Synthetic Clothing and the Problem With Odor: Comparison of Nylon and Polyester Fabrics

Although polyester is well known for smelling strongly after wear, little is known about the propensity of nylon to retain and emit body odor. In this study, we investigated whether odor intensity differed between nylon and polyester fabrics. A secondary aim was to compare odor on fabrics frozen pri...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clothing and textiles research journal 2018-10, Vol.36 (4), p.251-266
Main Authors: Abdul-Bari, Mohammed M., McQueen, Rachel H., Nguyen, Ha, Wismer, Wendy V., de la Mata, A. Paulina, Harynuk, James J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Although polyester is well known for smelling strongly after wear, little is known about the propensity of nylon to retain and emit body odor. In this study, we investigated whether odor intensity differed between nylon and polyester fabrics. A secondary aim was to compare odor on fabrics frozen prior to sensory assessment with fabrics stored at room temperature. Eight participants wore T-shirts with fabrics in the underarm. Odor intensity was rated by 13 assessors. Odor reduction rate (ORR) was measured using ISO 17299-3. Overall, no differences were found in odor intensity between nylon and polyester. Any differences found between the two fabrics were likely dependent on the individual who wore the fabric. The ORR was higher for nylon than polyester, indicating that nylon absorbed more odorants. There was some evidence to suggest that odor intensity could increase on nylon fabrics stored at room temperature, but this was less apparent for polyester.
ISSN:0887-302X
1940-2473
DOI:10.1177/0887302X18772099