Talk:Comfort

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment

This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Kjf1118. 20:56, 19 January 2022 (UTC)

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WP:VA could be WP:COMFORT or WP:comfort right?--Comfortcomfortiscomfort (talk) 09:25, 28 September 2013 (UTC)

I've just created this page after being amazed there was nothing here already. It needs a good sort and tidy. The entries are just what I found on the first three pages of a wikipedia search for Comfort. Thryduulf 16:10, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

Thinking a bit more, I can see that someone might be able to write an encyclopaedic article on "comfort" (but that someone isn't me!), in which case the current contents of the page should probably go to Comfort (disambiguation) with an {{otheruses}} template on the top line. Thryduulf 19:02, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

By way of a simple definition (at least this will give something to start with..) comfortable means "Such as to obviate hardship, promote content, at ease..."  To comfort somone is to provide relief in affliction, consolation etc.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.66.67.122 (talk) 08:53, August 26, 2007 (UTC) 

I wonder if there's a bot that can write articles based on research? —$ΡЯΙNGεrαgђ (-¢|ε|Ŀ|T|♪-) 03:25, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

Additional materials

The following material was added, and then deleted from the article. There may be some useful and salvageable material in this.

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1. Introduction The human environment must be aesthetically pleasing and must provide light, air and thermal comfort. The benefits of human-friendly atmosphere are:

• increased attention to work resulting in increased productivity, improved quality of products and services with fewer errors
• reduced absenteeism
• lesser number of accidents
• reduced health hazards.

When the comfort condition exists, the mind is alert and the body operates at maximum efficiency. It has been found that maximum productivity occurs under comfortable conditions and that industrial accidents increase at higher and lower temperatures. Postural discomfort due to a cold feeling results in just as many accidents as does mental dullness caused by a too warm environment. Woodhead p.

1.2 Comfort 1.2.1. Comfort definition Many researchers have defined comfort in relation to clothing. According to Hatch (1993), comfort is ‘freedom from pain and from discomfort as a neutral state’. The discomfort arises from too hot, too cold, and odorous or stale atmosphere. According to Kothari and Sanyal (2003), comfort is not easy to define because it covers both quantifiable and subjective considerations. Comfort is a situation where temperature differences between body members are small with low skin humidity and the physiological effort of thermal regulation is reduced to a minimum. According to Slater (1985), comfort is a pleasant state of physiological, psychological, neurophysiological and physical harmony between a human being and the environment. Barker (2002) stated that comfort is not only a function of the physical properties of materials and clothing variables, but also must be interpreted within the entire context of human physiological and psychological responses. Personal expectation or stored modifiers that sort out or influence our judgement about comfort based on personal experiences must be also considered.

