Clothing and Textiles Research Journal

This purpose of this research was to develop a model of an electronic decision support system to aid apparel product developers in sourcing domestic textile and apparel production. Database design occurred in a sequential manner based on an adaptation of a conceptual model proposed by Storey. In-depth interviews with sourcing executives from six major retailers, data collection with over 500 producers, and usability testing of two prototypes with seventeen apparel product developers from two major specialty retailers provided the functional foundation for database development. A network of researchers from universities, National Labs and [TC]², producers, and retailers contributed to laying the infrastructure to move the model toward implementation of a national sourcing database for the textile and apparel industry.

Although consumers' environmental concern has increased, little empirical research regarding environmental attitudes and clothing purchasing behavior has been reported. This study builds on the limited amount of research by employing a theoretical framework that focuses on endogenous and exogenous conditions that affect attitudes and behavior.

The final sample of 402 women resulted from a national random sample of 1000. A survey measuring general environmental and clothing environmental attitudes, and environmental consideration when making clothing purchases was developed.

Factor analysis reduced the attitude items to three general environmental factors and two clothing environmental factors. Path analysis was employed to examine the relationships among variables. Results revealed that demographic characteristics influenced general environmental attitudes which in turn influenced clothing environmental attitudes which ultimately impacts clothing purchasing behavior. Results further explicated the existing theoretical framework and provided support for a sequential approach.

This paper illustrates how critical thinking techniques could be used in teaching aesthetics. Exploring unfamiliar territory and moving freely between reflective and active thought processes are components important to both aesthetics and critical thinking. In keeping with the objectives of critical thinking, a classroom exercise titled "Getting Outside of Your Own Skin" was designed to help students acknowledge and address assumptions and biases they may hold about older consumers and the aging process. Students were encouraged to move beyond personal experiences to broaden their thinking about individuals unlike themselves. By working through the project, students were given the opportunity to examine their perceptions and attitudes toward the aging process and to consider their effect on this growing market.

With growing attention to environmental responsibility towards solid waste management, the textile and apparel industry has expanded its efforts to reduce disposal of post-producer textile waste in landfills. At the same time, finding alternative methods for the disposal of post-consumer textile waste is assuming greater importance. This exploratory research presents a model of the textile waste lifecycle. The model is intended to better explain events associated with the production and disposal of post-producer and post-consumer textile waste. Furthermore, the textile waste lifecycle model reflects the growing interdependence between the consumer and the textile and apparel industry in the disposal of textile waste in an environmentally responsible manner. The model may also encourage dialogue among textile and clothing professionals to stimulate the kinds of proaction necessary to further reduce textile disposal in landfills and to generate new or expanded recycling options. Suggestions for further research are provided.

The purpose of this study was to examine inefficiency in gift giving, and in particular, the "deadweight loss" that results from giving apparel gifts to college students. Deadweight losses from gift giving were calculated using gift recipients' estimates of gift cost and gift valuations, for both December holiday and Valentine's Day gifts. Probit models were used to estimate the likelihood of receiving apparel gifts and the likelihood of receiving cash gifts. OLS regression was used to investigate the impact of gift cost, gift type, gift occasion and giver's relationship to recipient on gift value. Findings suggest that deadweight loss is a function of giver's relationship to recipient and gift type. Gifts received from parents, siblings, significant others and friends were shown to be more efficient than gifts received from aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. The deadweight loss resulting from apparel gifts was shown to be significantly greater than the deadweight loss resulting from cash gifts and all other types of gifts, except perfume.

Apparel retailers are seeking a competitive advantage over other companies and good salesperson service may be a way to create that advantage; however, management may institute policies that are barriers to good salesperson service and thus lose that competitive advantage. In a 2 by 2 laboratory experiment 200 volunteer college women viewed slides of a store's interior, listened to a tape of a salesperson resolving a problem according to store policy, and indicated their satisfaction and patronage intent. Results suggest that in many situations, dissatisfaction with salesperson service may be the result of policies instituted by management which fail to meet customer expectations.

The purposes of this study were to investigate if there were differences between black and white female athletes' satisfaction with their bodies and fit of their clothing and to examine the relationship between body satisfaction and clothing fit. The responses of 290 female collegiate basketball players, 168 white and 122 black, were analyzed. MANOVA, Hotelling's T², ANOVAs and Pearson Product Moment correlations were used in data analyses. Black and white females' perceptions of their overall bodies differed, black females were more positive about their bodies than white females. Female athletes in this sample did not differ in satisfaction of garment fit. Correlations for perceptions of body cathexis and garment fit were positive and significant. Results have implications for scholars studying racial differences related to dress.