• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.73-86
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• 2024

Addressing the environmental impact of textile waste, this study explores upcycling as a sustainable fashion solution, particularly focusing on the upcycling of discarded fishing nets, which are a significant source of marine pollution. In 2018, South Korea alone produced 193.3 tons of clothing waste, refelcting a global trend, where textile waste exceedsed 92 million tons. The research methodology involved a literature review and case studies on upcycled fashion, focusing on discarded fishing nets. Designs for three outfits targeting women in their twenties were proposed and a survey was carried out to assess the their perception of upcycled fashion and the design's appeal and practicality. Under the theme, 'Marine Spirit,' the study aimed to raise awareness of marine pollution, drawing inspiration from the ocean's vibrant life. The designs diverge from the monotonous 'Casual Glam' trend, and incorporate vivid colors and asymmetrical structures for visual appeal. The practical application of fishing nets varied across the pieces, serving as fillers in transparent PVC padded coats and decorative elements in skirts and puff dresses. The distinctive properties of fishing nets provide a unique aesthetic, which resonated well with the target audience. Despite challenges in adopting eco-friendly dyeing methods and assessing mass production feasibility, the study underscores the need for continued research in sustainable textile processing. The study reaffirms the importance of sustainable fashion, highlighting the creative potential of fishing nets as a material.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2023

Due to the current seriousness of environmental pollution and the eco-friendly movement of the fashion industry, research on sustainable fashion design is being actively conducted. In this study, consumer perception of upcycling products, are divided into image, function, and meaning; and image is further divided into shape, color, and material. It was redefined as pattern, and image recognition was evaluated among men and women in their 20s and 30s, and men and women in their 40s and 50s used as subjects. First, factors that determine each image were extracted based on qualitative analysis of the precedent cases of upcycling bags, and quantitative analysis of the subjects was induced through a questionnaire. As a result of the analysis of evaluation items related to image association, the average frequency analysis of all subjects for each stimuli and the cognitive variance of the frequency analysis by generation by gender were found to be similar. However, awareness of some stimuli by generation showed a significant difference. Overall, in the three stimuli with high overall preference, common features, such as the basic box-shaped symmetrical structure, the monochromatic color of the Munsell system, solid and practical texture, and appropriate use of patterns were identified. In addition, it was confirmed that there was a difference with factors such as femininity, simplicity, touch, and splendor in the measurement factors. In conclusion, it is considered that the main significance of this study is that it excluded the recognition and meaning of upcycling products and explored the original design and image elements of products. Therefore, it is expected that this study will be used as a basic data for responding to the gender image of each generation as an alternative method of sustainable fashion design, and it will be an opportunity to expand the scope of the study to a detailed study beyond the biased topic.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.572-584
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• 2021

The emergence of environmental and social issues has led to global discussions for the realization of sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to propose a method of sustainable fashion design using waste Hanbok, focusing on men's Hanbok with cultural values. The study utilizes literature research and fashion design development. From the literature study, reform was judged to be a higher concept encompassing reduction, recycling, and upcycling. Reduction is a design method through removal, and recycling design transforms from its original form into a completely different product. Upcycling design focuses on improvement and change in functionality. Accordingly, nine redesigns using men's Hanbok were developed from which three were produced. Consequently, the reduction design demonstrated a small range of variation without changing the item, and cultural sustainability was confirmed through the design that removed the components and recombined the Hanbok. Second, recycling redesign can be reconstituted into a different item. Third, upcycling enables various designs through module assembly, which prolongs the lifespan of the product and confirms its value as a raw material for waste Hanbok. This study is meaningful in realizing sustainable fashion and suggesting practical measures for the sustainability of Korean traditional culture and creative fashion design planning.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.890-911
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• 2020

This study proposed a base framework for creating sustainable designs with textile production waste and unused neckties with the "design thinking" approach, which is an iterative process. It aimed to set an example of how fashion designers can plan and manage their clothing design processes in a more sustainable way by recycling textile production scraps and unused neckties into unique clothing pieces with the upcycling method. Unused neckties and upholstery scraps were turned into skirts, blouses, and dresses by using creative techniques in line with current fashion trends. In addition, the five-stage iterative design process followed was explained, and the way in which the waste textile materials gained value by being converted into unique garments was discussed in terms of the user and the designer. Through the study, it was observed that the smallest amount of textile waste can be transformed into upcycled clothing via the iterative process, and original, value-added products enjoyed by consumers can be created. In addition, it was observed that the design thinking approach improves the understanding of the context of the problem, creativity in the generation of insights and solutions, skills to materialize those solutions through iterative prototyping, and the ability to combine these factors. Promising ideas to help designers develop recycling strategies were also provided.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.73-85
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to conduct more practical subsequent research by identifying research areas through a systematic analysis of sustainable fashion design research trends. For this study, 117 journals domestic journals published between 2010 and 2020 were selected using the keyword, 'sustainable fashion'. With the research materials, six top keywords, 'zero waste', 'sustainability', 'eco-friendly', 'upcycling', 'recycling', and 'ethical', were derived. The research status was examined by year, keyword, keyword and year, and research topic. The analysis results are as follows. First, looking into the studies by year, it was found that research on sustainable fashion increased in general. Compared to 2010, the research tripled in 2020, and it was found to have increased steadily from 2018. Second, regarding the research by keyword, eco-friendly was the most common. It can be seen that research tended to focus on recycling or eco-friendliness before, but in later material design development was heading towards upcycling. Third, concerning the research by topic, case studies were found the most before, but research on design development tended to increase recently. Based on that, it is expected that the areas of sustainable fashion design that need more research will be investigated further.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.34-47
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• 2024

