• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.27 no.7
• /
• pp.819-830
• /
• 2003

Korea is facing great threat from other countries as a major global sourcing site for textile and apparel products. The threat has been augmented by changes in external environment such as advents of Trading Blocs and Free Trade Area(FTA) as well as internal environment such as hikes in labor cost and lack of flexibility in accommodating international buyers' needs. This study analyzed international buyers' sourcing activities in Korea for the purpose of developing strategies to enhance competitiveness of the Korean textile and apparel industries in the global market. The data used in this study were gathered by surveying 52 non-Korean textile and apparel product buyers with cooperation of the Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI). The data were analyzed by mean, frequency, Pearson correlation coefficient, and ｘ$^2$ analysis. The results indicated that Korea is still attractive to many international buyers especially to those who have been engaged in global sourcing for longer periods of time with bigger purchasing budgets. However, in order to expand and solidify their customer bases, Korean companies should focus more on developing competitively priced value added products a step ahead of their foreign competitors, diversifying their marketing channels including internet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.182-193
• /
• 1997

The purpose of this study was to investigate the actual state of introduction and distribution of import apparel and to identify which characteristics of import apparels were different from domestic apparels by analysing consumer's evaluation attitudeto import apparels comparatively. Inaddition, by forming consumer groups who prefered import apparels and who prefered domestic apparels consumer characteristics and factors of each group were investigated. Results of this study are summarized as follows; 1. The degree of recognition of domestic or import well-known apparel brands were both high as 79.1% was to national brandcomparing with 77.0% of import brands. Average holding articles of import apparels were increasing up to 2.08 per person. 2. Consumers gave better evaluation to import apparel in all its aspects. With respects of the economic value and thepractical value, domestic apparel brands were evaluated better than import apparel brands while import apparel brands were evaluated better than domestic apparel brands with respects of design, brand image, and quality value. 3. Consumer group who has preference to import apparel has the tendency of high degree of clothing expenditure and low degree of economical behavior in clothing life st)4e and high degree of brand preferency. Futhermore, such group was not affirmative to negative effect of purchasing import goodsand open-trade policy. 4. Core factors affecting the preference to import apparel were design evaluation attitude, general reluctancy to buying imports, brand-oriented clouting life style, and degree of prossession of import apparel, as enumerated in the order of importance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.31 no.6 s.165
• /
• pp.902-910
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to suggest future marketing strategy for Korean textile and apparel industry so that they could find a way to maintain a major sourcing site in the global market place. This study identified international buyers' visiting purposes and the items they were most interested in sourcing from Korea according to their firm types and home country regions. This study analyzed the survey results obtained fiom international buyers who visited the international textile and apparel trade show in Seoul, Korea. The data was analyzed using frequency and ${\chi}^2$-test analysis. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between buyers' country regions and their interests. There was also a significant relationship between buyers' firm types and their visiting purposes. The results indicated that decision making for what Korean industry should focus their marketing efforts on should be different according to the buyers' country regions and firm types. This study was conducted to present an effective marketing strategy for how Korean textile and apparel industries could survive in the competitive global marketplace.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.137-160
• /
• 2001

A study on the structural change in the U.S. textile industry. The U.S. textile industry has undergone significant changes over the last fifty years, including a steady decline in the relative scale of domestic production, employment reduction, and increased competition from imported products. In order to weather a crisis, the responses of the U.S. textile industry have been made such as investment in technology, specalization in the textile and apparel industries. The textile and apparel industries have taken steps to increase labor productivity through automations to speed management to create and introduce new products and new methods, and have lowered indirect overhead costs. Regarding these response of the U.S. and other situation of world textile and apparel trade market, much of the sense of crisis that pervades korean textile and apparel industries has to do with the problem of adjusting corporate policy.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.251-263
• /
• 2019

