Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the university students' awareness and attitudes on functional clothing materials, and to explore the effects of subjects' characteristics on the relationship between their attitudes to and images of the functional clothing materials. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed to university students and 409 of which were used in data analysis. The data were statistically analyzed by frequency, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, t-test, ANOVA. The results were as follows: students thought that the first and foremost 'function' of functional clothing materials is their light-weight. The functions that consumers practically demanded are water-repellency and high absorbency & quick drying. It showed that students have an image that functional clothing materials have special, good and satisfactory qualities. Goretex and Coolmax were the most selected as brands of functional clothing materials which students knew. Attitudes to functional clothing materials revealed positively in the cognitive, behavioral and affectional attitudes. The attitudes had no significant differences according to sex and their major, but they had significant differences by subjects' amount of allowance, frequency of sports participation and sports ability. In other words, the more amount of allowance they get, the more frequently students do exercise, and the higher sports ability they have, the more positive attitude they have. The study says, in conclusion, that their conception of functional clothing materials has positive relations with their attitudes toward them.
