Ever wondered why some clothes feel cozier against your skin? It’s all about moisture management. Explore the science behind moisture-wicking fabrics and key factors in choosing the perfect tester. Let’s uncover the secrets of ultimate comfort together!

What affects the comfort of the clothes people wear against their skin? It is affected by three main factors: heat and moisture comfort, hand comfort and pressure comfort. Wicking testing and moisture testing is very important in textile industry. Thermal and humidity comfort accounts for 50% of the overall sensation. Thermal and humidity comfort is one of the most important factors in the body’s subjective judgement of clothing comfort.

Moisture wicking meaning in fabrics is that the ability to pull sweat away from the skin to the surface for quick evaporation, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable.  An important part of the body’s heat dissipation is through the secretion of sweat and its evaporation, where water vapour carries away heat from the body or the surface of the fabric through evaporation. It has been found that in the microclimate of a garment, the sweat absorption of the garment, the transmission of sweat by the fabric, and the location of evaporation on the fabric are all related to wearing comfort. So the perception of clothing comfort can be significantly improved by managing the liquid moisture content of the clothing.

Introduction

Understanding the Importance of Moisture Management Testing in Various Industries

Moisture management testing plays a critical role across a variety of industries, ensuring the quality, safety, and durability of products, and it is often a crucial factor in product development and quality assurance. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of its importance in several sectors:

Textile Industry: In the textile industry, moisture management is vital to determine the comfort level of fabrics. Different textiles absorb, disperse, and dry moisture at various rates. Those with superior moisture management properties are preferred for athletic wear, while those with lower moisture absorbency might be better suited for outer layers in rainy climates. As we can see moisture absorbency test in textiles is of great important. Testing these factors ensures that clothing can perform well under various climate conditions and physical activities, helping companies develop and sell products fit for specific consumer needs.

Construction Industry: Proper moisture management testing is essential during the construction of buildings. Materials like wood, concrete, and drywall, can all be compromised if moisture levels aren’t properly controlled, causing structural instability or fostering environments for mold growth that can impact indoor air quality. In this respect, moisture management testing is a critical part of ensuring safe, durable, and long-lasting structures.

Food Industry: In the food industry, moisture content impacts product quality, taste, texture, and shelf life. Proper moisture management can prevent spoilage and extend shelf life, making it a critical aspect of food safety and cost management.

Packaging Industry: In the packaging industry, the moisture content of packaging materials can affect the quality of the product inside, especially for food, electronics, and certain types of machinery. Moisture management testing helps in developing packaging that can protect the products within.

Overall, the importance of moisture management testing lies in its safeguarding of product quality and user safety across industries. It contributes to the integrity, durability, and longevity of products while playing an essential role in ensuring user comfort and product functionality.

An in-depth analysis of the application of moisture management testers in the textile industry

At present, functional fabrics with good liquid moisture management capability are widely used in sports and outdoor clothing, high-level casual wear, and uniforms. These fabrics are characterized by properties such as quick drying, excellent moisture permeability and wicking (the ability to quickly remove perspiration from the skin to keep it dry). A number of traditional standards and test methods can be applied to the testing of these functional fabrics, such as water absorption and diffusion. such as water absorption diffusivity, core absorption height, drip penetration time, moisture permeability and drying rate. The MMT Liquid Moisture Management Tester is a new test method and instrument for testing the moisture management capabilities of textiles. With this new instrument, we can quickly measure the dynamic water transfer properties of liquid water in three directions within a textile. Laboratory tests on different fabrics have shown that there are significant differences in the measurement data between fabrics. Currently, some fabrics have good quick drying and water absorbency, but not good wicking properties, while others have wicking properties, where sweat is quickly transferred from the fitted layer to the outer layer, and the results show good overall moisture management and unidirectional water transfer properties. The liquid moisture management tester can also be widely used in the research and development of new fabrics and garments, classification and rating of fabrics, quality control of fabrics and garment manufacturing. It is an important and indispensable instrument for product development, quality control and marketing in the textile and garment industry.

