Textile Technology Testing LAB
The Textile Technology Testing Lab provides a controlled environment at 21 °C and 65% relative humidity for the characterisation of textile materials intended for sportswear, protective clothing and other technical applications.
The laboratory supports the evaluation of key properties related to thermal and tactile comfort, breathability, and moisture transport.
Main equipment includes:
Air Permeability Tester – measures the airflow passing perpendicularly through a fabric under a controlled pressure difference, providing an assessment of fabric breathability.
Thermal Effusivity Tester – measures the ability of a material to exchange heat through contact using the Modified Transient Plane Source technique. Thermal effusivity is closely related to the warm or cool sensation perceived when a textile touches the skin.
PermaVape Water Vapour Permeability Tester (SDL Atlas) – determines the water vapour transmission rate of textile materials, providing information on their ability to support moisture-vapour transfer.
Moisture Management Tester (MMT, SDL Atlas) – evaluates the absorption, spreading and transfer of liquid moisture across the surfaces and through the thickness of a textile.
Together, these instruments enable the characterisation of textile materials in terms of air permeability, water-vapour transmission, liquid-moisture management and contact thermal properties. The resulting measurements complement the physiological and perceptual investigations conducted in the ComfortLAB climatic chamber, supporting the design and assessment of clothing systems with improved comfort and performance.
