• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.462-473
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• 2008

In recent years, Korea's apparel exports to the USA have faced a great threat, as the trade environment around the world has changed continually. The purpose of this study is to analyze the competitive position of Korean apparel exports to the USA, and to enhance export competitiveness by applying to offshore sourcing. The trade data of the Office of Textiles and Apparel(OTEXA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce were selected for inquiry about export competitiveness of apparel products made in Korea. In addition, we targeted members of the Korea Apparel Industry Association among the 500 exporters of clothing items in "The Import and Export Textile Product 2003." A total 70 sheets were analyzed. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Korean apparel exports to USA have decreased by 20-35 percent per year since 2005 under the Free Trade Area, showing that Korean apparel industries have not adapted to the new trade environment. Although Korean apparel exports to USA have indicated a trade surplus from now on, Korean apparel industries should find new ways to overcome this situation, diminishing exports and increasing imports. 2) Korean apparel companies selected more offshore sourcing than domestic sourcing. Also, as Korean apparel companies manufactured apparel products offshore, foreign subcontracting outranked manufacturing in their own foreign plants. When they chose foreign countries to source, they turned mainly to China and Vietnam. Also, they considered the target country's manufacturing price, labor stability, apparel products, quality, lead time, and so on. In order to increase apparel exports, Korean apparel industries should focus more on developing competitively new apparel products, improving the ability of sourcing management, and establishing on-the-spot agencies.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.399-403
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• 2004

Education of clothing and textiles in the university is various according to the purposes. Among that clothing construction and practice is what is needed the most in understanding the process of apparel producing, and is the basic subject of areas from apparel designs to quality management. Producing apparel starts from planning the bodice pattern according to the human body shape. Basic bodice pattern should be highly practical so that production of all items of apparel patterns can be possible. Also, a basic bodice pattern needs to be planned in the way that even beginners can use it by classifying sizes according to each body measurements. Thus in this study. bodice patterns will be produced in way of draping method subjecting university students in early 20s. standardized and classified sizes will be calculated from it and bodice pattern made by studied flat pattern method will be examined and compared so that finally suitability will be compared. As a result of examining and comparing bodice patterns made by draping method and studied flat pattern method on the model of the human body produced by plaster method, sizes were classified into 5 levels. As a result of evaluation of creation. satisfying consequence from various body shape was acquired and it is expected of the beginners who are stating from clothing construction and practice to be educated by using the result of this study.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.719-727
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• 2009

The ultimate success of commercial applications of body scan data in the apparel industry will be consumers' substantial applications such as automated custom fit, size prediction, virtual try-on, personal shopper services (Loker, S. et al., 2004). In this study, we surveyed fifty consumers and forty-seven apparel industry workers about their recognition and interest in 3D body scanning and virtual try-on. The results are as follows: 55% of the apparel industry workers has recognized 3D body scanning as a convenient technology, but do not know how to use it. To the questions regarding virtual try-on, 53% of the workers give positive answers. The consumers have a more positive view on virtual try-on than the workers do. The workers predict that the application of 3D body scan technology to the apparel industry could offer customers helpful information in their clothing selection by using virtual images of various size and style, and increase mass production of MTM(Made-To-Measure). The answers from the male consumers in their twenties indicate that virtual try-on is useful by 88% on offline shopping and by 100% on online shopping. 53% of the workers and 68% of the consumers gave answers that just by virtual try-on they could judge the quality of the apparel products and purchase them. Absolutely 3D virtual try-on is an effective tool for online shoppers. 85% of the workers anticipate applications of the 3D body scanning also in 'body measurement', 'custom pattern development' as well as 'virtual try-on' in the near future. With the positive reactions and the stimulating interests in virtual try-on, the conditions of contemporary world encourage more active researches and wide usages of the technology in apparel industry.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.187-199
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• 2009

