3 research outputs found
Determination of a sizing system for mass customisation of Ghanaian women's traditional dress: and a conceptual framework for small and medium scale enterprises
Dress whether traditional or contemporary is a visual symbol that communicates the
identity of individuals and groups who share a common background and heritage. This
study identified that the usage of traditional dress in the Ghanaian society functions as
an important medium for social differentiation in terms of identity construction which is
communicated through its symbolic meaning. Traditional dress for women, known as
"slit and kaba", previously consists of two pieces of cloth and a semi-fitted blouse
which requires no standardised sizing and fit requirements but as this dress has
undergone an evolution process into a skirt and blouse with western features, the fit and
manufacturing quality has become increasingly important. The usage of this dress for
both formal and informal functions and its evolution places importance on its overall
production strategy in terms of sizing, quality and fit.
The research was undertaken to develop a sizing system for the mass customisation of
the Ghanaian traditional dress for women between the ages of 20-54 years old. In order
to achieve the aim of the research, an extensive review of literature was conducted
which led to the adoption of multiple data collection strategies in terms of participant
observation, interview, questionnaire and an anthropometric survey to corroborate each
other. The grounded theory approach was utilised in order to ascertain key issues related
to mass customisation, production and utilisation of traditional dress while a
quantitative approach was adopted to develop a sizing system for the Ghanaian woman
and to establish the relationship between the meaning and utilisation of this dress. The
data was collected in three metropolitan centres in Ghana from consumers and
manufacturers of the traditional dress as well as the stakeholders of the garment
industries using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. The quantitative
results were analysed using correlation, a one-way ANOVA and t-test to determine the
relationships among the variables while an inductive approach through the grounded
theory was used to analyse the qualitative data. The findings were used to develop a
conceptual framework for a sizing system regarding quality of fit and the utilisation as
well as the development of a production model that facilitates the mass customisation of
the Ghanaian traditional dress.
The findings revealed that the traditional dress has undergone a considerable change,
and demographic factors, such as age, education and marital status are associated with
its utilisation. The anthropometric survey confirmed that the average key dimensions
(bust, waist and hip girths) of the sample are larger when compared with those of other
studies conducted where the participants were of white ethnic origins. This has practical
implications when producing garments for the Ghanaian consumer using other size
charts from different target groups or surveys. In terms of a production strategy, the
study showed that there is a strong preference for mass customisation over mass
production as a result of issues with fit. This study provides the first anthropometric
survey on the female population and has a great implication for the development of the
Ghanaian clothing industry in the provision of well fitting and quality garments to
promote consumer satisfaction. It also contributes to knowledge in the area of
traditional clothing practices placing emphasis on the utilisation and the underlying
meanings of the traditional dress within the socio-cultural context. This study therefore
provides original baseline data for future research for the development of researchbased
national standards for menswear and childrenswear for Ghana in particular and
West Africa in general
The Effect of Fabrics and Designs on the Physical Comfort of Children Clothes in the Accra Metropolis
Safety and comfort are considered as top priority when selecting fabrics for manufacturing children’s apparels. Delicate skin of children reacts to certain fabrics which make them less comfortable to wear. The study aimed at examining the effects of fabrics and designs on the physical comfort of children clothes. The study adopted a descriptive study design. A total of 100 respondents, 30 fashion designers and 70 parents and guardians, were sampled for the study. Simple random sampling was used for the fashion designers, whereas accidental sampling was used for the parents and guardians. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to analyse the data. Crosstabulations were also used to examine the relationship between variables. The study found that more parents considered the appearance of their children before other factors such as safety and comfortability. However, majority preferred cotton fabrics to be used for their children’s apparels. A majority of the fashion designers did not know that children’s skin reacts to certain fabrics. The main factors considered by the fashion designers in the selection of fabrics for constructing children’s apparels were colour, design, and purpose of apparels. The majority of the fashion designers adopted a number of safety measures, such as linen of apparel, light-weighted zippers and use of few buttons, to enhance the comfortability of children’s apparel. The study recommends that the NVTI, and the Ghana Fashion Designers Association should educate fashion designers on the reaction of children’s skin to fabrics from certain sources. The NVTI in collaboration with the Fashion Designers Association of Ghana should sensitise or train fashion designers on safety measures in apparel making through improved finishes. Keywords: fabrics, designs, safety, comfort, children, clothes, apparel