Key Considerations in Choosing a Moisture Management Tester

Choosing the right moisture management tester for textile testing involves careful consideration of several factors. Here are key aspects to keep in mind:

Accuracy and Precision

The foremost consideration is the machine’s ability to deliver accurate and precise measurements. It should be reliable enough to detect even the smallest change in moisture content.

Conformance to Standards

Ensure the tester adheres to established industry standards such as ASTM, DIN, ISO, or specific regional standards. Compliance with standards ensures that your testing methods and results will be acceptable globally and meet quality expectations.

Range of Testing

Check if the tester can handle the full range of textile materials you are working with. Some machines may be more suitable for particular types of fibers or fabrics than others.

User-Friendliness

The instrument should be easy to operate, with clear instructions and possibly a user-friendly interface. This not only accelerates the training process but also minimizes the likelihood of user errors.

Size and Portability

Depending on your lab space and whether you need to move the tester around, the size and portability of the machine could be a significant factor.

Durability and Maintenance

The machine should be robust and long-lasting. Additionally, consider the type and frequency of maintenance needed to keep it running efficiently and the availability of spare parts.

Post-Sale Services

Check the manufacturer’s reputation for post-sale customer service and technical support. Good service can save you time and hassle, especially when you face technical issues or require parts replacement.

Price and Warranty

Cost is a crucial aspect, but it should not compromise quality. Look for a tester that provides value for money and comes with a decent warranty period.

Test Speed

The speed at which the machine can perform the tests is also important, particularly in industrial settings where large volumes of fabric need to be tested.

Reporting and Data Output

Finally, examine how tester delivers results. Does it offer easy-to-understand reports? Can it be connected to a computer for data analysis?

How to test Fabric’s Property of Moisture Management?

Testing Principle

The fabric specimen is placed horizontally. Liquid water in contact with its immersion surface (usually the layer in contact with the skin) undergoes diffusion along the fabric’s immersion surface, passing from the fabric’s immersion surface to the penetration surface (usually the outer layer of the garment), and diffusing at the same time across the fabric’s penetration surface. This process of water content change is a function of time. When the immersion surface of the specimen is injected with the test solution. The dynamic transfer of the test solution through the fabric is determined using upper and lower sensors in close contact with the specimen. A series of indicators such as wetting time, absorption rate, maximum wetting radius, spreading speed, accumulative one-way transport capacity (R), and overall moisture managementcapability(OMMC) are used to comprehensively assess the performance of textiles in terms of moisture absorption, quick drying, and perspiration.

Testing Standards

China’s test standards for moisture-absorbent and quick-drying garments include GB/T 21655.1-2008 “Evaluation of moisture-absorbent and quick-drying properties of textiles Part 1: Single combination test method” and GB/T 21655.2-2009 “Evaluation of moisture-absorbent and quick-drying properties of textiles Part 2: Dynamic moisture transfer method”.

Overseas standards include ISO 11092, JIS L1096 and JISL1907, BS 4554 and AATCC 79, FTTS-FA-004 “Verification of Moisture Transferring and Sweating Textiles” and TTF 007 “Moisture Transferring and Quick Drying Textile and Clothing Products”. The scope of application and test items and methods of these standards are different.

Test Equipment

Moisture Management Tester TF128, MMT, or MMT Machine, to measure the dynamic liquid transport properties of textiles such as knitted, woven fabrics, and nonwoven textile fabric. Moisture Management Tester mainly tests the absorption and diffusion performance of fabric to sweat. It is used to conduct testing of moisture management in textile. The absorption and diffusion of work by fabric directly affect the comfortable performance of wearing clothes. This machine meets a wide range of international standards, such as AATCC 195, and GB/T 21655.2.

