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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 5 November 2019

Zhenbin Jiang, Juan Guo and Xinyu Zhang

A common pipeline of apparel design and simulation is adjusting 2D apparel patterns, putting them onto a virtual human model and performing 3D physically based simulation…

Abstract

Purpose

A common pipeline of apparel design and simulation is adjusting 2D apparel patterns, putting them onto a virtual human model and performing 3D physically based simulation. However, manually adjusting 2D apparel patterns and performing simulations require repetitive adjustments and trials in order to achieve satisfactory results. To support future made-to-fit apparel design and manufacturing, efficient tools for fast custom design purposes are desired. The purpose of this paper is to propose a method to automatically adjust 2D apparel patterns and rapidly generate acustom apparel style for a given human model.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors first pre-define a set of constraints using feature points, feature lines and ease allowance for existing apparels and human models. The authors formulate the apparel fitting to a human model, as a process of optimization using these predefined constraints. Then, the authors iteratively solve the problem by minimizing the total fitting metric.

Findings

The authors observed that through reusing existing apparel styles, the process of designing apparels can be greatly simplified. The authors used a new fitting function to measure the geometric fitting of corresponding feature points/lines between apparels and a human model. Then, the optimized 2D patterns are automatically obtained by minimizing the matching function. The authors’ experiments show that the authors’ approach can increase the reusability of existing apparel styles and improve apparel design efficiency.

Research limitations/implications

There are some limitations. First, in order to achieve interactive performance, the authors’ current 3D simulation does not detect collision within or between adjacent apparel surfaces. Second, the authors’ did not consider multiple layer apparels. It is non-trivial to define ease allowance between multiple layers.

Originality/value

The authors use a set of constraints such as ease allowance, feature points, feature lines, etc. for existing apparels and human models. The authors define a few new fitting functions using these pre-specified constraints. During physics-driven simulation, the authors iteratively minimize these fitting functions.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 32 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 July 2013

Shubhapriya Bennur and Byoungho Jin

Apparel product attributes on which consumers place importance may change as a country's economy progresses. Built on Kano's theory, this paper seeks to categorize important…

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Abstract

Purpose

Apparel product attributes on which consumers place importance may change as a country's economy progresses. Built on Kano's theory, this paper seeks to categorize important apparel attributes in USA (developed country) and India (developing country) and compares the results to predict the pattern of change.

Design/methodology/approach

The research involved questionnaire surveys from a sample of 670 college students in two countries: the USA (335) and India (335). Data was collected from a Midwestern university in the USA and from colleges affiliated with a university in southern India.

Findings

The attributes assigned to Kano's categories of must‐be, performance, and attractive were found to be different by respondents from the USA and India. For example, “fitting” is classified as a must‐be category for US consumers while it belongs to performance category for Indian consumers. “Brand” was an indifferent category in the USA while it was classified as an attractive category for Indian consumers.

Practical implications

The findings provide US apparel companies with more definitive information on effective marketing strategies for the Indian market and similar developing countries. For example, companies seeking to do business in India must understand that important attributes for Indian consumers will change as the country progresses.

Originality/value

Though previous studies on consumer evaluation of apparel product attributes exist, they failed to examine how important attributes for consumers’ purchase decision changes. This study makes a new contribution to the discipline by providing means to anticipate future important attributes.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 May 2021

Lorna Christie, Elizabeth Kempen and Mariette Strydom

The purpose of this paper is to investigate custom-made apparel manufacturing micro-enterprise (CMME) owners’ perspectives of sustainability within their business practices…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate custom-made apparel manufacturing micro-enterprise (CMME) owners’ perspectives of sustainability within their business practices throughout the entire product development process and determine how educational initiatives can promote a more environmentally conscious product development process.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative case study, using face-to-face interviews and observations of CMMEs at an incubation hub presents evidence of owners’ sustainability perspectives.

Findings

Although CMME owners disregard sustainability as a pro-environmental approach within the business context, attempts at pro-environmental subconscious behaviour and a deliberate non-environmental consciousness are evident in sourcing and manufacturing during the product development process.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the case study approach of four CMMEs in an IH, the findings may not be applicable to other small and micro-businesses. Despite this limitation, valuable insights emerged that show the current inaptness of the CMMEs to manage an environmentally sustainable business practice.

Social implications

To promote sustainable development goal 12, related to the clothing and textile industry, it is postulated that CMMEs should be supported to minimise their use of resources, thereby promoting environmental sustainability.

