Page 260 - Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design

Sizing and fit for swimsuits and 10

diving suits

a b c
Slavenka Petrak , Maja Mahni c Nagli c , Jelka Gers ˇak
a Department of Clothing Technology, Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb,
b
Zagreb, Croatia, Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia,
c
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Textile and Garment Manufacture
Processes, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia

10.1 Introduction

Clothing intended for wearing in the water is specific from the various aspects,
designs, and materials used for the production and the aspect of high demands on func-
tionality and manufacturing technologies for such clothing. Whether it is used for rec-
reation or during particular water sport activities, such clothing needs to satisfy list of
criteria to ensure appropriate body protection and perfect fit according to body shape
and dimensions during dynamic wearing conditions. In most cases, clothing intended
for wearing in water must completely lay against the body. That puts in front of the
designers and constructors a special demand to develop the attractive model design
with a perfect dimensional and shape fit according to targeted body shape, together
with shape stability and comfort in the water wearing conditions. During the devel-
opment of such clothing, the very important issue is a right selection of primary
and secondary materials and the manufacturing technology. To ensure total body
fit of different kinds of swimwear, the complete development process is best con-
ducted digitally, with the application of specialized CAD systems that enable com-
plete 3D design and construction process on the 3D body model of a particular size.
For the number of years, computer-based 3D design, using the specialized CAD
systems and automated manufacturing technology, is present in different industries
in which final products are composed of rigid parts. Intensive and continuous devel-
opment of computer graphics systems, in the last decade, enabled a significant
improvement of 3D design process and prototype development in clothing, footwear,
automotive, and upholstery industries. That mainly refers to the design of prototypes
for which it is necessary to construct coverings from textile or some other materials
that need to completely fit the shape of the product, like upholstery furniture or auto-
mobile seats. That level of fit is difficult to achieve with the use of conventional 2D
construction method because of complexity of products’ 3D shapes and material char-
acteristics from the aspect of physical and mechanical properties. The same problem is
present in the swimwear design and construction process. Regardless the different
clothing size systems according to which the clothing is developed in a huge range
of sizes for different body figures, those are still sizes defined based on average body

Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102604-5.00010-X
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