The impacts of daily movements on uniform clothing fit–an interview study

Little is known about how people’s routine body movements when they are at work affect the perceived fit and comfort of their uniform/workwear. This knowledge gap was addressed in this study through carefully planned interviews. First, known theories from previous studies were analysed to establish a theoretical framework. Next, primary data and new information were collected through semi-structured interviews with fifteen subjects from eight industries to refine the investigation. Through these interviews, data were collected in relation to the subjects’ (1) jobs; (2) routine body movements in the workplace; and (3) evaluation of the fit and movement comfort of their uniforms. Both deductive and inductive approaches were used to process the collected data so as to understand the wearers’ needs for, and perceptions of, their uniform fit and movement comfort in their workplaces. This study lays the foundation for further research on uniform/workwear improvement.