Prediction of skin mechanical stimuli from towel fabric contact using mechanical properties

Towels are some of the most common pile fabric products, and although their tactile properties are extremely important, they exhibit variations in these properties globally, which makes their evaluation difficult. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a widely applicable and easy-to-use prediction method for estimating the mechanical stimulus on the skin induced by towel–skin contact. The mechanical properties of towels materials were quantified through an indentation test. In the test, the mechanical modulus and thickness of each towel sample were identified. In addition, the mechanical stimulus induced during towel–skin contact was evaluated using the finite-element method, in which the von Mises stress was used as the stimulus. The relationship between the towel properties and stress was found to be approximable by a quadratic function. Based on several validations, a stimulus can be accurately predicted using a quadratic function with coefficients as a function of thickness. Without computational analysis, the mechanical stimulus acting on the skin can be predicted using the property data of a given towel.