A cut above the rest - Hohenstein Institute
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A cut above the rest - Hohenstein Institute
Textile research and services 2ed edition 2014 www.hohenstein.com HOHENSTEIN IMPULSE THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE HOHENSTEIN INSTITUTE A cut above the rest Know-how, strategies and trouble-shooting for fit and pattern-cutting A good fit is the second most important criterion after value for money when buying clothes that‘s what 63.6% of those questioned in the „Outfit 6”* market survey reported. However, why this important quality feature is causing more and more problems for manufacturers, importers and retailers, and how they are resolving them, was something we wanted to find out from our experts in fit and pattern cutting. In our special focus on fit and pattern cutting on the next few pages, we introduce in more detail the research projects and services they talked about. The range of services we offer extends from adjusting and correcting individual model designs and basic patterns to providing detailed advice and employee training. It‘s getting hard to find new staff to take over in pattern-cutting and design departments. What effect does this have on your work? BEATE URBAN: We have certainly been noticing in recent years that small and medium-sized companies in particular are increasingly using external specialists like ourselves as an outsourced pattern-cutting department. According to our customers, in addition to the recruitment problem, there are also many good financial reasons for this: it can definitely make commercial sense for them to „buy in” the necessary expertise in pattern cutting for a limited time only or for specific projects. Why, despite all the up-to-date data from the SizeGERMANY size survey, do retailers and consumers still complain about problems with fit? STEPHANIE MÜLLER: Up-to-date tables of body dimensions and garment sizes are a first and important step towards achieving a good fit. That‘s why, in addition to the data from SizeGERMANY, we also have countless other studies of other specific target groups (see page 3). But in themselves they are by no means a guarantee of a good fit. Whether a garment is perceived by the wearer as fitting depends on how it looks and feels on their body. The design and the materials used, and their specific characteristics such as elas- STEPHANIE MÜLLER, Division Manager for Clothing Technology, has been carrying out fit testing for customers for over 17 years. Her team of about 60 people works with over 250 volunteers representing all figure types and age groups so that they can optimise the fit of clothing for all kinds of target groups. ticity and draping, as well as their surface finish and weight, are further important factors. What help can you offer clothing manufacturers, importers and retail companies in this situation? BEATE URBAN, Division Manager for Pattern Construction, is a specialist in designing and improving patterns, with decades of professional experience. She applies this to all kinds of different projects. Depending on what the customer needs, she can also act as trouble-shooter or strategist. to develop specific tools to help companies. One of the most recent examples of this is a digital catalogue listing typical fitting problems and providing instructions for how these can be overcome by altering the cut and/or the material. SIMONE MORLOCK: Problems with fit can have their origins, or occur, during all phases of product development or during production itself. That‘s why it is important to make sure that quality control as far as fit is concerned is really an integral part throughout the whole process. In the light of this, in recent years we have run various research projects HIGHLIGHTS But what happens if this „helping people to help themselves” is not enough to sort out the problems? STEPHANIE MÜLLER: Certainly it often happens that our experts are called in to act as trouble-shooters, to analyse and resolve a serious problem. What we do then is, first of all, use prototype versions of the ba- SIMONE MORLOCK, Senior Scientist in the Clothing Technology Research Division, has run numerous research projects on clothing technology with public funding over the last 15 years. For example, men and women with plus-size figures have been measured and special size charts produced, for use in designing trousers. sic pattern or model design to carry out fit testing. Since we work with volunteers in all age groups and all different sizes, we can give the customer a representative analysis of the fit in relation to their particular target group. Then we advise them on how it could be improved. BEATE URBAN: Many customers also send us the actual products in which they have identified a problem themselves. In those cases we start with fault analysis straightaway. Often we ask to be sent the producer‘s pattern. That helps us to correct the fault faster and more effectively. You can find the complete interview here: Beate Urban b.urban@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-616-EN DIAGNOSIS: FIT