Clothing and Textiles Research Journal

This study compared three samples offemale consumers (textiles and clothing [TC] and non-TC students and older non-student consumers) on four impulse buying dimensions and planned buying, other shopping behaviors, and demographic characteristics. The study also identified possible predictor variables of impulse buying. Non-student consumers were most likely to be planned buyers while students were most likely to be impulse buyers. Comparisons of the three groups of consumers on other shopping behaviors and demographic variables further supported the proposition that these groups made up different market segments. The TC students may represent young consumers especially interested in apparel. Multiple regression analyses revealed that impulse buying behavior could be predicted from other shopping behaviors and demographic variables, especially for the student groups. The findings provide a conceptual and empirical analysis of impulse buying and identify how specific variables are related to each of four dimensions of impulse buying.

The job structure of apparel patternmakers in North Carolina manufacturing units producing women’s and children’s apparel in 1989 was examined Sixty companies met the eligibility requirement of employing their own patternmakers. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by patternmakers and managers during visits to the companies by the researcher. The response rate of 83 % represented 50 companies employing 79 female and 40 male patternmakers. The independent variables were fashion change frequency and organizational strategy. The dependent job structure variables were task differentiation, skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. Results indicate that companies with high fashion change frequency and analyzer strategy require patternmakers with strong patternmaking skills. Companies with low fashion change frequency and defender strategy require patternmakers with diverse pre-production manufacturing skills and minimal patternmaking skills. Implications for pattermnaker education and for future research are discussed

To test the hypothesis that an inappropriately dressed interviewee would receive more extreme and more confident trait ratings than an appropriately dressed interviewee, subjects viewed a videotape of a student being interviewed for a summer job. For one interview, the student wore a suit; for the other interview, the same student wore overalls. For half of the subjects, the interview was described as one for an orientation adviser. For the other half, the interview was described as one for a groundskeeper. In a 2 x 2 design (job interview by clothing), there were two appropriate cells (orientation adviser: suit and groundskeeper: overalls) and two inappropriate cells (orientation adviser: overalls and groundskeeper: suit). After viewing the videotape subjects rated the interviewee on 18 personality traits and indicated their confidence in each rating. Subjects did not differentiate between the appropriately and inappropriately dressed interviewee with regard to extremity of trait ratings. However, subjects did find a reason for the inappropriate attire. The inappropriately dressed interviewee for the groundskeeper job (suit) was judged as having less choice in deciding what to wear. The inappropriately dressed interviewee for the orientation adviser job (overalls) was judged as less interested in being hired and with less confidence. When dressed in a suit (regardless of job interview), the interviewee received more positive ratings on several personality traits than when dressed in overalls.

The purpose of the study was to identify demographic and psychographic profiles of customers and non-customers of a retail specialty store. Objectives were to determine (1) the characteristics of the customers and (2) the combination of characteristics that could be used to discriminate customers from non-customers. A revised version of an instrument prepared by Walter K. Levy Associates was employed. Questionnaires were mailed to a randomly selected sample of 600 customers and 600 non-customers. Of the 760 questionnaires returned, 459 were usable—273 from customers and 186 from non-customers. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to analyze the data. A set of 24 variables described the characteristics of the customers and non-customers. One variable was concerned with shopper viewpoint, 13 with store image, 6 with shopper behavior, 1 with media preference and usage, and 3 with demographic characteristics. The discriminant function was highly accurate in predicting which respondents were customers and which were non-customers. In the pseudo-jackknifed classification procedure, the 24 variables successfully classified 85 percent of the 459 respondents.

The purpose of this study was to explore adopted facial and head hair styles of nineteenth century men in the far west from 1873 to 1899. A content analysis of historical photographs was completed. The sample of 571 politicians was selected because legislative photographs were documented. Primary and secondary sources were analyzed to investigate factors that may have influenced the hair styles, including the question of individual or group behavior. Findings were not consistent with the literature. Differences were discerned in facial and head hair styles among the decades. During the decade known for nonconformity greater variation was found, particularly among facial hair styles. Whereas personal independence appears to have influenced hair style choices somewhat, political independence did not.

Waterproof clothing was an important form of dress in the nineteenth century. The popularity and demand for waterproof garments increased toward the end of the nineteenth century due to improvements in apparel technology as well as an increase in consumption power. Until now, little research has been done to examine the design and function of these garments and the roles they played in the daily lives of people in the late nineteenth century. This research examined United States’ patents between 1880 and 1895 as well as catalogs and other materials from the period to better understand the designs, functions and uses of waterproof apparel. The patents were compared with products available in the catalogs to better understand which types of garment designs were necessary and practical for consumer use.

