Wearing Sensation on the Skin
We developed the skin-sensorial comfort assessment through applied research. The method turns subjective sensations into objective data.
Five main factors contribute to skin sensory comfort:
Comfort and functionality are important for clothing and home textiles. Textile materials and garment systems for many uses (e.g., everyday life, sports, workwear, personal protective equipment) must function, allow freedom of movement, support and enhance performance. The same applies to home and contract textiles. Comfortable bedding, for example, contributes to healthy sleep.
Basically, textile comfort is about heat regulation and moisture management, the sensation on the skin and ergonomic design.
We are pioneers in the development of scientific methods for objectively determining the wear and sleep comfort of textile products. Our expertise supports claim verification and product development:
We work with material developers, manufacturers and brands to optimize comfort by assessing specific characteristics of materials, apparel, sportswear, workwear, PPE, bedding, sleeping bags, car seats, furniture and more.
Our expertise is especially suited to creating testing plans around the end-user's needs. We conduct research, invent measurement methods and devices and correlate/verify the data.
We transfer this knowledge by writing standards and leading committees, as well as with the Hohenstein Academy.
For sports and outdoor clothing, a three-layer clothing system is often recommended. Each layer fulfills a different function. Together, the layers optimize comfort for the specific use.
We test and classify the product performance of the individual clothing layers (DIN EN 16422). The tests characterize the thermoregulatory properties according to clothing layer and use case. Based on these results, we create a Hohenstein Performance Index for each product. The index allows users to compare individual materials/garments.