Technologie de la mode et ingénierie textile

Research on the Improvement on the Performance of Thermal Underwear Based on the Demands of Chinese Consumers

Bing Xu and Jianhui Chen

Thermal underwear has won a large proportion of Chinese clothing market over the last few decades. However, most of the current products in thermal underwear market can hardly meet consumers’ demands because it still exist some disadvantages, such as poor fabric performance and unpopular styles. To fully understand the weaknesses in the performance of current thermal underwear, this paper is aimed at intensively investigating consumers’ demands from the aspects of garment selecting standards, garment fabrics, and garment structures. Based on related literature, crucial survey factors were selected in relation to fabric comfort and garment structure. The price factor was also considered in the research. The survey, using questionnaires as the tool, was mainly conducted in China. It turned out that there was blindness in consumers’ process of purchasing thermal underwear. Meanwhile, we have concluded main defects in the long-term using process of thermal underwear and a list of consumers’ expectations. Then, suggestions were given to provide manufacturers with guidelines to improve their strategies. Besides, two new product development schemes were proposed with new design of fabric structure and component, garment style sketches, and garment structure patterns.