• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1700-1709
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between thermo-physiological factors and the insensible loss of body weight(IL) of resting women wearing seasonal comfortable clothing. Air temperature was maintained at a mean of 22.5, 24.7, and 16.8 for spring/fall, summer and winter, respectively. We selected a total of 26 clothing ensembles(8 ensembles for spring/fall, 7 ensembles for summer, and 11 ensembles for winter). The results showed that 1) IL was $19{\pm}5g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}hr$ for spring/fall environment, $21{\pm}5g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}hr$ for summer, $18{\pm}6{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}hr$ for winter(p<.001). 2) Insensible water loss through respiratory passage(IWR) showed the reverse tendency to IL. IWR was $6{\pm}1g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}hr$ for winter and $5{\pm}1g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}hr$ for summer. This difference was significant(p<.001). 3) The proportion of IWR out of whole insensible water loss(IW), had a mean of the mean 28% for summer and 38% for winter(p<.001). 4) In comfort, the heat loss by IW out of heat production had a mean of 25% for spring/fall, 27% for summer, and 23% for winter. 5) There was a weak negative correlation between It and clothing insulation/body surface area covered by clothing. 6) There were significant correlations between IL and air temperature$(T_a)$, air humidity$(H_a)$, energy metabolism, ventilation, mean skin temperature $\={T}_{sk})$ and clothing microclimate humidity$(H_{clo})$. However, the coefficients were less than 0.5. In conclusion, there were weak relationships between the IL and thermo-physiological factors. However, when subjects rested in thermal comfort, the IL was maintained in a narrow range even though the clothing insulation and air temperature were diverse.