College of Human Ecology Faculty Publications » Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design

Studio practices for shaping and heat-setting synthetic fabric

Webmaster — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:40:28 +0000

Heat-setting of synthetic fabrics is an industrial stabilization process that has been adapted by designers to create dimensional textures through shaped-resists and non-industrial heat-setting methods. The article overviews heat-setting properties, physical resist techniques, and presents an experiment to determine best practices for heat-setting physically resisted polyester fabric. Two polyester fabrics, organza and lining, were gathered and secured to a wooden dowel and heat-set under four heating conditions: steaming in a pressure cooker, boiling in a pot of water, dry heat in a conventional oven, and radiation waves in a microwave oven. Pre- and post-treatment lengths were analyzed using GLM for two-way ANOVA and post hoc tests. Based on results from the statistical analysis and visual evaluation, steaming in a pressure cooker is recommended for sheer fabrics such as organza and dry heat from a conventional oven for lining weight fabrics.

Exploring consumers’ perceptions of eco-conscious apparel acquisition behaviors

Nate — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:18:48 +0000

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to advance understanding of the socially responsible apparel consumer by exploring apparel consumption behaviors perceived by consumers to be eco-conscious.
Design/methodology/approach: This study used a qualitative approach to collect and analyze data from 26 American apparel consumers. Data collection for the study occurred through semi-structured interviews.
Findings: Results indicate that the participants engaged in a number of perceived eco-conscious apparel acquisition behaviors. First, they adhered to acquisition limits by acquiring apparel based on need and extending the lifetime of their apparel. Second, they acquired apparel made from fibers or having other attributes perceived as environmentally preferable. Finally, they acquired apparel through sources believed to be environmentally preferable, including second-hand sources, eco-conscious companies, independently owned companies, and home sewing.
Research limitations/implications: The sample of 26 American consumers means that the results cannot be widely generalized. Future research should examine the apparel acquisition behaviors of a larger sample and include consumers from outside the USA.
Practical implications: This study provides evidence that consumers engage in a range of eco-conscious apparel acquisition behaviors, and a market segment of eco-conscious apparel consumers exists. Apparel industry professionals can use this baseline information to aid in the development of eco-conscious apparel consumption strategies.
Originality/value: This study contributes to increased understanding of eco-conscious apparel consumption, an area with limited previous research, by identifying apparel acquisition behaviors that
consumers perceive to be eco-conscious. The findings are valuable in the promotion of eco-conscious apparel consumption.

The Significance of the Door in Nursing Homes: A Symbol of Control in the Domestic Sphere

Nate — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:30:46 +0000

This article explores how public/private contradictions can be enacted in the space of the nursing home through the use of architectural features that signal transition and passage, most specifically the door. To explore these relationships, two alternative forms of the institutionalized skilled care setting will be described. The first represents the state of the most common form of nursing home, the institution that has been patterned after a hospital; the second represents an emerging place type in long-term care called a “household,” patterned after the domestic home. The divergent spatial experiences of these settings will be expressed through the role of the door and the supporting transitional features that are architecturally determined and will compare and contrast the dramatic changes that can occur in the ideological communication of these domains. Their use, their language, and therefore their meaning within the spaces are suggested through the patterns of behavior they support.

