The influence of garment quality evaluation on fashion innovation of dressmakers in Ghana
Abstract
Purpose
The innovativeness of dressmakers is a concern to respondents to satisfy their clothing needs. The purpose of this study is to determine the criteria that respondents use to judge the quality of clothing and its influences on the innovative ability of dressmakers in the clothing manufacturing industries.
Design/methodology/approach
Three hundred and ninety-seven (397) respondents in the Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana filled out a questionnaire, and the results were used to compile data for the study. The sample size was calculated using Miller and Brewer formula. The data was analysed using structural equational modelling with the SmartPLS v.4 software.
Findings
The results showed that respondents are very interested in the calibre of clothing produced by their dressmakers. However, the study revealed that when evaluating the quality of a garment, respondents do not simply accept what has been sewn for them but also consider the performance, appearance, fit and shape of the garment. Findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between garment appearance quality (t = 2.605; p < 0.05), garment performance quality (t = 3.915; p < 0.05), garment shape quality (t = 6.248; p <0.05) and fashion innovations. Subsequently, the evaluation of garment fit quality by respondents revealed it does not bring about innovations (t = 1.310; p > 0.05).
Practical implications
The continuous evaluation of custom-made clothing from customers will go a long way towards highlighting the relative criteria they use to evaluate the innovation of dressmakers. This will help improve the creativity of the dressmakers since such feedback will help them understand and innovate their production skills to meet the preferences of customers.
Originality/value
The present study provides an in-depth understanding of how garment quality evaluation by customers influences the innovation of dressmakers in Takoradi, Ghana. The constructs were developed for the study to capture the appropriate data from customers for the study. This presents an evaluation criterion on four garment quality variables imperative for use or modification by other studies.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Authors would like to thank all the anonymous respondents who participated in the study.
Funding statement: There is no funding for this study.
Conflict of interest: The authors declared no financial or any conflict of interest in this study.
Data availability statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Ethics approval statement: Respondents were informed about the purpose of the study; hence, their consent was taken before they proceeded to answer the online questionnaire on their electronic devices. In addition, the Ethics committee at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology approach the set of questions before data collection started.
Citation
Benyah, E., Acquaye, R. and Seidu, R.K. (2024), "The influence of garment quality evaluation on fashion innovation of dressmakers in Ghana", Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/RJTA-09-2023-0101
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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