Authors: Fatima Iftikhar | Aima Sameen Anjum | Zarish Choudry | Adan Zahid | Muhammad Qamar Khan | Hafiza Hifza Nawaz | Muhammad Umar
Source: Journal of Natural Fibers (article, 2025-12-31)
Field: Materials Science — Polymers and Plastics

Comparative Assessment of Sensory Comfort Properties Across Eco-Friendly Textile Materials for Apparel This study evaluates the sensory comfort of eco-friendly textiles, comparing natural (bamboo, organic cotton, hemp, jute, soya bean protein fibers), regenerated (Tencel (lyocell)), and synthetic (recycled polyester, recycled nylon) fibers for sustainable apparel applications. Through a comprehensive analysis, we quantify thermal, moisture, and tactile properties, revealing significant performance differences. Bamboo (thermal conductivity 0.049 W/m·K, air permeability 695 mm/s) excels in cooling and breathability, while hemp (0.022 W/m·K, thermal resistance 22.0 × 10<sup>−3</sup> m<sup>2</sup> ·K/W) offers superior insulation. Recycled polyester (1635 mm/s, moisture regains 0.4%) outperforms natural fibers in breathability but lags in moisture absorption compared to bamboo (13.0%) and Tencel (lyocell) (11.0%). Tencel (lyocell) and soya bean protein fibers provide smooth tactile comfort (friction 0.2–0.3), unlike coarser hemp (0.45). Emerging technologies like electrospinning enhance bamboo’s air permeability by 30% (~900 mm/s), while machine learning optimizes cotton blends for 15–20% better moisture management. Synthetic fibers’ low biodegradability (20–200 years vs. bamboo’s 1–2 years) poses environmental trade-offs. These metrics guide industry decisions, favoring bamboo and Tencel (lyocell) for moisture-absorbing apparel, hemp for insulation, and polyester for activewear, balancing comfort and sustainability. In this study, the comparative assessment of sensory comfort in garments, emphasizing the interplay between material properties, technological innovations, and sustainability goals, is reported.The study compares the sensory attributes of natural fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo with regenerated fabrics like lyocell and synthetic alternatives like recycled polyester.This study provides actionable insights for research and industry stakeholders to advance the development of ecofriendly textiles that balance sensory comfort with environmental sustainability. In this study, the comparative assessment of sensory comfort in garments, emphasizing the interplay between material properties, technological innovations, and sustainability goals, is reported. The study compares the sensory attributes of natural fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo with regenerated fabrics like lyocell and synthetic alternatives like recycled polyester. This study provides actionable insights for research and industry stakeholders to advance the development of ecofriendly textiles that balance sensory comfort with environmental sustainability. Air permeability specific surface ; Lyocell ; Bamboo ; Moisture ; Thermal comfort ; Textile ; Absorption of water ; Electrospinning ; Synthetic fiber Textile materials and evaluations ; Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites ; Hygrothermal properties of building materials