Effects of Clothing Material on Thermoregulatory Responses

The properties of clothing materials critically influence the comfort and performance of the wearer. Clothing is not just a passive cover for the skin: it interacts with and modifies the heat regulating function of the skin, and its effects are modified by the environment. This study investigates the combined effects of the properties of clothing materials and wind on the physiological parameters of human wearers. During exercise, skin temperature, clothing microclimate temperature and relative humidity, clothing surface temperature, body mass loss, and salivary lactic acid concentration are significantly higher for clothing with lower air permeability in a windy environment. Exercise-induced increases in core temperature are also higher for clothing materials with lower air permeability.