Testing process

Put the specimen into the instrument with the side touching the skin upwards. A certain amount of saline is poured in the centre of the skin-contacting side of the fabric to simulate the process of human perspiration. The sensors on both sides of the specimen measure their water conductivity in each loop (diameter 5mm, 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, 25mm and 30mm respectively). After the test has been carried out for 2 minutes of loops, the wetness and water conductivity of the fabric increases. Through a series of calculations, the tester can obtain accurate readings of the wetting time, water absorption rate, soaking radius and diffusion rate of the fabric on the skin contact side, as well as the cumulative unidirectional transfer capacity and the fabric’s Overall Managing Capacity for Liquid Moisture (OMMC). Test results must be judged by reference to measurements in mmt units.

Terms and definitions

Wetting time

The time required from the time the liquid comes into contact with the surface of the fabric until the fabric begins to absorb water. The time required for the fabric to begin absorbing water is defined as the first value of time at which a slope greater than or equal to tan15° occurs on the curve of water content versus time at the surface of the fabric. It includes a soaking surface wetting time WTr and a penetration surface wetting time WTB.

Absorption rate

In the time of water injection, the average value of the slope change of the water content change curve on the surface of the fabric. It indicates the rate of change of water content per unit time of fabric. Including the average water absorption rate of immersion surface ARr and the average water absorption rate of penetration surface ARB.

Maximum wetting radius

The maximum radius of the wetting area when the fabric starts to wet to the end of the specified time. The maximum radius of the wetted area from the first occurrence of a slope greater than or equal to tan15° in the moisture content curve to the end of the test time. Includes the maximum wetting radius of the immersion surface MWR and the maximum wetting radius of the penetration surface MWRB.

Spreading speed

After the fabric surface wetting spread to the maximum wetting radius along the radius direction of the cumulative transfer speed of liquid water. Including immersion surface liquid water diffusion speed ST and penetration surface liquid water diffusion speed SB.

Accumulative one-way transport capacity (R)

Liquid water transfer capacity from the soaking surface to the penetrating surface of the fabric. It is expressed as the ratio of the difference between the amount of water absorbed on both sides of the fabric and the test time.

Overall moisture managementcapability (OMMC)

It is the characterisation of the dynamic transfer of liquid water in the fabric. It is expressed as the weighted value of the water absorption rate ARB on the permeable side of the fabric, the unidirectional transfer index R of the fabric and the liquid water diffusion speed SSB on the permeable side.

Maintenance and Calibration of Moisture Management Testers

• Long time no use, please put the infusion jar of liquid drop, and add distilled water, holding the water pump button, the infusion pipe is clean, the best liquid emptying.

• A day after the test, hold down the up button, press the PUMP button at the same time, read the iv liquid withdraw liquid storage tank.

• Test after 10 times, clean the test head up and down, and don’t let the salt accumulate on the test pin. You can use pure water or alcohol cleaning.

• After a long time of use, the lower test head is easily by salt corrosion and getting dirty, according to the corrosion situation of the test head, please replace the new test head, please contact the local dealers to buy.

• The surface of the machine should be tested before and after cleaning a day, keep it clean.

FAQs on Moisture Management Testing

What are the key benefits of using a moisture management tester?

MMT testing can not only help us to control the quality of fabrics in terms of liquid moisture management in the production and trading process. It can also help us to select the right fiber, design a reasonable fabric structure and carry out the appropriate chemical finishing process in product development, so as to achieve the ideal product performance.

Are there any regulatory standards to consider when conducting moisture management testing?

Yes, you can check here for international standards that conform to the moisture management tester. If you are not sure whether your product is suitable for this instrument or which testing standard should be implemented, please contact us!

How does moisture management affect the end user?

Moisture management plays a significant role in user comfort. A garment’s moisture management capabilities directly impact customer satisfaction, as it determines how well the fabric can handle activities, weather conditions, and body heat.

What equipment is used in moisture management testing?
The Moisture Management Tester (MMT) is commonly used in moisture management testing. This equipment measures the dynamic liquid transport properties of textiles such as fabrics.

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