Apparel Merchandising Research Articles

Environmentally sustainable apparel merchandising of recycled cotton-polyester blended garments: Analysis of consumer preferences and purchasing behaviors

This research work examines how consumer behavior and purchasing pattern are affected by recycled cotton-polyester blended clothing, with a particular emphasis on sustainable apparel merchandising. The use of recycled materials has drawn a lot of attention as environmental sustainability in the fashion business is growing attention. In order to investigate customer behavior, perceptions, preferences and purchasing decisions regarding recycled cotton-polyester blended clothing.This research employed a mixed-methods design that included both qualitative and quantitative methods. For a deeper understanding of the customer attitudes, opinions and motives towards sustainable fashion recycled materials in particular, this phase qualitatively involves a one-on-one interview and focus group discussions based on age, gender social class as well as the level of education. In addition, the study considers aspects such as longevity in use, wear resistance, quality, ease of use and clothing comfort that influence buying decisions. Using data from the qualitative phase as a foundation, the quantitative phase uses surveys given to a broad consumer sample to measure consumer preferences and purchasing pattern for recycled cotton-polyester clothing. This research aims at identifying the key factors that impact the preference of customers and buying behavior for recycled cotton and polyester blends based apparel. Additionally, it aims to assess how well sustainable clothing merchandising techniques work to promote these goods. This study indicates that individuals aged 25–45 from higher social strata and with higher educational attainment exhibit greater awareness and preference for recycled apparel with more than 60 % demonstrating a marked inclination towards these products.

Skills and knowledge competencies in contemporary U.S. undergraduate apparel merchandising: a content analysis systematic literature review

ABSTRACT This study aimed to assess the skill and knowledge areas emphasised in a sample of US-based undergraduate apparel merchandising programs, as well as the pedagogical strategies utilised to motivate student professional development and competence. Utilising a content analysis, 18 articles were systematically reviewed through the lens of the apparel merchandising competency framework. Overall, based on the sample articles and the apparel merchandising competency (AMC) framework, educators are aligned with identified’ must-have’ skills and knowledge areas. In addition, results showed ‘new’ skills and knowledge areas that are also important for apparel merchandising curriculum and students’ preparation for textile and apparel industry responsibilities. This exploration contributed to a limited area of research regarding apparel merchandising students’ professional development and industry preparation based on identified necessary skills and knowledge areas. Implications are suggested for curriculum development, instruction and apparel merchandising students.

Mediating Effect of Comfortable and Durability, Feature and Aesthetic and Reliability of Product on Price and Product Purchase Decision

This study aims to examine the mediating influence of product comfort and durability, product features and aesthetics, and product reliability on the relationship between product price and purchasing decisions for children's clothing products in Bandung City. This study employs a survey research methodology, which entails gathering data from a sample of 100 participants actively engaged in consuming children's clothing products. The findings derived from examining data through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and path analysis indicate a noteworthy impact of product price on Comfort and durability, Features and Aesthetics, and Product Reliability. Moreover, the research findings suggest a substantial mediating effect of Product Comfort, Durability, and Reliability on the association between product price and purchasing decisions. This finding suggests that the impact of price on consumers' choices to purchase a product can be mainly attributed to its influence on perceived factors such as comfort, durability, and product performance. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that there is no substantial evidence to suggest that Features and Aesthetics play a significant role in mediating the connection between price and consumers' decisions to purchase a product. This finding suggests that within the domain of children's clothing products, certain features and aesthetic qualities do not necessarily ensure the Comfort, Durability, and Reliability factors play a significant role in shaping consumer purchase choices. This study offers significant insights for marketers and makers of children's apparel goods in the urban area of Bandung. It highlights the significance of comprehending the interplay between customer perceptions of price, comfort, and durability in shaping purchasing choices. The employed research methodology involves exploratory factor and route analysis, enabling researchers to delve into the intricate connections between variables and the mediating function they play with greater precision. This study additionally establishes a basis for enhanced marketing tactics and a more comprehensive comprehension of customer inclinations within children's apparel merchandise.

