Consumer expectations and perception of clothing comfort in sports and exercise garments

Purpose
Sports garments play an important role in the well-being of an athlete by protecting the wearer from changing environmental conditions and providing a comfortable feel. Clothing requirements have changed in recent years and demand for apparel with a higher comfort performance have been rising. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore consumers’ expectations and perception of comfort, and to examine how different textiles are perceived by consumers to provide useful knowledge that allows to engineer comfort into fabrics and sports garments.

Design/methodology/approach

This online survey comprised 292 respondents, classified by sex, age, nationality, and physical activity. The respondents were asked a total of 18 questions through the Bristol Online Survey (BOS) tool to explore expectation, perception and preference of clothing comfort, specifically of sportswear.

Findings

Fit and comfort are closely linked together, both forming part of the clothing comfort concept. When purchasing garments online, the haptics of fabrics was identified as a crucial missing parameter. However, priorities of attributes within the concept varied according to the person’s sex and nationality. Females put more emphasis on garment fit and showed higher need for tactile input, whereas males prioritised physiological comfort descriptors, i.e., properties which facilitate thermoregulation. Furthermore, there is an increased importance of physiological comfort parameters for people exercising for 10 or more hours per week. Finally, it was possible to identify common associations and preferences for textile materials (cotton, polyester, cotton/polyester blend and wool). However, consideration should be taken concerning sex and nationality.

Originality/value
Sex and nationality are parameters modulating the clothing comfort concept and the conceptualized feel of materials. Therefore, sex and nationality of the end-consumer should be considered during the development phase of sports garments, and particular attention should be given to the targeted market in which these will be sold.