HISTORY OF THE SKIN SENSORY COMFORT MARK THE ARTIFICIAL UTERUS 'ARTUS' DESIGN-COMPETITION SPACETEX 2030 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 2 | Impulse | 2/2014 READER SURVEY Thank you very much for your ideas! In our previous issue, we asked you for your ideas about the design and content of the Hohenstein I m p u l s e . We were delighted with the many ideas that were submitted and have considered them all carefully. The process has given us some valuable tips about how we can make our customer magazine even more interesting and attractive. For this, and for all your praise, thank you very much indeed! With our focus on „Fit and Cut” in this magazine, we are picking up on a suggestion for content that was made to us by several people. We hope that our interviews and the introduction to our current research projects and services will help you to put your company in a strong position in this regard. Please do continue to help us by telling us about any interesting topics that we could report on. Impulse | 2/2014 | Page 3 The perfect silhouette Germ-free plus feel-good factor Modular try-on sizes for the perfect fit Wash-resistant antimicrobial finish for protein fibres Getting the cut right for ladies‘ clothes in general and sheath dresses in particular is rightly regarded as the ultimate challenge among manufacturers of ladies‘ outerwear: The bust, waist and hip measurements vary from one woman to another, as do the body proportions. With twopiece outfits, this kind of discrepancy can be easily overcome by combining garments in different sizes. With a dress, however, it is difficult to cater for different body proportions in a single garment. This is the challenge that has been taken on by the Hohenstein Institute and the Hamburg-based company Matteo Dosso, experts in customised clothing, as part of a ZIM research project. The project partners have developed modular pieces for people to try on that they are calling slip-on or sample sizes, for different parts of the body. Ladies can try these garments on in the shop and combine them to achieve the perfect fit. The try-on garments are made as separate modules - here, for example, is one for the upper body. “The separate try-on pieces can be used to work out the dimensions and modifications required for factory production of a customised dress.” This paves the way for customised ladies‘ wear to be efficiently produced and marketed by factories. It is easier on the customer‘s purse while at the same time guaranteeing an individually configured garment that fits perfectly. Angela Mahr-Erhardt washed less frequently than textiles made from other fibres, due to the felting tendency of woollen fibres. In the light of this, Mihaela Szegedi‘s team and experts from the Leibnitz Institute for Interactive Materials (DWI) in Aachen have developed an antimicrobial treatment specifically for wool and other textiles containing wool. Many of the antimicrobial finishing substances available on the market today are very effective on fabrics made of cotton, polyester, polyamide and those kinds of mixtures of fibres. They are considerably less successful on wool and fibre blends containing wool. And yet an antimicrobial p r o t e c t i ve f i n i s h wo u l d b e particularly desirable here, because textiles containing wool are generally „By combining the use of different antimicrobial substances and technologies, we have achieved a particularly wide range of effectiveness against bacteria, fungi and algae.” FELT-FREE This will be especially of interest to manufacturers of high-quality functional textiles containing wool. There is also great potential for classic business suits or ladies‘ suits made of wool or mixed fabrics containing wool, as well as domestic and furnishing textiles. UNTREATED a.mahr-erhardt@hohenstein.de The range of models and possible combinations cover most variations of ladies‘ upper bodies. Mihaela Szegedi PICKLED The Editorial Team Woollen test fabric treated with silver colloid and SA/TSA complex. Rose-Marie Riedl Woollen textiles are washed less frequently than those made of other fibres because of their felting tendency. For that reason, an antimicrobial treatment can be very useful, for example on a business suit made of wool. m.szegedi@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-608-EN r.riedl@hohenstein.de The perfect fit for every target group Diagnosis: Fit Body dimensions and size charts at a glance Digital catalogue helps with quality control WORLD RECORD! Prof. Dr. Josef Kurz celebrates On 7 August, Prof. Dr. Josef Kurz, Deputy Head of the Hohenstein Institute, celebrated his 80th birthday. He has worked at the Hohenstein Institute for over 57 years. Areas in which this internationally renowned scientist has worked since joining the company in 1957 include colour measurement, textile care, ecology and medical textiles. A 3D-based process for analysing the fit of ladies outerwear is the result of a current research project (AiF No. 17763N). The digital fit catalogue provides companies with a tool for analysing typical fitting problems. Together with the suggestions