The Comfort Dimension: a Review of Perception in Clothing

Abstract

For a clothing system, comfort is a fundamental necessity. In this paper, basic definitions and elements of clothing comfort and the general research trends were reviewed. In particular, understanding comfort of textile materials, its relevance to clothing choice and some assessment methods have been discussed. The impact of fabric and clothing attributes on clothing comfort was explored. Psychological, physical and physiological perceptions of clothing comfort were reviewed, including subjective and objective modes of assessment. A thorough discussion of handle comfort was presented, including assessment methods. Statistical presentations from selected comfort studies were also reviewed. Other sensory comfort properties particularly acoustic and appearance were also mentioned. From the aforementioned reviews, it was noted that the main focus for most researchers has been on sensorial and thermal comfort.