Insoles provide resistance to ground reaction forces and comfort during walking. In this study, a novel weft-knitted spacer fabric structure with inlays for insoles is proposed which not only absorbs shock and resists pressure, but also allows heat dissipation for enhanced thermal comfort. The results show that the inlay density and spacer yarn increase compression resistance and reduce impact forces. The increased spacer yarn density provides better air permeability but reduces thermal resistance, while a lower inlay density with a random orientation reduces the evaporative resistance. The proposed structure has significantly positive implications for insole applications.

Buoyant swimwear is becoming more common in recreational swimming use, so the performance of buoyant fabric is important when designing functional swimwear. In this study, potential buoyant inlaid knitted fabrics for buoyant swimwear are investigated. Three types of knitted structures, half milano, full milano and 1 × 1 rib, are selected and various kinds of tubes and foam rods in different diameters are prepared for inlaying during the knitting process by using a 7 G hand-knitting machine. The mean differences among the levels of three independent variables, (1) inlaid material, (2) yarn and (3) knitted structure, on three dependent variables (net buoyant force, compression and tensile properties) are analyzed by using a multivariate analysis of variance. The result shows that the net buoyant force and mechanical properties of the fabric are significantly different due to the inlaid material and knitted structure, but not the yarn. The net buoyant force increases with fabric thickness and the outer diameter of the inlaid material. The inlaid fabrics are less compressible than the control fabric and show better recoverability with an increase in the diameter of the inlaid material. For the tensile properties, the inlaid material reinforces the fabric in both the wale and course directions, in which the stiffness in the course direction is significantly increased. The inlaid fabric is stronger and resistant to breakage in the course direction when the diameter of the inlaid material is increased. The findings of this study contribute to developments in the textile and sportswear industry.

A novel spacer fabric with a weft-knitted structure of silicone tube and foam inlays is proposed for use in insoles to alleviate in-shoe pressure, reduce moisture and enhance thermal comfort. The material variables, including the diameter of the spacer yarn, type of inlaid material and net wrap and spacer pattern have been systematically investigated. Their force reduction and thermal characteristics in terms of air and water vapour permeabilities, thermal conductivity and impact force reduction are determined and compared to those of traditional insole materials. The results show that the inlays can effectively enhance the impact force reduction of the 3D spacer fabrics. In comparison to traditional insole materials, the proposed spacer fabric with an inlaid structure can enhance air and moisture permeabilities and heat dissipation to provide greater wear comfort for prolonged use. The air permeability, thermal conductivity and impact force reduction of the inlaid spacer structure can be modified with changes to the diameter of the spacer yarn, type of inlay and net material used and spacer pattern, whilst its water vapour permeability can also be varied by using different types of inlays. Spacer fabric with a higher number of spacer yarn courses and spacer yarn with a large diameter not only exhibits good impact force reduction with uniform thickness, but also offers good thermal conductivity. The findings of this study will contribute toward an insole design with the use of alternative insole materials for optimal foot protection.

Compression stockings have long been manufactured in a single color without patterns, but enhancing their aesthetic appeal through knitted designs can improve user compliance. This study explores the potential of punch lace knitted structures to create patterns in compression textiles by seamless knitting technology while maintaining sufficient pressure. The effects of yarn material, number of yarns used, and knitted patterns on pressure and thermal comfort will be studied. The fabric pressure was evaluated using pressure sensors with a leg mannequin, while the thermal properties were measured according to the textile standard. This study found that the pressure and thermal conductivity of fabric are significantly influenced by the number of yarn and yarn materials, but not the knitted pattern. Cupro/cotton/polyurethane yarn (A) exhibits the strongest positive impact on pressure, increasing by 2.03 mmHg with the addition of one end of yarn A while polyamide/lycra yarn (C) exhibits a higher thermal conductivity than yarn A. For air permeability, the number of yarn and knitted patterns significantly affects the ventilation resistance. Pattern B with an additional needle in a float stitch shows 0.023 kPa·s/m lower resistance than pattern A. The findings from this study can be widely used in health, medical, and sports applications.

As the use of buoyant swimwear by children in residential swimming becomes more common, the investigation of the effects of buoyant textiles is crucial for the optimisation of functional buoyant clothing design. This study investigated buoyant knitted fabrics developed using an inlaid knitting technique for buoyant swimwear application. The impact of the inner diameter, outer diameter, and the linear density of the inlaid tube on the buoyant ability of the buoyant fabrics was analyzed using multiple linear regression. The result demonstrated that the fabric’s net buoyant force was significantly affected by all three parameters, with inner diameter having the greatest effect, followed by the outer diameter and linear density of the inlaid tube. The increase in the net buoyant force of the fabric can be predicted by the increase in the inner diameter of its inlaid tube and linear density and decrease in the outer diameter. The divergence of the results for specimens inlaid with Silicon tube and from the result predicted by multiple linear regression indicates that the net buoyant force is also affected by the linear density and the wall thickness of the inlaid tube. The new knowledge of this study can contribute to the production of buoyant layers inside the buoyant swimwear in replace of air chambers to improve the limitation of non-distributed buoyancy, accidental punctuation and bulkiness in conventional buoyant swimwear.

The pursuit of materials that offer both wear comfort and protection for functional and protective clothing has led to the exploration of weft-knitted spacer structures. Traditional cushioning materials such as spacer fabrics and laminated foam often suffer from deformation under compression stresses, thus compromising their protective properties_. This study investigates the enhancement of the force absorption, stress–strain, and thermal properties of weft-knitted spacer fabrics with inlays. Surface yarns with superior stretchability and thermal properties are used and combined with elastic yarns in various patterns to fabricate nine different inlay samples. The mechanical and thermal properties of these samples are systematically analyzed, including their compression, stretchability, thermal comfort, and surface properties. The results show that the inlay spacer fabric exhibits superior compression properties and thermal conductivity compared to traditional laminated foam and spacer fabrics while maintaining stretchability, thus providing better performance than traditional fabrics for protective clothing and wearable cushioning products. This study further confirms that the type of inlay yarn and inlay structure are crucial factors that significantly influence the thermal, tensile, and compressive properties of the fabric. This research provides valuable insights into the design and development of advanced textile structures to improve wear comfort and protection in close-fitting apparel applications.