Clothing (also called clothes) is fiber and textile material worn on the body. The wearing of clothing is mostly restricted to human beings and is a feature of nearly all human societies.
The amount and type of clothing worn depends on physical, social and
geographic considerations. Some clothing types can be gender specific.
Physically, clothing serves many purposes: it can serve as protection from the elements, and can enhance safety during hazardous activities such as hiking and cooking. It protects the wearer from rough surfaces, rash-causing plants, insect bites, splinters, thorns and prickles
by providing a barrier between the skin and the environment. Clothes
can insulate against cold or hot conditions. Further, they can provide a
hygienic barrier, keeping infectious and toxic materials away from the body. Clothing also provides protection from harmful UV radiation.
The most obvious function of clothing is to improve the comfort of
the wearer, by protecting the wearer from the elements. In hot climates,
clothing provides protection from sunburn or wind
damage, while in cold climates its thermal insulation properties are
generally more important. Shelter usually reduces the functional need
for clothing. For example, coats, hats, gloves,
and other superficial layers are normally removed when entering a warm
home, particularly if one is residing or sleeping there. Similarly,
clothing has seasonal and regional aspects, so that thinner materials
and fewer layers of clothing are generally worn in warmer seasons and
regions than in colder ones.
Clothing performs a range of social and cultural functions, such as individual, occupational and sexual differentiation, and social status.[6] In many societies, norms about clothing reflect standards of modesty, religion, gender, and social status. Clothing may also function as a form of adornment and an expression of personal taste or style.
Clothing can and has in history been made from a very wide variety of materials. Materials
have ranged from leather and furs, to woven materials, to elaborate and
exotic natural and synthetic fabrics. Not all body coverings are
regarded as clothing. Articles carried rather than worn (such as purses), worn on a single part of the body and easily removed (scarves), worn purely for adornment (jewelry), or those that serve a function other than protection (eyeglasses), are normally considered accessories rather than clothing, as are footwear and hats.
Clothing protects against many things that might injure the uncovered
human body. Clothes protect people from the elements, including rain,
snow, wind, and other weather, as well as from the sun. However,
clothing that is too sheer, thin, small, tight, etc., offers less
protection. Clothes also reduce risk during activities such as work or
sport. Some clothing protects from specific environmental hazards, such as insects, noxious chemicals, weather, weapons, and contact with abrasive substances. Conversely, clothing may protect the environment from the clothing wearer, as with doctors wearing medical scrubs.
Humans have shown extreme inventiveness in devising clothing solutions to environmental hazards. Examples include: space suits, air conditioned clothing, armor, diving suits, swimsuits, bee-keeper gear, motorcycle leathers, high-visibility clothing, and other pieces of protective clothing.
Meanwhile, the distinction between clothing and protective equipment is
not always clear-cut—since clothes designed to be fashionable often
have protective value and clothes designed for function often consider
fashion in their design. Wearing clothes also has social implications.
They cover parts of the body that social norms require to be covered,
act as a form of adornment, and serve other social purposes.
Monday, 7 March 2016
what are cloths
22:14
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