Holcombe (1986) stated that comfort as wellbeing and fundamental to that wellbeing is the maintenance of the temperature of our vital organs within a few degrees of 37oC for them to function properly, otherwise the metabolic system can be extensively disrupted and sustained abnormal temperature will lead to death. Temperature control is achieved by changing skin temperature through changes to blood flow and by evaporation of water at the skin surface. Nielsen (1991) viewed comfort in a physical sense as the body being in a heat balance with the environment (thermal comfort), that the body is not being subject to pressure from narrow or badly designed clothing (movement comfort) and that skin irritation does not occur from unpleasant contact with clothing (sensorial comfort). Ishtiaque (2001) stated that clothing comfort is governed by the interplay of three components: body, climate and clothing. The human body, its microclimate and its clothing form a mutually interactive system. The body and its microclimate are invariable; the clothing system is the only variable. Li and Wong (2006) summarised comfort into several components. 1. Comfort relates to subjective perception of various sensations. 2. Comfort involves many aspects of human senses such as visual (aesthetic comfort), thermal (comfort and warmth), pain (prickling and itching) and touch (smooth, rough, soft and stiff). 3. The subjective perceptions involve a psychological process in which all relevant sensory perceptions are formulated, weighed, combined and evaluated against past experiences and present desires to form an overall assessment of comfort status. 4. The body–clothing interactions (thermal and mechanical) play important roles in determining the comfort status of the wearer. 5. External environment (physical, social and cultural) has a great impact on the comfort status of the wearer. 1.2.2. Energy metabolism and physical work The process of liberation, transformation and utilisation of energy in the body is known as energy metabolism and to be alive, people must metabolise or oxidise food taken into the body, converting it into electrochemical energy so that they can carry out normal bodily functions. The metabolic rates are the heat released from the body per unit skin area expressed in met units. A met is the average amount of heat produced by a sedentary man, and any metabolic rate can be expressed in multiples of this standard unit. Met is defined in terms of body surface area as: 1 met = 18.4 Btuh/ft2 (of body surface) = 58.2 W/m2 (of body surface) = 50 kcal/m2•hr The body surface for a normal adult is 1.7 m2. Hence, for an average size man, the met unit corresponds to 1.7 × 58.2 or 100 W (approximately) = 360 Btuh = 90 kcal/hr. There are so many factors which affect metabolic rates are: age. Physical exercise, body weight and surface area, hormones, food consumption, sympathetic stimulation, climate, sleep, amount of clothing, etc. 1.2.3. Human heat balance Mathematically the relationship between the heat production and heat loss can be calculated by the heat balance equation (Ogulata, 2007) as follows: Heat production = Heat loss or M – W = Cv + Ck + R + Esk + Eres + Cres [1.2] where M = metabolic rate (internal heat production, W/m2) W = external work (W/m2) Cv = heat loss by convection Ck = heat loss by thermal conduction (W/m2) R = heat loss by thermal radiation (W/m2) Esk = heat loss by evaporation from the skin (W/m2) Eres = evaporative of heat loss due to respiration (W/m2) Cres = sensible heat loss due to respiration (W/m2). 1.2.4. Comfort equation Fanger (1970) developed a mathematical model to define the neutral thermal comfort zone of man in different combinations of clothing and at different activity levels. Mean skin temperature and sweat secretion rates were used as physical measures of comfort. He developed a comfort equation (Hui, www.hku.hk) which is as follows: f(M, Icl, V, tr, tdb, Ps) = 0 [1.4] where M = metabolic rate (met), Icl = cloth index (clo), V = air velocity (m/s), tr = mean radiant temp. (° C), tdb = dry-bulb or ambient temp. (° C), and Ps = water vapour pressure (kPa).