that are also given in the digital catalogue for adjusting the cut and/or altering the materials, it will help them to eliminate many faults at an early stage of product development, resulting in significant savings. Experts at the Hohenstein Institute first use 3D scans to assess the fit of ladies‘ outerwear visually. The modifications that need to be made to the cut to solve particular fitting problems are shown visually. This makes it easy to communicate the required changes, for example to producers abroad. The Department of Hygiene, Environment and Medicine can also look forward to having about 650 m² of extra laboratory and office space from spring 2015. This is being created by the addition of another floor to the William Küster Building that dates from 1957. The existing building is being surrounded by a steel structure up to 11 m high, into which panels of aerated concrete are inserted. In this way, a complete new storey is being added. The data was used to derive upto-date body dimension statistics, size charts and market share charts. To supplement this data, experts at the Hohenstein Institute have, over recent years, built up statistically reliable data for specific target groups within the overall population. However, to achieve a really good fit, it is essential to have professional help with adjusting the cut and sizing, and j.kurz@hohenstein.de For several months now, construction cranes have once again been dominating the scene on the institute‘s campus. From October 2015, about 170 staff are due to move into their new places of employment in the second phase of the Otto Mecheels Building. Over 2500 m² of new office and working space, laboratories and storerooms are being created for the Hohenstein Textile Testing Institute and in particular for the Textile Testing department. In the representative size survey SizeGERMANY between 2007and 2009, over 13,000 men, women and children in Germany were measured. „The digital catalogue includes the most commonly occurring problems with fitting, and suggested solutions for them. This helps to ensure that minimum standards for the quality of fit are met.” Prof. Dr. Josef Kurz THE JOYS AND SORROWS OF CASTLE LIFE to carry out individual fit testing for the different garment sizes, using volunteers. All this requires a lot of experience and expertise, because analysing the fit is an extremely complex process in which the model, material, purpose and target users all have to be taken into account. Simone Morlock s.morlock@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-612-EN „We have, for example, measured women over 60, and men and women with a bigger build, and special measurements have been calculated for women‘s corsetry. Measurements charts for ladies‘ trousers are another product of our work.” Garment sizes are currently based on chest circumference, but there is no direct link between this measurement and hip or waist size. Body dimensions based on hip circumference were analysed specially with a view to designing trousers. It is not only this building work that is bringing the town of Bönnigheim and the Hohenstein Institute closer together: countless homes and blocks of flats are being built on the neighbouring „Castle Field”, gradually filling in vacant building land. Even Google Maps has not kept up with these rapid recent developments. Special 3D studies of body shape and posture also help manufacturers optimise the fit of trousers. Feet, hands and heads have also been measured using the 3D scanners at the Hohenstein Institute. The resulting data will be the basis for improving the fit of socks, gloves, shoes, helmets and other headgear in future. All body dimension and size charts can be ordered here: Simone Morlock s.morlock@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-527-EN Page 4 | Impulse | 2/2014 Impulse | 2/2014 | Page 5 We don‘t tell fairy-tales! First aid for premature babies! Artificial uterus provides sensory stimulation The story of the skin sensory comfort mark REUSABLE OP TEXTILES Greater comfort, less environmental impact A research project that is currently being carried out in partnership with the wfk could help hospitals to save about 12.9 million euros a year: it involves developing innovative reusable operating theatre textiles which are extremely comfortable to wear and also have a longer service life because a gentler process can be used to clean them. „In addition to the positive economic benefits for the healthcare industry and the fact that this makes the manufacturers of reusable textiles more competitive, the project also brings definite ecological benefits.” ONCE UPON A TIME, not too long ago, there was a princess who tossed and turned restlessly in her bed every night: she would wake in the middle of the night, soaked in sweat. Her bed linen also felt stiff and scratchy. Her search for the famous pea that is known to rob members of royalty of their sleep remained fruitless. So the princess turned to her local fairy godmother. However, all the good fairy‘s magical skills failed to help her client to enjoy her well-earned beauty sleep. The princess