Subjective evaluation methods and physiological measurements used to determine clothing thermal comfort

Objective measurement systems and subjective evaluation techniques are used to determine thermal comfort performances of garments which is a crucial property for daily life and performance-based activities of human being. More reliable and realistic results can be obtained if the objective measurement results are combined with the physiological and psychological data obtained during subjective evaluations such as forearm test and wear trials. In this study, results were put forward about relationships between objectively measured comfort parameters and physiological-psychological data obtained during subjective evaluations. As a result of forearm test, sensations occur during skin-fabric contact such as coolness and dampness depend on the surface and permeability properties of the fabric to a great extent. Results obtained during subjective wear trials show that coolness and dampness sensations are significantly correlated with the temperature of the air layer between skin and fabric (microclimate). Moreover, the temperature and relative humidity of the microclimate reflect the differences between thermal comfort performances of different garments more than the other physiological parameters measured (skin surface temperature, heart rate).