Journal Article

Unveiling aesthetic preferences: a Kansai engineering approach to rapport formats in home textiles

NIHAN, UZUNER, ÖZGÜR, CEYLAN

2025

Overview

Rapport formats, a fundamental element of textile design, significantly influence the aesthetic appeal of patterned fabrics. Despite their importance in shaping visual perception, limited research has systematically investigated the impact of different rapport formats on user preferences. This study addresses this gap by exploring the aesthetic preferences for various rapport formats applied to floral and geometric patterns in home textiles, employing a Kansei Engineering approach to understand and quantify user perceptions. The research investigates the impact of five commonly used rapport formats -straight, half-drop, diagonal half-drop, mirror, and turned- on both floral and geometric patterns. A survey of 115 participants, comprising textile industry professionals and design academics, was conducted to evaluate the designs. Participants rated the patterns on a semantic differential scale, assessing their emotional and aesthetic responses. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were employed to analyse the collected data, revealing patterns and relationships between rapport formats and perceived aesthetic qualities. The findings indicate that straight and mirror rapports consistently emerged as the most preferred formats across both floral and geometric designs. This preference stemmed from their visual balance, simplicity, and modern appeal, suggesting a desire for order and clarity in textile patterns. In contrast, more complex rapports, such as turned and diagonal half-drop, while perceived as visually intriguing, lacked the same level of order and clarity favoured by participants. These findings provide textile designers with evidence-based guidance for selecting rapport formats that enhance the aesthetic appeal and user acceptance of their designs, ultimately contributing to more user-centred and appealing textile products.

• Publisher: The National Research & Development Institute for Textiles and Leather - INCDTP
• Subject: Aesthetics / Designers / Engineering / Factor analysis / Perceptions / Professionals / Semantics / Textile design / Textiles / Visual perception