gave vent to her disappointment on various evaluation forums and so discredited the poor fairy that all she could do was retrain as a wicked witch. And if she hasn‘t died, then she is probably still grieving for her former career today. Ah, if only the stressed-out fairy had asked the knights in shining armour at the Hohenstein Institute in the nearby castle for help sooner! Textiles tested in this way can bear the Hohenstein quality label, the „Skin sensory comfort mark”. The comfort mark provides information about how comfortable the textile feels on the skin, without it having to be worn or used. This is especially of interest to princes and princesses who like to order textiles by mail order or online. So the stressed-out fairy and her over-tired client could have obtained a detailed analysis of the problem from the Hohenstein experts, and suggestions about how to resolve it. Carrying out the tests for the The experts in the Clothing Physiology department don‘t tell fairy-tales when it comes to assessing the skin sensory properties of textiles. skin sensory comfort mark would have shown that the textile was too stiff. That is why the bed linen did not nestle snugly around the princess‘s body. The wetting index result was also poor, because sweat was not being efficiently absorbed. Furthermore, the bed linen was not „breathable” and its thermal insulation was inadequate. And with the help of the „Skin sensory comfort mark” quality label, the fairy could have quite easily found some bed-linen that was suitable for the sensitve princess. Having summoned it in a flash, she would no doubt have continued her promising career and made the princess „Queen of the Land of Dreams”. Jörg Fricke j.fricke@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.com/ skinsensory-webinar14 And the MORAL of the story with the „Skin sensory comfort mark”: you‘ll never have a bad night‘s sleep and your clothes will always feel comfortable! About 50,000 premature babies are born every year in Germany alone. Some of them need intensive medical care in incubators for weeks or even months. However, it has been known for some time that these premature babies miss the spatial confinement and prenatal sensory stimuli of the womb (uterus). This lack can have significant consequences for these babies later on: many of the children go on to suffer from sensory or motor deficiencies as they develop, which have to be treated. „ARTUS” can recreate the environment and sensory stimulation of a mother‘s womb in the incubator.” T h e t re n d t owa rd s u s i n g disposable products in the operating theatre is resulting in about 3.2 kg of waste textiles that need to be professionally disposed of every day, for every patient. That equates to an annual mountain of waste of about 1200 kg for every hospital bed. Under the Closed Cycle and Waste Management Act (KrWG), this figure must be considerably reduced in future. Since 2012, the Act has meant that, in order to avoid waste, materials should remain in the production cycle for as long as possible. Determining the water vapour permeability of textiles There are various test methods for determining water vapour permeability. It is hard to compare these, but we have put together the main facts and the advantages and disadvantages. You can find a detailed comparison of the two measuring methods here: Silke Off s.off@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-595-EN Dr. Bianca Wölfling b.woelfling@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-579-EN Mesuring criteria Skin model measurement (Ret) Cup methods Suitable for all textiles () Depends on the cup method Can be used in quality control Measurements can be reproduce LESS, because conditions are not standardised Results from different laboratories can be compared LESS, because conditions are not standardised Results are consistently represented BETTER, because of defined test and ambient conditions; measurements use the skin model LOWER, because test and ambient conditions are sometimes not defined and may vary; gravimetric measurements; Results are accurate and objective Test results confirmed by wearing tests Test conditions consistently defined Can be used at the production site HIGH installation costs HIGHER LOWER MORE COMPLEX SIMPLER () Depends on the TEXTILE () Depends on the cup method Cost of testing Complexity of test set-up Testing time Testing standards DIN EN 31092/ISO 11092, ASTM F 1868-02 ARTUS helps with the development of premature babies Diagram showing the ARTificial UteruS (ARTUS) with its acoustic and motor actuators which generate sensory stimuli for premature babies Thanks to modern medical technology, premature babies can survive from the 22nd week of pregnancy. ACOUSTIC ACTUATOR: Mother’s heartbeat and voice MOTOR ACTUATOR: Air chamber system generates gentle rocking movements CROSS-SECTION REMOVABLE PILLOW: To alter the baby’s position AIR CHAMBER SYSTEM EXTERNAL CONTROL UNIT Neonatologists, i.e. specialists in newborn and premature babies, are currently assessing the effectiveness of ARTUS for tiny babies by observing it in use. The aim is to