International trades have been a major force of societal change in human history. Korea was forced to embrace the industrialized world economy through Japan’s economic desire to find new marketplaces for its industrial products. From the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1876 and Japan’s annexation of Korea in 1910, Korean consumers enjoyed superior quality and relatively inexpensive machine-made cotton cloth imported from Japan, America, and Great Britain, while Korean leaders were concerned about losing the nation’s core values to foreign countries. In this research, the authors describe trade patterns of cotton cloth, the shifting trends of Japanese dominance in cotton textile trades in Korea, and the firsthand expressions of both positive and negative impacts of imported cotton cloth during the early Industrial Revolution era. Finally, the authors illuminate the conflicting and chaotic social environments of the transition period from old, dynastic Korea to modern, industrial Korea.

Women have sought and received advice on how to dress for as long as they have been putting clothing on their bodies. One area in which women have received advice on dressing for their body type is the use of line in dress as an illusion to change the way body shape and size is perceived. This study was undertaken to gain a better historical understanding of advice on dressing for different body types between 1914 and 1961. Advice books and textbooks written for women from 1914 to 1961 that included prescriptive information on how to dress for various body types were explored. This time period was selected as it coincides with critical years in the growth and maturity of the home economic movement in the United States. A content analysis of 15 historical texts revealed trends found within the themes of body ideal, line as illusion, and figure types.

The singer–songwriter–artist Joni Mitchell (née Anderson, born on November 7, 1943) is recognized in the worlds of music and fashion alike for her creative influences since the late 1960s. In this article, we share the findings from a critical discourse analysis of the lyrics and album art produced by Mitchell between 1968 and 1976. We consider how she represented a philosophy of “Both Sides Now” (i.e., both/and thinking) as she articulated—in words as well as visual art—three dynamic and unresolvable contradictions that provide new insights for fashion theory: (a) domesticity and worldliness, (b) bourgeois capitalism and bohemianism, and (c) beauty and destruction. In the process of articulating ambivalences and contradictions, Mitchell reveals how cultural power relations associated with gender, sexuality, age, and class (and their intersectionalities) intervene through textiles, clothing, and fashioned bodies.

In response to Ha-Brookshire and Hawley’s (2013) domain of clothing and textile-related (C&T) discipline through the sustainable global supply chain management perspective, we (a) reviewed the past research topics and contents and (b) assessed the gap between what has been done and what needs to be done, to offer new research opportunities within the global supply chain management perspective. Content analysis of 476 articles published by Clothing and Textile Research Journal from 1993 to 2012 shows that social/psychological aspects of clothing dominated research topics. In comparison, there has been a lack of research on product development, design, sourcing, and production related topics that may help improve consumers’ economic gains, society, and environments. Research addressing global issues and creative problem solving within the C&T global supply chain were rare. The gaps in research topics within the global supply chain have been identified and specific future research questions are presented.

The purpose of this study was twofold: to define the fashion marketing forum – a collection of publication outlets where fashion marketing scholars can effectively exchange ideas, learn from each other’s work, and maximize contribution to the field – and to analyze the contributions of individuals and institutions to the fashion marketing forum. For the first purpose, a select group of fashion marketing scholars was contacted in order to identify a list of 14 journals, which could define the fashion marketing forum. For the second purpose, the defined forum was reviewed from 2004 to 2014, utilizing established methodology. Specifically, a total of 992 fashion marketing articles were identified, reviewed, and coded for authorship and institutional affiliation, and then analyzed based on four different measures designed to control the various factors. The results of this study provide a current snapshot of publishing activity in the field of fashion marketing.

The goals of this research were two-fold: to create a bustled ball-gown for this century, and to drape the main part of the design from a single piece of fabric, without the use of seams or darts. My inspiration was also two-fold: the glorious color of the blue iridescent fabric, and the beautiful bustled ball-gowns of the 1880s. Except for the right, back bodice, the dress was draped from one uncut piece of fabric, an iridescent, blue polyester with turquoise, purple overtones. The bustle is made from a sheer, variegated, purple-blue-turquoise, permanently wrinkled fabric. The dress features a one-shoulder design with fitting tucks in the front bodice flowing from the upper right side seam to the left side seam below the waist. The bulk of the fabric was pleated into a yoke at the back below the waist, falling to a short train. The bustle was snapped on one side, covering the center back zipper. The finished garment was self-lined.

The purpose of this study was to develop a test that measures spatial skills relative to product development and apparel design. To provide some support for content validity, the test included components of spatial products, spatial storage, and spatial thought. As evidence of the type of spatial ability measured by the test, an established test that measures spatial relations (Differential Aptitude Test-Space Relations) (DATSR) was correlated with the newly developed test. To provide preliminary statistical data regarding the test, a between-subjects design study was conducted with clothing construction/patternmaking training (none, some) as the independent variable. Dependent variables were the Apparel Spatial Visualization Test (ASVT) and the DATSR. To evidence content validity of the test, scores on the ASVT should reflect improvement in spatial abilities as a function of training. Students with some training scored higher on the ASVT but did not differ in their scores on the DATSR compared to those with no training. This provides some evidence that the ASVT measures spatial skills specific to apparel design and product development. The ASVT and the DATSR were not significantly correlated.

