Recent Developments in Coated Apparel

n spite of numerous developments in coating technology during the past I decade, the basic methods for manufacturing coated fabrics have not radically altered. These materials function by blocking the pores of a woven, knitted or non-woven fabric with a cohesive polymer film which acts as a physical barrier against wind, water, and, in the case of protective workwear, aggressive chemicals, oils, and greases. The barrier concept thus distinguishes polymer coatings from chemical finishes, which merely coat the individual fibres of a fabric without blocking the pores, and repel fluids by surface tension effects. Recent advances in polymer coatings have been associated mainly with polyurethanes (PUS) and acrylics, both of which are amenable to basic changes in chemical composition to achieve new performance levels. Silicones, and to a lesser extent the fluorocarbon rubbers, have also flourished for specialist applications, whilst PVC, natural rubber, and many synthetic rubber coatings have not advanced as significantly for clothing purposes. A combination of these latest coatings with the development of coating techniques for loosely-woven fabrics, dimensionally unstable knits, and non-woven fabrics, which cannot be coated by direct knife spreading or calendering, has greatly extended the range of coated fabrics and enduses available to apparel manufacturers.