improve the clinical well-being of the little patients. ARTUS helps with the development of premature babies. Acoustic and motor actuators are used to generate sensory stimuli for premature babies.. Prof. Dr. Dirk Höfer d.hoefer@hohenstein.de No more electric shocks! Skin model versus cup methodes The „breathability” of a textile is determined by its water vapour permeability. The higher this is, the more perspiration in the form of vapour can be transported away from the body. This makes clothing or underwear more comfortable to wear, because less sweat accumulates on the wearer‘s body. Until now, incubators have not been able to compensate for the lack of spatial confinement and sensory stimuli provided by the mother‘s womb. This means that important therapy time is lost, which can often lead to sensory and motor deficiencies requiring treatment during the child‘s later development. © Hohenstein Institute;Evgeny Atamanenko,Miri Photography/shutterstock.com Acoustic stimuli like the mother‘s heartbeat and voice are transmitted ASTM E96 (min. 6 methods), ISO 15496, BS 72009, JIS L 1099, ISO2528 and others The electrostatic charges generated by people and the resulting discharges (Electrostatic Discharge or ESD) represent a significant hazard in many industries. People working in areas where there is a risk of static electricity must wear protective clothing that conducts electricity and guarantees safe discharge. The aim of a research project run jointly by GERA-IDENT GmbH and the Hohenstein Institute, together with HB Schutzbekleidung GmbH, was to develop innovative ESD clothing where the ESD functionality could be tested without contact and therefore far more efficiently. The new procedure makes testing that the protective function of FEELING GOOD MEANS… WEARING COMFORTABLE CLOTHES Webinars by the Hohenstein e-Academy on skin sensory functions COMPRESSION TESTING - Getting the pressure right! Tested compression (D/E) WEAR AND SLEEPING COMFORT - the Spacetex project – innovative and highly functional fabrics for humans in space and on earth (E) clothing is still effective much faster and more straightforward. Modern RFID technology (radio frequency identification) is used to simplify the testing of fabrics, especially after garments have been cleaned in commercial laundries. Sensory threads are attached to the garment and connected via electrodes to an RFID UHF sensor module. When a sufficiently strong electromagnetic field is generated by the UHF reader, this module measures the resistance value. The incoming values are read by the UHF reader and sent to a specially developed software program. HYGIENE, ENVIRONMENT & MEDICINE - How sustainable are textiles in terms of biodegradability? (D/E) COMPARATIVE TESTING - Detergents & laundering webinar (E) PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT - Better fit and more wearing comfort for helmets (E) FUNCTIONAL TEXTILES - Nanotechnology, human health and the environment (E) - Sound Science Webinar (E) FIT AND WORKMANSHIP - Good fitting pays for itself! „Made in Hohenstein” fit testing (D/E) „In developing the sensor module, we attached great importance to low maintenance and reusability.” This was achieved by making a sensor module which has no internal voltage source and gets all its energy from the electromagnetic field of the UHF reader. By establishing the correlation between the ESD function of the textile and the measurements provided by the sensor module, the software program delivers a pass or fail verdict. Only those parts that are declared How do products feel on the skin? How can products be improved accordingly? The free webinars from the Hohenstein e-Academy on 12 February 2015 will answer these and many other questions. At 13.00 hrs: (German) and 16.00 hrs (English), Dr. Jan Beringer and Silke Off will be introducing the skin sensory tests that are available and the „Skin sensory comfort mark” quality label. This will be especially useful for online and mail-order retailers. The skin sensory mark gives customers an objective assessment of how comfortable products are to wear without them having to feel them or try them on. This is a good way of reducing complaints about the feel of textiles and their skin sensory functions. FROM THE ARCHIVES Contactless testing of the ESD function of clothing Schloss Hohenstein is very picturesque - but „We don‘t tell fairy-tales”. Numerous tests have been carried out in realistic conditions in the climate-controlled chamber to study the interaction between body, climate and clothing. to the premature baby, together with mechanical sensations like the gentle rocking experienced in the mother‘s body. With „ARTUS”, the ARTificial UteruS, experts at the Hohenstein Institute in Bönnigheim have developed the world‘s first artificial uterus, which helps premature babies to develop by providing sensory stimulation. „We carry out skin sensory and thermophysiological tests that can be used to provide an objective assessment of the comfort of textiles worn next to the skin.” If the sensory threads and RFID modules are integrated in the clothing, then tests can