As the spread of the health and wellness trend continues worldwide, many consumers are spending much time on sports activities and expressing their individuality through sportswear. This study analyzes the trade networks of major exporters and importers of athleisure wear to provide an exporting policy for Korean apparel companies. As a result, The USA was found to import the most athleisure wear. On the other hand, China had the largest number of athleisure wear exports, and India's exports, which are becoming increasingly important as apparel producers were notable. Next, using the concept of the centrality of social network analysis, it was found that the USA was the largest importer and the center of athleisure wear's export network, but its influence has decreased gradually since 2010. China has the highest out-degree and betweenness centrality and center in the export of athleisure wear. The centrality of Asian countries such as India and Vietnam has increased. In Korea, the import of athleisure wear has increased greatly, but the export of athleisure wear has continuously decreased. Korea has less price competitiveness than other developing countries in Asia, but many Korean athleisure wear clothing brands are now attracting popularity not only in Korea but also in other countries with their excellent technology and design. In the future, the exporting policy of Korea's athleisure wear should focus on high value-added and differentiated products.

• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.29-48
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between consumer spatial behavior and consumer characteristics based on trade area selection criteria 469 female consumers who lived in the two new towns near Seoul, Bundang and Ilsan, participated in the study by completing questionnaires. Data were analyzed by using cluster analysis, ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, chi-square analysis, etc. The findings of the empirical research were as follows: 1. Five groups were identified by cluster analysis based on trade area selection criteria of clothing price-oriented group, time convenience-oriented group, shopping convenience-oriented group, variety/entertainment-oriented group, and passive shopping group. 2. Each group differed in spatial behavior such as clothing shopping area, the visiting frequency, and spatial movement type. 3. Each group showed differences in fashion involvement and demographic characteristics(age, marital status, education, occupation and social status).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.26 no.7
• /
• pp.958-969
• /
• 2002

No one doubts that textile and apparel industries have contributed to economic miracles of the export-led growth in Korea. However, by the turning of 1990′s, these sectors have encountered many problems such as decreasing of domestic production and exports mainly due to wage rise and shortage. Therefore, foreign direct investment to the low labor cost countries has been enlarged for a way of improving its competitiveness and increasing exports. However, no intensive study has been made exploring current investments and future directions. This study focuses Vietnam as one of the promising overseas investment countries. The purposes of this study are to analyze current investment status of Korean textiles and apparel firms in Vietnam, to explore merits and problems Vietnam has, and to present useful implications and strategies for Korean textiles and apparel companies. Analysis of current secondary data suggests that Korean apparel industry, rather than textiles industry, have invested more in Vietnam, mostly in southern Ho Chi Minh City. Investments of Korean apparel and textile firms have shown steady increase from 1990 but have turned to a decrease from 1995. Findings suggested that Vietnam has merits for attracting foreign investment since it provides relatively cheap labor and outstanding skillful hands suitable for apparel and textiles industries. In addition, because of EU quota increase and the trade agreement between Vietnam and USA it is likely for firms in Vietnam to increase exports to EU and USA Rapid expansion of domestic apparel market and "Korean trend (Han Rue)" in Vietnam resulted from successful star marketing of Korean firms are another merits Vietnam has to the Korean fm. However, regulations of central government, low efficiency of bureaucratic and stiff administrative process, difficulty of making decision in case of joint venture, lack of social overhead capital, high factory construction costs, weak construction condition, and the excessive competition among investment enterprises have found to be problems. Based on pros and cons of investment to Vietnam, marketing strategies, practical implications and future directions were suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.26 no.12
• /
• pp.1716-1726
• /
• 2002

본 연구는 국제의류사슬 내 수출위치를 단순조립 생산 (Mere-Assembly Production), 주문자 상표부착 생간방식 (Origin Equipment Manufacturing), 고유상표 생산방식 (Original Brand Name Manufacturing)으로 규명하고, 각 국가의 의류사슬 내 수출 위치가 수입 단가에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 조사하였다. 1999년 미국Department of commerce의 무역 자료를 사용하여 국제 의류사슬 내 각각의 위치를 점하고 있는 방글라데시, 홍콩, 한국, 이태리를 비교한 결과, 의류사슬 내 위치에 따라 이들 국가로부터의 섬유 및 의류제품의 미국 내 수출단가가 통계 적으로 유의 한 차이를 보이는 것으로 나타났다.

