The aims of this wide-range review concerning the hand of textiles are to present: (1) the diversity of definitions and the complexity of analysis of the hand of textiles; (2) the authors’ own definition of the hand of textiles and division of techniques of its analysis. The review presents objective techniques, subjective techniques along with their physiological background, and a combination of techniques as well as a new biomechanical approach called modelling of skin. The structure of the paper is as follows: • definitions of the hand of textiles, including the authors’ definition; • objective techniques of hand measurement; • physiological approach; • subjective techniques of hand measurement; • combination of objective and subjective techniques; • modelling techniques and the biomechanics approach for measurement of the hand of textiles; • division of hand measurement techniques according to the authors. This paper gives a review of the international literature from 1930 to 2010 concerning the hand of textiles and other related subjects like skin physiology, perception though the skin, and biomechanical aspects of the skin. Due to obvious limitations the authors have chosen only those papers which seemed to have the strongest relation to the presented topic and which are at the same time the most interesting studies in the authors’ opinion.

Protective and sport clothing is governed by protection requirements, performance, and comfort of the user. The comfort and impact performance of protective and sport clothing are typically subjectively measured, and this is a multifactorial and dynamic process. The aim of this review paper is to review the contemporary methodologies and approaches for measuring ergonomic wear comfort, including objective and subjective techniques. Special emphasis is given to the discussion of different methods, such as objective techniques, subjective techniques, and a combination of techniques, as well as a new biomechanical approach called modeling of skin. Literature indicates that there are four main techniques to measure wear comfort: subjective evaluation, objective measurements, a combination of subjective and objective techniques, and computer modeling of human–textile interaction. In objective measurement methods, the repeatability of results is excellent, and quantified results are obtained, but in some cases, such quantified results are quite different from the real perception of human comfort. Studies indicate that subjective analysis of comfort is less reliable than objective analysis because human subjects vary among themselves. Therefore, it can be concluded that a combination of objective and subjective measuring techniques could be the valid approach to model the comfort of textile materials.

Biopotential electrodes play an integral role within smart wearables and clothing in capturing vital signals like electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), and electroencephalogram (EEG). This study focuses on dry e-textile electrodes (E1–E6) and a laser-cut knit electrode (E7), to assess their impedance characteristics under varying contact forces and moisture conditions. Synthetic perspiration was applied using a moisture management tester and impedance was measured before and after exposure, followed by a 24 h controlled drying period. Concurrently, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the dry electrode was evaluated during ECG data collection on a healthy participant. Our findings revealed that, prior to moisture exposure, the impedance of electrodes E7, E5, and E2 was below 200 ohm, dropping to below 120 ohm post-exposure. Embroidered electrodes E6 and E4 exhibited an over 25% decrease in mean impedance after moisture exposure, indicating the impact of stitch design and moisture on impedance. Following the controlled drying, certain electrodes (E1, E2, E3, and E4) experienced an over 30% increase in mean impedance. Overall, knit electrode E7, and embroidered electrodes E2 and E6, demonstrated superior performance in terms of impedance, moisture retention, and ECG signal quality, revealing promising avenues for future biopotential electrode designs.

Plastic waste found in oceans has become a major concern because of its impact on marine organisms and human health. There is significant global interest in recycling these materials, but their reclamation, sorting, cleaning, and reprocessing, along with the degradation that occurs in the natural environment, all make it difficult to achieve high quality recycled resins from ocean plastic waste. To mitigate these limitations, various additives including clay and rubber were explored. In this study, we compounded different types of ocean-bound (o-HDPE and o-PP) and virgin polymers (v-LDPE and v-PS) with various additives including a functionalized clay, styrene-multi-block-copolymer (SMB), and ethylene-propylene-based rubber (EPR). Physical observation showed that all blends containing PS were brittle due to the weak interfaces between the polyolefin regions and the PS domains within the polymer blend matrix. Blends containing clay showed rough surfaces and brittleness because of the non-uniform distribution of clay particles in the polymer matrix. To evaluate the properties and compatibility of the blends, characterizations using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheology were carried out. The polymer blend (v-LDPE, o-HDPE, o-PP) containing EPR showed improved elasticity. Incorporating additives such as rubber could improve the mechanical properties of polymer blends for recycling purposes.

In this paper we present an analysis of attenuation by woven structures produced from hybrid yarns. The woven structures have been designed for protection against electromagnetic fields (EMFs). The idea of creating hybrid yarns that may intensively protect against EMFs comes from the analogy discovered between the construction of a fancy bunch yarn and an electric system composed of electro-conductive solenoids on a ferromagnetic material connected in series and then in parallel. The application of hybrid fancy yarn as a weft made of copper as a special effect thread insulated with lacquer and wrapped around a core of steel thread in a textile fabric will enable EMF attenuation as a result of inducing an electromotive force in the special effect thread and magnetizing the core thread. In this way, the designed electric circuit (textile fabric) in the variable primary EMF will be the source of a secondary EMF directed opposite to the direction of the primary field. The fabricated woven structures present electrical and magnetic components of EMF attenuation in some narrow ranges.

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional printing (3DP), has been widely applied to various fields and industries, including automotive, healthcare, and rapid prototyping. This study evaluates the effects of 3DP on textile properties. The usability of a textile and its durability are determined by its strength, washability, colorfastness to light, and abrasion resistance, among other traits, which may be impacted by the application of 3DP on the fabric’s surface. This study examines the application of photosensitive acrylic resin on two fabric substrates: 100% cotton and 100% polyester white woven fabrics made of yarns with staple fibers. A simple alphanumeric text was translated into braille and the braille dots were 3D printed onto both fabrics. The color of the printed photosensitive acrylic resin was black, and it was an equal mixture of VeroCyanV, VeroYellowV, and VeroMagentaV. The 3D-printed design was the same on both fabrics and was composed of braille dots with a domed top. Both of the 3DP fabrics passed the colorfastness to washing test with no transfer or color change, but 3D prints on both fabrics showed significant color change during the colorfastness to light test. The tensile strength tests indicated an overall reduction in strength and elongation when the fabrics had 3DP on their surface. An abrasion resistance test revealed that the resin had a stronger adhesion to the cotton than to the polyester, but both resins were removed from the fabric with the abrader. These findings suggest that while 3DP on textiles offers unique possibilities for customization and design, mechanical properties and color stability trade-offs need to be considered. Further evaluation of textiles and 3D prints of textiles and their performance in areas such as colorfastness and durability are warranted to harness the full potential of this technology in the fashion and textile industry.