Options and performance characteristics of membrane clothing

Modern manufacturers, with their innovative technologies, are able to offer the latest developments in membrane materials that are used in a wide variety of human activities. What is membrane clothing? It is a high-tech material that, due to its qualities, is used to sew sports, casual and active leisure clothing. The clothing industry offers clothing not only for adults, but also for children.

Characteristics and properties of fabric

The main trends in the development of the modern economy include improving the quality of products. This is achieved by introducing innovative methods into production. Today, clothing made of fabric with a membrane coating is very popular. The range of products made of this material is very large.

It is used to make:

• Membrane clothing and footwear for people involved in active sports and tourism;
• Special clothing for firefighters and medical workers;
• Uniforms for military personnel and winter fishing kits.

Membrane material appeared relatively recently. Over the past 10 years, it has become widely known. Items made of this material must meet the following requirements: exhibit protective properties during periods of atmospheric influences and provide comfortable sensations in the undergarment space. In case of heavy loads, the material is able to remove excess moisture and heat. To obtain fabric with a thickness of 10-30 microns, extrusion methods, coagulation or thermal biaxial stretching are used.

To connect the membrane to the fabric, polyurethane is used for adhesion, which is applied to the atmospheric film. It passes together with the fabric through the pressure rollers of the calender, which allows these two materials to be glued together.

When designing and creating professional membrane clothing for children and adults in winter, designers try to cope with a multifaceted and complex task, combining all the characteristics of the material in the product:

• Aesthetic appearance;
• Comfortable cut;
• Insertion of reflective elements with optical recognition into children's membrane clothing;
• Clothing for tourism made of membrane material must have a long service life;
• High-quality atmospheric laminates are able to influence the membrane, which, in turn, affects the comfortable well-being of people in the winter.

How to distinguish the material? Winter clothes have common basic indicators:

1. Water resistance – this indicator is characterized by the height of the water level and the ability of the membrane to withstand it without letting it in. The measurement of moisture content is calculated in millimeters or other units of measurement, such as PSI (POUND PER SGUARE INCH). This measurement means weight in pounds per inch². Research has shown that if the material has a PSI indicator greater than 25 units, the product will be waterproof. With a material indicator of 1-24 PSI, the product is considered to have low resistance to moisture. But this indicator is enough for people who do not engage in extreme sports. Therefore, there is no need to overpay for extra layers of clothing. All layers must be sealed so that moisture does not penetrate through them into the product. If the label says "all seams are sealed" ─ this means that the seams of the winter suit are completely sealed. And if the label says “critical seam sealing” ─ it means that only the main seams are sealed in the kit, and in a heavy downpour the product may get wet over time;
2. Moisture permeability – if the definition of this characteristic is theoretically clear, then the digital indicators mean nothing to many consumers. An unscrupulous manufacturer can take advantage of this. They sometimes indicate indicators for children's clothing made of membrane material that absolutely do not correspond to the technical characteristics of the material, which leads to disastrous results during testing.

The testing is based on measuring the amount of liquid in grams that can evaporate per day in m² (g/m²/24 h) ─ this is the MVTR indicator moisture vapor transmission rate ─ the rate of transmission of moisture vapor. Special laboratories are designed to conduct these tests. The main thing that consumers should remember is that the MVTR B2 marking for the test is considered universal. The membrane is classified as a fragile and thin material. The sheet version is applied to the final product. If the membrane is used in liquid form, it is applied to the base material and forms a membrane coating, which has a second name ─ laminate.

Main types of membrane material:

• 2l – a two-layer type is marked with the value 2L. The sheet material is applied to the fabric. In a two-layer product, the advantage is economical weight, high moisture permeability. The product is duplicated by an internal lining, which is made of mesh. Two-layer clothing can be used during sports, as well as for everyday use;
• 5l – two and a half layers. Consists of two layers, between which there is an additional protective layer of non-woven material. Ski clothing made of this brand of material is light and compact. The membrane is protected by an outer layer, on which there are rubber "pimples" with a diameter of less than 1 mm. The membrane does not come into contact with the clothing and protects it from various damages. This does not prevent the product from retaining all the properties of the three-layer Gore-Tex material and winning in weight. For example, the weight of the Paclite jacket by Millet is only 470 g;
• 3l – three-layer type. In this design, the membrane is protected by fabric on both sides. All products have high wear resistance. It can be used for sports and special kits intended for use in extreme conditions.