• Journal of Fashion Business
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.158-175
• /
• 2001

The purpose of this study was to understand and improve the clothing habits and the apparel industry of North Korea in preparation for the reunification of South and North Korea. For this study, literary data, reports, periodicals, interviews and internet data of the two Koreas were reviewed. North Korean clothing habits used to be monotonous and uniform but nowadays people's clothes have become somewhat brighter in color and more diverse in design than before. In particular, liberal and individual dressing habits appeared among the privileged classes. When taking part in national events, women have to wear the traditional Korean costume, Hanbok, while men wear business suits for formal wear. In general, men don't wear Hanbok. Students have to be in uniforms but blue jeans, T-shirts with English logos were popular among them reflecting their sensitivity and openness towards western cultures. The brides usually wear pink Hanboks and the bridegrooms wear black business suits for their wedding. North Koreans also wear Hanbok on national holidays like South Koreans. Clothing is the most important item in the trade of process commission between North and South Korea. Trading items are mid to low end men's clothing for the most part due to less emphasis on fashion in the North. The processing is indirect trade and composed of sample making and contracting, sending out materials and production, carrying in goods and setting accounts. To activate South-North trade, establishment of infrastructure, stabilization of shipping, reducing high costs of distribution, building direct communication system by setting up office in a neutral zone and simplifying procedures in applying for the South and North Korea Economic Cooperation Fund. On the other hand, clothing and textiles education is carried on at art colleges, light industries colleges and commercial colleges in Pyongyang. Clothing institutes which study Hanbok and Western clothes, are installed in each city and province. Graduates who majored in clothing and textiles are posted in institutes or apparel factories. Their job is designing, patternmaking and sewing for their customers. Most of them are women and in good state of economic conditions. The North Korean clothing industry has been the core national industry that has developed based on overseas demand form the mid 1980s. The standard is that of South Korea in the early 1980s. In 1999, trade of North Korean textile products with trade counterparts such as Japan and China was $1.3 million in exports and $1.27 in imports. Of this amount the export takes up 25.4% of the total exports in North Korea. However, fundamentally even in sectors that are irrelevant to politics such as the fashion clothing industry, trust between the South and North should be a prerequisite. Only through this can exchange between North and South and economic cooperation contribute towards the reunification.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.474-485
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants and elements to enhance Korean international competitiveness, employing Porter's(1998) Diamond Model. Half of the 500 leading apparel exporters that were members of the Korea Apparel Industry Association in 2003 were selected as the target of this research. From May to June of 2003, survey questionnaires were sent to executives of these 250 companies in person or by telephone, e-mail, or fax. Seventy questionnaires were used for the final data anlysis. The items used were Reliability, Categorical Regression, and Frequency, using SPSS 11.5. The results were as follows: First, as a result of analyzing the influence of international competitiveness in Korean apparel industry, the firm's strategy, structure, and rivalry was the most influential factor. Others were related and supporting industries, government, chance, demand conditions, and factor conditions. Also, the elements that affect Korean international competitiveness were listed as the level of price competition in foreign markets, the level of labor cost, export marketing capacity, and exchange fluctuation. The most important element to improve the international competitiveness of the Korean apparel industry was a demand growth rate of the overseas markets(Demand Conditions), followed by the level of the labor costs(Factor Conditions), the capability of internationalization(Firm Strategy, Structure, and Rivalry), the change of currency(Chance), the quality and management of products(Demand Conditions), the capability of planning products(Firm Strategy, Structure, and Rivalry), free trade from 2005(Chance), and global sourcing strategy(Firm Strategy, Structure, and Rivalry). Korea's main rival country in apparel related and supporting industry factors is China. However, Korea has a higher level of technology development, quality, and price level than China.