be carried out in the commercial laundry to ensure that the necessary ESD effect is still sufficient. to have limited functionality are subjected to a conventional one-off test, which greatly reduces the cost of testing. This means that the contactless RFID UHF technology can help reduce the costs connected with quality management documentation by making functionality testing significant- ly faster. It also enables the test to be carried out on the complete batch being processed, resulting in increased product safety. OEKO-TEX® - Annual update to the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 webinar - Webinar on the OEKO-TEX® buying guide (D) - STeP by OEKO-TEX® Webinar (D) - STeP by OEKO-TEX® Webinar – Focus on Chemical Management (E) Britta Gortan b.gortan@hohenstein.de Markus Beeh m.beeh@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.com/ skinsensory-webinar14 Page 6 | Impulse | 2/2014 To say thank you to Dr. Alexander Gerst, on his return from the International Space Station we presented him with a compilation of songs chosen by participants in the competition „Songs for Alex”. We would like to thank you for all your messages, as would „our man in space”, who was very pleased with the excellent mixture of top hits and less well-known musical compositions! You‘ll find the play list on Soundcloud or Spotify. www.hohenstein.de/ songs-for-alex Impulse | 2/2014 | Page 7 Design Competition „Spacetex 2030“ Verifiable protection for allergy-sufferers Station-wear for astronauts on the Mars mission The new „House dust and dust mite barrier” quality label the interaction of body, clothing and climate in zero gravity. This data will later be used to optimise textile materials in the light of the special conditions of weightlessness, but also for extreme climatic conditions on Earth. Students entering the „Spacetex 2030 competition have to use these high-tech materials to design highly functional station wear for the astronauts. This will be the everyday clothing for the astronauts inside the space ship or Mars station. Unlike the space suits that are worn during take-off, landing and space walks, station wear does not have to serve any particular protective purpose but above all has to take account of functional aspects. The special What particular kinds of functionality does clothing for astronauts have to offer, especially in the light of long-term missions? This is the question to be answered by students in the „Spacetex 2030” design competition, by producing creative and practical designs. The competition is based on the current „Spacetex” research project. The aim of this is to obtain data about demands of spending months in weightlessness during the flight or in low gravity conditions on Mars have to be taken into account in the design and manufacture of the garments. The different tasks performed by the astronauts, such as their daily exercise programme or maintenance work, also have to considered by the students entering the competition. They must also remember the limitations on cleaning and caring for the clothes that will result from the lack of gravity and resources. Rose-Marie Riedl r.riedl@hohenstein.de Students entering the „Spacetex 2030” competition have to use these high-tech materials to design highly functional station wear for the astronauts. www.spacetex-project.de Special mattresses and bed covers called encasings are supposed to ensure that people who are allergic to house dust get a good night‘s sleep. Accredited laboratory tests show how well these work as a barrier between dust mite excrement and human respiratory passages. when they are selecting a medicallytested mattress or bed cover. Technically advanced hotels can also benefit by offering properly marked bed-linen for the well-being of their guests. Prof. Dr. Dirk Höfer d.hoefer@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-592-EN „We are one of the few laboratories in the world that is able to carry out tests with living dust mites and their allergy-inducing excrement.” In the test, all components of the encasing, that is to say the textile surface, the edge seams and the zip fastener, are covered with dust mite excrement and the movements of someone sleeping on it for eight hours are simulated. The volume of allergens from the dust mite excrement that passes through the textile, seams or zip of the encasing is measured. This allows exact information to be obtained for the first time about whether Special encasings can be used to ensure that sufferers from dust mite allergies enjoy a comfortable night‘s sleep. They form a barrier between the dust mite excrement and the sleeper‘s respiratory passageways. the critical level of two micrograms of allergen is exceeded during the night, thereby posing a risk for allergy-sufferers. This provides allergy-sufferers with a reliable aid to decision-making „If this sensitisation threshold is not passed, then products can be endorsed with the „House dust and dust mite barrier“ quality label.” The excrement from house dust mites can trigger allergies. We’re going places: Passive climatisation thanks to optimised car