Features of clothing

Clothing made from membrane is waterproof, reliably protects from gusty winds, cold weather, “breathes” perfectly, thus creating comfortable conditions when worn.

For children

An excellent option for outerwear in the cold season is membrane children's clothing. When a baby takes his first steps in winter, it is not very comfortable for him to walk in a bulky fur jumpsuit. Heavy sets restrict movement, so they try to buy light, functional, comfortable membrane winter clothing for children. High-quality outerwear can be combined with properly selected underwear, which can provide the baby with comfortable, warm and dry wear in any weather ─ snowy winter down to -20˚C or a rainy autumn day. In addition, membrane fabric has dirt-repellent qualities. Almost all children's clothing is distinguished by:

• Wear resistance;
• Durable color range;
• Decorated with reflective inserts.

For the above properties, there is a corresponding marking on the label. For example, the indicator 3000-15000 mm of water column indicates the intensity of rain at which the coating will begin to let moisture through. Laboratory studies show that at an indicator of 4 thousand mm of water column, children's clothes do not let moisture through and the child always remains warm and dry.

Brands producing membrane clothing and footwear for children:

• Reima – the company uses high-quality insulation for its products, which provides warmth in severe frosts. Parents can choose the best design for their baby from a wide variety of styles and colors;
• Ketch is a recently established Swedish company that has already become popular on the market. Customers claim that there is no need to wear other warm clothes under the clothes of this company;
• Gore-Tex is an American company that has developed durable, breathable footwear. If the label says "Gore-Tex", parents can be sure of the quality of the product;
• Sumpa Tex – a German company presented footwear products without membrane pores. In this model range, moisture is removed from the warm side of the membrane material to the cold side. It is not afraid of dirt, and reagents do not spoil the appearance of the product.

Top sellers of children's membrane clothing:

• Winter set Reima 513100-4901 Misteli - a model for girls of a comfortable design. The set consists of a jacket and semi-overalls. It has a waterproof and blow-proof fabric with dirt-repellent impregnation. The presence of fluffy insulation Comfort + with high elasticity gives the product volume. The price of the model is 6 thousand rubles;
• Winter jacket for girls Sisarus Reimatec 531300-4190 - a combination of design, quality and practicality will appeal to parents and children. The material is breathable, the hood is removable, the material is dirt-repellent. The price of the model is 8038 rubles;
• Ricosta footwear – a German manufacturer uses only natural and high-tech materials for children's footwear. Model price is 2850 rubles;
• Boots Kotofey 454968-42 - the model is decorated with snowflakes, has two Velcro fasteners. The sole is made of phylon. The inner insulation is fur. The price of the model is 2500 rubles;
• Ketch set (art. 090254-090255) – the model consists of a jacket and overalls. Designed for t from + 6˚ to - 28˚С. The price of the set is up to 4000 rubles.

For adults

Today, membrane clothing for women and men is used not only for hiking, active recreation and skiing. It can also be worn in everyday city life. The products allow you not to freeze at a temperature of -15-20˚C and not to sweat in a warm closed room. The properties of the material will be maintained in the case of multi-layering.

You should not wear clothes that absorb moisture or that do not "breathe" well. The American company WL Gore & Associates began experimenting with polytetrafluoroethylene to produce this material in 1959, and only in 1976 was a fabric with a water-repellent, windproof, "breathing" effect created.

When creating membrane clothing for hunting, manufacturers use modern fabric with a large number of micro-holes - up to 1.4 million per 1 cm². This porous layer is located between the upper and inner layers. This design is used not only for clothing, but also for adult footwear. The holes are 20 thousand times smaller than a drop of water. Moisture is removed through them in the form of steam. You can spend the winter in membrane clothing, it is lightweight and folds compactly.

Companies that manufacture membrane suits:

• Norfin – membrane suits of the Latvian company, light, comfortable, have high water resistance. There is no warmer clothing for fishing, hunting. In the hunting collection, the cost of products reaches 300-400$;
• Red Fox is a well-known Russian manufacturer that has gained popularity in the market due to its quality and affordable prices;
• Dupont – an American manufacturer has not yet gained wide popularity among outerwear manufacturers, but is proud of its underwear products – unique socks that not only retain heat, “breathe”, but also do not let moisture through from the outside. The price of such socks is $25. They use underwear membrane clothing for hunting.

