Sample Air permeability
blend. It showed the 100% kapok filling has higher thermal (cm3/cm2/sec)
conductivity, Due to higher thermal resistance of kapok. 6.19
Where the kapok with low melt polyester showed lesser 7.22
thermal conductivity due to the lower thermal resistance of Sample : 2 5.76
kapok and its blends KLM 9.29
5.22
3.4 Air Permiability: Average 6.74

C.V 21.3%

Test sample
SERIA SAMPLE INITIA FINAL WEIGH WV
L NO. S L VALU T LOSS P
VALU E
E
1 Sample-1 75.42 74.06 1.36 1.37
Air Permiability Test Sample
2 Sample-2 74.33 72.94 1.39 1.40
Sample Air permeability 3 Sample-3 74.51 73 1.51 1.52
(cm3/cm2/sec) 4 Sample-4 75.62 73.2 1.42 1.43
4.48 5 Sample-5 76.73 75.24 1.49 1.44
4.54 6 Sample-6 79.19 77.83 1.36 1.37
Sample : 1 3.79
KAPOK Table 3.7 water vapor permeability of kapok and its
5.34
blends
4.56
Average 4.54
In Table 3.7. water permeability test both fleece and
micro denier polyester has not shown any significant
C.V 10.8%
changes because of its structural characteristics.
Table 3.6 (a) air permeability sample-1 3.6 Wicking:

Table 3.6 (b) air permeability sample-2

Fig.3.2 Air permeability

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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.L1140.10812S19 568 & Sciences Publication
 Research on Thermal Insulation Characteristic of Multilayer Clothing

Fig.3.3 wicking of fabric

The above Fig.3.3 represents the wick ability comparison

of fleece fabric and micro denier polyester fabric where
Fleece Fabric results in higher wick ability than Micro
denier polyester due to less observance and keeps dry at all
time.

IV. CONCLUSION
In this project the development of multi-layer clothing
using natural fiber based thermal insulation filling like
kapok and kapok with low melt polyester were used. The
fabric used for base layer and outer layer were Micro denier
polyester and fleece, for the development of multi-layer
extreme cold weather clothing. From the developed
multilayer extreme cold weather clothing thermal
conductivity, water vapor permeability, air permeability and
wicking were analyzed, to optimize the thermal insulating
layer that is suitable for multilayer cold weather clothing.
Wicking Test Sample The test results were analyzed and concluded as follows:
o 100% kapok has higher thermal conductivity than
Table 3.8 Wicking of Fleece and Micro Denier kapok with blends. Due to its natural thermal conductivity
Polyester property
o In water permeability test both fleece and micro
z Initial weight Final weight Heights In Time in sec
S Particular CM denier polyester has not shown any significant changes
. s because of its structural characteristics.
N
O o In Air permeability test kapok with its blend has
Fl M Flee MD Flee MD Flee M Fleec MD higher permeability when comparing to 100% kapok due to
ee DP ce P ce P ce DP e P
ce high resilient property of low melt polyester.
1 A A3 1.27 0.93 2.83 1.91 .5-1 0-1 0.52 26s o In wicking the Fleece fabric has higher wickability
1
than micro denier polyester fabric due to its soft nature,
2 A A8 1.27 0.93 2.83 1.91 1-2 1-2 3.43 53s good moisture and wicking ability.
2

3 A A9 1.27 0.93 2.83 1.91 2-3 2-3 6.44 1.38

4
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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.L1140.10812S19 569 & Sciences Publication
 International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)
ISSN: 2278-3075, Volume-8 Issue-12S, October 2019

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