Design and Evaluation of Sport Garments for Cold Conditions Using Human Thermoregulation Modeling Paradigm

Thermo physiological comfort is an important aspect of apparel especially when worn under challenging environmental conditions, and relevant performance attributes of garments become even more important in active sportswear. The wide spectrum of performance materials and their combinations that can be selected for garment engineering indicates that during the design and engineering process it is impossible to test all possible combinations of materials and garment constructions before the final prototype is developed. In the present study, a Thermal Manikin was used with a physiological model for testing the multi-layered garment ensembles suitable for stop-go sport in sub-zero conditions. It was demonstrated that physiological indicators output from the experiments depend on the ensembles worn and their performance attributes relevant to human physiological comfort. The use of the model along with the Thermal Manikin is a valuable method for sportswear design and engineering.