Recently, the quality and design of the children's wear is being improved remarkably. Following the trend, the need for the research on the pattern making of children's wear is growing. At first, we tried to find out how the industry is doing the pattern making job through interview. Results are as follows. The target age ranges from 5 to 11 years old. For the sample size of pattern making, 7 years of age is preferred. It is not usual to develop the design pattern from the bodice block pattern. Instead, they use middle block pattern for each item, such as blouse, shirt, pants, skirt or jacket. Starting from these middle block pattern, they prepare individual designs. With the results, the aim of the research became to develop one of most frequently used middle block pattern. The blouse block pattern was selected for that purpose. To look into the existing patterns, we selected 4 methods, i.e. NM-method, T-method, O-method, E-methods. Theses patterns were compared through wearing test for the evaluation of comfort and fit using trial garments. The results indicated the NM-method was best among them. Specially waist line position, shoulder shape and size allowance was adequate. Alteration and adjustment of pattern draft was made onto the NM-method. Allowances for the bust circumference, across chest, across back and depth of arm was adjusted for better comfort as well as fine fit. Sidelines of the bodice and the underarm seam of the sleeves were curved for styling. After another wearing test, the final pattern was suggested as a blouse block pattern for 7 years old girl.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.30 no.1 s.149
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• pp.38-47
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• 2006

As apparel manufacturers and fabric suppliers are positioned in the middle of the apparel supply chain, these supply chain members build up a partnership to establish a win-win mutual relationship and to gam global competition. This study aimed to provide useful suggestions in setting up operational strategies by investigating the current state of a partnership between apparel manufactures and fabric suppliers. Partnership variables were included as: cooperative attitude, information sharing, interdependency, communications, strategic fit trust and commitment. Manufacturers' performance included productive/economic/emotional performance. A questionnaire was distributed to apparel manufactures who are doing business with fabric suppliers. A total of 101 complete questionnaires were used for further analysis. The results were as follows; First, apparel manufacturers do business with $10\~20$ fabric suppliers mainly, duration of business relation with main partners ranged from 1 year to 30 years, with 7 years on average. Among criteria with which apparel manufactures select fabric suppliers, quality and delivery-time were the most important. Second, cooperative attributes, communications, and strategic fit were positively related with trust. The higher commitment led to the high level of interdependency and strategic fit and tend to more trustworthy. Trust and commitment were significantly re lated with manufacturers' performance(i.e., productive/economic/emotional performance). This study is expected to contribute to increase the better performance for domestic apparel manufacturers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.29 no.8 s.145
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• pp.1146-1157
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• 2005

As individual family has fewer children, market sectors targeting children's goods upgrade their products quality and price. Children's wear used to be for casual activity or going to school. Recently, occasions in which children are dressed up are getting increase, such as wedding, concert or family gathering. Therefore, the industry sector of formal wears for school boys are growing. The purpose of this study is to research and grading of formal wears for school boys to improve their fit and comfort. The selected items as formal wear were tailored jacket, tuxedo, tail coat and pants. Based on the grading increments of the industry, grading was done far 7 years and 11 years old school boy for each item. Like the pattern alteration, grading increments were tested and altered through wearing tests. The final increments were suggested as the 'researched grading increments'. The results and conclusions are: 1. Appropriate size allowance, ease amount and lengths for boys are different from those far adults. The difference should be applied for boy's wear. 2. Grading increments for an age group are different from other age group. For example increments of 7 from 9 are different from that of 11 from 9. It is because a certain part grows faster during a certain age whereas other part grows faster during different period. Therefore grading for children should reflect their growth rather than same size increments which is common in adult size chart.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.57 no.7
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• pp.1-14
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• 2007

