Clothing and Textiles Research Journal

The applicability of life-cycle assessment (LCA) for the textile industry is discussed with a special focus on environmental impact from chemicals. Together with issues of water depletion and energy use, the use of chemicals and their emissions are important environmental considerations for textile products. However, accounting for chemicals is a weak point in LCA methodology and practice. Two research questions were investigated in a case study of hospital garments: 1) whether LCA adds value to assessments of the chemical performance of textile products, and 2) whether inclusion of toxicity issues in LCA affects environmental performance rankings for textile products. It is concluded that the quantitative and holistic tool LCA is useful for environmental decision makers in the textile industry, and becomes more effective when chemical impacts are included. A flexible way forward is demonstrated to meet the challenge of accounting for chemicals in LCAs of textile products.

This study explores the role of important values and predominant identity in the dress practices of female Muslim students attending a university in South Africa. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire using a purposive convenience sample of 200 female Muslim students. A cluster analysis was used to divide participants into groups based on their dress practices. The sample could be divided into two groups: those who follow less modest and those who follow more modest dress practices. An independent t-test was calculated to determine if there was a significant difference between the important values and predominant identity of the less modest and more modest groups. The results revealed differences in the significance of certain values and predominant identity. The more modest group placed more importance on religious values, while the less modest group attributed more importance to social values than the more modest group. For the more modest group their Muslim identity was more predominant than for the less modest group. Despite these differences, both groups tended to communicate a hybrid identity, as aspects of Islamic and Western thought and behavior were synthesized in each individual’s dress practice. The study offers benefits to scholars interested in the social-cultural aspects of clothing by showing how people manipulate their appearances and cultural forms to create a specific reality and to adapt to multicultural environments (e.g. campuses).

The purpose of this study is to understand queer women's experiences when shopping for clothing, looking for style inspiration, and if they experience minority distress or discrimination during these processes. Three research questions guided our study: (a) Where do queer women look for fashion style inspiration? (b) What are queer women's experiences with shopping in brick-and-mortar stores for clothing and accessories? and (c) Do queer women experience minority distress or discrimination while shopping or looking for fashion style inspiration? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 queer-identifying females with two follow-up interviews. Four themes surfaced from the data: (a) awareness of or attention to queer styles, (b) frustration with or feelings of alienation with the current apparel marketplace and media, (c) minority distress or subtle acts of heterosexism related to queer visibility and crossing gender boundaries, and (d) interest in an LGBTQ-friendly shopping environment.

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.

The purpose of this research was to understand male college students’ experiences in a traditionally female academic major, such as apparel. Based on the analyses and interpretation of interviews with 22 male students from an apparel program, two topical areas emerged: (a) attitudes of toward male apparel students; and (b) experiences of male students in an apparel program. The first topical area describes what male apparel students encounter when they inform parents, friends, and people around them about their academic major. The second topical area portrays male student experiences in a major with an overwhelming majority of peers being women. The study contributes to the literature on men in non-traditional occupations. Such understanding is a precursor for minimizing gender-stereotypic career boundaries. Implications and recommendations for apparel program instructors, advisors, administrators, and career counselors are presented.

The effectiveness of 3D virtual fitting technology when visualizing the fit and silhouette of pants by analyzing the similarities between real and virtual fit using 20 fit locations, 3 lower body shapes, and fit status was investigated. We produced 61 custom pants for the participants and virtually tried each on a personalized 3D body scan avatar. The technology was not generally effective for visualizing pant fit. Especially, the waist placement of the virtual pants was lower than that for the actual pants. The virtual software indicated less ease than the actual pants and could not express stress folds due to slight misfit. The front silhouette of the virtual pants spread wider than the real pants. The virtual pants for females with a hip tilt shape had the greatest divergence from the actual pants. The virtual pants with good fit appeared more effectively than did those with poor fit.