Sweatextile (適維泰)
Sweatextile (適維泰) is inspired by nature, and acts like a textile skin, quickly directing and dissipating excessive sweat as water droplets onto its outer surface, keeping you dry and comfortable, with more energy and endurance.
Unidirectional liquid transport in Sweatextile
Mechanism of unidirectional liquid transport
Dr Dahua Shou, Assistant Professor, is the recipient of the Semi-Grand Prize and Gold Medal at the 6th International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada, (iCAN) 2021 for his research project titled "Sweatextile: A Sweatable Textile for High Comfort and Protection". This year, iCAN featured 650 inventions from 70 countries around the world, which redefined the event as the true global stage for worldwide inventors in Toronto, Canada.
Humans sweat to cool down and dissipate heat in indoor and outdoor environments. However, when the body produces excessive sweat, clothing will be soaked in perspiration and the wearer will feel clammy, which causes discomfort and significantly affects the quality of life. Sweating is also time costly with the need for sweat management.
Transcending beyond existing wicking textiles, Sweatextile (適維泰) uses nature-inspired innovations and acts like a textile skin, quickly directing and dissipating excessive sweat as water droplets onto its outer surface, keeping the wearer dry and comfortable, with more energy and endurance. In the meantime, Sweatextile is amazingly repellent to external liquids, protecting the wearer from rain or contaminated water. The unidirectional water dissipation of this textile is achieved by the hydrophilic-hydrophobic gradient in the local ‘sweat glands’ of the globally hydrophobic Sweatextile. An outstanding directional-water-transport-capability of 1647.9% is obtained by a moisture management tester in accordance with AATCC 195. Furthermore, a premium version of Sweatextile integrated with a waterproof spacing fabric shell can resist water at a hydrostatic head of 8,000 mm as a form of protection, while still allowing quick and directional sweat removal. Sweatextile (適維泰) is inspired by nature, and acts like a textile skin, quickly directing and dissipating excessive sweat as water droplets onto its outer surface, keeping you dry and comfortable, with more energy and endurance.
Funded by the Innovation and Technology Fund of the Innovation and Technology Commission, Sweatextile, a promise of excellent thermal and moisture comfort, is suitable for a wide range of consumers such as outdoor enthusiasts, by enhancing customized thermoregulation and saving energy from the need to manage sweat. Vigorously active professionals including athletes, construction workers, medical personnel, and firefighters will also find Sweatextile to be highly desirable.
About International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada
The International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada (iCAN) is the premier event of Canada for worldwide inventors. The main purpose of iCAN is to build a special platform to unite creativity and innovative initiatives of inventors with the rest of the world by providing everyone with the golden opportunity to expand their international network and business activities, and promote their inventions, new products and research projects with the possibility of achieving a new milestone of success through the iCAN Awards. iCAN 2021 features a range of different online programs: invention competition, presentations of educational keynote speakers, the Finals Movie and the Finals Award Winners announcement.
