• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.895-911
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' perceptions of eco-friendly children's-wear and their impact on the selection criteria for children's-wear and stores. A descriptive survey method using a self-administered questionnaire was employed. The sample consisted of mothers with children under the age of 13 residing in Seoul and the Gyeonggi area. Data were collected from September 2011 to October, 2011. The collected data were analyzed to find the differences between purchasers and non-purchasers of eco-friendly children's-wear in terms of their perceptions of eco-friendly children's-wear, as well as the influence of these perceptions on the consideration degree of criteria for the selection of children's wear and store. The results indicate that perceptions of eco-friendly children's-wear implied five key factors related to quality reliability, expected value, style, degree of recognition, and dissatisfaction with design and price. The results also revealed some differences between the group purchasing eco-friendly children's-wear and the group not purchasing eco-friendly children's-wear. These different perceptions were related to the aspects of quality reliability, expected value, style, degree of recognition. In general, the non-purchasing group displayed a lower mean score than the purchasing group. Both groups showed a low interest in aesthetic appreciation and the degree of recognition factor. The results showed that consumer's perceptions of eco-friendly children's-wear had an influence on the criteria for the selection of children's-wear and store type in both groups. Considering the findings of the study, it is clear that both purchasers and non-purchasers of eco-friendly children's-wear showed differences in their perceptions and purchasing behavior. Therefore, marketing strategies to appeal to the non-purchasing group should be differentiated from strategies used to ensure the loyalty of the purchasing group.