The invention addresses the problem of providing a cloth and a protective product, which are excellent not only in flame retardancy but also in protection performance against electric arcs, and can further be provided with any color appearance. As a means for resolution, in a cloth including a flame-retardant fiber, a UV absorber or carbon particles are contained in the cloth, and the cloth is configured to have a lightness index L-value of 25 or more.

There is provided swimwear which satisfies the stretchability, strength, ease of movement, and the like desired for swimwear, has superior water repellency, and reduces friction resistance between a surface of the swimwear and water. The woven fabric for swimwear according to the present invention has a weave structure in which covering coated threads are arranged in at least a part of a warp or weft yarn, the covering coated threads each including an elastic fiber as a core yarn and a synthetic fiber filament as a sheath yarn, where, in a woven fabric structure, one of the warp yarn and the weft yarn has a larger number of float yarns. A direction with a large number of float yarns is defined as a body length (height) direction of the swimwear, a ratio of resistance yarn in a direction perpendicular to the body length (height) direction is 40% or less. The woven fabric is suitably used for swimwear.

There is provided swimwear which satisfies the stretchability, strength, ease of movement, and the like desired for swimwear, has superior water repellency, and reduces friction resistance between a surface of the swimwear and water. The woven fabric for swimwear according to the present invention has a weave structure in which covering coated threads are arranged in at least a part of a warp or weft yarn, the covering coated threads each including an elastic fiber as a core yarn and a synthetic fiber filament as a sheath yarn, where, in a woven fabric structure, one of the warp yarn and the weft yarn has a larger number of float yarns. A direction with a large number of float yarns is defined as a body length (height) direction of the swimwear, a ratio of resistance yarn in a direction perpendicular to the body length (height) direction is 40% or less. The woven fabric is suitably used for swimwear.

A composite yarn comprising a continuous multifilament core yarn incorporated in a matrix is characterised in that the matrix comprises at least one polymer material and at least one reinforcing filler, the reinforcing filler being formed from functionalized particles, said particles having a median size (d.sub.v5o) of less than 40 μm. A process for manufacturing such a composite yarn, comprises at least one step of depositing, by coating or extrusion, a matrix comprising a polymer and a reinforcing filler, onto a core yarn. A textile surface comprises at least one such composite yarn.

A composite yarn comprising a continuous multifilament core yarn incorporated in a matrix is characterised in that the matrix comprises at least one polymer material and at least one reinforcing filler, the reinforcing filler being formed from functionalized particles, said particles having a median size (d.sub.v5o) of less than 40 μm. A process for manufacturing such a composite yarn, comprises at least one step of depositing, by coating or extrusion, a matrix comprising a polymer and a reinforcing filler, onto a core yarn. A textile surface comprises at least one such composite yarn.

A flexible wire comprises a conductive core surrounded by one or more radial p-n diodes and alternating conductive and non-conductive bands along an outermost surface. Methods for producing the wire are also disclosed, as are textiles and other flexible materials comprising or consisting of such flexible wires.

A flexible wire comprises a conductive core surrounded by one or more radial p-n diodes and alternating conductive and non-conductive bands along an outermost surface. Methods for producing the wire are also disclosed, as are textiles and other flexible materials comprising or consisting of such flexible wires.

Flame resistant fabrics formed with a combination of body yarns and stretch yarns that exhibit excellent physical and thermal properties. The body yarns are formed at least in part with flame resistant materials. The stretch yarns are corespun yarns having an elastic core surrounded by a fiber sheath formed at least in part with flame resistant materials. The fiber sheath protects the elastic core from direct exposure to heat and flame that would otherwise cause the core to degrade or melt.

A method of loading a carding machine for the manufacture of yarn. The method includes deriving a component load schedule with a plurality of discrete loading steps. The series of discrete loading steps comprise at least a first load amount and a second load amount, wherein the sum of the first load amount and the second load amount is a first overall load amount. The method includes loading a first amount of a first component equal to the first load amount of a discrete loading step, loading a second amount of a second component equal to the second load amount of the discrete loading step and repeating the steps of loading a first amount and loading a second amount for each of the discrete loading steps.

A method of loading a carding machine for the manufacture of yarn. The method includes deriving a component load schedule with a plurality of discrete loading steps. The series of discrete loading steps comprise at least a first load amount and a second load amount, wherein the sum of the first load amount and the second load amount is a first overall load amount. The method includes loading a first amount of a first component equal to the first load amount of a discrete loading step, loading a second amount of a second component equal to the second load amount of the discrete loading step and repeating the steps of loading a first amount and loading a second amount for each of the discrete loading steps.