Eco-cosplay: Upcycling as a Sustainable Method of Costume Construction

This research addresses sustainability in the apparel industry from the specific perspective of repurposing materials for use in costume development. Repurposing discarded materials, also referred to as upcycling, is examined as a viable approach to waste management and evaluated for its impact on sustainability in apparel and textile production, especially in relation to costume development. Current issues in sustainability in the apparel industry that are a focus for this research include waste from production as well as post-consumer waste. The project includes the design and construction of two costume pieces based on a style of costume known as cosplay. Cosplay is a subculture of costume enthusiasts that dress up to resemble one or more characters from a fan universe. The rise of popularity in cosplay contiguous to upcycling is one reason the project combines the two concepts. Secondly, cosplay costume development can repurpose materials beyond textiles, such as plastics, glass, metal, and wood. Finally, many cosplay hobbyists may have budget constraints that can be resolved by purchasing materials to upcycle from resale stores. Resale stores are a source of materials because the maintenance of the discarded materials removes a portion of cleaning from the project. Results of the research are the established efficacy of upcycling in costume development as an approach to waste management, the determination of acceptable aesthetic quality of upcycled costumes, and general guidance for cosplay participants to follow with the intention to utilize as much repurposed or upcycled materials as individual skills allow

Historic Costume Simulation and its Application

This study highlights the potential of new technology as a means to provide new possibility for costumes in fragile condition to be utilised. The aim of this study is to create accurate digital duplicates of costumes from historical sources, and to explore the possibility of developing them as an exhibitory and educational method applying 3D apparel CAD and new media. To achieve this, three attributes for qualities of effective digital costumes were suggested: faithful reproduction, virtual fabrication, and interactive and stereographic appreciation. Based on these qualities, digital costumes and a PC application were produced and evaluated

The relationship among salesperson appearance, employee-organization identification, job involvement, and job performance in the context of an apparel retail store

The purpose of this study was to explore employee-organization identification in the apparel retail store setting. This study was guided by the following questions: (1) What is the nature of employee-organization identification in apparel retail stores? (2) In what ways, if any, is salesperson appearance related to employee-organization identification in an apparel retail store setting? (3) To what extent are employees\u27 perceptions of store image, person-organization fit, and attractiveness of the organization directly and indirectly related to level of employee-organization identification among salespeople in an apparel retail store? (4) To what extent is level of employee-organization identification related to level of job involvement and job performance among salespeople in an apparel retail store? To address these questions, data was collected in two phases. In the first phase, interviews were conducted with nine apparel retail store employees. Interviewees\u27 responses suggested that the apparel products they wore both during and outside of work seemed to serve as an indication of their level of identification with the apparel retail store for which they worked. In the second phase of the study, a questionnaire was completed by 251 apparel retail store salespeople. An analysis of the data using a structural equation modeling technique revealed that employees\u27 beliefs concerning other individuals\u27 perceptions of the store\u27s image (i.e., construed external image) were directly and positively related to employee-organization identification. In the best-fitting model, neither person-organization fit nor attractiveness of the organization to the employee were shown to be significantly related to employee-organization identification. Employee-organization identification was directly and positively related to both job involvement and job performance, but job involvement and job performance were not significantly related to each other. Although the first phase of the study suggested a possible relationship between salesperson appearance and employee-organization identification, this finding was not replicated in the second phase of the study. However, post-hoc analyses revealed that salespeople who were required to wear the store\u27s apparel while working displayed a higher level of person-organization fit, attraction to the store, job satisfaction, employee-organization identification, and job involvement than salespeople who were not required to wear the store\u27s apparel while working

Consumers of ethnic apparel and textile crafts from alternative trading organizations

Increasingly, craft producers from developing countries are turning to alternative trading organizations (ATOs) for assistance in craft exporting. ATOs know the needs of the craft producers with whom they work; however, little is known about the ATO consumer;The purpose of the study was twofold. One goal was to describe consumers who had purchased products from alternative trading organizations (ATOs). The second goal was to further examine ATO consumers\u27 preferences for ethnic apparel. Theory in consumer behavior and social psychology provided the conceptual framework for the study. Major variables included in the study were values, Latin American involvement, altruism, clothing evaluative criteria, mail-order risk, past purchase behavior, and future purchase intentions;Data were collected with a mail survey of consumers randomly drawn from the stratified mailing list of Pueblo to People (usable response rate = 48.6%, n = 376). The basis for stratification was past purchase behavior and included: (1) Clothing Purchasers, (2) Other Purchasers, and (3) Non-Purchasers. Factor analysis uncovered latent variables among a large number of items. Multiple discriminant analysis revealed which independent variables were useful for distinguishing among consumer groups. Finally, path analysis was used to examine the causal relationships among variables affecting future purchase intentions;Perceived quality of ethnic apparel, support for ATOs, attitudes about social and political conditions in Latin America, past travel experience, concern for persons in developing countries, education, age, and willingness to sacrifice product expectations were useful for discriminating among past purchaser groups. Similar variables exerted strong influence on future purchase intentions. Results from both analyses were combined into a model describing ATO consumer behavior;The research makes numerous contributions. ATOs will benefit from knowledge that quality is an influential product characteristic. Theoretical contributions include the differentiation of ethnic apparel consumers from textile craft consumers and from consumers of mass-produced Western apparel, recognition of the value of less parsimonious models for explaining consumer behavior, and an understanding of the differing roles that attitudes toward objects and attitudes toward behaviors have in explaining purchasing. The research also recognizes socially responsible consumers who are concerned with others\u27 needs as well as their own