Regulating “Culture Change” into long-term care

Nate — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:02:37 +0000

As an institutional type, nursing homes can be most closely linked to the hospitals created during the Industrial era of our nation’s history, and have adopted similar approaches to providing clinical care. While often physically and cognitively frail the needs of nursing home residents are more complex than simply needing medical treatment. These individuals often become permanent residents of these facilities and require a setting that recognizes them as individuals. As America ages, projections point to an increasing use of nursing homes in the next ten to twenty years. Therefore, nursing homes will become an increasingly important place-type in our country. Since 1997, groups increasingly called for more patient-centered approaches. In the field of long-term care, this is often referred to as “culture change.” The goal of culture change is to create a system of “interdependency” that enhances the quality of life for residents as well as the quality of the work environment for staff. This approach focuses on the capacity of residents and their abilities to participate fully in the lives and the decision about their daily routines and care. This type of care requires rethinking the way that residents interact with care professionals as well as the built environment. Finding a fit between these new approaches and existing regulatory requirements is daunting. Nursing homes derive a majority of their resources from federal dollars, and eligibility is contingent upon meeting federal regulatory policies. The existing regulatory statutes may be too clinically focused to provide for the necessary flexibility that is required in a person-centered care approach. Some argue that “negative attributes of nursing home culture are reinforced by governmental regulation and payment mechanisms, as part of a mutually-reinforcing and mutually-symbiotic relationship between government and the nursing home industry (Vladeck, 2003, p. 3).” This paper will focus on understanding of the existing regulatory framework and the implications and contradictions of the new interpretive guidelines that are intended to advance the quality of life in long-term care settings. It will conclude with recommended actions to increase the efforts to ensure that long-term care regulations make quality of life a top priority.

Women’s Responses to Fashion Media Images: A Study of Female Consumers Aged 30-59

Nate — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:20:46 +0000

The purpose of this study was to examine whether female consumers ranging in age from 30 to 59 prefer fashion advertising models more closely resembling their age. The sample for this study consisted of 182 women. Stimuli included full-colored photographs of current fashion models. A questionnaire designed to explore participants’ responses to the stimuli included scales measuring participants’ beliefs about the stimulus models’ appearances and attractiveness, participants’ purchase intentions and perceived similarity with the models and participants’ perceived fashionability of the model’s clothing. Participants rated models appearing older in age significantly higher than younger models on the characteristics related to appearance and attractiveness. Advertisements with older models also had a significant positive relationship to participants’ purchase intentions as compared to younger-age models. Participants who perceived more similarity to the models were found to have more positive beliefs about the model’s appearance and attractiveness and the fashionability of the model’s clothing. Perceived similarity also had a significant positive relationship to participants’ purchase intentions. As a result of this study, findings suggest that marketers and retailers should consider the age of the model used in their promotional materials. Specifically, it is possible that female consumers either transitioning into, or currently in, the middle adulthood life stages may have a preference for fashion models more closely resembling their age group.

Design Factors and Energy Cost of Restaurant Operations in a North-Central Region of the USA

Nate — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:22:07 +0000

According to the sustainable passive solar design theory, design factors including building orientation, size of window, and location of window are related to energy consumption. Based on this theory, design factors such as a proportion of windows, orientation of window, and building orientations were empirically tested in their relationship to energy cost of a restaurant. LEED® for Commercial Interiors indicated that this approach not only made a positive impact on public health and the environment, it also reduced operating costs and enhanced building and organizational marketability. The purpose of this study was to identify design factors that are related to energy consumption using actual operation’s data of family restaurants in a north-central region. Restaurants located in the north-central region in the U.S spent larger proportion of their operating expenses on energy. Family style restaurants were selected because they have similar kitchen equipment and seating allowance. Construction document was acquired to gather size of operations and other design factors. Scatter plots and correlation analysis were used to examine relationships between design factors and energy consumption in each restaurant. Among the five family style restaurant operations in a north-central region that participated in this study, the size varied from 2810 square feet to 9138 square feet. Energy cost per cubic foot was then calculated using adjusted energy cost and total cubic footage of each restaurant. The building orientation did not show close relationship with energy consumption of restaurants. However, the proportion of south window indicated a negative relationship to the energy consumption. The findings of this study were based on 5 restaurants and thus there is a need for another study with bigger sample size to verify these findings. In addition, similar studies in different climate regions will be beneficial in testing the passive solar design theory in restaurant operations.

