Wearing comfort analysis from aspect of numerical garment pressure using 3D virtual-reality and data mining technology

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find out the main factors that influence wearing comfort and how they influence garment-wearing comfort. Design/methodology/approach Overall, 120 postures were extracted from the activities of daily life and work. Then, the numerical values of clothing pressure of these postures were measured using three-dimension virtual-reality technology. Finally, the data mining technology was applied to analyze the collected data. Findings The wearing comfort of pants is mainly influenced by four factors – waist-hip factor, knee-shank factor, crotch factor and thigh-calf factor – and their contributions account for 39.17, 16.4, 13.96 and 6.95 percent, respectively. Hip, waist, crotch and knee influence wearing comfort significantly, and the part below the knee and the part of back thigh have no obvious effect on wearing comfort. Furthermore, the wearing comfort is acceptable if the numerical clothing pressures are below 20 kPa at the parts of hip, waist and crotch and below 10 kPa at the parts of back thigh, knee and shank. Originality/value The paper demonstrates how different human body parts influence garment-wearing comfort. All of the results in this research facilitate pattern design of pants and quantitative evaluation of garment-wearing comfort.