Abstract: Apparatus for testing the stiffness of fabrics comprises a box defining a space that is free of air currents, the top wall being movable to permit access to the space, the rear wall having a planar inside surface and the front wall being planar and parallel to the inside surface of the rear wall and being transparent to enable the space and the inside of the rear wall to be viewed from outside the box. A shelf mounted within the space and having a planar top surface bounded by a straight edge that is aligned substantially perpendicularly to the front wall supports a portion of a fabric sample. The remainder of the sample drapes freely from the edge of the shelf. A plate is placed on the portion of the sample on the shelf to hold it flat and stationary. Indicia marked on the inside face of a mirror on the rear wall of the box indicate the amount of drape of the portion of the fabric draping from the edge of the shelf.

Abstract: A two bar warp-knitted loop fabric comprises a ground of separate knitted warp chains formed by the front bar at half gauge and lay-ins formed by the back bar at full gauge in pattern repeats in which each lay-in thread forms at least three successive course-to-course free loops located alternately in the unoccupied positions on either side of a knitted warp chain followed by at least three successive course-to-course caught loops located alternately in adjacent warp chains.

Abstract: A thermal insulating material comprises at least two sheets of plastic film, a mesh sandwiched between adjacent film sheets and outer cover layers of mesh sandwiching the film-mesh sandwich. The film-mesh sandwich and the outer meshes are stitched together. Vapor permeability is imparted by perforations through the films.

Abstract: A thermal insulating material comprises at least two sheets of metallized plastic film, a mesh sandwiched between adjacent film sheets and outer cover layers of mesh sandwiching the film-mesh sandwich. The film-mesh sandwich and the outer meshes are stitched together. Vapor permeability is imparted by perforations through the films.

Abstract: A warp-knitted fabric comprises one set of threads forming a multiplicity of inerconnected, contracted loop and two sets of laid-in threads arranged in pairs. Each of the threads of the pairs of lay-ins includes in each repeat of a knitting pattern at least two short lay-ins between wales and at least two long lay-ins between wales, there being for each long lay-in between wales of each thread of each pair a corresponding short lay-in between wales of the other thread of the pair which is located in the same course as and extends in the opposite direction from the said long lay-in between wales. The threads of each pair of laid-in threads form mirror images of each other which are offset from each other by at least two courses and are thus of substantially equal total lengths in each repeat.