Technological progress in Russian military sports suits: the history of the use of materials and fabrics from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21st century

Abstract

The subject of the study is technology in military sports suits of Russian military personnel. The object of the study is the progress in the production technologies of military sports suits. The author examines in detail the history of the use of various materials and fabrics for the production of military sports suits, from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21st century. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the properties of various materials. The author shows that fabrics with high strength, wear resistance and good breathability are most suitable for military sports suits of Russian servicemen. The fabrics used for the production of military uniforms must meet a number of requirements. At the same time, such properties of fabrics as crease, drapery, hydroscopicity, dust capacity, heat-shielding properties, shrinkage, thread shedding, thread expansion in seams, sliding should be taken into account. The main research methods were theoretical methods – the method of analysis, generalization, systematization, classification of literary sources on the research topic. The novelty of the research consists in a comprehensive analysis of the basic properties, characteristics and requirements for fabrics used for the manufacture of military suits. A retrospective analysis and comparison of costumes from different eras were carried out. The main conclusion of the study is that from the end of the 19th century to the 21st century, the use of fabrics for military clothing has undergone significant changes. It is shown that at the end of the 19th century, military clothing was mainly made from natural fabrics such as cotton, wool and linen. With the advent of synthetic fibers in the 20th century, fabrics became more durable, lightweight, quick-drying and resistant to external factors. In the 21st century, with the development of fabric production technologies for military clothing, special mixtures of natural and synthetic fibers, as well as membrane materials, began to be used to provide high protection, comfort and functionality for military personnel. The author's special contribution to the study is the generalization of the results of various studies, the comparison of the main characteristics of fabrics used in various historical times with modern fabrics and materials.