This study investigates the differences between the satisfaction factors of store characteristics depending on on-line clothing store type and its satisfaction index. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS 10.0 software with various techniques such as paired t-test, T-test, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ reliability and factor analysis that use principal component analysis and Varimax orthogonal rotation were used. The results are summarized as follows: 1. By categorizing the level of on-line store characteristics satisfaction depending on its type, clarifies the differences between its satisfaction. The satisfaction rank of general merchandise store was as followed: searching and approaching system, buying process service, screen-displayed design, product, store credit. On the other hand, the satisfaction rank of general store was as followed: screen-displayed design, store credit, buying process service. 2. By analyzing the difference of satisfaction depending on the store type, it was found that general merchandise store was more satisfied with screen-displayed design, approaching and searching, whole payment process, the safety of payment and shipping service, security service when compared to specialty store. It was also found that specialty store was more satisfied with the variety of product, update of rare items, quality and price of product. 3. By analyzing the difference between the type of on-line clothing store satisfaction depending on age, in the case of general merchandise store, the result showed that people in their thirties were more satisfied with buying process service, store credit, customer management system when compared to twenties. In the case of specialty store, the result showed that people in their twenties were more satisfied with customer management service when compared to thirties, and when it came to buying process service, it was vice versa.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.214-229
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to find strategic methods of quality management for customer satisfaction when developing clothing for middle and elderly women. For this study was middle and elderly women who were living in Seoul and Kyonggi-do. SPSS 11.5 statistical program was used for data analysis and to conduct factor analysis, reliability verification, paired-sample t-test, frequency analysis and percentage. The result were as follows; First, middle and elderly women's behavioral characteristic in purchasing clothing, the average price of formal suit was 700 thousand won and the time for purchasing was less than 3 months. They tended to purchase mostly by themselves on their own, and they purchase their own formal suit. Second, The body parts that influence the fit the most are in the order of waist circumference, shoulder width, chest circumference. Third, Regarding the difference of importance and satisfaction on the fit by body part that the middle and elderly women by body part, there was no significant different in neck circumference and shoulder swerve. Overweighing middle and elderly women showed difference in importance and satisfaction on all body parts. Underweighing middle-aged to aged women showed a significant difference in importance and satisfaction in the order of circumference of hips. Fourth, middle-aged women in 50s showed higher importance than satisfaction in the order of waist circumference, and elderly women in 60s should higher importance than satisfaction in rise length, jacket length. Aged women in 70s and above should significant difference only in the height of collar.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1015-1028
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• 2013

This study analyzed the relationship among swimming experiences, swimsuit selection criteria, swimsuit purchase satisfaction level, and the physical self-concept of female consumers. This study was based on a descriptive survey method using a questionnaire. The survey was conducted from June 15 through July 20, 2012, and the sample consisted of 330 female consumers in their 20s and 30s residing in the Seoul and Gyeonggi area. Factor analysis and Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ coefficients, ANOVA, Duncan's Test, and multiple regression analysis were employed for the data analysis. The results revealed that individual self-concepts on health, sports competence, and fitness were influenced by swimming experiences. There was a tendency for those with a longer period of swimming experience to have a higher level of brand consideration as a swimsuit selection criterion; in addition, they showed a higher satisfaction level with swimsuits. Individual physical self-concept influenced the consideration given to each swimsuit selection criterion as well as swimsuit purchase satisfaction level. The findings of the study reflect the possibility of utilizing swimming experiences as a criterion for swimsuit market segmentation. Attention to the quality of swimsuits as well as to the physical self-concept of consumers are required for marketing activities.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2021

High levels of fine dust is an increasing health concern in major cities such as Seoul. To improve the indoor air quality of apartments, this study examined the ability of an air shower system installed in an apartment unit to remove fine dust (as defined by ISO 12103-A2) from various clothing items of building occupants entering their apartment. Results of the experiment indicate that an air shower system is effective in removing final dust from clothing after one pass through the system. The fine dust removal efficiency for various clothing items was 74% for a dress suit, 70.6% for hiking clothes, 63.3% for knit-wear, 50.5% for a cotton t-shirt, and 38.8% for a coat. Fine dust removal efficiency increased with a second and third pass through the air shower system by an average of 9.1 and 13.9 percentage points respectively compared to a single pass through the system.