Merchandising for Sustainable Fashion: A Systematic Literature Review

With the emergence of environmental pollution and the excessive waste of resources, the traditional development of the pure pursuit of economic growth has encountered challenges. More and more people are advocating for the concept of sustainable development, which makes sustainable merchandising an urgent necessity. Clothing brands should adhere to the brand sustainability concept and sustainable management in the merchandising process, which can truly improve the competitiveness of the brand. For this reason, a series of studies on sustainable merchandising strategies has been conducted by apparel companies and academia. The existing reviews on sustainability aspects focus on material, recycling, and life-cycle aspects. However, less attention has been paid to the sustainable merchandising aspects of apparel. Therefore, this paper presents a systematic literature review of this topic. We summarize the relevant research on sustainable merchandising from a merchandising perspective and systematically review the relevant theories and cases of sustainable merchandising for the relatively blank field of sustainable brand merchandising for apparel. We have achieved the purpose of integrating the analysis of factors influencing sustainable merchandising, and merchandising strategies. Additionally, on this basis, we discuss how brands can combine social responsibility with merchandising to develop and enjoy the profit space brought by merchandising while assuming and promoting their own brand responsibility. This literature review is based on journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers from the Web of Science (WOS) database and Google Scholar. Through an in-depth analysis of the existing literature, this paper provides an overview of the research topic, the sustainable merchandising of apparel, from a merchandising perspective and discusses the shortcomings of existing merchandising strategies. The findings reveal that there are drawbacks to the current apparel merchandising strategies such as low feasibility, ignoring the driving power of the market, weak consumer awareness, consumer culture, and lack of government intervention and support. This has resulted in the slow development of clothing brands in the sustainable merchandising market. The results of this study provide direction for the development of future sustainable merchandising strategies. It guides policymakers and practitioners to develop relevant strategies for sustainable merchandising in order to provide better market space for sustainable merchandising of apparel.

“Must-have” skills and knowledge for apparel merchandising professionals in South Africa

ABSTRACT Employing competent merchandisers has become a global challenge for apparel companies. This study aimed to prioritize merchandising skills and knowledge required to function in merchandising positions. Adaptive conjoint analysis was employed to prioritize 29 identified skills and knowledge types and 116 individual dimensions describing these types. An online survey was developed and administered using Sawtooth Software Inc. A total of 172 merchandising professionals participated in the study. Sawtooth Software built-in regression analysis was used to analyze the survey responses. A priority order for the 29 skills and knowledge types was established, consisting of 13 “must-have”, 13 “fairly-important”, and three “nice-to-have” types. The 13 “must-have” skills and knowledge types included a mix of six soft skill types (communication, diplomacy, flexibility, administrative/managerial, positive attitude, teamwork), one hard skill type (technology), five explicit knowledge types (retail operations, manufacturing, marketplace awareness, assortment management, product development), and one tacit knowledge (professional experience). Based on the prioritized 29 skills and knowledge types, an apparel merchandising competency framework was adapted for the South African retail industry. Out of the 116 individual dimensions only half (58) were determined as essential and included in the final framework. The findings indicate that a competent merchandising professional should have a well-balanced skill and knowledge set to succeed in the apparel retail industry.

Assessment and Evaluation of the Production Merchandising of a Denim Pant

This study was designed to investigate the production merchandising of a denim pant. Denim pants are a significant prospect for the RMG sector in Bangladesh with a huge future. Without a doubt, pricing is the key important factor in the global competitive market. It is difficult to stay in the clothing market without spending the minimum on clothing. The research center on the whole factor which is directly involved to the FOB cost of basic denim pants where it includes textile cost, labor cost, and accessories cost, savings, charge making cost, washing and packing cost which are shown chronologically. With the aim that the total price spans can be contained as well as demonstrating the sum FOB cost. Merchandising means buying, producing, and selling any goods or products, or services for the local or international market. All activities related to the export purchase collection of any garment of a certain design for a certain quantity, production of the garment with precise attention to the garment level required for garment analysis, production of that quantity of garment required, and production timetable and exporting the samples within the fixed time frame, maybe called apparel merchandising. In production merchandising, a production merchandiser executed production-related all activities in the garments factory. In this study, basic 5 pocket denim pant (ladies) is used and the total order size was 23920pcs. The importer and Country name was Pizzaitalia-Italy.

