Abstract:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2005 proclaimed that Ugandan barkcloth largely
produced from mutuba tree (Ficus natalensis) as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”. An
exploratory investigation of thermo-physiological and comfort properties of barkcloth, a nonwoven material produced
through a series of pummeling processes from mutuba tree in Uganda, is fronted. Barkcloth was extracted from the
F. natalensis tree in Nsangwa village, Buyijja parish in Mpigi district, Central Uganda. Thermal conductivity, thermal
diffusivity, thermal absorptivity, thermal resistance, fabric thickness, and peak heat flow density were measured using an
Alambeta device, whereas a Permetest device was used for the measurement of the moisture vapour permeability and
evaporation resistance. The study was carried out under relative humidity of 40% and at a laboratory room temperature
of 24°C and the results show that the thermal conductivity is in the range of cotton fabrics rendering barkcloth from
F. natalensis, a comfortable fabric. The lower value of thermal absorptivity of barkcloth compared to the value of cotton
renders the fabric a warm feeling when in contact with the skin. Barkcloth had a higher moisture vapor permeability
compared to cotton and other fabrics, meaning its clothing comfort properties are reasonable.