We examine the role of external knowledge inflow in improving the product and process innovation of Korean exporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the textiles, apparel, and footwear industries. Building on the resource-based view (RBV), we investigate how five sources of knowledge inflow (suppliers, customers, competitors, universities, and government agencies) contribute to product and process innovation through absorptive capacity (AC) as a mechanism to explain the link between external knowledge inflow and innovation. Conducting a path analysis, we found that knowledge inflow from customers and government agencies had a positive effect on AC, subsequently enhancing product and process innovation. Additionally, knowledge inflow from universities and government agencies also affected process innovation and product innovation, respectively. We also demonstrated the mediating role of AC in the relationship between external knowledge inflow and innovation. Korean SMEs should thus invest in developing the knowledge sources of customers, universities, and government agencies to enhance AC and innovation.

Individuals who identify with punk subculture negotiate between aesthetic expression of their subcultural identity and the role they believe they are expected to play at work. Men and women, aged 26 – 45 years, in a wide range of professions were interviewed and asked questions related to their workplace dress. They were asked to bring to the interview a display of how they dress to express both their punk and workplace identities. Interviewees reported a balancing act of blending in and standing out, taking into consideration viewer interpretations and subsequent outcomes. Efforts to wear “appropriate” dress included accommodations such as modifying one’s punk appearance by conceding to dress codes and using perceived non-confrontational aesthetic choices with punk cues subtly coded to appear conventional. Dress features were selectively revealing or concealing punk symbols as interviewees strive to push the boundaries of workplace appropriateness for satisfying aesthetic self-expression.

With global recession and growing international competition among brands, cross-border acquisitions (CBAs) are increasing in the luxury industry. Since country-of-origin (COO) plays a large role in a luxury brand’s image, a CBA that changes the nationality of the company owning the luxury brand and modifies consumer COO knowledge can influence consumer brand perception. This study explores the influence of a luxury brand’s CBA on perceived brand value and the moderation effect of brand loyalty. In the case of a CBA by a company associated with a superior country image, only perceptions of low-loyalty consumers are affected positively by the CBA information. In the case of a CBA by a company associated with an inferior country image, only perceptions of high-loyalty consumers are affected negatively by the CBA information. The result of this study provides a deep understanding of how consumer brand perception is influenced by the changes of brand-country association.

The purpose of this white paper is to call for research on the intersection of dress, type 1 diabetes (T1D), and adolescent development. Management of T1D requires frequent blood glucose monitoring, and the individual is dependent on regular delivery of insulin through injections or an insulin pump. Much of the literature on T1D focuses on fostering healthy habits. The role of dress and identity is rarely addressed. The example of an adolescent teen with T1D is employed to demonstrate how equipment for blood glucose control fulfills the definition of dress. A review of literature reveals a body of knowledge on dress and identity, T1D and adolescent development, and T1D and identity. Interdisciplinary research on the intersection of these three factors is needed. At a point in life when most teens want to look unique but not too different from friends, managing the gear that maintains health and communicates diabetic identity must be better understood to support the patient.

A critical appraisal of 52 articles about fashion adoption groups published from 1989 to 2013 was presented in this article. Objectives were to evaluate use of theories/models, demographics, research methods, and terms denoting fashion adoption groups. Information was compiled and organized to present a broad, updated, and more complete view of fashion adoption. Gaps and shortcomings were uncovered that provided ideas for future research. Detection of a variety of both theoretical and operational terminology and definitions provided a rationale for reaching consensus about terminology and definitions. Assessment of methods used to determine thresholds to segment consumers highlighted a need for consistency in analysis and reporting.

Objectives of this study were to investigate research examining fashion adoption groups for (a) specific variables studied and major findings within broad categories of variables, (b) research propositions from which hypotheses can be derived, and (c) research trends over time. Fashion adoption groups differed in many ways that influence time of adoption. Sixteen propositions were detected that can be used as a structured framework for future research to derive hypotheses for empirical testing and to develop a theory/model focused specifically on fashion. A wealth of information about variables related to fashion adoption was compiled, organized, and presented to provide a more complete and updated view of fashion adoption. Gaps and shortcomings in research were uncovered that offered ideas for further research. Assessment of trends in research provided a sense of progress in the field regarding fashion adoption.

Phase change material (PCM) in firefighting garment enhances protection and comfort. Wearing a protective clothing containing PCM, while fighting the fire, is a direct risk to the wearer as most PCMs used are flammable. This article reports a solution by using aerogel. Thermal liner fabric was treated with PCM and/or aerogel and then their thermal properties were analyzed. It has been found that the mean ignition time of PCM-containing thermal liner is around 3.3 s in current case while this value significantly increased to 5.5 s when the combination of aerogel and PCM was used. Moreover, the weight of the liner fabric with aerogel decreased in comparison to PCM-containing liner. Aerogel also slowed down the spreading of flame in PCM-containing fabric. Aerogel–coated liner showed superior heat resistance and the combination of aerogel with PCM increased the thermal resistance of PCM-containing liner.