Measuring customer-based brand equity: Empirical evidence from the sportswear market in China

Nate — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:13:09 +0000

Purpose: This study seeks to examine the practicality and applications of a customer-based brand equity model in the Chinese sportswear market.
Design/methodology/approach: Based on Aakerâ€™s well-known conceptual framework of brand equity, this study employed structural equation modeling to investigate the causal relationships among the four dimensions of brand equity and overall brand equity in the sportswear industry. The present study used a sample of 304 actual consumers from Chinaâ€™s two largest cities, Beijing and Shanghai.
Findings: The findings conclude that brand association and brand loyalty are influential dimensions of brand equity. Weak support was found for the perceived quality and brand awareness dimensions.
Research limitations/implications: Future research needs to be done if the results are to be expanded into other regional Chinese markets in light of the significant gaps between different regions. Further research also could strengthen this analysis by adding performance measurement into the model.
Practical implications: The paper shows that sportswear brand managers and marketing planners should consider the relative importance of brand equity in their overall brand equity evaluation, and should concentrate their efforts primarily on building brand loyalty and image.
Originality/value: This study contributes to the scant literature testing the applicability of consumer-based brand equity in the sportswear industry. Since China is the worldâ€™s fastest-growing market for sportswear products, this study also provides important insights about the understanding of Chinese consumersâ€™ perceptions of overall brand equity and its dimensions.

Creating brand equity in the Chinese clothing market

Nate — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:07:51 +0000

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the effectiveness of eight selected marketing activities in creating brand equity in the Chinese clothing market. Design/methodology/approach â€“ A shopping centre intercept survey is conducted to collect data in the two largest Chinese cities, Beijing and Shanghai. The empirical tests, using a structural equation model (SEM), support the research hypotheses.
Findings: The results indicate the positive effects of store image, celebrity endorsement, event sponsorship, web advertising, and non-price promotions on brand equity in China as well as the detrimental impact of frequent price promotions.
Research limitations/implications: The study is limited to consumers in Beijing and Shanghai.
Practical implications: The findings answer the following questions: how do foreign clothing brand suppliers develop effective brand strategies for the China market? Should marketing activities designed to build brand equity be modified to accommodate different attitudes or behaviors in China?
Originality/value: Few studies have investigated how to build brand equity in China. A structural model was used to examine the relationship between eight widely used marketing activities and the dimensions of brand equity for imported clothing brands in China. The study also examines the directional relationships between brand equity dimensions.

Fabric of India Life: The 2006-2007 Fulbright Experience

Nate — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:04:52 +0000

Hawley, J.M. (2009, July). Fabric of India Life: The 2006-2007 Fulbright Experience. Fiber: Online Journal of the International Fashion and Apparel Industry. Retrieved September 11, 2009 from http://www.udel.edu/fiber/issue4/threads/.

The Exploitation of Pregnant Workers in Apparel Production

Nate — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:10:37 +0000

Purpose: The purpose of this commentary is to examine the prevalence in which pregnant women are exploited in the production of apparel goods.
Methodology/approach: The labor laws of four countries, including China, Mexico, Nicaragua and the Philippines, are assessed and discussed in relation to cases of documented abuse occurring against pregnant women working in the garment industry in these four countries.
Findings: An analysis and consensus of the literature reveals that although all four countries have established labor laws to protect workers, pregnant women continually face abuse and discrimination in the garment industry. Many forms of exploitation occur, including forced abortions, unpaid and/or required overtime, lack of adequate benefits, unfair hiring and promotion practices, and forced job assignments requiring intense physical labor which proves detrimental to the health and well-being of the worker and unborn child.
Originality/value: Labor abuses in the production of apparel goods are oftentimes widely espoused as a result of media campaigns executed by human rights and labor organizations. The focus of such movements, however, is often on the disregard for child labor laws, workers’ rights to join unions, and minimum wage violations. Less focus has centered on the treatment of pregnant women in the production of apparel goods. In an attempt to educate consumers, industry and academic professionals, this paper addresses the issue of discriminatory abuses occurring against pregnant women in the garment industry.