Let's look at some models of adult membrane clothing:

• Norfin Extreme 2 XXL (309105-XXL) – the model is designed for fishermen, and membrane clothing for hunters is used by fans of new technologies. Which can withstand frost at -32˚C. The straps in the model are adjustable, the waist is tightened with a clamp, the knee pads consist of additional soft inserts, a zipper is inserted at the bottom of the overalls. Price 5500 rubles;
• Peacoat Atax - the model is designed for climbers. The base consists of double padding polyester with two chest pockets and other additional elements that distribute the necessary load. The membrane coating has a pixel atax color. There is a windproof strip on the knitted collar. Average price from 2700 rubles;
• Neve Astra – women's and men's trousers made of Evapora membrane fabric. They are waterproof and do not let in cold. They are adjustable along the entire length of the trousers. All seams are taped, have pockets with zippers. Average price from 2500 rubles;
• Norfin Scandic suit - the model belongs to rain suits. It can provide comfortable rest in various weather conditions. The product has many pockets, the bottom of the jacket is tightened, has a mesh lining and other additional elements. Price 9500 rubles;
• Armani Women Jacket 281408 – this model is designed for women who go skiing. It is windproof and waterproof. Additional high-quality, insulated elements with knitted cuffs allow you to feel comfortable. The price of the jacket is from 39 thousand rubles.

Select by season

Modern membrane products will help protect you from frost or strong winds. In order for your clothes to be comfortable and warm, you need to make the right choice. No matter what season you buy clothes for, you need to consider some rules:

1. It is important to pay attention to the design of the product. The cut should be comfortable and correspond to the size chart;
2. Winter sets are bought a little loose so that they do not restrict movement and retain heat better;
3. Pay attention to the quality of the seams. It is necessary to exclude uneven stitching, untreated edges, protruding threads. This indicates low quality and a bad reputation of the manufacturer;
4. When choosing winter or demi-season clothing, experts recommend purchasing a 2.5-layer membrane. Since 2-layer is considered short-lived, 3-layer has significant weight, which will make it difficult for both adults and children to move.

How to wear membrane clothing so that it works properly, pleases not only with its functionality, but also with its aesthetic appearance? The main thing in operation is multi-layering:

• The first layer is underwear;
• The second layer is insulation;
• The third layer is outerwear (jacket, pants, overalls).

It is not advisable to wear all things made of natural materials, as they tend to absorb moisture. And you need to remember: the membrane only works during periods of active human activity.

In spring and autumn, it is advisable to use thermal underwear. And at -5˚, you need to warm up by wearing a wool or fleece suit.

Additional functions

• Additional ventilation. Membrane clothing for men has good vapor permeability, but no consumer will refuse additional ventilation of the suit. It can be represented by the presence of "pit-zips" of the zipper. Additional ventilation occurs in membrane clothing for hunting in places where there is no direct rain. This can be a zipper that is inserted into the inside of the sleeve, passing through the armpit and side seam downwards. And in trousers, the zipper is inserted into the inside of the thigh. In case of an increase in temperature, it can be unzipped. The entire thermoregulation of the entire membrane structure depends on the length of the zipper;
• Pockets with mesh lining. In some models, manufacturers use pockets that are based on a mesh lining. It provides additional ventilation;
• Self-dumping pants. This function is found in tourist, mountaineering, ski-tour/freeride equipment. The model has excellent ventilation. And the design itself has the property of quickly putting on or removing an extra layer, depending on the weather, without taking off shoes;
• Additional processing. By treating the material with a fluorine liquid, a protective film is formed on the structure, which repels moisture but allows air to pass through. The fabric is not afraid of external pollution and ultraviolet radiation;
• Fleece or soft inserts. Eliminate contact between the membrane and the human body, increasing its durability;
• A visor made of flexible material. The element covers the face in windy, rainy or snowy weather;
• Snow skirt. Additional protective detail for severe weather with low temperatures, used for mountaineering and other activities.

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