• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.637-650
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the consumers' image and factors of wear comfort, expectation and satisfaction levels of wear comfort of hiking gear in order to investigate the consumer perception of wear comfort of hiking gear. The questionnaires were distributed to 400 people in their 40s and 50s and, 260 of which were used to data analysis. The questionnaires were comprised of questions about the image, factors, expectation and satisfaction levels of wear comfort of hiking gear, and demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed by frequency analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, ANOVA, Duncan test, T-test with SPSS 19.0 IBM for Windows. In demographic characteristics, 43.5% of respondents were male and people under 45 years of age were at 17.7%, those between 46 and 50 with 46.5%, those between 51 and 55 with 28.9%, those between 56 and 60 with 6.9%. The results of this study are as follows. Responses of male and female consumers to image of wear comfort were similar and ten or more mentioned reponses by men were well-being and freedom from pain, stretchability, light weight, absorption of sweat, softness. Wear comfort of hiking gear was shown to include mobility/pressure factors, moisture factor, psychological factor, tactile/keeping body temperature factors. It was shown that the expectation and satisfaction levels of wear comfort of hiking gear were relatively high and were not influenced by consumer's sex and age, but were affected by the objective of mountaineering.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.442-445
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare the subjective fabric hand evaluation and wear comfort of PET treated by Ultraviolet and to evaluate the subjective results from the investigation of microclimate temperature. The subjective hand evaluation was performed by 20 subjects (age: 20-25) with 5-point scale questionnaires to investigate the change of PET knit fabrics treated for different times, specifically, 0, 30 and 90 minutes. The questionnaires were composite with 8 questions; roughness, smoothness, wetness, stiffness, coolness, touch, preference, and comfort. In order to evaluate sensations of wear comfort, we made garments with UV treated fabric and five female students were tested. They walked at the speed of 6.7 km/ hr for 15 minutes in an environment, which was controlled at $29^{\circ}C,\;75{\pm}5%$ RH. Before and after exercising, the microclimate under clothing and subjective wear comfort was measured. The results of subjective evaluation of fabric hand were that untreated and treated for 30 minutes PET were recognized as similar and have a good evaluation on comfort, preference, and touch. According to the result of wear comfort, clothing treated by UV for 90 minutes had the lowest value on the thermal and humidity sensations. In addition, the value of tactile and comfort sensation was the highest on the clothing treated by UV for 90 minutes. In the case of objective evaluation, PET treated for 90 minutes was the lowest on microclimate humidity. PET irradiated by UV for 90 minutes was more 'cool' in thermal sensation and more 'dry' in wet sensation. Accordingly, it was consistent with the result of subjective wear comfort.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.301-311
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• 2014

This study finds information about the image and improvements of hiking gear and examines the influence of heat moisture, psychology, tactile sensation, and mobility/pressure related properties on wear comfort. The relationships of the four related properties and personal characteristics (such as sex, age, BMI and sensitivity) were also checked. Questionnaires were distributed to 400 people in their 40s and 50s; subsequently, 260 were used for data analysis. The questionnaires were comprised of questions about the general hiking characteristics, images and improvements in hiking gear, influence of the four properties on wear comfort, and demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed by frequency analysis, correlation analysis, ANOVA, T-test using SPSS 21 IBM for Windows. The results of this study are as follows. It was shown that people in their 40s and 50s usually went hiking two to four hours with friends or family once to three times a month. Jacket had the largest number of wearing frequency, followed by pants, t-shirts, and inner wear. Consumers' images of hiking gear were positive and the demands for improvements in hiking gear were price, unique design, and vivid color. The order of influence of the four properties on wear comfort was heat moisture, mobility/pressure, tactile sensation, and psychology related properties. The four properties of wear comfort were not influenced significantly by consumer sex, age, BMI, and sensibility.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Emotion and Sensibility Conference
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• 1997.11a
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• pp.47-52
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• 1997

This study was carried out to investigate effects of fabric properties and the changes of microclimates on comfort sensations and to identify effective varuables on clothing wear comfort sensations. A wied range of nontreated and functionally treated woven fabrics, knits, and nonwoven fabrics and test garments made of them were used as specimens. Linear structural equation was used to analyze causal relation among the variables on a path diagram. The results were as follows: 1. Almost of causal relations among variables were significant excdpt the effects of fabric properties including air permeability and water-vapor permebility on the changes of microclimate temperature. 2. Fabric properties were most effective variables on clothing wear comfort sensations including thermal sensation, subjeceive wettedness, and overall comfort and therefore comfort sensations and fabric properties were identified for improving clothing comfort.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.253-263
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• 2003

