Charles Freeman
Professor, Department Chair of Fashion Merchandising & Director of Research and Creative Scholarship Initiatives
- Fort Worth TX UNITED STATES
Dr. Freeman is an expert on athlete equipment, advanced textiles, wearable sensors, and the commercialization of university research.
Media
Social
Biography
At TCU, Freeman serves as professor and chair of Fashion Merchandising and as director of Research and Creative Activities in the College of Fine Arts. He is leading the development of TCU’s Athlete Equipment and Materials Design Lab, an interdisciplinary research and testing platform focused on the development, evaluation and commercialization of next-generation equipment and material systems. The lab connects textile science, product development, biomechanics, design and industry expertise to address real-world challenges in athlete protection, thermal management, equipment durability and wearable sensing.
Freeman has contributed to 48 peer-reviewed publications and over 40 funded projects totaling more than $4.8 million in research support. His research includes smart textile sensors for monitoring foot and ankle movement, wearable systems for biomechanical assessment, textile-based PPE, wearable photovoltaic materials, bio-based polymers and apparel systems for athletes and occupational users.
Freeman has helped move university research from laboratory concepts to protected intellectual property and market-ready technologies. As co-founder of an NSF-supported university research spinout, he negotiated university licensing and equity agreements, completed an entrepreneurial accelerator and secured private investment. He previously directed a university research commercialization network that trained faculty researchers, supported interdisciplinary venture development and connected research teams with investors and corporate partners.
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Education
Louisiana State University
Ph.D.
Apparel Design
2012
Florida State University
M.S.
Apparel Design
2005
Florida State University
B.S.
Textile and Consumer Sciences
2005
Affiliations
- Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
- National Retail Federation
- American Collegiate Retailing Association
- International Textile and Apparel Association
- Pop Culture/American Culture Association
Languages
- English
Media Appearances
Beyond ‘Landman’: TCU students co-star in Taylor Sheridan’s expansion of Four Sixes marketing
Fort Worth Report online
2026-05-10
“It didn’t really capture the essence of what it felt like to be on the ranch, to be in the big house, as they call it,” said Charles Freeman, chair of TCU’s department of fashion merchandising. “It didn’t convey the heritage of Texas. They wanted to change that.”
TCU Launches New Training and Development Program with Advanced Functional Fabrics of America
The Business Press online
2026-04-28
“Over the past year, our work with AFFOA, the development of the TACTIC initiative, and our internal investments in textile testing and soft-goods engineering have put TCU on the national radar,” said Charles Freeman, professor, department chair, and associate dean of research in TCU’s College of Fine Arts. “TACTIC and our work with AFFOA help position TCU as a leader in training the next generation of soft-good engineers and scientists for the industry.”
New TCU Certificate, Research Partnership Focus on Textiles, Soft-Goods Engineering
TCU News online
2026-04-27
Under the leadership of Freeman and Amy Hardison Tully, Teresa Ann Carter King Dean of the College of Fine Arts, and through partnership with AFFOA, TCU has launched the Texas Advanced Certificate in Textiles for Innovation and Composites (TACTIC) with AFFOA.
TCU Students Reimagine Four Sixes Ranch Retail Experience Ahead of NCHA Celebrity Cutting Event
The Business Press online
2026-04-10
“This is the kind of real-world experience that changes how students see their work,” said Charles Freeman, chair of fashion merchandising and director of research and creative scholarship initiatives in the College of Fine Arts. “They weren’t just designing something to present in a classroom. They were building something that would be used in the marketplace — where every decision, from how a customer moves through the space to how product is presented, has a real impact.”
TCU ‘Now Written into the History of the Four Sixes Ranch’
TCU News online
2026-04-09
Freeman, who traveled to the Sheridans’ Bosque Ranch in Weatherford during the project’s early listening phase, sees the collaboration as something larger than a single project cycle. The booth, he noted, is one component of a wider effort to grow the Four Sixes’ digital presence while keeping its historic retail hub in Guthrie, Texas, which has served the surrounding area for more than a century, at the center of its identity.
TCU Students Known for Spacesuit Stitch Continue Collaboration
Fort Worth Magazine online
2025-11-10
Dr. Charles Freeman, who advised the project at the program level, said the work symbolizes a new kind of research culture at TCU. “Innovation doesn’t have to come from a seasoned professor in a lab,” he said. “These undergraduates are producing ideas that could change the future of aerospace materials. They’ve laid a foundation that others will build on.”
Students turn to clothing rentals for style and savings
TCU 360 online
2025-10-15
“We’re seeing more ‘test-and-try’ behavior, where people experiment with trends or silhouettes before deciding what to buy new or secondhand,” Charles Freeman, chair of the Department of Fashion Merchandising, said. “This encourages smarter purchasing and more intentional wardrobes.”
TCU Student Uncovers Fashion’s Hidden Costs—And Designs for the Moon
Dallas Innovates online
2025-09-26
Under the guidance of fashion merchandising chair Charles Freeman and instructor Leslie Browning-Samoni, Lovett examined how synthetic fibers contribute to the spread of microplastics, nanoplastics, and microplastic fibers.
Undergraduate Research Explores Hidden Costs of Fashion
TCU News online
2025-08-25
Lovett’s research, guided by faculty mentors and corresponding authors Charles Freeman, chair of fashion merchandising, and Leslie Browning-Samoni, instructor II, evolved into a comprehensive review of how synthetic fibers contribute to the spread of microplastics, nanoplastics and microplastic fibers throughout ecosystems — even within the human body.
Patents
“Mobile Markerless Motion Capture for Movement Data Collection in all Environments”
Utility U.S. Patent Application # 18/793,604
Thompson, M., Burch, R., Ball, J., Luczak, T., Freeman, C., Saucier, D., & Chander, H.