Originality/value

The findings of this study direct the development of higher education educational programmes featuring learning content on pro-environmental design and business practices for CMMEs.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 22 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 June 2023

Eonyou Shin, Doris H. Kincade and Jinhee Han

Virtual try-on (VTO) technology with three-dimensional (3D) body scanning in a mobile application is a relatively new technique for selling custom-fit apparel. VTO involves…

Abstract

Purpose

Virtual try-on (VTO) technology with three-dimensional (3D) body scanning in a mobile application is a relatively new technique for selling custom-fit apparel. VTO involves scanning and measuring one's body and visualizing the fit of a garment on a 3D avatar. The purpose of this study is to explore consumers' experiences toward the custom-fit T-shirts and online mass customization (MC) services using the VTO technology found in online consumer reviews (OCRs).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 297 OCRs were collected from the Amazon's Made for You site that uses VTO technology for the MC process. A qualitative content analysis, within a mixed method research process, was used to determine systematically the meanings within qualitative data with quantitative results. In the qualitative approach, combinations of two coding processes were employed, which were concept-driven (i.e., deductive/a priori) and data-driven (i.e., inductive/emergent) coding processes. In the quantitative approach, the prevalence of each coding in terms of its valence was calculated based on frequencies. Intercoder reliability reached 96 per cent.

Findings

In OCRs of customized apparel products and online MC services using VTO technology, consumers described expectations, perceived performance, dis/confirmation, dis/satisfaction, outcomes of dis/satisfaction and descriptive information. Those with expectations often expressed skepticism about the product and the MC process using VTO technology at the pre-consumption stage. In OCRs, they used four product dimensions and two service dimensions of perceived performance. Consumers had positive (negative) confirmation when the performance of the T-shirts and/or services worked better (worse) than their expectations. The OCRs also included dis/satisfaction with a product and/or service, its outcomes and descriptive information.

Originality/value

This study identified a resulting framework to identify the content in OCRs of the custom-fit T-shirts and online MC services that use VTO technology. This study extends the expectation confirmation theory by adding multiple dimensions (i.e., four product dimensions and two service dimensions) as well as more outcomes of dis/satisfaction (not limited to repurchase intentions). This study provides practical suggestions for online MC companies who are using or planning to use VTO technology on how to improve consumers' satisfaction with customized T-shirts using VTO technology.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2002

Lenda Jo Anderson‐Connell, Pamela V. Ulrich and Evelyn L. Brannon

The overall purpose of this research was to explore the potential for applying mass customization in the apparel manufacturing and retail sectors by investigating consumers’…

7672

Abstract

The overall purpose of this research was to explore the potential for applying mass customization in the apparel manufacturing and retail sectors by investigating consumers’ interests in it as a concept. A series of seven focus groups were used to explore consumer preferences related to mass customization and to identify potential barriers to adoption of the concept. Potential scenarios illustrated with video were used to describe how mass customization might be implemented. A deductive approach to data reduction allowed researchers to distill and describe data according to predetermined categories and to identify additional categories that emerged in the analysis. Converging positive consumer comments moved researchers forward in understanding the concept while negative comments were viewed as barriers. The result was the construction of a consumer‐based model which provides an initial framework for researchers and the business community to use in exploring how the paradigm of mass customization could be applied as a business strategy in the apparel industry.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 6 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2004

Binnur Neidik

To provide an overview of the organizational changes Turkish apparel firms have undertaken in the 1990s and early 2000s and to show how these changes affect sector's export…

2271

Abstract

To provide an overview of the organizational changes Turkish apparel firms have undertaken in the 1990s and early 2000s and to show how these changes affect sector's export performance. Designed as a case study that uses interview and archival data. Interviews with company representatives, conducted in Turkey and Germany during 1996‐2001, are primary sources of information. As in all case study research, the interviews are supplemented by archival data, including statistical reports published by host country governments, annual company reports, company Web sites, industry magazines, research reports prepared by the local industry associations, articles appearing in the mass media including the Internet. While Turkey has historically been dependent on the EU market and this dependence has helped Turkish manufacturers develop new capabilities, recent organizational trends in the industry point to a struggle by manufacturers to break out of this dependence and expand in new markets. Three overarching organizational trends stand out: the increasing creation of backward and forward linkages, both domestic and foreign, the relocation of production to cheaper sites, both inland and overseas, and the increase in the scale and scope of partnerships formed with US companies. These partnerships not only create a new set of relationships, but also transform the existing ones. Relies on the respondents’ knowledge of past and present events and documentary data to make inferences about process and change in the industry. Not based on a random sample and oversamples large firms. A useful overview of organizational changes that presents firm‐level data. May provide insight into how export growth in apparel may be sustained beyond 2004.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 8 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 November 2018

Sukyung Seo and Chunmin Lang

The purpose of this paper is to determine the influences of consumers’ internal-oriented psychological factors (i.e. self- promotion, need for uniqueness, self-expression and…

1285

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the influences of consumers’ internal-oriented psychological factors (i.e. self- promotion, need for uniqueness, self-expression and self-monitoring) and external-oriented psychological properties (i.e. social identity and other-directedness) on the perception of customization and the sense of extended-self; further to identify whether the perception of customization and the sense of extended-self lead to purchase intention toward customized apparel products.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through an online survey among college students in the USA, generating a valid sample size of 338 participants. Factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were utilized to test proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicated that need for uniqueness and self-monitoring were significantly related to consumers’ perception of customization and the sense of extended-self, whereas impacts of self-expression and other-directedness were not significant. Furthermore, the results also confirmed that consumers’ perception of customization and the sense of extended-self were positively associated with purchase intention of customized apparel products.

