Protective Clothing’s Function and Application - Analysis of Outdoor Protective Clothing Design and Comfort Performance

Abstract

Function and comfort are the main two aspects of outdoor protective clothing design. Outdoor clothing industry market has grown rapidly in recent years. There exists a strong market competation in apparel industry. Satisfaction in consumer's demands is the crucial. In this paper, the trends of demands from four aspects factors were analyzed. Thses trends include potential consumer's market; consumer's aesthetic and fit demands, functions and fashion construction design demands, optimization construction design and wear comfort demands. Optimization construction design directly impacts air gap size and distribution, the air gap layers between skin and clothing is determined by clothing construction design. 3D scanning provides a novel method to visualize and quantify the air gaps. But optimization construction design need more experiences and tests.

Full text

Protective Clothing’s Function and Application
——Analysis of Outdoor Protective Clothing Design and Comfort
Performance
Chunyan Wu
1, a
, Guowen Song
1, b
, Changfeng Qu
2, c
and Lanbin Xu
1, d
1
Department of Fashion Design and Engineering, College of Quartermaster Technology Jilin
University, China
2
Department of Engineering and Technology Changchun, China
a
wucy@jlu.edu.cn,
b
guowen.song@ales.ualberta.ca,
c
2234929241@qq.com,
d
xlb822@163.com
Keywords: outdoor clothing, protective clothing, design, comfort, function, construction, air gap,
aesthetic, fit.
Abstract.
Function and comfort are the main two aspects of outdoor protective clothing design.
Outdoor clothing industry market has grown rapidly in recent years. There exists a strong market
competation in apparel industry. Satisfaction in consumer's demands is the crucial. In this paper, the
trends of demands from four aspects factors were analyzed. Thses trends include potential consumer's
market; consumer's aesthetic and fit demands, functions and fashion construction design demands,
optimization construction design and wear comfort demands. Optimization construction design
directly impacts air gap size and distribution, the air gap layers between skin and clothing is
determined by clothing construction design. 3D scanning provides a novel method to visualize and
quantify the air gaps. But optimization construction design need more experiences and tests.
Introduction
Outdoor protective clothing requires functional features to protect human body from different weather
conditions, such as low temperature, or high wind conditions. Normally, functional garments
emphasize more on functional properties and less aesthetics properties. They can be active
sportswear, coveralls, medical wear, personal protective garments, and smart garments. In order to
achieve functions, garments are made from special fabric, it may come with a specific finishing, or
laminating. The fibre used for these fabrics are normally high performance fiber, such as Kevlar,
Nanofibres, spandex blends, and speciality fibres like bamboo[1]. There are different functional
constructions in different functional garments. Fabric can be joined by sewing, bonding and seam
welding technique, and some functional garments are made seamless design in order to increase its
function performance, such as special match swimming suit. In addition to these functions, outdoor
clothing also requires high aesthetic properties. Outdoor clothing is used to protect the human body
from cold, hot and huge wind, in order to achieve comfort under various weather conditions,
appropriate designed outdoor clothing should be worn. In cold weather condition the outdoor
protective clothing should be provide enough thermal insulation, and keep thermal balance of the heat
production and heat loss from the human body. The outdoor protective clothing should have good
water vapor permeability to ensure that the water vapor produced by the body can be easily
disseminated through the clothing system. Therefore, the human body regulates temperature
effectively through the evaporation of perspiration [2]. Different outdoor activities need to wear
associated garments.
The demands of outdoor protective clothing design.
1.1 Outdoor protective clothing has an enormous potential market and consumers. The
market of outdoor industry products continued to grow rapidly in recent years. According to market
survey, from 2006 to 2009, industry sales of outdoor products has maintained growth of more than
30% in China, mainly by the clothing, footwear, backpacks and other outdoor supplies[3]. In 2006,
Advanced Materials Research Online: 2012-12-27
ISSN: 1662-8985, Vol. 627, pp 581-584
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.627.581
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the sales of outdoor products were only 15 billion in China, and in 2009 however, it had reached
nearly 50 million. In the Asia Outdoor Show, the exhibition scale exceeded 30,000 square meters, an
increase of more than 20% in 2009, with 321 foreign and domestic exhibitors’ brands. According to
data statistics, Asia Outdoor Trade Fair in terms of exhibition scale, brand or professional audience
participation quantity, have been maintained the growth rate for more than 15% average annual. In 3
years time Asia Outdoor Trade Fair has reached a five year European scale in outdoor exhibition. Asia
Outdoor launched the first industrial design awards in 2010, in order to seek to deepen the green,
green ideas, for the best original designs on display platform to promote the brand outside of China
development from the "Asian" to "Asia to create" change[4]. In North America, outdoor apparel has
grown 19% from 2004 to 2010, and it is expected that it will go with this trend to 2016[5]. For the
market in Europe, future growth is forecasted at 18%. Performance outdoor apparel has gradually
