| abstract |
The composite fabric material of the invention comprises a water-absorbing woven or knitted fabric, the area and thickness of which, or the area or thickness of which, increases by at least 10% in its water-absorbed state relative to its dried state; and an area change-restricting means composed of a woven or knitted fabric, nonwoven fabric, resin film or resin coating, the area and thickness of which does not substantially change in its water-absorbed state relative to its dried state, the area change-restricting means being bonded or sewn onto at least one side of the water-absorbing woven or knitted fabric over a partial region so as to leave a plurality of other partial regions separated from each other, or over the entire region, the means serving to restrict change in area by water absorption at the bonded or sewn portions of the water-absorbing woven or knitted fabric. Upon wetting with water, the area and thickness, or the area or thickness, of the water-absorbing woven or knitted fabric at the plurality of the partial regions that are separated from each other increases, thereby changing the three dimensional structure of the composite fabric material. |