The Fabric of Life
Uniforms and dress code have been a part of society for millennia. Along with the simple need to protect from the elements and provide cover, another key purpose has been to distinguish their wearers from the crowd, or identify them as belonging to a particular sect.
From religion and law enforcement through to fashionistas, our use of fabric is a sometimes subtle, sometimes overt style of communication offering information about us, who we are, what we do and our overall place in society.
Externally fabric is an advertisement, internally it even has the power to shift our perception of ourselves. You may have heard people remark that when they put on a uniform, they ‘become’ the person that that uniform represents, assuming the corresponding authority, attitude or command.
Even the clothes we choose to wear when relaxing tell a story about us. Weekend clothes for example may be designed to help us relax with comfort in mind, or to help us get the most out of our activities.
This is where things start to get even more interesting. Technical textiles such as those with waterproof, insulating and even streamlining properties help us to live life to the full. No longer held prisoner by the great British weather, many more of us are making use of these innovations in fabric to actually get out there and enjoy the elements.
Cyclists and runners alike make use of the moisture wicking properties of fabrics like Coolmax® to stay cool and dry and the aerodynamic properties of Elastin and Lycra® to aid performance, in addition to incorporating high visibility dyeing to alert other road users to their presence.
Modern fabrics are breathable, comfortable, hard wearing and easy care, even offering antibacterial properties.
The explosion in sports such as climbing also has modern fabric to thank for it tough, flexible fabrics, meshes and ropes together with specialist shoes and other equipment which make it possible for more people to boldly go bouldering.
There is also little doubt within the athletic community that athletes have been able to improve average scores thanks to the high performance fabrics used both as training aids and as garments.
Motorsport is another grateful recipient, with fabrics specially designed to withstand extremes of temperature and protect drivers in the event of high speed collisions. By being fire retardant yet light these fabrics are capable of operating as a super-protective second skin to their wearers.
In addition fabrics can be easily finished in the teams chosen colours which as well as offering high visibility capabilities, provides a branding opportunity that in itself helps to increase team revenues and connect with fans.
Yet all in all, we are not so very different from our ancestors.
Clothes and fabrics are still there to help protect us from the elements and support us in our daily activities. But perhaps we have become a little softer, a little more in need of our creature comforts and so our love affair with fabric and all the possibilities it affords will continue.
So as you lie in bed on your memory foam topper, wearing extra soft, cosy pyjamas, head on a Coolmax® pillow, snuggled under a thick duvet, a peaceful nights’ sleep is all but guaranteed. Just one more thing that owes its thanks to the technical textiles which even make it possible for us to relax better.
Sigh.
Nicola Wilson works as a freelance writer currently writing for Baltex, technical textiles manufacturer based in the UK.