This study aimed to improve the efficiency of mission-specific clothing development by establishing and evaluating functional upper bodice block patterns with various modification levels applicable to garments worn for special missions and tasks in ex...
This study aimed to improve the efficiency of mission-specific clothing development by establishing and evaluating functional upper bodice block patterns with various modification levels applicable to garments worn for special missions and tasks in extreme environments, and by proposing motion-level-based optimal drafting strategies to enhance motion suitability.
First, the master pattern for developing motion-level-based functional upper bodice block patterns was selected based on superior appearance suitability, with the sleeve cap height set to 13.43 cm (24% of the armhole circumference). Based on this master pattern, four modification levels of sleeve angle (135°, 150°, 165°, and 180°) and four modification levels of underarm ease (2.5 cm, 5 cm, 7.5 cm, and 10 cm) were applied, resulting in a total of 16 functional upper bodice block patterns.
Second, analysis of the subjective motion suitability evaluation data revealed that the shoulder flexion factor had the greatest influence on the overall motion suitability assessment. Correlation analysis between subjective motion suitability and the functional pattern elements of each block pattern indicated that the Back Sleeve panel Area(r=0.93) had the greatest impact on wearer discomfort during flexion movements. In addition, it was confirmed that the functional pattern modification applied to the underarm area improved motion suitability in adjacent areas, such as across back and armhole.
Third, correlation analysis between the functional pattern elements and the objective evaluation results revealed that, at shoulder flexion movement of 150° or below, body hem displacement was highly correlated(r>0.85) with Body panel Sideseam Length, Front Body panel Area, Front Sleeve panel Area, and Back Body panel Area, while sleeve hem displacement was strongly associated(r>0.90) with Sleeve panel Inseam Length and Back Sleeve panel Area. At higher shoulder flexion angles, body hem displacement showed a strong correlation(r>0.90) with Back Sideseam Length and Front Body panel Area, whereas sleeve hem displacement was highly correlated (r>0.90) with Front Body panel Area.
Analysis of body hem and sleeve hem displacement caused by riding-up according to motion levels revealed that the block pattern with the 150°–10 cm modification level showed significantly less displacement in both the body hem and sleeve hem compared to the master pattern. It was also confirmed that sleeve hem displacement was significantly influenced not only by underarm ease but also by sleeve angle.
Fourth, by integrating the subjective and objective evaluation results according to the modification levels of the functional upper bodice block patterns, it was found that the block pattern with the 135°–10 cm modification level performed best at shoulder flexion movements up to 165°, while the 150°–10 cm modification level was evaluated as the most effective at 180°shoulder flexion movement. This finding indicates that, rather than simply applying higher modification levels, it is more important to meet the functional pattern elements required for each specific motion level.
Fifth, this study aimed to enhance the practical applicability of its findings by proposing motion-level-based optimal drafting strategies for functional upper bodice block patterns designed for mission-specific clothing. To reduce body hem riding-up, increasing the Back Body panel Area is recommended at shoulder flexion movements up to 135°, while increasing the Body panel Sideseam Length and Front Body panel Area is suggested at higher flexion movements. For reducing sleeve hem riding-up, it is recommended to increase the Sleeve panel Inseam Length and Back Sleeve panel Area at 135° and 150°flexion movements, and to increase the Front Sleeve panel Area and Back Body panel Area at 165° and 180°flexion movements.
In conclusion, this study developed and evaluated functional upper bodice block patterns with various modification levels for mission-specific clothing and proposed motion-level-based optimal drafting strategies by analyzing the relationships between functional pattern elements and motion suitability.
This study holds academic significance in that it identified the characteristics of functional pattern elements influencing garment motion suitability through both subjective and objective evaluations of block patterns drafted with differentiated modification levels. It also carries practical significance by proposing a generalized drafting method for functional upper bodice block patterns that can be widely applied to mission-specific clothing development. Furthermore, the functional block patterns and the generalized optimal drafting strategies developed in this study are expected to serve as fundamental academic and practical resources for future mission-specific clothing development, as they can be applied to various designs.