Seamless knitted sports bra design: A responsive system design exploration
type: CreativeWork
description: ABSTRACT The transition of sports bras’ uses, from an active lifestyle to resting activities, requires dynamic and adaptable comfort properties of the design, as well as adequate breast support, fit, and comfort. Thus, the two-fold purpose of this study was to: (a) analyze the use of current materials and processes in the product development process of seamless sports bras, via industry interview and observation, and (b) propose a design solution for a seamless sports bra that offers variable breast support during running versus resting activities. Using a case study approach, an in-depth interview with a Santoni seamless knitting technician provided data that led to mapping out the design and product development processes used for prototyping seamless sports bras. A seamless business model for a sports bra was created, and relationships among the over-arching themes of planning, marketing, product development, innovation, and production, which emerged from the grounded theory analysis, were discussed. Moreover, a detailed Product Development framework and a Tech Pack model were created and used to communicate the new design for a responsive seamless sports bra. Interactions between design, prototyping and functionality and how these themes relate to the components of the tech pack were discussed. At the materials level, a biomimetic system framework was used to identify solutions to responsive interactions within wool/Nylon/spandex blended yarns and various knitting structures when actuated by moisture. Twenty pattern designs were knitted on a Santoni circular knitting machine, using two different yarn combinations: (a) wool/spandex, and (b) wool/nylon/ spandex. Physical properties of the knit swatches were documented, as well as their thickness when dry versus three different moisture activation situations: (a) immediately after wetting, (b) after 30 minutes of air-drying, and (c) after 60 minutes of air-drying. Results showed that the Santoni circular knitting te…
abstract: ABSTRACT The transition of sports bras’ uses, from an active lifestyle to resting activities, requires dynamic and adaptable comfort properties of the design, as well as adequate breast support, fit, and comfort. Thus, the two-fold purpose of this study was to: (a) analyze the use of current materials and processes in the product development process of seamless sports bras, via industry interview and observation, and (b) propose a design solution for a seamless sports bra that offers variable breast support during running versus resting activities. Using a case study approach, an in-depth interview with a Santoni seamless knitting technician provided data that led to mapping out the design and product development processes used for prototyping seamless sports bras. A seamless business model for a sports bra was created, and relationships among the over-arching themes of planning, marketing, product development, innovation, and production, which emerged from the grounded theory analysis, were discussed. Moreover, a detailed Product Development framework and a Tech Pack model were created and used to communicate the new design for a responsive seamless sports bra. Interactions between design, prototyping and functionality and how these themes relate to the components of the tech pack were discussed. At the materials level, a biomimetic system framework was used to identify solutions to responsive interactions within wool/Nylon/spandex blended yarns and various knitting structures when actuated by moisture. Twenty pattern designs were knitted on a Santoni circular knitting machine, using two different yarn combinations: (a) wool/spandex, and (b) wool/nylon/ spandex. Physical properties of the knit swatches were documented, as well as their thickness when dry versus three different moisture activation situations: (a) immediately after wetting, (b) after 30 minutes of air-drying, and (c) after 60 minutes of air-drying. Results showed that the Santoni circular knitting te…
author: Gorea, Adriana
language: en
date published: 2017-01-01
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:38:57Z
provider: Iowa State University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Iowa State University

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.31274/etd-180810-5910