Skills and Knowledge for Merchandising Professionals: The Case of the South African Apparel Retail Industry

This study explored skills and knowledge required for merchandising professionals to fulfill their roles and perform their responsibilities in the South African apparel retail industry. The apparel merchandising competency (AMC) framework was used as a theoretical foundation in this research. A phenomenological approach was followed to explore the perspective of professionals employed by South African retail companies. Semistructured, face-to-face, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with 16 merchandisers who had between 2 and 20 years of experience in the apparel industry. Atlas.ti software was used for data organization and analyses. Following the AMC framework, four topical areas emerged: (a) soft skills, (b) hard skills, (c) explicit knowledge, and (d) tacit knowledge. To fulfill their roles and perform their responsibilities, 8 soft skills, 7 hard skills, 10 explicit knowledge types, and 1 tacit knowledge type were identified as essential. Thick description of the findings using participant quotes and a graphical representation is presented.

What do merchandisers need to succeed?: development of an apparel merchandising competency framework

ABSTRACTBased on the analysis of extant research, this study identified the knowledge and skills that merchandising professionals need to succeed in the retail industry. These knowledge and skills were systematically analysed and categorised into in several constructs, categories, and types to create a comprehensive classification. Based on this classification system, an apparel merchandising competency (AMC) framework was proposed. The AMC framework is an important contribution to the body of literature and has significant practical and theoretical implications. Both retailers and educators can use the AMC framework as it is specific to apparel merchandising and exemplifies the relevant knowledge and skills required by apparel merchandisers in the retail industry. This can be useful for developing curricula, guiding corporate training of new employees and interns, thereby, assisting retailers in increasing their competitiveness within the industry by installing the necessary knowledge and skills into their workforce.

Predicting environmentally responsible apparel consumption behavior of future apparel industry professionals: The role of environmental apparel knowledge, environmentalism and materialism

The present study explored several critical constructs related to environmentally responsible apparel consumption, which include environmentalism, materialism and knowledge of environmental issues pertaining to apparel products. The research focused on apparel merchandising and design students (n = 233) as future industry professionals who will soon be driving industry decisions in apparel production and consumption. A proposed research model was subject to confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The model explained 58% of the variance in environmentally responsible apparel consumption behavior. Environmental apparel knowledge positively influenced environmentalism, and, in turn, environmentalism had a significant positive influence on environmentally responsible apparel consumption behavior. On the contrary, environmental apparel knowledge did not significantly influence materialism, and, in turn, materialism was not related to environmentally responsible apparel consumption behavior. Practical implications and limitations of the present study are also discussed.

Topical collection editor’s note: Innovations in teaching and industry practices

The topical collection of Fashion and Textiles is a result of 2014 KSCT-ITAA Joint Symposium which took place at the ITAA Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. The theme of the joint symposium was The Culture of Collaborations: New Directions in Clothing and Textiles Teaching and Research, and over fifty papers were presented at the conference. Session 1 included presentations on Curriculum, Undergraduate Programs, and Industry Relations, and Session 2 included research presentations on Innovative Research/Creative Activity in Clothing and Textiles. Authors of the presented papers were invited to submit their manuscripts to the Topical Collection of Fashion and Textiles. One out of the four articles in this collection (Ha-Brookshire), was originally presented in Session 1 and the other three were presented in Session 2: one in the field of consumer behavior (Yun, Jung, and Choo) and two in the field of product development (Kim; Sang and Park). The articles suggest directions for innovations in teaching and practices, thus the topical collection was titled Innovations in Teaching and Industry Practices. Ha-Brookshire’s article, “Global Sourcing: New Research and Education Agendas for Apparel Design and Merchandising” is a concept paper that proposes new research and educational agendas. The author reviews the role of global sourcing in the industry and education, and explores the relationship between apparel design or apparel merchandising and global sourcing. The author asserts that global sourcing may serve as a connector that links between the conventionally divided two major tracks in apparel industry: apparel design and apparel merchandising. The research article by Yun, Jung, and Choo explores shopper experience in fitting rooms in the specialty retailers of private label apparel (SPA) stores using grounded theory method. They focused on the fact that the fitting rooms of SPA stores, which is a relatively new type of retailer, provide shoppers unobstructed opportunities in that these stores usually provide larger number of fitting rooms which are less controlled compared to conventional apparel stores. The article describes the activities that shoppers perform in the fitting rooms in detail, as well as the contextual and intervening conditions of such activities. According to the authors, in the fitting rooms in SPA stores, shoppers engage in activities beyond just checking out the fit of the selected garments. The fitting rooms liberate shoppers to experiment with the abundant products, enjoying different images the garments allow them to create, and also obtain fashion information from observing other shoppers in line. Open Access

