Investigating the Impact of Sportswear Design on the Psychological States of University Students in Physical Education Courses

Ling Ma

Article
2026 / Volume 9 / Pages 616-628
Received 20 October 2025; Accepted 20 November 2025; Published 11 March 2026
https://doi.org/10.31881/TLR.2026.616

Abstract
This study examines the dual role of sportswear as both a functional textile product and a psychological influencer within the context of university physical education (PE). While textile engineering research has extensively opti-mized the ergonomic and physicochemical properties of athletic apparel for elite performance, the psychological implications of fundamental garment design parameters among non-athlete wearers remain insufficiently ex-plored. This research systematically investigates the psychological effects of two core apparel design variables: fabric color (an aesthetic attribute) and garment fit (a structural, ergonomic attribute). Utilizing a 2 × 2 be-tween-subjects experimental design (N = 256), the study evaluated custom-manufactured sportswear in which all textile properties (100% polyester interlock, 150 g/m2) were held constant except for the manipulated variables: color (red vs. gray) and fit. The ergonomic fit was developed using anthropometric data, contrasted with a stand-ard loose-fit pattern. Psychological wear comfort was assessed using validated instruments measuring intrinsic motivation (IMI), self-confidence (SSES), and mood (PANAS), administered pre- and post-activity. A two-way ANO-VA of change scores revealed that fabric color exerted a significant main effect on motivation (F (1, 252) = 18.31, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.067), whereas garment fit significantly influenced self-confidence (F(1, 252) = 21.58, p < 0.001). These findings provide empirical evidence that strategic manipulation of basic textile and apparel design parame-ters—specifically color selection and garment construction for fit—can directly enhance the psychological comfort and engagement of wearers. The research contributes to the field of functional textiles by quantifying the psycho-logical dimension of wear comfort and offers actionable insights for textile manufacturers and apparel designers.

Keywords
sportswear design, wear comfort, garment fit, fabric color, apparel engineering