Spacer textiles comprise two parallel textile fabrics that are joined together by pile threads thus forming a three-dimensional (3D) structure. These spacer textiles can be manufactured as woven or knitted fabrics. Spacer textiles are suited to applications where an increased air circulation or a kind of comfort due to the upholstery structure is requested. They are used in medical textiles (e. g. orthoses), automobiles (e. g. air-conditioned comfort seats), in home textile products (e. g. chair covers, in clothing products (bras) as well as in protection clothing and sportswear.

Within the frame of the project new test methods and test devices are developed with the aim to compare testing of spacer structures with conventional textile structures. The group of potential users covers both manufacturers of testing devices (sales increase solely through new test devices), testing institutes (substantial contribution to the marketability of spacer textiles due to modern test procedures), manufacturer of spacer textiles (safeguarding of quality standards and reduction of development times as faults during testing can be excluded) and end users.

For achieving the goal different spacer textiles are procured and tested by means of conventional testing methods. Different methods (such as HSV technology, structure examinations) are used to analyze the causes of errors when testing spacer woven or knitted fabrics. Based on these findings new test methods are developed and transposed into standards on testing of 3D structures.

Project duration

January 2018 until December 2019

Project partner

Institut für Textiltechnik der RWTH Aachen University (ITA)
Ingema GmbH
Frank PTI
DIN e. V.

Project funding

Funded by the BMWi in the framework of the funding program WIPANO –„Wissens- und Technologietransfer durch Patente und Normen“.

Funding Code: 03TNG007D