Educators and researchers alike have written extensively about the importance of integrating critical thinking experiences across the undergraduate curriculum. In the present paper we discuss critical thinking, explain the importance of critical thinking for apparel professionals involved in product development, and provide integrative structures and applications to help students think critically about aesthetics and textiles subject matter, both of which are central to the product development process. Specifically, we propose a model and adopt a taxonomy to help students understand (a) the important role played by consumer value in professional decisions, and (b) the range of benefits culminating in the value of a product, respectively. To better prepare students for a total customer integration approach to product development, we also propose connections between subject matter areas of textile science and aesthetics and provide example exercises where students integrate textile science and aesthetics subject matter. Graduates of textiles and clothing programs need to understand a total customer integration approach that entails providing the specific benefits or value in a product desired by the customer.

We aim to provide companies an insight into what to consider when communicating their corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices with their consumers. We developed a model, grounded in the hierarchy of effects theory, to determine whether the extent to which information perceived to be substantial delivers significant predictability of consumers’ cognitive beliefs, affect, and behavioral intentions toward an apparel brand when exposed to the brand’s CSR information. Through modeling with data collected from an online survey with 340 nationwide consumers, we demonstrated the significant direct effects of perceived CSR information substantiality on perceived quality of corporate responsibility and brand trustworthiness as well as its indirect effects on brand likability, purchase intention, and social media word-of-mouth intention. We offer managerial implications for firms to maximize the effects of their CSR efforts in drawing positive perceptions and behavioral outcomes among their consumers and therefore gain the momentum to continue such efforts.

The researchers documented the sustainability characteristics of a cotton apparel supply chain in South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted across the entire supply chain from cotton farmers to a retailer. McDonough and Braungart’s triple top line model was applied for identifying the three pillars of sustainability, that is, economy, equity, and ecology, and how these pillars influenced and impacted each other. Across the supply chain economic factors were the drivers for adoption of sustainable practices, and the ecology dimension was the weakest pillar. This suggested leveraging economic support within the supply chain would ultimately influence the sustainability of the supply chain as a whole. To develop a sustainable apparel supply chain in South Africa, it is recommended the economic challenges be identified and addressed to free up savings that can be invested in sustainable practices and to improve collaboration across the supply chain to add value to sustainable practices.

The Black Pride and Power Movements of the 1960s and 1970s changed the aesthetic of the larger African American community, promoting self-affirmation and reclaiming African pride. As individuals engaged in the movement, they began to internalize new meanings and understandings of themselves, leading to self-transformation and collective identity that promoted the specific political ideology and agenda of the group. In this research, the lived experiences of African American women who were emerging adults (ages 18–25) during the Civil Rights Movement from 1960 to 1974 were examined, through in-depth interviews, to understand their experiences with wearing natural hairstyles during this time. Seven participants highlighted how wearing natural hair was used in the three dimensions of collective identity formation: boundaries, consciousness, and negotiation. Participants’ counterhegemonic use of appearance constructed, created, and negotiated a collective identity that was aligned with demonstration for racial equality of African Americans.

This study examined the relationship between elderly females’ (55yrs of age and older) perceptions of aging and their dress/adornment/appearance responses. Elderly females’ statements on perceptions of aging are associated with statements on specific manipulations of appearance; however, study-group age and physical condition were shown to mediate the perception/response relationship.

This study is an empirical evaluation of the impact of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) on China’s textile and apparel (T&A) exports to the United States, with special focus on potential trade diversion effects of the agreement. On the basis of estimated export similarity index and trade elasticity of substitution values for T&A products of China and South Korea, trade diversion caused by the KORUS is predicted to most strongly affect China’s apparel exports (in HS Chapters 60-63). The KORUS may also affect China’s exports in other T&A categories (in HS Chapters 51, 52, 56, 57 and 59), but results suggest the effects will be limited. This study contributes to understanding the T&A-specific sectoral impacts of the KORUS and suggests a need to reconsider the competitiveness of China’s T&A exports in the era following elimination in 2005 of Multi-Fiber Arrangement quantitative trade restrictions.

The purpose of this study was to develop a biodegradable material that could be used as a leather alternative material for the footwear industry, leading to reduce the negative environmental impact. Using an experimental research design, the researchers developed a multilayered cellulosic material (MCM) by bonding nonwoven cellulosic fiber mat, denim fabric, and hemp fabric and examined its properties compared with those of two-layered leathers, consisting of calf and pigskins (multilayered calf and pigskin leather [MCPL]), often used in the footwear industry. We hypothesized these two materials would have similar properties. No significant mean differences were found between MCM and MCPL in total heat loss and break force. The values of air permeability, evaporative potential, and permeability index of MCM were higher than those of MCPL. The findings of this study confirm the effectiveness of MCM for use as a leather alternative material when developing sustainable shoes and provide insights to the footwear industry.