seats CHRISTMAS 2014 Sweet greetings from around the world This year once again we want to see you through the Advent period and up to New Year with a special promotion. Together with our branch offices abroad, we have put together some „Sweet greetings from around the world” for you. Every day in our Advent calendar you will find a recipe for a pastry, dessert or drink that is served on festive occasions in one of the countries where we are represented. In addition to the list of ingredients and method, you will also find an explanation of the tradition behind the recipe – or a personal story that makes it important for one of our international colleagues. All the recipes will also be available from mid-December as a PDF file. Simply sign up on our website. We hope you have a lot of fun baking and cooking our recipes! The government hopes that by 2020 there will be a million electric cars on Germany‘s roads. However, to make electric vehicles attractive to large parts of the population, one of the aspects that needs to be improved is their range. The key to this is intelligent energy management, which includes not only the drive technology and construction of the vehicle but also „energy guzzlers” such as the air conditioning and interior heating systems. In electric cars, both of these have to operate from the power supply, at the expense of the vehicle‘s range. It is in this context that scientists from the Hohenstein Institute, the FILK (Franches Montagnes) and IHD (Dresden) are investigating which factors need to be taken into considera- tion in the design of thermally optimised car seats. The aims of the project (IGF No. 18080 18080 BG) are to work out the theoretical principles of heat transport in seat covers, create a model of the processes involved in heat transfer and implement it in the design of improved seating. „We are concentrating on using appropriate materials and combining them intelligently to provide a certain amount of passive climate control. We are not looking at „active” solutions such as heating.” In the first phase of the projects, the scientists are looking at what effects the human body and the heat it Rose-Marie Riedl r.riedl@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/ christmas2014 Breaches of the „cords standard” cause product recalls for children‘s clothing If escalators and playgrounds are not to become dangerous hazards for small children, clothing must be designed to be safe. The DIN EN 14682 standard, „Safety of children‘s clothing - cords and drawstrings in children‘s clothing” contains recommendations about the design of garments for children up to the age of 14. An ongoing project is providing the expertise for creating vehicle seat covers where the design and choice of materials produce passive climate control effects. emits have on complex upholstery fabrics. Firstly, they are considering different seat covers using standard and functional textiles. Secondly, they are basing their work on different usage scenarios. The constant factor is the „feel-good temperature” which, with textile surfaces, is 23ºC. Various different measuring methods can be used to derive quantitative load factors to describe the material or the combination of materials and their heat conduction properties in dry and moist conditions. These reference values serve as the basis for simulating the processes involved in heat transfer. Dr. Bianca Wölfling Heat transport in car seats is being investigated in three different scenarios. Keep away from cords and drawstrings! „The simulations can be used to calculate the combinations of materials and structural designs which would have the most positive effect on both heating and cooling behaviour.” This knowledge will help small and medium-sized automotive suppliers in particular to secure a competitive advantage for themselves in future by increasing comfort levels, saving energy and reducing development costs. b.woelfling@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-580-EN There is a shockingly high number of product recalls where the risk of strangulation or serious injury is given as the reason for product complaints on the relevant European Union information website. Unfortunately, in the past there have indeed been deaths and serious injuries caused by unsuitable fastenings on children‘s clothing. This fact is not really reflected in the level of public debate about the safety of textiles. This focuses far more on possible contamination with harmful substances. The majority of textiles on the market now go through testing for harmful substances, for example under the OEKOTEX® Standard 100. Consequently, complaints in this regard have greatly reduced. Product recalls due to the „cord standard” can be avoided by having professional testing carried out before production starts. Christiane Schulze c.schulze@hohenstein.de http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/safety/rapex/alerts www.hohenstein.de/pr-597-EN In principle, the ends of drawstrings/cords on children‘s clothes should not have any kind of trim or knots. Safe alternatives include enclosed or heat-sealed