The relationship between the design of outdoor clothing and its performance during use

Performance clothing is a rapidly expanding sector of the outdoor industry. It encompasses a broad range of products, from those that have enabled man to explore the most inhospitable places on earth to garments worn for fashion where function is rarely tested. Performance requirements are complex; the clothing must deal with the body's own responses, whilst simultaneously protecting it from the sometimes extreme weather conditions it may face and, increasingly, it must do so without sacrificing visual appeal. investigations into the technological requirements of fabrics for performance clothing are numerous, but little academic work explores the relation hip between the design methods employed and the resulting performance, particularly in the light of changing market demands. This thesis explores the relationship between the changing market, design processes and the intended performance and aims to develop an ideal design process for performance clothing. The literature review set out the history of the outdoor industry and identified the importance of lead-users in its development. The relationship between innovation and design was explored. After a general appraisal of design processes and methods, the literature review focused on those specific to clothing, and discusses the particular design challenges raised by performance clothing requirements. To gain an overview of the factors which have influenced the design process in the outdoor industry, interview. were carried out individual playing key roles in performance clothing industry, both in the past and presently. The data generated was analysed for theme including design process and market evolution - the result of which provoked questions about how design processes had responded to the industry’ s expansion. To test the effectiveness of the standard design process, hood design was explored through a range of laboratory tests on a selection of hardshell garments. The results indicate that there are aspects of the design process that could be improved. Based on these findings, an idealised design process is proposed to help improve design practice and product performance for outdoor clothing across the industry.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo