Scientists say synthetic fibres are best for suits

1 July 2009, Boenningheim - Scientists at the Hohenstein Institute who have developed a polyester fabric for men’s suitings with good moisture and heat management properties, claim that the fabric significantly outperforms other materials. They also say that wearers of high-quality business clothing who still consider wool to be the ultimate fabric are wrong.

The Hohenstein Institute says that modern synthetic fibres, whose properties can be designed by targeted processes, offer numerous advantages as compared to natural fibres, which also apply to men’s and ladies’ suits.

As part of an AiF project (AiF No. 14342 N), scientists of the clothing physiology area at the Hohenstein Institute in Boennigheim compared moisture and heat management as well as the skin-sensory properties of different wool and polyester fabrics. Based on the results, a polyester fabric with optimal characteristics for the production of a men’s suit was designed and manufactured. Final tests showed that the wearing comfort of this material was significantly above that of comparative products.

Scientists say that the thermo-physiological properties can be designed through material selection and processing for a broad range of temperatures and stress areas. In this vein, a traveller would sweat significantly less during a short burst in an overheated airport building as compared to someone wearing a wool suit.

In addition, the Hohenstein Institute says that, fabrics made of synthetic fibre are clearly more hardwearing and also better retain their shape than the natural fibre wool, which means that areas such as between the legs, which are subject to more mechanical stresses, are not worn out as quickly, and there is no crease formation even after extended periods of sitting.