Evaluation of the Physical Properties and Comfort of Functional Athlets Designed for the Elderly

Abstract

The issue of clothing is one of the problems that come with ageing. Despite the need, there is no athlete for women aged 65 and over in the market. In this study, first, a survey was conducted on the issuesfaced by women over the age of 65 while using athlete. The functional and comfortable special athlete for summer and winter was designed to solve and eliminate the problems by analysing the obtained results. In the study, first, 100% cotton, 100% bamboo, 100% viscose, cotton/bamboo and cotton/viscose blended fabrics were produced in a single jersey knitting structurefor summer athlete. 100% cotton fabric was produced in the interlock knitting structure for winter athlete. Second, these fabrics were pre-treated, and the finishing treatments to provide some functional properties such as softness (cationic, microemulsion and macroemulsion silicones) and antibacterial properties were applied to these fabrics. After the finishing treatments, tests and analyses were carried out, and the fabric weight, elasticity and bursting strength tests were carried out to determine the physical properties of the fabrics. To determine the comfort properties of the fabrics, air permeability, water vapour permeability and thermal comfort properties tests were performed. According to the results, the functional and comfortable summer and winter athlete were determined and produced for older women. At the end of the study, a clothing trial was also made with the produced woman athletes.