• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.116-131
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• 2022

This study used text mining to analyze big data to understand consumers' demand for and perceptions of fashion masks. Based on the text-mining analysis results, a survey was conducted with those living in Korea to investigate the influence of consumers' mask selection criteria on mask brand awareness and purchase intention for fashion masks. "Fashion mask" and "functional mask" were used as the keywords in a text-mining analysis, and an online survey of 242 respondents was conducted. The analysis results were as follows: First, the text-mining analysis extracted commonly appearing words that had a high frequency and TF-IDF, such as "COVID-19," "fashion," "celebrity," "antibacterial," and "filter." This confirmed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have demanded masks that are both functional and fashionable. Second, among consumers' mask selection criteria, trend and design had positive effects on face-mask brand awareness. Third, face-mask brand awareness had a positive effect on the purchase intention for both brand and fashion masks, and the purchase intention for brand masks had a positive effect on the purchase intention for fashion masks.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.399-407
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• 2022

Wearing a mask is essential during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For this study, an online survey was conducted on the actual use of masks among adults in their twenties and older. We used 389 questionnaires for the final analysis, excluding insincere or incomplete questionnaires. We then analyzed the responses using descriptive statistical analysis, frequency analysis, t-test, and ANOVA. More than half of the respondents indicated that they wore a mask for five to ten hours a day, with KF masks being the most frequently used. Participants who most frequently used cloth masks were more likely to consider color, design, and eco-friendliness, while those who used KF masks were more concerned with price and safety. There was no significant difference in purchase satisfaction between mask types, but the purchase intention was higher for KF masks. When purchasing a KF mask, there were significant differences across genders in terms of price and eco-friendliness preferences. There were also significant differences across age groups in price, eco-friendliness, skin irritation, and comfort preferences. Previous studies have shown a significant difference in gender and age in terms of preferred mask colors and designs. However, this survey found no significant difference across these categories. These findings indicate those mask manufacturers should consider safety and eco-friendliness over mask color and design.