The relationship between body and garment is critical to the overall understanding of comfort for the wearer. Design for Comfort research is investigating factors affecting this relationship through its work with whole garment technologies and issues associated with garment structure and fit.

Whole garment technology presents researchers with new capabilities for manipulating garment structure and fit.  Typically, a knitted garment consists of separate parts - the front and back body panels and the sleeves - which are sewn together afterward. Whole garment technology produces one entire piece, three-dimensionally, directly on the knitting machine. The advantage of whole garment seamless knitwear is that it provides the wearer with superior fit and comfort, freer movement and stretch, enhanced drape and flow of fabric, and improved structural integrity of the garment.
Using the Shima Seiki Wholegarment® knitting system, DAFWA researchers are exploring the wool fibre, yarn, fabric and design properties which contribute to improve wool garment comfort. DAFWA is also exploring the potential for integrating body scanning information into 3D garment production systems. Research so far has included 3D imaging of a dummy and garment to provide initial data for understanding the 'space' between the garment and the body and its impact on wearer comfort.

Of particular interest to the wool research team at the DAFWA is the use of wool to enhance thermal comfort of garments in warm climates. Thermal comfort, in a physiological sense, is achieved when a body is in thermal balance with its environment.  Thermophysiological factors of clothing, for example: insulation; moisture and vapour transfer; heat exchange; and air penetration, influence the thermal behaviour of clothing, and therefore influence thermal comfort.

Design for Comfort researchers aim to explore properties that can be manipulated to achieve thermal balance in warm environments using wool and wool blend fabrics.