Design and Product Development

Designing a solar powered jacket for the day hiker: Application of the apparel design framework and functional, expressive, and aesthetic (FEA) consumer needs model

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Abstract

Solar powered garments are potentially useful to a range of individuals from the recreational outdoor market to those in the safety industry, such as the military. However, only a few apparel products exist in the marketplace today. Research is needed on the functionality of flexible solar cells to understand how to integrate them into apparel in an expressive and aesthetic manner. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to design a solar powered garment using the FEA model and apparel design framework (Lamb & Kallal, 1992). The Lamb and Kallal (1992) apparel design framework with FEA consumer needs model was effective in guiding the process for designing and testing a solar-powered jacket. The design decision-making process was challenging due to balancing user needs with functional needs of electronic components. Findings may be useful for designers of wearable solar products for other markets and for designers of all types of wearable electronics.

How to Cite:

McKinney, E., Baytar, F., Roth, S., Kaalberg, K. & Hwang, C., (2017) “Designing a solar powered jacket for the day hiker: Application of the apparel design framework and functional, expressive, and aesthetic (FEA) consumer needs model”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 74(1).