Technical textiles for survival

Survival textiles may be divided into two groups, the first being for short-term protection against extreme external conditions, such as occur during accidents, or against direct bodily injury, including ballistic or knife threats. The second group is where the protection must be provided for a longer period and so industrial and medical protective clothing assemblies as well as firefighters’ suits are examples here. The underlying principles of fabric construction and garment design which have been found to optimize the level of protection on the one hand, coupled with the need to maximize comfort and minimize the often associated wearer stress, are outlined. Examples of currently available fabrics and personal protective clothing are presented together with related national and international standards which guarantee their desired levels of protection. Aftercare and cleansing requirements as well as future trends are also outlined