Name that manikin!

Since the late 1960s, the thermal manikin “Charlie” has been devoting its services to the quest for wearing comfort of textile products at the Hohenstein Institute in Germany. Since 2008, he has been supported by a children’s manikin, christened “Charlene.” A competition is being held to find a name for a new manikin; prizes include gift vouchers for sports and outdoor clothing. The new family member allows the Hohenstein scientists to evaluate the wear comfort of ready-made clothing, bedding items and sleeping bags faster and more efficiently for research purposes or customer projects. The still unnamed thermal manikin, for example, can determine the thermal insulation of textile products as well as their water vapour resistance as a measure of breathability in just one measuring cycle. One of three names for Charlie’s and Charlene’s “brother” can be chosen at the Institute’s website until Dec. 31, 2013. For information on the new test manikin, and to vote for a name, visit the Hohenstein Institute website.