The purposes of this study were to find out an evaluation scale that could predict wear comfort and to investigate the effect of the skin-contacting fiber type on the subjective sensation and microclimate. Sensorial evaluation was basically followed by the Human Perception Analysis (HPA) interviewing 144 consumers. Sixteen female subjects were participated in the sleeve wear test with and without wearing vapor permeable water repellent outerwear. Experimental sleeves were constructed using the same double knit by turning inside out to control other material effects except the skin-contacting fiber type, hence each different side of double knit, cotton side and the cotton/polypropylene blend side, was next to skin in each trial of the experiment. As results, it was noted that the term representing a combined feeling of thermal and wetness sensation, and muggy appeared to be a powerful language to measure perceptual responses of human subject among five dimensions of evaluation. although the ordinary users did not use the term very often. As for the comfort properties of double knits, it seemed that subjects slightly more preferred polypropylene/cotton blend to cotton as the skin-contacting fiber type when they wore outerwear and their skin were covered with sweat, although the result was rot statistically significant and need to be confirmed under higher work load.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.43 no.6 s.208
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• pp.27-35
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to develop motorcycle wear with built-in airbag protection for enhanced comfort and fit. Based on the survey results, a motorcycle jacket was designed using. Aauto CAD. This study concentrated on the wearing comfort comparison of the motorcycle jacket developed from this research with that of and foreign goods. To evaluate the wearing comfort, 3 types of motorcycle jackets were used. The results of this study were as follows. : From an Analysis of the differences in wearing comfort, the motorcycle jacket developed proved to be more convenient than the 2 types of foreign motorcycle jackets in terms of the standing and handle grip posture. This effect was due to the curved pattern of the neckline part of the airbag. The air pressure of the airbag must be improved.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.210-220
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• 2023

Recently, smart wearable products, including electromyography (EMG) measurement devices and clothing, have been developed to monitor users' exercise levels, muscle activation, and muscle balance more effectively during fitness activities. However, technical and socioeconomic barriers, such as flexibility and durability, still pose challenges in terms of comfort, ease of wear, and wearability of smart clothing, which includes devices and circuits. To address these issues, this study developed a wearable EMG device integrated with clothing to collect valid EMG signals from desired muscles while maintaining comfort, functionality, and ease of wear. After deriving a combined structure that could stably position the wearable device within the clothing, a prototype was manufactured and evaluated for fit, compression, comfort, and exercise comfort test by ten participants (height = 176.2 cm, weight = 76.4 kg, chest circumference = 101.2 cm). The study found that the prototype had smaller circumferences around the chest, waist, and abdomen compared to commercial products, resulting in lower ratings for wearing comfort and ease of wear. However, the prototype received high ratings for fitting, pressure, and the exercise comfort test. Valid signals were obtained when the EMG device was combined to the prototype for the rectus femoris muscle, indicating stable positioning of the device during exercise.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.765-779
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• 2013

This paper studied why middle-aged group is using active wear as casual wear. First, we can think of 'comfort', 'ideal body shape', 'trend', 'functionality', 'economy' for the reasons. We categorized the incentives as 'comfort/functionality pursuits', 'trend/economy pursuits', and 'ideal body shape pursuits'. Studies showed that statistically significant number of men pursue comfort and functionality, and statically significant number of women pursue trend and economy. Second, this study shows that the number of consumers who use the active wear in daily lives is greater than that of those who use it only for outdoor activities. The difference was statistically significant in T-shirts and pants. The most frequent usage was in social activities, and the next frequent usage was in cultural activities. The reason is that currently, middle-aged consumers are actively participating in social gatherings than any other activities. Especially, considering that the men wear active wear more than the women do, development of the product as men's casual wear that is compatible with other apparels will be necessary. We expect this study will be used as the preliminary data for a marketing strategy targeting the middle-ages.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.928-939
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• 2012

This study evaluates wear comforts of water-vapor-permeable (WVP) garments through a measurement of various parameters such as skin and rectal temperatures, microclimate between skin and clothing, sweat rate, and subjective sensations (thermal, wet and comfort sensations) to correlate the physiological responses of the human body with its comfort feeling. Wear comfort during a specific exercise on a treadmill in a climatic chamber (temperature T = $20{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity H = $50{\pm}10%$) were studied using eight men wearing seven sportswear outfits (a long sleeve shirts and a long pants) made with seven different WVP fabrics. A comfort sensation was found to be highly correlated with skin T (p<.001), microclimate (T and H) between skin and clothing (p<.001) and sweat rate (p<.05). A regression model correlating comfort sensations and physiological responses obtained from wearer trials could be established: Y = 14.167 - 0.362 ${\times}$ X1 + 0.424 ${\times}$ X2 - 0.238 ${\times}$ X3 - 0.561 ${\times}$ X4 + 0.253 ${\times}$ X5 + 0.214 ${\times}$ X6 - 0.393 ${\times}$ X7 + 0.023 ${\times}$ X8 - 0.043 ${\times}$ X9. (Y = comfort sensation, X1 = forehead skin T, X2 = forearm skin T, X3 = hand skin T, X4 = thigh skin T, X5 = T of chest microclimate, X6 = T of thigh microclimate, X7 = chest sweat rate, X8 = H of back microclimate, X9 = H of thigh microclimate. The regression model obtained in this work can be used by manufacturers to objectively estimate the comfort sensation of sportswear before it is introduced to the consumer market. This study provides salient information to sportswear manufacturers and sportswear consumers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1095-1106
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• 2013

This study evaluated the wear comfort properties of water-vapor-permeable (WVP) garments using a movable sweating thermal manikin. Manikin tests were performed in a climatic chamber (temperature T=20, $35{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity $H=50{\pm}10%$) using seven sportswear outfits (a long sleeve shirts and a long pants) made with seven different WVP fabrics. Physiological responses of wear trials could be correlated with measurement parameters of the thermal manikin experiment; subsequently, a regression model that represented a final comfort sensation could be obtained. The regression model developed in this work is based on thermal manikin measurements; consequently, it provides an independent comfort sensation level in a relatively short time at a low cost while maintaining the reproducibility of results. It translates into more actual choices for sportswear manufacturers and sportswear consumers.