Two mordanting agents, aluminum potassium sulfate and aluminum acetate, in three concentrations (5%, 10%, and 20% owf) were evaluated for colorfastness to laundering and light of natural dye extracts (madder, weld, and coreopsis) on cotton print cloth. The type of aluminum mordant had a greater influence on colorfastness to laundering, whereas dye type had a greater influence on fastness to light. Aluminum acetate at 5% owf concentration gave slightly higher Gray Scale ratings for colorfastness to laundering of coreopsis and weld. All treatments had negligible to no staining on cotton. Weld had slightly better colorfastness to light ratings than the other dye types with 20% aluminum potassium sulfate rating highest. Even though the aluminum acetate mordant improved the colorfastness to laundering on weld and coreopsis at the 5% and 10% owf concentrations, it did not improve fastness to light and resulted in slightly lower fastness to light grades on coreopsis.

This research explored teenagers’ use of handcraft apparel in the United States and South Korea. Teenagers were selected for a cross national comparison of youth and their emotional attachment to handcraft apparel in terms of: use of handcraft items compared with purchased products; the relationship between the craft user and creator; and the influence of emotional attachment to handcrafts on the friendship and self-esteem of youths. Responses of US and Korean high school and middle school students acknowledged the value of handcrafts. Handcraft items offer a measure of sustainability not offered by clothing destined for the fast-fashion cycle. Items handcrafted by friends and family have considerable value as objects of everyone design as well as emotional value. In this study, we also conclude that the value of handcraft apparel and crafts in everyday creativity may have a positive influence on peer relationships and self-esteem among youth in the two countries. Comparing the two youth groups in this study, we found that US teenagers have a greater tendency to use handcrafted items compared with their Korean counterparts that may be attributed to the wider popularity of handcrafting in US society. US participants reported a significantly longer period of actual use of handcraft items. Although handcraft items are increasingly overlooked in favor of mass-produced fashion products, handcraft apparel can be expected to endure as an alternative product with recognized sustainability, given the perceived importance of handmade craft and apparel made by loved ones.

The purpose of this study is to critically examine the fashion illustration textbooks that are currently being used within the textile and apparel discipline. Using gendered stereotypes and intersectionality theory as a conceptual and theoretical framework, the following research questions guided our study: (a) Are women represented in diverse races, and how do racial hierarchies intersect with these representations? (b) How are women’s body sizes represented, and how does race intersect with these representations? (c) How are women’s bodies positioned, and how do gendered stereotypes and hierarchies of race intersect with these representations? We used the content analysis method and analyzed fashion illustration textbooks in several categories including gender, race, body size, body position, provocative, skin color, and hair type. We found very few women of color, a majority of thin bodies, and more light-skinned Black individuals than dark-skinned Black individuals.

In order to gauge the emerging needs for the plus-size footwear market, this study tested the following four hypotheses: 1) as BMI increases, foot morphology changes; 2) increased BMI influences consumers’ footwear selection criteria; 3) increased BMI negatively affects consumers’ footwear fit; and 4) increased BMI negatively affects consumers’ satisfaction with the current footwear market. One hundred and twenty-one female college students were recruited from a large 4-year U.S. university, and only Caucasian data (n=99) were used for statistical analysis. Prior to 3D scanning, a short questionnaire was administered to assess the participants’ footwear selection criteria and satisfaction with the current footwear offerings, as well as demographic information. Anthropometry of the participants’ feet was measured, using a 3D foot scanner (INFOOT® by I-ware). Results showed that BMI positively affected the increase of anthropometric measurements; as BMI increased, the participants indicated significantly higher scores on shoe length and insole cushion and a lower score on fashion trendiness in the perceived importance of footwear selection criteria; they tended to wear improperly fitting shoes to accommodate wider and thicker feet; and they were significantly less satisfied with the current market than those with a lower BMI. Strong relationships in all four hypotheses were evident, and findings of this study urged the footwear manufacturing industry to recognize the unfulfilled niche market for the growing population of plus-size consumers.

Grading is the process used to accomplish the sizing of manufactured clothing. The focus of our research was to question the belief that the foundation for grading is size measurements that are based on anthropometric data. Our review of literature established that grading preceded size charts. Forty size charts for women’s clothing were examined for correspondence with anthropometric research. Four structural assumptions that did not match anthropometric research were identified. Criteria were developed and applied to upper torso measurements. Only 17% of the measurements were found useful for grade rule formation. Grade rules were compared to size intervals from a concurrent sizing standard. Eleven of 38 grade rules corresponded to body measurements, and 6 did not match the related size interval. New measurements for grade rules were recommended.