1.3. Comfort aspects Wear comfort is a complex phenomenon but in general it can be divided into four main aspects (Bartels 2005) 1. Thermophysiological wear comfort. This comprises heat and moisture transport processes through the clothing and directly influences a person’s thermoregulation. 2. Skin sensorial wear comfort. This deals with the mechanical sensations caused by textiles as it is in direct contact with the skin. Pleasant and unpleasant perceptions such as smoothness or softness, scratchiness, stiffness, or clinging to sweat-wetted skin may be created by textiles. 3. Ergonomic wear comfort. This is characterised by the fit of the clothing and the freedom of movement it allows. The garment's construction and the elasticity of the materials are the main aspect of ergonomic wear comfort. 4. Psychological wear comfort. This is of importance as well. It is affected by fashion, personal preferences and ideology. 1.3.1. Thermophysiological comfort Thermophysiological wear comfort concerns the heat and moisture transport properties of clothing and the way that clothing helps to maintain the heat balance of the body during various levels of activity (Saville 2004). Thermophysiological comfort has two distinct phases. During normal wear, insensible perspiration is continuously generated by the body. Steady state heat and moisture vapour fluxes are thus created and must gradually dissipate to maintain thermoregulation and a feeling of thermal comfort. In this case the clothing becomes a part of the steady state thermoregulatory system. In transient wear conditions, characterised by an intermittent pulse of moderate or heavy sweating caused by strenuous activity or climatic conditions, sensible perspiration and liquid sweat occur and must be rapidly managed by the clothing. This property is important in terms of the sensorial and thermoregulatory comfort of the wearer. Therefore, heat and moisture transfer properties under both steady and transient conditions must be considered to predict wearer comfort (Yoo & Barker 2005a; Barker 2002). 1.3.2. Sensorial comfort Li and Wong (2006) stated that sensorial comfort is the elicitation of various neural sensations when textile comes into contact with skin. The skin sensorial wear comfort characterises the mechanical sensations that a textile causes at direct contact with the skin. The perception may be pleasant, such as smoothness or softness, but it may also be unpleasant, if the textile is scratchy, too stiff or clings to sweat-wetted skin (Shishoo 2005). Sensorial comfort does not directly involve any temperature balance but is related to the way the person feels when clothing is worn next to the skin. Feeling wet and wet clinging can be a major source of sensorial discomfort in situations of profuse sweating (Kothari & Sanyal 2003). Li (1998) investigated psychological sensory responses to clothing of consumers living in different countries and 26 sensory descriptors were selected. The sensory responses to these descriptors were analysed by oblique principal component cluster analysis. For summer wear and sport-wear, the cluster analysis showed that the 26 sensory descriptors could be classified into four clusters as shown below: 1. Tactile sensations – prickly, tickling, rough, raggy, scratchy, itchy, picky, sticky. 2. Moisture sensations – clammy, damp, wet, sticky, sultry, non-absorbent, clingy. 3. Body fit (pressure) sensations – snug, loose, lightweight, heavy, soft, stiff; 4. Thermal sensations – cold, chilly, cool, warm, hot. Sensorial comfort is mainly determined by fabric surface structure and to some extent by moisture transport and buffering capacity. It is associated with skin contact sensation and is often expressed as a feeling of softness, smoothness, clamminess, clinginess, prickliness and the like. These descriptors can be related to specific, measurable fabric mechanical and surface properties including the number of surface fibres and contact points, wet cling to a surface, absorptivity, bending stiffness, resistance to shear and tensile forces, and coolness to the touch. These properties are mainly determined by fibre characteristics, yarn and fabric construction and fabric finish, but it is necessary to recognise that the extent of their relationship to comfort perception in clothing is also influenced by garment construction and properties (Yoo & Barker 2005b). 1.3.3. Non-sensorial comfort Non-sensorial comfort deals with physical processes which generate the stimuli like heat transfer by conduction, convection and radiation, moisture transfer by diffusion and evaporation. It also includes mechanical interactions in the form of pressure, friction and dynamic irregular contact. Non-sensorial comfort is not only comprised of thermal and moisture transmission but also includes air permeability, water repellency and water resistance (Das, 2005). 1.4. Comfort variables Thermal comfort variables are of two types, namely: 1. Two personal variables, controlled by the individual: (a) clothing insulation value, termed the ‘clo’ value, and (b) activity level deciding metabolism rate, with units of ‘met’. 2. Four environmental variables which represent the environment surrounding the body: (a) temperature of the surrounding air (dry-bulb temperature) (b) radiant temperature of the surrounding surfaces represented by ‘mean radiant temperature’ (MRT) (c) humidity of the air denoted by ‘relative humidity’ (d) air movement. The above six variables are considered as primary comfort variables. Non-thermal comfort depends on the following environmental factors: • odours • dusts • acoustics • lighting. 1.5. Comfort and textiles properties There are specific physical textile properties that may be measured in an effort to predict the comfort performance of fabric. Basically a textile material should be evaluated in terms of the most general functional properties: thickness, weight, thermal insulation, resistance to evaporation and air penetration. There are three clothing factors that relate directly to thermal comfort. First is the overall thickness of the materials and air spaces between the skin and environment. Second is the extent to which air can penetrate the clothing by wind or wearer motion. Third is the requirement that fabric does not restrict the evaporation of perspiration (Andersson 1999). Higgins and Anand (2003) summarised the important textile properties for comfort: • Intrinsic thermal insulation The intrinsic thermal insulation of a fabric can be determined by measuring its resistance to the heat transmission of heat by conduction. Intrinsic thermal insulation is proportional to the thickness of fabrics. It does not include the layer of air next to the fabric during use. • Thermal insulation Thermal insulation is the resistance of a fabric and the layer of air next to it during use to dry or conductive heat loss. Unlike intrinsic thermal insulation, thermal insulation varies with the ambient wind speed. As the speed increases, the thermal insulation provided by the layer of air decreases. • Resistance to evaporative heat loss Resistance to evaporative heat loss measures the ability of a fabric, together with the layer of air next to the fabric during use, to prevent cooling of the body by evaporation of heat generated during activity. Resistance to evaporative heat loss can be measured on either dry or damp fabrics. • Thermal conductivity The thermal conductivity of a fabric is determined by the rate of transmission of heat through fabric. It is reciprocal of thermal insulation or thermal resistance. • Moisture vapour permeability Moisture vapour permeability represents the resistance of a fabric to the transfer of water vapour, also known as insensible perspiration, released by body. Relative moisture vapour permeability is the percentage of water vapour transmitted through the fabric sample compared with the percentage of water vapour transmitted through an equivalent thickness of air. Low moisture permeability hinders the passage of perspiration through the fabric, leading to the accumulation of sweat in the clothing. The rate of water vapour transmission through the fabric is also usually reduced by increasing the fabric thickness. • Water absorption Water absorption is the capacity of a fabric to absorb the sweat generated by the body and the rate at which it is able to do so. To prevent wet clinging, the fabric’s absorption should be low at the surface of the fabric which makes contact with the skin. • Wicking Wicking is the capacity of a fabric to transport absorbed sweat away from the point of absorption, usually the skin and the rate at which it does so. • Air permeability Air permeability is a measure of how well air is able to flow through a fabric. It can be measured on either dry or damp fabrics. A fabric which has good air permeability, however, does not necessarily have good moisture vapour permeability. Air permeability is likely to be lower in fabrics where the absorption of water leads to swelling of the fibre and the yarn. • Rate of drying The rate of drying is the rate at which water is evaporated from the outer surface of a fabric. The rate of drying must be sufficient to achieve continuous wicking and to prevent the fabric from becoming saturated with sweat. • Wind proofing Wind proofing is a mechanism for reducing the heat loss from a garment by convection, thus improving the overall thermal insulation of clothing system. • Surface coefficient of friction The surface coefficient of friction of a fabric contributes to its sensory comfort. The coefficient of friction usually increases significantly when a fabric has become wet, leading to rubbing or chafing of the skin. A low coefficient of friction is also essential when one layer of fabric is required to move freely against another layer. • Handle The term handle describes the tactile qualities of a garment. It includes such properties as softness, compressibility, pliability and drape. These characteristics, although less important in specialised sportswear than in clothing worn on everyday basis, must not impair performance during sporting activity. • UV resistance UV resistance can be vital for clothing exposed to high levels of sunlight. It is particularly important in ski wear, when the wearer may not always be fully aware of the degree of exposure to UV radiation. • Anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-odour properties Anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-odour properties are important in garments which tend to remain in contact with sweat for long periods of time. Such items include sports socks, vests and underwear.

