Clothtech (clothing textiles) is a segment of

technical textiles A technical textile is a textile product manufactured for non-aesthetic purposes, where function is the primary criterion. Technical textiles include textiles for automotive applications, medical textiles (e.g., implants), geotextiles (reinforce ...

that includes all textile components used primarily in

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...

and

footwear Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serves the purpose of protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from ground textures and temperature. Footwear in the manner of shoes therefore primarily serves th ...

. Clothtech adds functional properties to the product that improve specific and critical objectives. Clothtech encompasses the functional parts that may not be visible, such as

zippers A zipper, zip, fly, or zip fastener, formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of textile, fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing (e.g. jackets and jeans), luggage and other Bag, ba ...

labels A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed dir ...

, sewing threads, elastics, insulating fiber fills, waddings,

shoelaces Shoelaces, also called shoestrings (US English) or bootlaces (UK English), are a system commonly used to secure shoes, boots, and other footwear. They typically consist of a pair of strings or cords, one for each shoe, finished off at both end ...

, and drawcords

velcro Velcro, officially known as Velcro IP Holdings LLC and trading as Velcro Companies, is a British privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s. It is the original manufacturer of hook-and-loop fasten ...

, and interlining cloths, etc. Sewing threads is the major component that accounts around 60% of the technical textiles under clothtech followed by labels 19%, interlinings 8%, shoelaces and zip fasteners 5%, Velcro and umbrella 2%. Clothtech is a significant division of the technical textile sector, contributing 7% to the overall

technical textile A technical textile is a textile product manufactured for non-aesthetic purposes, where function is the primary criterion. Technical textiles include textiles for automotive applications, medical textiles (e.g., implants), geotextiles (reinforce ...

industry.

Applications

Functional clothing

Clothtech adds functional properties in the end product that enhance adaptability, elasticity, insulation, resistance, and increase in wearing comfort hence the overall performance against predetermined areas.Clothtech adds resistance to water or fire and increases performances with breathability etc. Textiles with cloth tech respond to different stimuli such as the environment, the garments made with cloth tech can detect and transmit the vitals of the user (wearer).

Footwear

Clothtech is used for various

shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture t ...

components such as fabric, shoelaces, sole materials, and fillings, etc.

Use

The initial use of clothtech is apparel and footwear. High-performance garments, umbrella cloth Scuba diving, Body armors, firefighting suits are a few examples. Clothtech is one of the primary application areas of twelve direct application areas referred to in technical textiles.

Manufacturing

Clothtech involves careful selection of

fiber Fiber or fibre (from la, fibra, links=no) is a natural or artificial substance that is significantly longer than it is wide. Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. The strongest engineering materials often incorporate ...

s and a range of treatments (applications in machines such as exhaust, pad, or

coating A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, usually referred to as the Substrate (materials science), substrate. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings may be applied as liquid ...

s) in various

textile manufacturing Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...

stages. Different types of fibers ranging from natural to synthetic are used in clothtech.

Woven Woven fabric is any textile formed by weaving. Woven fabrics are often created on a loom, and made of many threads woven on a warp and a weft. Technically, a woven fabric is any fabric made by interlacing two or more threads at right angles to on ...

nonwoven Nonwoven fabric is a fabric-like material made from staple fibre (short) and long fibres (continuous long), bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term is used in the textile manufacturing industry to denote fabri ...

, braided, and

knitted Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile, or fabric. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. Knitting creates stitches: loops of yarn in a row, either flat or i ...

all kinds of

fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

manufacturing is selected.

References

{{Textile Textiles

Applications

Functional clothing

Footwear

Use

Manufacturing

See also

References