Apparel Product Development

Designing Functional Apparel for Women with Anemia to help support Heat Retention in the Upper Body

I had the great pleasure of participating in the Student Creative and Research Endeavors Exhibition (SCREE) Competition for my FMD547 Functional Design Class. Many students and I from many different majors and graduate levels came together to showcase our research projects, ranging from scientific to artistic. It was a great experience to not only learn more about projects within my field of study, but also others as well.

My Design partner, Sheree Patton, and I developed a research project to develop a pair of gloves and a jacket, a discreet solution for women with Anemia and Poor blood circulation. We conducted surveys on Facebook groups such as IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA for Women, Anemia-Iron Deficiency Support Group, Iron Deficiency/Low Ferritin/Anemia Support and Awareness Group, and gathered information through personal experiences, medical surveys, and Reddit forums.

Through our thermal camera imaging and air permeability tests coordinated in the Center for Merchandising and Design Technology lab, we determined which fabric is suitable for our design and which areas of heat we want our jacket to distribute throughout the body. Some features include hidden zipper pockets in the palms of the gloves and sides of the jacket to add heat packs, compression layers, conductive threads sewn throughout the gloves, and a built-in neck gaiter that can be tucked back in the jacket's hood.

Over the summer, I did research to incorporate an e-textile element, conductive threads, and add an Arduino Nano to the glove. I taught myself some C++ to configure the code to heat up the glove with a heating pad. Thank you very much to SCREE, CMU, and our professor, Pimpawan Kumphai, for guiding this project in the right direction.

Conductive Threads supporting Anemia Research

Lazer Cut Mannequin For Dwarfism Project

I’ve also been working on an exciting hands-on project, developing a cardboard dress form prototype alongside my professor, Pimpawan Kumphai and my classmate, Nigar Sultana.

The goal has been to create a lightweight solution for draping and display. What makes this project even more meaningful is that the dress form is specifically designed to represent the body type of a woman named Danni who has dwarfism, showing inclusivity to the tools we often take for granted in fashion design.

I used Adobe Illustrator to create the cross-sections and cuts of the body. At first, we cut the cardboard entirely by hand and built a model, but finally had the chance to test an additional prototype with the laser cutter, precisely cutting each piece to fit the pieces together better. This process challenged me to think deeply about proportion and structure while applying both technical and human-centered design skills.

Grateful for the guidance that Professor Kumphai provided and the collaboration with Nigar throughout this project. Excited to continue refining it next year and pushing for more inclusivity in the fashion industry!

Lazer Cut Prototype Processing (All Sections were mapped out in Adobe Illustrator)

Danni Horizontal and Vertical Sections - Created in Rhinoceros 3D Software

Adaptive Wear Spina Bifida Project

This was Eleanor’s (our adaptive wear model) final outfit. She was looking for something to wear at a job interview/at work that remains modest and professional yet incorporates her style and the “adaptive wear” requirements. My pants for Eleanor included Velcro pieces at the sides that can be unstrapped and an elastic band in the back. There is twill tape sewn on for easy lifting and putting on at the sides. The shirt made by Jennifer was a shirt made from a cable knit fabric and included a collar that gave the appearance of an undershirt underneath the sweater.