References

Lekhraj Galav, New aspects of clothing comfort,2013 Adanur S (1995), Wellington Sears Handbook of Industrial Textiles, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Technomic Publishing Company, Inc. Aschoff J, Günther B and Kramer K (1971), Energiehaushalt and temperaturregulation, München, Germany, Urban & Schwarzenberg. ASHRAE (1989), Handbook of Fundamentals, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers Inc. ASTM (2003), ASTM D-123-03, Standard terminology relating to textiles, West Conshohocken, PA, ASTM. Bajaj P, Sengupla A K and others (1992), Protective clothing, Textile Progress 22(2/3/4), 1–117. Belkin N L (2002), A historical review of barrier materials, Aorn Journal, 70(4), 648–653. Blankenbaker J. (1982), Ventilating systems for hot industries, Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning, 54(2), February. Bornais P (1997), Analysis and characteristics of comfort in clothing, Canadian Textile Journal, 114(4), 12–14. Braddock S E and O’Mahony M (2002), Sport Tech: Revolutionary Fabrics, Thames & Hudson, London. BS 7963 (2000), Ergonomics of the thermal environment – Guide to the assessment of heat strain in workers wearing personal protective equipment, British Standard Institute, London. Byrne C (2000). ‘Technical textiles market – an overview’, in Horrocks A R and Anand S C, Handbook of Technical Textiles, Cambridge, Woodhead, pp. 462–489. Carroll T K (2001), Chemical protective clothing, Occupational Health and Safety, 70(8), 36–46.

comfort

Does this talk page bring comfort?--150.216.254.207 (talk) 08:40, 28 September 2013 (UTC)

The Name Comfort

It was written: Like certain other terms describing positive feelings or abstractions (hope, charity, chastity), comfort may also be used as a personal name. .Bod (talk) 19:44, 4 January 2018 (UTC)