EXPANDABLE MATERIAL FOR USE IN A GARMENT

摘要

A protective garment having an expandable material incorporated therein is provided. The expandable material may be formed of a nonwoven fabric having a first fabric surface and a second fabric surface which is opposite the first fabric surface. A section of the fabric defines at least one region gathered into a plurality of successive pleats. Each pleat is made of an overlap in the fabric such that a portion of the first fabric surface is disposed adjacent to another portion of the first fabric surface. These two adjacent surfaces are affixed to one another. The entire region is selectively extensible by application of a tensile force to the region which causes the two surfaces to at least partially detach thus enabling the pleat to at least partially unfold.