Huantian Cao

C2CAD: a sustainable apparel design and production model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and implement a new sustainable apparel design and production model, cradle to cradle apparel design (C2CAD), that provides guidelines for apparel designers and manufacturers to solve some of the sustainability problems related to apparel production.Design/methodology/approach – The C2CAD model was developed by integrating McDonough and Braungarts “cradle to cradle” model into existing apparel design and production models. Knitwear design and production was used to implement the C2CAD model as a proof of concept. The performance and cost of the C2CAD knitwear were evaluated.Findings – The C2CAD model has four main steps: problem definition and research; sample making; solution development and collaboration; and production. Following the four steps and with an international collaboration similar to current apparel industry practices, “Four‐season sustainability” childrens knitwear prototypes were developed. Produced with an acceptable manufacturing cost, ...

Fabric Selection for a Liquid Cooling Garment

The selection of an inner fabric layer is an important aspect in the development of a liquid cooling garment (LCG). The desired characteristics of an inner fabric layer in LCGs include good thermal conductivity, moisture management, and tactile properties. Good thermal conductivity can improve cooling efficiency, and good moisture management and tactile properties can make the wearer more comfortable. Eighteen fabrics that differed in fiber content, fabric structure and thickness were investigated in this study for their suitability for use as an inner fabric layer for a LCG. Thermal resistance, evaporative resistance, wicking, and water distribution were measured. Correlation among the three moisture management tests was studied. The effects of metal-containment and fabric thickness on thermal and evaporative resistance were determined. The most suitable fabric among the 18 tested fabrics was selected in this study.

Application of design for disassembly in men's jacket

Purpose – Combining of natural and synthetic materials in apparel products caused problems with material recovery, reuse, recycling, or composting at the end of product life. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the application of design for disassembly methods in the design and construction of mens jacket. With this type of design, consumers and manufacturers can easily compost, recycle, or reuse different materials and components at the end of the garments usable life.Design/methodology/approach – After analyzing the mens jackets available in the market and identifying obstacles to disassembly, the authors designed and constructed a mans jacket that can be easily disassembled. The jacket design for disassembly focused on material selection, jacket design, and stitch evaluation and selection. The disassembly time was also measured.Findings – It was found that minimizing material diversity and sewing similar materials together whenever possible, replacing fusible interfacing with blind hemming ...

Thermal Effects of Design and Materials on QuadGard™ Body Armor Systems

QuadGard™ arm and leg protection systems were developed to better protect key areas of arms and legs from blast fragments. The purpose of this investigation was to use sweating thermal manikin Walter™ and examine the intrinsic clothing insulation (Rcl), intrinsic clothing evaporative resistance (Recl), micro-climate temperature, and moisture retention of three QuadGard™ systems (QG II, QG IV Ventilated, and QG IV Not Ventilated) constructed with two ballistic materials, Dyneema® and Kevlar®. With similar protection level, the ballistic material Dyneema®, consistently measured lower in Rcl and Recl than the ballistic material Kevlar®, indicating body armor made with ballistic material Dyneema® is more comfortable. There was no significant difference between QG II and QG IV Ventilated in Rcl and there was no significant difference between the three armor systems in Recl. This indicated that design features have the potential to reduce thermal stress on the human body when protective clothing is necessary.

Sustainable Characteristics of Earthbag Housing

Abstract The purpose of this study was to promote the awareness of the earthbag building system, while calling attention to its sustainable properties. Although the earthbag building system allows for the construction of affordable and sustainable housing, it is not widely known and its sustainable characteristics have, therefore, gone unrecognized throughout the home building industry. A case study was conducted for this research. A private earthbag residence located in Crestone, Colorado, was selected based upon the builders experience and expertise in the earthbag building system. Interviews were conducted to acquire insight into the construction methods and materials used for the earthbag building system. Sustainable characteristics were assessed using criteria set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Home program that intends to transform traditional home building practices into those that are more sustainable. By studying an existing earthbag residence in conjunction with the USGBC LEED Home program, it was possible to promote the awareness of the sustainable properties of the earthbag building system. This knowledge has implications throughout the housing industry, allowing for the construction of affordable and sustainable homes.

Evaluating Thermal and Sensorial Performance of Organic Cotton, Bamboo-Blended, and Soybean-Blended Fabrics:

In recent years, consumers have begun showing an increased interest in environmentally friendly fibers along with growing concerns about environmental problems. This trend encourages the development and use of fibers from renewable sources as substitutes for petroleum-based synthetic fibers in the textile and apparel industry. Though renewable fibers have already been used for many purposes and will become an important element of the apparel industry, there lacks the objective performance evaluation of fabrics made with renewable sourced fibers. This study evaluated comfort and sensorial performance of knit fabrics for young childrens clothing made with renewable fibers. In this research, organic cotton, bamboo viscose blended, and soybean blended fabrics with jersey, French terry and 1x1 rib knit structures were investigated. Effects from fabric thickness, fiber content, and knit structure on comfort and sensorial performance were assessed. Appropriate fabric choices for different apparel applications were also suggested.