increased its share of the total active sportswear market from 3.4% in 2004 to 3.8% in 2010. By 2016
it is expected to be 4.1% of active sportswear [5]. Outdoor gear retail sales were shown in Fig.1 [6].
Fig.1, Outdoor Gear Retail Sales, (Source: China Outdoor Commerce Alliance)
1.2 Aesthetic and fit demands of outdoor protective clothing to the consumer. Clothing
function is involved practicality, society and aesthetic. Currently people focus on not only the
practicality and society of clothing, but also aesthetics properties of garments. Aesthetics, fit and
function of outdoor protective clothing are the crucial elements in the outdoor clothing market
competition. It consists of color, style material, lines, mass, integrity and balance etc. People have
different tastes in style and color. It is believed to a big challenge to every designer to meet the
aesthetic and functional needs of the consumer. The designer and engineer must capture the
significant relationship of clothing and body and must understand the nuances of body measurements
if we are to achieve apparel with satisfactory fit. The good fit is a crucial factor in the acceptance or
rejection of clothing [7]. Studies indicate that as high as 62% in men and 50% in women are
dissatisfaction with the fit of clothing. In another report that about 50% of younger women and up to
70% of older American women are dissatisfied with apparel fit [8] [9]. Fit is first evaluated by
manufacturers and consumers assess aesthetics and comfort prior to purchase. The fit of garment
involves multiple factors, including the dimensions and drape of the garment, size, proportions,
posture of the wearer, current fit fashion, style, function of garment, fit preference of the wearers [10].
Traditional fit is defined as five factors: line, grain, ease, set and balance [11]. Current fit is a complex
factor. The critical elements for fit include aesthetics, fashion trend, understanding consumer’s
preferences, psychology and the purposes and functions of particular garments [12].
1.3 Combination of functions and fashion construction design. Functional construction design
can provide comfort properties. Fashion construction design can be successfully satisfaction in
garment fit and aesthetic. With the people’s increasing of living level and protective awareness, the
trends for function garment are increasing and at the same time the sophisticated new technology and
equipment are available to the clothing industry for garment functions. Apparel industry has a quickly
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development and the demands of outdoor protective clothing are gradually increased. The consumers'
demands are not only focused on function and comfort, but also concerned fit, aesthetic idea and
popular trend. Especially they have a critical view to choose outdoor protective clothing. It is a
challenge to designer and textile engineer [13]. Clothing structure design must satisfy the functional
demands and the freedom of human movement. Such as, ventilation (opening) design can dissipate
excess to body heat into the environment, and can reduce the discomfort of wear [14]. The clothing
ventilation (opening) design has two categories: nature ventilation at location of neck, waist, wrist,
ankles; special ventilation openings inserted in a clothing system like pit zips, pockets, venting back
[15]. Combination of functional and fashion construction design is a significant factor that determine
the relationship of market's supply and demand of outdoor clothing.
Optimization construction design and wear comfort of outdoor protective clothing.
Clothing comfort is influenced by a number of factors, such as thermal aspects, ease of movement, fit,
pressure of the body, tactility and propensity to generate static electricity [16]. Function construction
design is first step to satisfy requirements of movement, and second is optimization construction
design which adds slash in some garment areas, in order to add more mobility, comfort and aesthetics.
To design protective clothing, it is necessary to identify what tasks it would be used, and what
environments that would be worn, different requirement should determine different priorities.
Outdoor clothing design must have sufficient ease to allow wearers to move uninhibited. Protective
clothing design should provide maximum protection and comfort. Protective clothing fits properly is
a significant aspect so that wearer movement is not restricted [17]. The case of research analysis,
multiple constructions design which hook of outdoor clothing design. Setting up two puckers in the
two sides of the ears, under the pucker add two zips. It can provide ventilation and more mobility and
aesthetics from visual evaluation. Optimization construction design directly affects air gap
distribution, the air gap layers between skin and clothing is determined by clothing design. Today's
3D scanning technique provides a novel method to visualize and quantify the air gaps between the
wearer and clothing. More experiments have demonstrated that the air gap size is critical factor for
wearing comfort. It can provide a way to understand how heat and vapor can be transferred through air
gap. The application of 3D body scanning and understanding air gap distribution can improve the
protective performance of clothing [18].
Summary
The outdoor protective clothing has a huge market. Successfully satisfy the demands of consumer
involve several aspects. The consumer satisfaction is the main competition factors in the apparel
industry. Therefore, it is critical to improve optimization construction design and wear comfort. It
needs a large number of measurement, experiences and tests. It is necessary to develop an approach to
determine the garment air gap using 3D body scanning and standards to identify and quantify wear
comfort, garment fit and aesthetics and fashion style of outdoor protective clothing.
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