PhD Studentship - Developing an Engineering Framework for Inclusive and Adaptive Apparel Design

Research theme: Textiles and Apparel

How to apply: uom.link/pgr-apply-2425

UK students

This 3.5-year PhD studentship is open to Home (UK) applicants and EU students with settled status. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26; subject to annual uplift), and tuition fees will be paid.

The global apparel industry continues to overlook individuals whose bodies do not conform to conventional sizing or design standards, resulting in the exclusion of many disabled or medically restricted wearers from well-fitting and fashionable clothing. While inclusivity has become a recurring theme in fashion discourse, there remains a critical gap in both academic research and industrial application when it comes to designing, engineering, and manufacturing adaptive clothing at scale.

This PhD project seeks to address that gap by developing an engineering-led framework for adaptive and inclusive apparel design. Bringing together design process thinking (e.g., inclusive design, human-centred design), engineering concepts (e.g., human factors, ergonomics, design engineer-ing), and technologies (e.g., 3D scanning, digital manufacturing), this research will explore how apparel systems can better accommodate diverse physical abilities, body shapes, and movement profiles without compromising comfort, aesthetics, or wearer identity.

The project aims to create a scalable, data-driven framework for adaptive apparel innovation through the integration of emerging digital technologies and engineering methodologies. It will:

• Investigate how 3D body scanning and emerging technologies can support the creation of garments tailored to diverse physical needs.
• Apply human-centred and experimental engineering approaches to evaluate adaptive garment performance in terms of comfort, usability, and psychosocial impact.
• Develop and validate a digital design and manufacturing toolbox that guides designers and engineers in producing inclusive, adaptive clothing efficiently and sustainably.

The research adopts a mixed methods approach incorporating an experimental product engineering approach and user-centred qualitative inquiry. The expected outcome of this research is a validated design engineering framework or digital toolbox for the design and manufacture of adaptive, inclusive clothing for a specific target demographic. It bridges the gap between fashion, technology, and accessibility, providing novel insights for academics and industry, and directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Applicants should hold (or expect to obtain) a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent) in Clothing Technology, Textile Technology, Product Design, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related discipline. A Master’s degree is desirable but not essential.

The ideal candidate will:

• Demonstrate a strong interest in Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and interdisciplinary research.
• Have some familiarity with garment or textile construction, digital design (e.g., CAD, CLO3D, Rhino, or similar), and user-centred design approaches.
• Be motivated to engage directly with disabled participants and potential industry collaborators.

The candidate will work closely with the Apparel Design Engineering research group and explore industry and external collaborations as part of the PhD.

To apply, please contact the main supervisor, Dr Kristina Brubacher - kristina.brubacher@manchester.ac.uk. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation.

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