Fabric Quality Issues Related to Apparel Merchandising

The objectives of this study are to develop an understanding of fabric quality related issues and research gaps relevant to apparel manufacturing and merchandising within the South African context. The specific focus is on fabric objective measurement (FOM), a relatively new and highly advanced technology which involves a new generation of instrumentally measured parameters that provide a more complete picture of fabric quality, tailorability and clothing performance, and which has found wide application internationally. The research involves a questionnaire survey of major clothing and retail companies in South Africa and interviews with them, with a specific focus on apparel and garment manufacturing and retailing in South Africa. The data and information so captured are graphically presented, statistically analyzed and interpreted. The main finding is that although manufacturers and retailers carry out most of the important fabric and garment testing, they lag behind the world in adopting highly advanced and integrated FOM systems, such as FAST and Kawabata, which are widely used to improve and ensure the quality of apparel fabric and garments.

An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationships between Personality Characteristics and the Perceptions of Virtual Merchandising

This study explored the relationship between individual’s perception of presence within a virtual merchandising environment and their attitudes toward virtual shopping. Symbolic interactionism was used as the theoretical framework. Utilizing four of the Big Five personality framework, it also examined if individual’s personality affected their attitude toward virtual shopping as well as the relationship between presence and attitudes toward online shopping. The study was conducted among 81 students enrolled in an undergraduate Apparel Textiles and Merchandising Program at a university located in Southeastern Michigan. Results indicate a positive correlation between perceptions of presence and individual willingness to make purchases within an online shopping environment as well as their overall satisfaction with shopping in such an environment. Two of the personality factors from the Big Five personality framework, neuroticism and extroversion, were shown to moderate these relationships. Overall, the study confirmed the idea that individual personality traits affect one’s disposition towards shopping within a virtual environment.

It’s your fault you’re fat: Judgements of responsibility and social conduct in the fashion industry

Abstract Examining the beliefs in the fashion industry surrounding the obese is critical to understanding discrimination issues and the resultant fit and sizing issues for plus-size consumers. The fashion industry offers certain styles in limited sizing, which in turn structures our society in such a way that only certain sizes can participate in choosing and wearing fashionable clothing. Therefore, the need to examine the people’s beliefs who will work in this industry is critical to restructuring the sizing, fit and discriminatory issues experienced by fat consumers. Understanding these beliefs among student designers, or the ‘gatekeepers’ of the fashion industry, may explain why plus-size women repeatedly report feeling discriminated against by the fashion industry and have difficulty finding clothing in styles, colours and fits they desire. The results of the study indicate that fashion design and merchandising students have strong negative beliefs about obese people. This article investigates the reasoning for such disdain towards obese bodies in the fashion industry and hopes to rectify the situation by offering suggestions to normalize fat bodies and incorporate information about plus-size consumers into fashion design and apparel merchandising courses.

A Multicourse Collaborative Project Within a Global Context

This study examined how student learning can be enhanced through a multidisciplinary collaborative project in the apparel merchandising and interior design curriculum. It investigated the relationships among students' perceptions (the importance of collaboration in the industry, course connections across disciplines, and cultural understanding), learning outcomes (social, cognitive, and emotional), attitude toward the collaborative project, and intent to register for future collaborative courses in pre- (N=56) and post-tests (N=52). The data was collected from students who enrolled in Global Retailing, Visual Merchandising, or Interior Design. In both tests, perceived importance of collaboration significantly influenced social/cognitive and emotional learning outcomes and attitude. Learning outcomes significantly affected attitude. Compared to social/cognitive learning outcomes, emotional learning outcomes was a stronger predictor of attitude in both tests, showing a pivotal role of emotional learning in creating positive attitudes toward the collaborative project. Attitude significantly increased intent to register for future collaborative courses in both tests.

Redesigning the Apparel Product Development Process Based on the No-Interval Coherently Phased Product Development Model

The objective of the research was to redesign generic process of the apparel product development adopted in Chinese apparel enterprises currently by comparing and analyzing several important models. The revised apparel retail product development model by Wickett, Gaskill and Damhorst, Kunz’s taxonomy of the apparel merchandising system, and the no-interval coherently phased product development model for apparel (NICPPD) by May-Plumlee and Little were analyzed. The key factors of product development process that need to be improved were anylized according to the NICPPD model. The end result was the redesigned process of apparel product development.

