This thesis discusses the development of functional knitwear for firefighter underwear. The effectiveness of firefighters depends on, among other things, the choice of protective clothing, which must comply with the prescribed standards. It is of the utmost importance that this clothing is resistant to fire, heat, water vapor due to the hot environment, air-permeable and comfortable, while allowing unhindered movement. Recent research has shown that the most common cause of serious injury and death of firefighters at workplace are not skin injuries, but injuries related to heart attack or stroke due to excessive heat exposure. The aim of the research was to develop a knitted structure suitable for the production of underwear for firefighters. We wanted to test yarns with fire-retardant properties in combination with knitting different structures to design a knitted structure that would provide optimal thermal comfort. The results of the vertical flammability test measurements showed that of all the yarns used in research for the production of firefighter underwear the most suitable yarn was the one produced using the compact ring spinning process from a blend of standard fibers. Knitted structure with vertical ribs prevents burning and smoldering in the transverse direction. The absorbency of the tested knitted fabrics is influenced by the type of yarn and knitted structure and their interaction. The yarn type has no statistically significant influence on the air permeability of the knitted fabrics, whereas the knitted structure and the interaction of the yarn type and the knitted structure have a very strong influence on it.
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