A system for adjusting the fit of an article of clothing and to provide other benefits including, but not limited to, reduction and/or elimination of wind drag, reduction of loose clothing that can get caught or cause obstruction, regulation of blood circulation, movement, and swelling of the wearer of the article of clothing, adjustment of ventilation, general enhancement of the clothing for a desired activity, and general comfort and/or desired appearance. The system comprises one or more closures at various locations of the article of clothing to enable the wearer to adjust the fit of the clothing when desired.

A flexible web for clothing comprises a fabric substrate and a lining piece unit. The fabric substrate layer has a plurality of slits which are displaced from each other and each of which includes a first slit segment and a second slit segment. The lining piece unit is made from an absorbent polymer and includes a plurality of lining pieces each of which has a first marginal edge and a second marginal edge, and each of which is configured such that when bonded to the fabric substrate layer, the first and second marginal edges respectively border at the first and second slit segments.

A fitness garment that promotes excessive water weight and body fat loss at targeted areas of the wearer's body. The fitness garment is adjustable, machine washable, and conforms close to the user's body to specifically target problem weight loss areas to ensure maximum results. A lower panel formed of neoprene is held in close conformity to a user's torso to retain body heat at targeted locations. An upper panel is formed of a breathable resilient material and extends around the user's chest and shoulders, when worn. A zipper closure on a front face of the garment is operable to regulate the user's body heat. A lateral side zipper is provided as a closure of a side opening of the lower panel to selectively retain body heat around the user's stomach and back around the waistline.

Adaptive smart textiles that facilitate reduced energy consumption are described. In one implementation, a dual pane fabric arrangement includes a first pane of fabric and a second pane of fabric separated by an intra-layer gap, and an insert layer disposed in the intra-layer gap, wherein the insert layer causes a thickness of the intra-layer gap to change responsive to changes in ambient temperature.

Aspects herein are directed to an article of apparel having a vent opening formed by overlapping the edges of a first panel and a second panel. A plurality of discrete overlay film structures are applied to the second panel adjacent to the vent opening. When the article of apparel is exposed to an external stimulus, the film structures undergo a reversible increase in dimension in at least the z-direction which cause the second panel of material to undergo a reversible decrease in dimension in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the vent opening thereby causing the vent opening to dynamically transition from a closed state to an open state.

Integrating dynamic materials into articles for adjustable physical characteristics (e.g., aesthetic, functional) can include various systems and methods. For example, in response to a human's body heat, a dynamic material may change shape to allow additional permeability in an article of clothing. Similarly, in response to the presence of moisture, an article of clothing may change shape to prevent the introduction of rain into an internal portion of the article. Additionally, it is contemplated that the shape changing material may change shape that affects a geometric structure of the article as a whole (e.g., protrusions, dimples, vents, etc.).

An article of apparel is disclosed that includes zones with a textile having a structure that changes or is otherwise modified by a physical stimulus, such as the presence of water or a temperature change, to modify a property of the textile. The zones may be along a center back area and side areas of the apparel, and the textile may increase in air permeability when exposed to water. The zones may also be in an upper area of the torso and in a lower back area, and the textile may increase in texture when exposed to water. In some embodiments, slits are formed in the textile.

A vent structure and a method of forming a vent from a vent structure are described herein. The vent structure includes a first elongate member, a second elongate member, and a set of ribs extending between the first elongate member and the second elongate member. The first elongate member is configured to be attached to a first side of an opening formed in an article of apparel and the second elongate member is configured to be attached to a second side of the opening, the second side being opposite the first side. Collectively, the first elongate member, second elongate member, and the set of ribs bias the first side and the second side to an open configuration that exposes and expands the opening.

The present disclosure provides a garment. The garment includes (a) a back panel, (b) a front panel including an openable seam, wherein the back panel and the front panel are coupled together and define a neck opening, a first arm opening, a second arm opening and a torso opening, (c) a first sleeve having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first sleeve coupled to the first arm opening, the first end of the first sleeve having a first plurality of elastic panels each covered by a scallop-shaped panel, and (d) a second sleeve having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second sleeve coupled to the second arm opening, the first end of the second sleeve having a second plurality of elastic panels each covered by a scallop-shaped panel.

A thermally protective composite material is provided, which can be used in making garments. The thermally protective composite material includes an outer layer of fabric/textile, an adhesive layer applied to the outer layer of fabric in a geometric pattern, and an elastic inner layer of fabric/textile, adhered in a stretched state, to the outer layer via the adhesive layer. The elastic inner layer, when in a relaxed state, causes the adhered outer layer to vault/bubble forming raised cavities according to the geometric pattern of the adhesive. When constructed into garments the thermally protective composite material can stretch between the relaxed state and the stretched state of the elastic inner layer.