Originality/value

This study investigates consumers’ psychological features that influence consumers’ buying intention of customized apparel products, which is the first attempt. The study results are insightful and beneficial for marketers to construct target consumer segmentation under different cultural and social settings.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 23 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 July 2020

Chunmin Lang, Sibei Xia and Chuanlan Liu

This study intends to examine consumers' fashion customization experiences through a web content mining (WCM) approach. By applying the theory of customer value, this study…

1164

Abstract

Purpose

This study intends to examine consumers' fashion customization experiences through a web content mining (WCM) approach. By applying the theory of customer value, this study explores the benefits and costs of two levels of mass customization (MC) to identify the values derived from style (i.e. shoe customization) and fit customization experiences (i.e. apparel customization) and further to compare the dominating dimensions of value derived across style and fit customization.

Design/methodology/approach

A WCM approach was applied. Also, two case studies were conducted with one focusing on style customization and the other focusing on fit customization. The brand Vans was selected to examine style customization in study 1. The brand Sumissura was selected to examine fit customization in study 2. Consumers' comments on customization experiences from these two brands were collected through social networks, respectively. After data cleaning, 394 reviews for Vans and 510 reviews for Sumissura were included in the final data analysis. Co-occurrence plots, feature extraction and grouping were used for the data analysis.

Findings

The emotional value was found to be the major benefit for style customization, while the functional value was indicated as the major benefit for fit customization, followed by ease of use and emotional value. In addition, three major themes of costs, including unsatisfied service, disappointing product performance and financial risk, were revealed by excavating and evaluating consumers' feedback of their actual clothing customization experiences with Sumissura.

Originality/value

This study initiates the effort to use web mining, specifically, the WCM approach to thoroughly investigate the benefits and costs of MC through real consumers' feedback of two different types of fashion products. The analysis of this study also reflects the levels of customization: style and fit. It provides an in-depth text analysis of online MC consumers' feedback through the use of feature extraction analysis and word co-occurrence networks.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 March 2018

Muditha Senanayake, Amar Raheja and Yuhan Zhang

The purpose of this paper is to develop an automated human body measurement extraction system using simple inexpensive equipment with minimum requirement of human assistance. This…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an automated human body measurement extraction system using simple inexpensive equipment with minimum requirement of human assistance. This research further leads to the comparison of extracted measurements to established methods to analyze the error. The extracted measurements can be used to assist the production of custom-fit apparel. This is an effort to reduce the cost of expensive 3-D body scanners and to make the system available to the user at home.

Design/methodology/approach

A single camera body measurement system is proposed, implemented, and pilot tested. This system involves a personal computer and a webcam operating within a space of controlled lighting. The system will take two images of the user, extract body silhouettes, and perform measurement extraction. The camera is automatically calibrated using the software each time of scanning considering the scanning space. The user will select a front view and a side view among the images captured, and specify the height. In this pilot study, 31 subjects were recruited and the accuracy of 8 human body measurements were compared with the manual measurements and measurements extracted from a commercial 3-D body scanner.

Findings

The system achieved reasonable measurement performance within 10 percent accuracy for seven out of the eight measurements, while four out of eight parameters obtained a performance similar to the commercial scanner. It is proved that human body measurement extraction can be done using inexpensive equipment to obtain reasonable results.

Originality/value

This study is aimed at developing a proof-of-concept for inexpensive body scanning system, with an effort to benchmark measurement accuracy, available to an average user providing the ability to acquire self-body measurements to be used to purchase custom-fit apparel. This system can potentially boost the customization of apparel and revolutionize online shopping of custom-fit apparel.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 April 2021

Mariette Strydom and Elizabeth Kempen

This paper aims to investigate the business operations of informal clothing manufacturing micro enterprises (CMMEs) and identifies ways to support owners to achieve economic…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the business operations of informal clothing manufacturing micro enterprises (CMMEs) and identifies ways to support owners to achieve economic sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach applying a case study design was used to study the business operations of 13 informal CMME owners at a business incubation hub (IH).

Findings

The study found that emerging CMME owners need ongoing generic business and fashion-related field-specific support particular to their business. Such support can be offered through the collaboration between higher education (HE) institutions and business IHs.

Social implications

Starting a clothing manufacturing business offers women in Africa the opportunity to improve both their personal and community well-being contributing to three sustainable development goals, namely, to end poverty, gender equality and empowering women, as well as sustainable consumption and production patterns. Partnering with existing business IHs, HE can influence skills-specific training that may contribute to the economic sustainability of emerging entrepreneurs and reduce poverty.

Originality/value

The study proposes in-house apparel apprenticeships to ensure the economic sustainability of the CMME, contributing to apparel entrepreneurship literature and fashion-based entrepreneurship education.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 22 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000