PHYSICAL PROPERTIES CORRESPONDING TO COMFORT FEEL OF BEDDING FABRICS

The market for bedding products in Thailand now offers a wide range of physical attributes (fiber types, structures, fabric densities, thicknesses, and weights) that produce a variety of tactile sensations and comfort qualities. This study investigated the comfort properties of bedding fabrics in Thailand. Twenty-one bedding fabric samples were collected and measured for their mechanical and surface properties based on the Kawabata evaluation system for fabric (KES-F) as well as the horizontal wicking test and abrasion resistance, air permeability, wrinkle recovery, and thermal resistance (Qmax). The primary hand value (HV) and total hand value (THV) were calculated using the Kawabata hand evaluation equation KN-201-LDY describing women's thin dress fabric, using 5 different properties from the KES-F (tensile, shear, bending, compression, and surface friction). The principle component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis of the physical properties of fabric samples showed that the samples could be placed in 4 groups. The first group was mostly cotton woven samples. The second group consisted of 2 samples that were both knitted, while the third group was mostly mixed (M) fabric samples. The last group contained cotton and M cotton samples. The first cluster was considered to provide the best hand-feel characteristics of all 4 clusters, while the second cluster was considered the least desirable based on hand-feel. The findings of this study should assist the bedding textile sector in developing new products.