Exploring consumers' flow experiences in virtual shopping: an exploratory study

The purpose of this study was to use flow theory to characterise consumers’ experiences of visiting stores in the virtual world for the first time and to examine their intentions to use a virtual world for shopping. 119 Midwest US apparel merchandising university students responded to a survey after completing a course assignment introducing them to Second Life and shopping in a virtual world. A hypothesised model consisting of exogenous constructs of web skills and perceived challenges and endogenous constructs of perceived control, concentration, enjoyment, telepresence and shopping intention, guided the analysis. Results revealed that perceived control and enjoyment are significantly stronger than the other model constructs and that web skills and perceived challenge are critical elements influencing the intention to shop in Second Life. Perceived concentration and telepresence did not have significant effects on shopping intentions nor did web skills positively influence perceived telepresence in Second Life.

Teaching Apparel Merchandising/Retail Industry Career Exploration and Professional Development by Involvement of Students in Survey Research

A total of 424 surveys that addressed the construct of corporate excellence were collected by 106 students in a sophomore-level professional development course for apparel merchandising and retailing majors. Students used the course project to network with career contact people, learn about the apparel merchandising and retailing employment environment, and participate in a research project directly related to their major field of study. In general, employees in higher leadership positions tended to be more positive than their entry-level or unskilled counterparts about the companies' execution of criteria that contributed toward corporate excellence. The type of products sold by retailers did not affect employee perceptions of corporate excellence attributes. Additionally, the type of retail establishment did affect the companies' abilities to exhibit one criterion that contributes to corporate excellence: providing personalized attention to its customers. Students demonstrated achievement of learning objectives through reflection.

Acceptance of Mass Customization of Apparel: Merchandising Issues Associated With Preference for Product, Process, and Place

The purpose of our research was to examine apparel merchandising issues associated with mass customization. A questionnaire was developed to explore preferences for mass customization product, process, and place that have the potential of affecting success of a mass customization program. The questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 131 college students. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, McNemar tests, within-subject ANOVA, and Bonferroni multiple comparisons. Successful mass customization of apparel at retail is dependent on identification of appropriate dimensions of product, process, and place. Our implications address merchandising issues associated with customer involvement in customizing design and fit of apparel products in retail store settings.

Monitoring Service Gaps in Hong Kong Apparel Merchandising Business Part III: An Antecedents Study of Organizational Service Quality Incongruence

Hong Kong’s apparel merchandising have long been regarded as a kind of buying professions that logistically support the international retail store buyers to develop, source and distribute brand-specific textile and apparel products in the highly dynamic global marketplaces. Its service is much characterized by the high level of buy-sell interaction, uncertainty in work nature and the sense of professional autonomy. Organizational monitoring of quality of such service provision is not so easily and explicitly specified and implemented. In this paper, we presented a case study, in which the potential organizational antecedents underlying the service quality incongruence were analyzed in a Hong Kong-based Australian apparel merchandising office. Through the case study, the sixteen quality gap antecedents and their sizes of impact could integratively and diagnostically be related to the service quality gaps that existed across the levels of merchandising office. The research results provided insights for today’s management of quality-conscious apparel merchandising service.

Monitoring Service Gaps Part I - Examining Customer’s Expectations OfAdequacy And Superiority In Hong Kong Apparel Merchandising Business

The function of an apparel merchandising office in Hong Kong is to act as an agent or a representative for international apparel buyers to develop, source and procure large volume of regional textile and apparel products. This sort of offices conventionally provides professionoriented services, much characterized by high degree of buyer-interaction and professional identity. Because of its nature of individualism and operational autonomy, the apparel merchandising offices are seeking a novel concept of monitoring and improving their service performance to retain their international buyers. In this paper, we discussed a case study in which a Hong Kong-based Australian merchandising office adopted an instrument to measure and analyze its provision of quality service. The instrument evolved and was refined pertaining to the well-known “Servqual” model, that measured service quality on the customer’s expectation-discrepancy basis. The result findings provided specific and proximate evidence for the office to assess the service quality levels and diagnose the potential service gaps, from the perspectives of buyers’ perceptions and expectations in use of apparel merchandising services. The research also provided insights for today’s management of professional merchandising service to achieve a more meaningful service excellence.