Water-Related Comfort Properties of Silver-Modified Polyamide Fabrics Treated With Wicking and Antibacterial Finishes

Abstract

The performance of the active sportswear is mostly related to wetting, wicking, and permeability properties of the fabrics. Antibacterial efficacy of the garments has an important place on the wearer performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of wicking and antibacterial finishing treatments on water-related comfort properties of seamless garments made from silver-modified polyamide and conventional polyamide fibers. The results showed that silver-modified polyamide fiber performed better at longitudinal wicking height and transfer wicking ratios. Application of antibacterial and wicking finishing treatments reduced the drying rate and water vapor permeability whereas transfer wicking and wicking height values increased. By Lycra incorporation, height of water wicked was much higher while transfer wicking, drying rate, and water vapor permeability were affected negatively. Finally, SWT fabric was found the best, while PWN performed the worst according to the hybrid AHP-TOPSIS method.