“Wearable Sensor Motion Capture System”
Utility U.S. Patent #11,672,480
Burch, R., Luczak, T. Ball, J., Saucier, D., Chander, H., & Freeman, C.
“Face Filtration Mount for Automated Filter Tester”
Non-provisional U.S. Patent #29/801984
Freeman, C.; Burch, R.; and Casey, L.
"Thermoplastic Polymer and Method of Forming the Same."
Utility U.S. Patent Application #1289590
Wijayapala, R., Kundu, S., Freeman, C. E., & Elmore, B. B.
Articles
Assessing Corrosion Effects on the Electrical Performance of Wearable Photovoltaic Cells: A Comparative Study of Current Consistency and Resistance
Materials, 18(2), 267Talukder, A., Freeman, C., Kobia, C., & Burch, R. F.
2025-01-09
This research examines the effects of corrosion on photovoltaic components integrated into wearable systems. The findings contribute to the development of more durable wearable energy technologies for outdoor, occupational, military and extreme-environment applications.
The Applicability of Existing Acceptance Models for Enterprise Organizational Technology Acceptance of Wearables
International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 92, 103381Strawderman, L., Jose, B., Burch, R. F., Warren, S., Taylor, C., Ball, J., Freeman, F., & Chander, H.
2022-11-01
This research examines the organizational factors that influence the acceptance and implementation of wearable technologies. It provides insight into why technically successful products may fail when usability, workflow, trust, training and institutional adoption are not considered.
Wearables for Biomechanical Performance Optimization and Risk Assessment in Industrial and Sports Applications
Bioengineering, 9(1), 33McDevitt, S., Hernandez, H., Hicks, J., Lowell, R., Burch, R., Ball, J., Chander, H., Freeman, C., Taylor, C., Anderson, B.
2022-01-13
This research reviews and evaluates wearable technologies used to measure movement, support biomechanical analysis, optimize physical performance and identify injury risks in sport and industrial environments. It establishes an interdisciplinary framework connecting wearable sensing, human movement, equipment design and occupational safety.
Personal Flotation Devices and Occupational Hazards/Risk by Commercial Fishers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Handbook on Textile-based Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Freeman, C., Strawderman, L., Jose, B., Talukder, A., Drymon, M., Chander, H.
2026-05-20
This work examines personal flotation devices within the broader context of occupational risk faced by commercial fishers. It considers the relationship among protective equipment, work practices, environmental hazards and end-user adoption in a high-risk maritime setting.
Being part of a winning team: a problem-based approach to teach sustainability adoption in collegiate athletic uniforms
International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education2022
Sustainability adoption in the collegiate athletic uniform market, while gaining popularity, remains a significant concern. The purpose of this project was to engage students in a problem-based learning assignment focused on sourcing collegiate athletic uniforms and training gear from 100% sustainable or regional (within 100 miles) sources. Student teams selected a sport and met with coaches, equipment managers, and players to design and develop uniforms and training apparel to be sourced from Oeko-Tex certified manufacturers or regional producers. Post-production interviews were conducted with teams to evaluate their understanding of sustainability and its impact on sourcing decisions. Overall, student teams reported the difficulty with sustainably sourcing materials, which provides the industry an opportunity to ease this process. In doing so, future product developers will choose to source sustainably.
Meeting athleisure end-user needs through problem-based learning
International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education2021
Today, athleisure is one of the key trends in the fashion industry combining both casual style with health enthusiastic appeal creating a billion-dollar industry. Athleisure is the combining of activewear into women’s daily lives and their participation in physical activities. The problem-based learning (PBL) projects focused on athleisure apparel for various types of target market segmentations: 1) student selected customer target segmentation, 2) individual end-user, or 3) end-users of a specific company. Target market groups provided three unique PBL projects designed to improve students understanding of female athleisure consumer needs. Professional experts guided the students in the functional, expressive, and aesthetic considerations of athleisure apparel as defined in the FEA Consumer Needs Model (Lamb & Kallal
Pre-purchase and post-purchase apparel satisfaction of female skiers and snowboarders
International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education2016
The Functional, Expressive, and Aesthetic (FEA) Consumer Needs model framed an investigation of pre-purchase and post-purchase satisfaction of ski and snowboarding apparel attributes at three levels of commitment. As women’s activities in sports, including skiing and snowboarding, continue to grow, it is necessary to investigate their apparel in order to meet consumers’ needs. A final sample consisted of 117 women, from three ski and snowboarding resorts in the northwestern US. Pre-purchase and post-purchase satisfaction of ski and snowboarding apparel was assessed using FEA attributes. Respondents were more satisfied with functional attributes, than expressive or aesthetic attributes. Results indicate no significant difference in pre-purchase satisfaction by the level of commitment, whereas there was a significant difference in post-purchase satisfaction by the level of commitment. There was also a significant difference between pre-purchase and post-purchase satisfaction, with skiers and snowboarders less satisfied with the apparel purchased.
Conceptual model and strategies for creative thinking in apparel design
International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education2015
Most educators would agree that the development of creativity is a crucial part of an apparel design curriculum and an essential component in the success of students. Models provide a conceptual basis for creative thinking; therefore, further investigation of models from other disciplines provides new insight. In addition to models, students entering today's highly competitive apparel industry need divergent thinking strategies that can effectively assist in enhancing their creative output. This article presents a Conceptual Model of Creative Thinking in Apparel Design and creative thinking strategies to serve as a practical means for recognising, encouraging, and developing creative thinking abilities in apparel design students by increasing the applicability of theory in educational practices.