Influence of care maintenance cycles on comfort-related parameters of clothing protecting against heat and flame

The life cycle of a product, such as protective clothing, includes a specific number of maintenance cycles, defined by the manufacturer. Beyond this number of washing cycles, the clothing can no longer be used, as its protective properties are no longer guaranteed after the stated limit is reached. This article presents the results of tests conducted to examine parameters related to the thermophysiological comfort of both finished products and the textile materials used in their production. These tests were conducted on items in their new condition (as supplied by the manufacturer) and after 50 maintenance cycles, which is the maximum number specified by the manufacturer. Additionally, the materials were tested after 5 and 25 maintenance cycles to assess intermediate changes. Experiments conducted on two types of material used in protective clothing for protection against heat have shown that both the area density and the number of maintenance cycles have a significant effect on parameters related to thermophysiological comfort. Additionally, changes in fiber morphology were visualized by scanning electron microscopy and measurements of the apparent length and thickness of weft yarns between successive warp coverings were made. The results of the analysis of individual material properties before and after successive washing cycles allowed us to identify key differences in the behavior of the two types of material used in protective clothing.