The performance of the active sportswear is mostly related to wetting, wicking, and permeability properties of the fabrics. Antibacterial efficacy of the garments has an important place on the wearer performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of wicking and antibacterial finishing treatments on water-related comfort properties of seamless garments made from silver-modified polyamide and conventional polyamide fibers. The results showed that silver-modified polyamide fiber performed better at longitudinal wicking height and transfer wicking ratios. Application of antibacterial and wicking finishing treatments reduced the drying rate and water vapor permeability whereas transfer wicking and wicking height values increased. By Lycra incorporation, height of water wicked was much higher while transfer wicking, drying rate, and water vapor permeability were affected negatively. Finally, SWT fabric was found the best, while PWN performed the worst according to the hybrid AHP-TOPSIS method.

In this study, we have used a DC magnetron sputtering system for creating antibacterial and ultraviolet protective cotton fabrics. A silver anode and cathode were used, and samples were placed on the anode. The cathode particles were scattered by attacking active ions, radicals, and electrons. Time of exposure and gas pressure was changed parameters of plasma. Silver particles were deposited on the both sides of cotton samples, and the antibacterial property has been developed, through sputtering of silver particles on fabric surfaces. ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) analysis was carried out to investigate the silver ion content on cotton fabrics. The antibacterial properties of the fabrics were connected with the presence of Ag on their surface. The antibacterial efficiency was determined by bacterial counting test. After plasma treatment, the physical and chemical properties of the fabrics were examined by surface analysis methods and textile technology tests. Also treated cotton fabrics had an excellent UV-blocking property. UPF value of the silver sputtered cotton fabric reached to 264. According to the standard, the treated cotton fabric can claim to be a “UV Protective product”. The experimental work suggests that the change in properties induced by plasma can effect an improvement in certain textile products.

This exploratory research examines Sheth’s (1981) constructs of merchandise requirements and supplier accessibility factors and their effect on the maintained markup percentage earned for national and private apparel brands. The effect of merchandise requirements and supplier accessibility factors on the maintained markup percentage of national and private sportswear apparel brands was examined. A national survey of department store buyers indicated that type of merchandise affected the maintained markup percentage for both brands. Additional variables affected the maintained markup percentage for each brand, indicating that buyers may use different merchandising strategies for private and national brands. Findings from this study may assist retail buyers and suppliers in the development of merchandise strategies for national and private apparel brands.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to investigate a neural mechanism of apparel product attractiveness and (b) to compare consumers’ brain responses to apparel product attractiveness with their self-reported responses. Based on Davidson’s frontal asymmetry theory, the researchers explored whether hemispheric asymmetry actually exists when consumers view apparel products with different levels of attractiveness. A total of 34 right-handed college students participated in the electroencephalography experiment. Measurements were obtained by recording the electrical activity of the left and right frontal areas of the brain while subjects were viewing apparel products. Supporting Davidson’s theory, the researchers found that a statistically significant difference of frontal asymmetry exists between attractive and unattractive apparel products. The findings of this study suggest that the frontal asymmetry score can be an alternative way to measure consumers’ unconscious responses to apparel product attractiveness.

Eighty-seven members of the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) completed an electronic survey focused on the scholarly activities in which they are engaged that relate to social responsibility. A wide range of social responsibility topics was considered important to address in our teaching. Most important were topics related to labor practices in and trade with developing countries, consumerism, aspects of environmental protection, and body image. Responses to an open-ended question on defining socially responsible apparel/textile business revealed a three-dimensional concept incorporating an orientation encompassing the environment and its people, a philosophy balancing ethics/morality with profit, and an emphasis on the business actions and strategies resulting in positive outcomes for people and the environment. The social responsibility concept serves as a critical linkage among apparel and textile scholars across the various subdisciplines.

This study was designed to investigate computer technology use by Louisiana apparel manufacturers. The project stemmed from a growing supply of package software programs for apparel design and related apparel development/production functions intended for use with personal computers. Apparel manufacturers operating within the state were identified using a telephone survey to obtain information regarding current use of computer technology. Results indicated that, of the 43 companies identified, six of the firms operate under parent companies, while the remaining 37 are independently owned. Products made form a large array including sportswear, uniforms, dresses, and jeans in men’s, women’s, and children’s sizes. The small to mid-sized companies, individually owned and still accomplishing many of their design/production functions manually, cannot afford to invest millions of dollars in mainframe or minicomputer systems. These companies are primary targets for assistance with computer technology transfer. Higher education can assist such firms to become more responsive to merchandisers with quick response.