cord ends, and zips must not be longer than 75 mm. Page 8 | Impulse | 2/2014 REVISED STANDARD THAT‘S NEW! Protective clothing for firefighters (DIN EN 469:2014) High-visibility warning clothing (DIN EN 20471) In recent years, the personal protective equipment (PPE) sector has particularly benefited from technical innovations. Optimised • A defined procedure has been specified for testing overlapping. • The moisture barrier is limited to 10 cm on jackets & 15 cm on trousers. • Where retroreflective material is applied, it must cover a minimum area of 0.13 m²; for fluorescent material, the minimum area is 0.2 m². • Materials testing is carried out after at least 5 wash cycles. materials, processing techniques and measuring methods are reflected in the revised DIN EN 469 standard, „Protective clothing for firefighters”. The following are the main aspects that have changed: Last year, DIN EN 471: 2008-03 turned into EN ISO 20471: 2013-09. There have been some fundamental changes: the new norm does away with the previous distinction between professional and private use. It applies across the board to all hazardous situations where there is a risk of not being seen. • Testing for damage to subsequent impregnation: the customer specifies after how many wash cycles the garment must be re-impregnated. The surface wetting and resistance to penetration by liquid chemicals must be tested again after impregnation. • A maximum value for water vapour resistance has been reintroduced: 45 m² Pa/W at Level 1. • Ergonomic requirements have been deleted. • Appendix E has been replaced by information about the ISO 13506 standard. The new standard therefore applies exclusively to warning clothing for high-risk situations and continues to comprise clothing classes 1, 2 and 3. The norm also gives numerous requirements for the design of clothing and testing procedures and we have included all this for you on our website. It must especially be noted that the surface area and position of logos and emblems must be given when providing a sample for testing, because their total area is deducted from the visible surface area. In the worst case, garments could lose their certification if anything is added to them at a later date. In view of the fact that the validity of certificates has been limited to five years since 2010, warning clothing that is certified under EN-471 may continue to be sold until the certification expires but must then be re-certificated on the basis of the standard that applies at the time. In future the number and date of the standard, i.e. EN 469:2014, will be shown on the protective clothing. The accompanying pictogram will also contain information about the level of heat protection, X1 or X2 (combined protection against flames and heat radiation) up to which the clothing has been certified. m.schubert@hohenstein.de www.hohenstein.de/pr-613-EN www.hohenstein.de/pr-615-EN PROJECT FINANCING PUBLISHING INFORMATION We thank the following institutions for providing financial support for research work: Publisher: Hohenstein Laboratories GmbH & Co. KG Hohenstein Institut für Textilinnovation GmbH Hohenstein Academy e.V. Hohenstein Textile Testing Institute GmbH & Co. KG Schloss Hohenstein Schlosssteige 1 74357 Bönnigheim GERMANY ISSN 2191-6764 · Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V. · Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen ‘Otto von Guericke’ e.V. (AiF) · AiF Projekt GmbH · German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) · German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) with affiliated project sponsors · Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) The stated AiF/IGF projects by the research association Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V., Reinhardtstraße 12 - 14, 10117 Berlin/Germany, were financed through the AiF within the framework of the programme for promotion of cooperative industrial research (IGF) by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology based on a resolution by the German Bundestag. Editorial: Rose-Marie Riedl Helmut Müller Department Marketing and Communication Phone +49 7143 271-723 Fax +49 7143 271-721 Email presse@hohenstein.de Internet www.hohenstein.de Research projects presented in this edition 2/2014: Design: Prepress Processing · Manuela Kurz · Gemmrigheim Printing: ProWachter GmbH · Bönnigheim, Germany · and other providers of funds The perfect silhouette Diagnosis: Fit In the business of hygiene Reusable OP textiles Artificial Uterus We‘re going places ZIM-Nr. KF2136726CJ2 AiF-Nr. 17763N AiF-Nr. 17150N AiF-Nr. 17976N ZIM-Nr. KF2136730KJ3 IGF-Nr. 18080 BG page 2 page 2 page 3 page 4 page 5 page 6 Images ©ESA/NASA; ©Google maps; ©Hohenstein Institute; ©OEKO-TEX®; ©Roscosmos/Oleg Artemjev; ©TU-Dresden, ©www.shutterstock.com: AlessandroZocc; andrea_ petrlik;Jason Stitt; Juan Gaertner; Kzenon; Marilyn Volan; Matthew Coleai Matusciac Alexandru; moniks3steps, Nejron_Photo; picsfivepotowizard; servickuz; stefanolunardi; Warren Goldswain. ©www.Fotolia.com: beerkoff; Tobilander. ©www.iStockphoto. com: axstokes; SerJoe. BRO_0024_HOH_Impulse_EN_02_2014