A Method for the Evaluation of Functional Clothing for Older Individuals with Restricted Mobility

Abstract

Functional clothing products for older individuals are plentiful in the consumer market, and they are developing rapidly. However, the evaluation methods used for these products are relatively subjective and lack reliability. In this study, we reviewed some objective and quantitative indicators for evaluating functional clothing products and proposed a new method for evaluating functional clothing for older individuals with restricted mobility, according to their physiological characteristics and functional requirements for clothing. In this new method, we combined evaluation indicators such as independence, degree of difficulty, time and degree of exertion (e.g. muscular activity and heart rate) to assess the dressing and undressing convenience performance of clothing. A complete evaluation process was proposed to test and compare an item of clothing adapted to the needs of people with reduced mobility to typical clothing in the marketplace (control). Feasible methodological suggestions were put forward for evaluating the thermal performance of functional clothing for older individuals with restricted mobility. Finally, it was recommended that dressing and undressing convenience performance can be given priority, and then thermal performance to comprehensively evaluate functional clothing designed for older individuals with restricted mobility. This method will be of great significance for the development of functional clothing for older individuals and the practice of “Active Aging” in the future.

KEYWORDS:

• functional clothing
• dressing and undressing convenience performance
• evaluation method
• restricted mobility
• older individuals

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2232021G-08).

Notes on contributors

Daiwei Wu

Daiwei Wu is currently a PhD candidate in the Fashion Design Department of Donghua University, Shanghai, P.R. China. Her research focuses on comfort and function of thermal clothing, evaluation of functional clothing products.

Fei Bian

Fei Bian earned her MS in Fashion Design from IED Istituto Europeo di Design, Italy and is an associate professor at Donghua University, Shanghai, P.R. China. Her research focuses on design of professional working uniforms and cultural aspects of clothing.

Yunyi Wang*

Yunyi Wang* (corresponding author) is a professor in the Fashion Design Department, Donghua University, Shanghai, P.R. China. Her research interests focus on textile performance, development of functional clothing and creative fashion. [email protected]