The purpose of this study was to gain a baseline understanding of the terms currently used to define apparel for people living with disability (PLWD) and to encourage discussion for satisfying the apparel needs and wants of PLWD. The objectives were to conduct a literature review of the terms—adaptive, functional, universal design, and inclusive design—to survey how these terms are used in the marketplace, and to compare their usage to that in the literature. The results of a content analysis showed that adaptive is the most popular term used in the marketplace, yet, according to the literature review, reflects a medical model of disability. The term functional reflects a utilitarian purpose in the literature, with minimal application for PLWD in the marketplace. The terms universal and inclusive design are rarely used to define apparel for PLWD in the marketplace despite the heavy focus in the literature.

Apparel and textile (AT) design scholarship can be classified in diverse ways. As a professional organization, International Textile and Apparel Association is in a unique position to lead in identifying what constitutes contributions to research in the field. Defining, presenting, and evaluating design production as scholarship is critical, especially as the broader design disciplines become more rigorous and academic institutions become more focused on evaluation metrics. Our purpose was to examine AT design scholarship through the lens of three critical components of research: shared knowledge, dissemination, and evaluation. These three components of research should be points of reference for AT design scholarship in moving forward to establish a unified vision of research that focuses on designed objects as valuable forms of scholarship. Additional work is necessary to identify core values that represent AT design knowledge, disseminate in formats that facilitate contributions to research, and measure the impact of design scholarship.

A major goal of most university programs is to encourage students to capitalize on the entire sequence of professional courses while becoming familiar with the tools necessary for communicating in the global arena. One such tool is the World Wide Web. Many apparel related companies have formed on-line sourcing networks that can be accessed through the World Wide Web to serve as a sourcing and advertising tool for domestic and international markets. Students in textiles and apparel had an opportunity to participate in a special topics course that allowed them to start with a design of an apparel product and implement their ideas by marketing it to international audiences via the Web. The students were highly motivated to put considerable time and energy into the design and implementation of the project. They experienced firsthand how employees must interact and communicate professionally, stay focused on the goals of the company, make decisions quickly, and keep current with technology if they are going to be competitive in this fast changing industry.

Although Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a crucial issue for the apparel industry, it was limitedly investigated whether consumers’ perceptions of CSR affect apparel companies’ brand equity in previous research. The purpose of this study was (a) to examine the impact of apparel companies’ CSR on brand equity compared to the impact of apparel product attributes; (b) to compare the relative impact of different CSR activities (i.e., human rights, labor, social, environmental, product responsibility, and economic) in enhancing brand equity; and (c) to discover the moderating effect of culture on the influence of CSR on apparel brands’ equity. In testing the cultural moderating effect, the authors selected the United States and South Korea as countries representing opposite sides of Hofstede’s cultural values. The results of analyzing 447 survey data revealed that both intrinsic and extrinsic apparel product attributes significantly enhance brand equity. Among the six types of CSR activities, only the CSR practices for product responsibility, economic, and environmental issues were found to enhance brand equity. There was no moderating effect of culture. However, additional analyses revealed that the U.S. consumers evaluated the apparel brands’ CSR practices higher than do the Korean consumers. Findings of this study suggest implications for apparel companies, such as the relative importance of the specific CSR dimensions and apparel product attributes on brand equity, and if such relative importance of CSR dimensions varies across cultures.

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to obtain information about training programs for expatriate employees in the U.S. textile and apparel industries. The research sample consisted of 34 U.S. textile and apparel manufacturers identified to have expatriate employees. Personnel managers or managers of overseas operations in 28 companies responded to the telephone survey (93% response rate). Language training was the most frequently used training program category. The training programs of most companies lasted less than six weeks, with the majority of programs taking place in the overseas location where the expatriate was to be placed. In general, managers viewed training as important for an expatriate. Language training and cultural assimilation were the two categories perceived by managers to be most important; however, in this study, perceived importance of specific categories did not show a significant relationship to the success of an overseas operation.

The three-fold purpose of this study is to document current challenges the apparel industry experiences in developing sustainable apparel, discover product development strategies for fulfilling sustainable business goals, and determine the principles guiding successful interaction between designers and the upstream supply chain. This study adopted a case study method to identify and communicate practical challenges and solutions of Eileen Fisher, a women’s apparel manufacturer. Data were collected from thirteen in-depth interviews conducted with members of the case company and its suppliers, with secondary data analysis from the case company’s website and archival records. The study identified five challenges the case company encountered with respect to maintaining product value, quality, and aesthetics, meeting needs of suppliers, and coping with higher material and labor costs. Five solutions were put into place supporting sustainability objectives, and which highlight the practice of innovation in design, optimizing timing and resources, gathering and diffusing information, relationship management, and making trade-offs for cost and value. Five principles, which guided the design team and its interaction with upstream suppliers, were identified and modeled. The implication for other apparel companies in overcoming challenges of sustainable product development is that it begins with a clear mission, strong company mandate, and like-minded supply partners. The authors believe that, in beginning to fill an area of limited research, examination of the connections between design process and the supply chain is imperative for advancing sustainable practices in the apparel and textile industry.