This study aimed to enhance public awareness of the growing issue of automobile waste and promote environmental protection by developing visually appealing and innovative clothing designs. By leveraging successful examples of upcycled fashion design and products that could recycle automobile waste, this study proposed four garment designs utilizing various materials such as seat belts, leather seat fabrics, and airbags from automobile waste. Ultimately, two of these garments were produced as physical prototypes. Findings of this study are summarized as follows. First, the development of upcycled fashion products utilizing automotive waste opened new possibilities for sustainable fashion design. This approach demonstrates potential to meet demands of modem consumers who prioritize environmental values and social responsibility. Second, the study established an important foundation for understanding market acceptance and consumer perception of upcycled fashion products using automotive waste. As consumer awareness of environmental protection grows and demand for sustainable products increases, these upcycled products are likely to gain significant traction in the fashion industry.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.133-144
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• 2023

The goal of this study was to improve environmental awareness by systematically developing a hands-on online lesson for adults on making drink bags by upcycling discarded umbrella cloth. The lesson was developed using an ADDIE model. During the analysis stage, the instructional design direction was established based on the findings of previous studies. In the design stage, the operation of practical classes in the online environment was specifically planned. The contents of education and the training time were also determined. The materials developed during the development stage included a kit and theoretical information containing images to raise awareness of environmental pollution and the significance of upcycling, as well as videos and photos. During the implementation stage, two sessions were held three months apart. A total of 36 adults participated, with 18 participants in each session. In the evaluation stage, the first session participants provided feedback on class satisfaction, which led to improvements. Positive feedbacks were received from the second session participants, who expressed satisfaction with the smooth communication and easy approaches to the learning materials. In both instances, the surveys on environmental consciousness and attitudes yielded an overall average score of 4.27, indicating a generally positive evaluation.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.125-139
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• 2020

The fashion industry that perceived the severity of environmental pollution, has sought various methods of sustainable fashion. However, most of the businesses paid attention to the development of materials using industrial waste, or vegan material. Thus, this study aims to present the methods for improvement in creativity for inversely developing the design from patterns and present new approaches by applying the contrarian development of proto to class under the limited condition of material concerning general design, selection of material, and production of sample. In the case of three student teams enrolled in the first semester of the second year, the fabric and used clothing donated by industry were used as material. The whole cut for cutting a single fabric in connected state, and Zero Wastes Design within a rectangular frame of fabric, upcycling of used clothes, and cutting out of Geometric Form are suggested. The team(A) produced a zero-wastes coat and whole-cut Pancho that could be variously represented. The team(B) produced two kinds of asymmetric dress by utilizing used check-patterned shirts through upcycling. The team(C) utilized the fabric in geometric forms such as rectangle, trapezoid, and atypical figure by drawing design within donated fabrics. The items were a dress, blouse, and skirt. Consequently, an opportunity for both academia and industry to present more concrete methods for sustainable fashion and deeply perceive the sustainable fashion is presented along with novel methods for creation by carrying out the composition of pattern and design at the same time.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.103-110
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• 2012

Various industrial sectors have formally turned to Green Development, practicing eco-design with the goal of saving the environment. Such trend can also be applied to jewelry design and production. Jewelry, which emerged with the birth of humankind, has been a contributing factor to environmental pollution and depletion of resources due to mass production and reckless consuming patterns of the 20th century. With the arrival of the World economic crises, however, the consumption of jewelry has dropped and now the industry desperately needs a boost for revival. In this paper, we propose a way to recycle waste materials and turn them into a new kind of jewelry. We introduce various junk materials that can be reused, and how to reuse them. The new type of jewelry we aim for is environment-friendly, low-cost, and unique as opposed to identical mass production of the past. The eco-design product will likely add new value to jewelry industry. The product targets sophisticated modern consumers with conscientious, environmentally aware consuming patterns. To fulfill the needs of these consumers, we propose methods of upcycling from junk to jewelry, by combining precious stones with waste materials.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.123-138
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• 2024

With the increase in online shopping and delivery food consumption since the pandemic, solving environmental problems caused by single-use packaging has become an important issue. 'Upcycling' is a combination of 'Upgrade' and 'Recycle', and it is the rebirth of obsolete or discarded objects by adding new value to them, and there are currently various upcycled products on the market. In order to activate upcycling, consumers' awareness of the environment and their values for consumption are very important. This study aims to investigate the influence of students' environmental concern, environmental experience, and consumption value on their purchase intention of upcycled products. Based on the results of previous studies on environmental concern, environmental experience, and consumption value, hypotheses were set, and a survey was conducted among university students nationwide to test the hypotheses. The results of this study are as follows First, environmental concern has a significant positive effect on purchase intention of upcycled products. It can be seen that the more environmental concerns such as global warming and waste disposal problems increase, the more positive attitudes toward upcycled products increase. Second, the research hypothesis that environmental knowledge will have a positive effect on the purchase intention of upcycled products is rejected. It was found that environmental knowledge is acquired through environmental education and many SNS, but it does not have a direct effect on the purchase intention of upcycled products. Third, it was found that the consumption value of college students has a positive effect on the purchase intention of upcycled products by increasing their positive perception of upcycled products. Fourth, college students' purchase intention of upcycled products has a positive effect on their behavioral intention to purchase upcycled products. The results of the study provide implications for relevant organizations such as universities and companies to effectively design upcycling-related education. It is also expected to have a positive impact on the use of upcycled products by providing basic information on the characteristics of consumers who purchase upcycled products.