An investigation of thermal comfort properties of abaya under heat stress

TL;DRAbstract

Abaya is a black outer garment worn by women in Saudi Arabia when they are outside their homes. It is designed to cover the whole body. It may be worn either from shoulder or from the top of the head and reveals only the face, feet and hands. Abaya absorbs heat from sunlight in a hot climate, as it is black, making the wearer very uncomfortable. In addition, the multiple layers of clothing within the abaya add more thermal stress.The present research aims to obtain an overview of the type, variety and comfort of abaya worn by women in Saudi Arabia. This was used in identifying the textile materials for abaya and understanding the comfort factors of the wearers. The outcome was used to understand and improve the thermal comfort performance of the traditional abaya.A survey was undertaken to obtain the opinion of women in Saudi Arabia regarding the problem of thermal discomfort of current abaya. The key points considered were the type of fabrics and designs being used and the degree of p

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