Optimising multi-disciplinary contributions for the smart clothing development process

This research aims to introduce a strategic approach to overcome the creative boundaries and optimize multidisciplinary contributions in Smart Clothing development, since the former research results revealed that these issues are key to achieving fully integrated Smart Clothes. Therefore, this paper examines collaborative projects that are shown to break through the creative boundary and integrate multidisciplinary contributions, and identifies how individual designers overcome their creative constraints and collaborate with others, in order to identify a practical method. The research result indicates that a clear description of Smart Clothing’s context will provide a new framework for the developers to work on

Relationship of attitudes toward advertising images and self-perceptions of older women

This study was an examination of the relationship of attitudes toward advertising images and self-perceptions of older women. A major component of this study focused on how older women perceive models in today\u27s fashion magazines and apparel catalogs. Data were collected from 163 women aged 60 to 80. Full-color photographs of fashion models appearing to be middle-aged or older were presented to participants as stimuli. Age treatments were digitally applied to each of the models, manipulating them to appear younger. This manipulation created two age versions of each model. Questionnaires used in this study were designed to measure participants\u27 feelings about themselves, including their appearance self-discrepancy and body satisfaction, and their beliefs about the model\u27s appearance and attractiveness.;Results indicated that the sample of older women perceived little discrepancy between their idealized and actual physical appearance. Participants also did not seem to be influenced by media ideals in their acceptance of themselves. Overall, older women were fairly satisfied with their bodies. There was no statistically significant evidence suggesting that the more participants compared themselves to fashion models, the less satisfied they were with their appearance. Participants reported that they rarely, if ever, compared themselves to fashion models, suggesting that older women may be less influenced by media standards of beauty as compared to women of younger ages.;In terms of participants\u27 beliefs about the stimulus models, participants had more favorable ratings of the older models as compared to the younger-age versions. Model age had a significant effect on respondents\u27 purchase intentions; participants were more likely to want to purchase clothing worn by older models and indicated a preference for retailers who use older models in their advertising. Perceived similarity to models was found to influence purchase intentions and ratings of fashionability. Participants who perceived more similarity to the models indicated more likelihood to purchase the clothing worn by the models and rated the model\u27s clothing as more fashionable than those who perceived less similarity. Findings of this study are useful for expanding knowledge of older adults\u27 responses toward various promotional strategies and may assist in shaping effective marketing approaches

Perceived importance of personal sales assistance and in-store and nonstore patronage

A series of stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to test the proposed relationships addressed in the research questions. The results from the factor analyses revealed three dimensions of perceived importance of personal sales assistance: Professionalism, Personalization, and Appearance. Regression results suggested that there were significant relationships between a variety of consumer characteristics and perceived importance of each dimension of personal sales assistance. Perceived importance of personal sales assistance was also found to have some effect on consumers\u27 in-store and non-store patronage behavioral intentions. In addition, support was found for the direct effects of fashion and apparel shopping orientation, and self-concept on in-store or non-store patronage behavioral intention. This study has various implications for retailers in terms of sales personnel management and development of appropriate strategies for in-store and non-store marketers. Future research using both qualitative and quantitative designs are required to further the findings. By delving into theoretical concepts related to the personal sales assistance dimensions identified in the present study, future research is expected to contribute to retail service studies.This study was designed to enhance the knowledge of personal sales assistance in apparel shopping, and articulate possible relationships between consumers\u27 fashion and apparel shopping orientation, self-concept, personal sales assistance, and in-store and non-store patronage behavioral intentions. Four research questions addressed 1) the dimensions of perceived importance of personal sales assistance; 2) the effect of fashion and apparel shopping orientation and self-concept on consumers\u27 perceived importance of personal sales assistance; 3) the existence of significant relationships between consumers\u27 perceived importance of personal sales assistance and their in-store and non-store patronage behavioral intention; and 4) the direct effect of consumers\u27 fashion and apparel shopping orientation and self-concept on their in-store and non-store patronage behavioral intention. A nomological model that illustrated possible relationships between the variables was proposed based on literature. The population of interest was college-aged consumers. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 217 college students who were enrolled in a Midwest university using a self-administered questionnaire. Exploratory factor analyses were employed to test the dimensionality of the scales