The hypothesis that a woman job applicant wearing appropriate colors for her personal coloring would be perceived as having greater employment potential than a woman dressed in inappropriate colors was tested. The purposive sample consisted of 120 corporate personnel recruiters. Respondents rated a fictitious job applicant on a Likert-scaled employment potential questionnaire. A 2 X 2 factorial design was used to assess the effects of color appropriateness and job sought on employment potential. Analyses of variance indicated no direct effects of color appropriateness on perceptions of competence, independence, creativity, leadership, or loyalty. Color appropriateness interacted with job to affect perceptions of creativity; however, managerial applicants dressed in appropriate colors were judged less creative than counterparts wearing inappropriate colors. Color appropriateness also interacted with both job sought and gender of respondent to affect perceived loyalty, with improved ratings accruing only to women seeking sales positions who were rated by females. It was suggested that benefits of color analysis may lie in the aesthetic domain rather than in the domain of economic organization.

This article examines the impact of the quota phase-out effect on apparel trade between the United States and China post-2005 quota eliminations. To achieve this goal, several critical variables associated with the U.S. import volume of apparel from China are identified and studied. These variables, including quota price, tariff rate, labor costs, and freight costs are analyzed to determine the extent to which they influence the import volumes. From the research results, the researchers postulate possible changes post-2005 in U.S. apparel imports from China and provide beneficial information to the U.S. retailing industry in terms of sourcing opportunity with China’s apparel industries, pending possible safeguards through 2008. Implications of past utilization rates and quota limits for U.S. retailers’ sourcing of Chinese apparel products are drawn. The research finds that quota prices and tariff rates most often significantly influence the trade pattern of the selected apparel groups and that quota removal boosts U.S. apparel imports from China.

Women, regardless of size, should have access to functional, fashionable, and affordable exercise apparel. Grounded in Lamb and Kallal’s Functional, Expressive, and Aesthetic Consumer Needs Model, we explored (a) women’s perceptions of plus-size exercise apparel and shopping experiences and (b) plus-size exercise apparel at online retailers. In Study 1, women reported their shopping behaviors, satisfaction, affect, and feedback for designer and retailers. In Study 2, availability, cost, and color variety of plus-size exercise T-shirts were documented at online retailers. Images of product models and sizing chart variations were examined. Women were generally dissatisfied with apparel-related functionality, fashionability, and cost. Plus-size exercise T-shirts at online retailers were limited in color variety and size availability and cost more than straight-size apparel. Unrealistic models and wide sizing variations appear problematic. Advocacy and action are needed to provide women with larger bodies’ equitable access to functional, expressive, aesthetic, and affordable exercise apparel.

Given the growing interest in online apparel mass customization (OAMC), retailers must understand how consumers perceive the risk of OAMC, which is distinct from general online shopping for apparel. However, no study has provided an empirical analysis of various dimensions of this risk. The present study proposes a multi-item scale developed through item generation, purification, and validation for measuring consumers’ perceived risk of OAMC and identifies eight dimensions of this perceived risk. The results have important theoretical and practical implications. Practitioners would be able to enhance their communication ability with their consumers and improve their online mass customization services by reducing certain risk dimensions.

This research used historically informed analysis as a framework to examine studio design practice. Discovery of a historical patent for a coat made from a single pattern piece led to an examination of United States coat and jacket patents to identify past patternmaking explorations that could inform current design practice, with a focus on those with one pattern piece. These patterns allowed large expanses of cloth for surface design, especially for creation of engineered digital prints on a single canvas, and opened up avenues for creative experimentation. The research objectives were to analyze the patterns for shape and accuracy of fit, to evaluate them as a beginning point to inform future patternmaking and design approaches, to engineer digital prints for prototypes, and to create aesthetically appealing designs that could be produced with minimal fabric waste. Digital copies of the patterns were created, tested and compared, with a focus on evaluation of critical fit points and the potential for further creative development. Prototype designs were generated from the patent patterns, with some faithful to the original patent and others moving away from the patentee’s intentions, although keeping the pattern shape. Digital prints were then created and engineered for the patterns. This investigation also reoriented traditional apparel design practice by placing pattern manipulation at the beginning of the design process, and made design development contingent upon research objectives. At the same time it confirmed that research through design is not linear, and that studio practice also informed the objectives.

This exploratory research examines Sheth’s (1981) constructs of merchandise requirements and supplier accessibility factors and their effect on the maintained markup percentage earned for national and private apparel brands. The effect of merchandise requirements and supplier accessibility factors on the maintained markup percentage of national and private sportswear apparel brands was examined. A national survey of department store buyers indicated that type of merchandise affected the maintained markup percentage for both brands. Additional variables affected the maintained markup percentage for each brand, indicating that buyers may use different merchandising strategies for private and national brands. Findings from this study may assist retail buyers and suppliers in the development of merchandise strategies for national and private apparel brands.