Cheryl Farr

C2CAD: a sustainable apparel design and production model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and implement a new sustainable apparel design and production model, cradle to cradle apparel design (C2CAD), that provides guidelines for apparel designers and manufacturers to solve some of the sustainability problems related to apparel production.Design/methodology/approach – The C2CAD model was developed by integrating McDonough and Braungarts “cradle to cradle” model into existing apparel design and production models. Knitwear design and production was used to implement the C2CAD model as a proof of concept. The performance and cost of the C2CAD knitwear were evaluated.Findings – The C2CAD model has four main steps: problem definition and research; sample making; solution development and collaboration; and production. Following the four steps and with an international collaboration similar to current apparel industry practices, “Four‐season sustainability” childrens knitwear prototypes were developed. Produced with an acceptable manufacturing cost, ...

Fabric Selection for a Liquid Cooling Garment

The selection of an inner fabric layer is an important aspect in the development of a liquid cooling garment (LCG). The desired characteristics of an inner fabric layer in LCGs include good thermal conductivity, moisture management, and tactile properties. Good thermal conductivity can improve cooling efficiency, and good moisture management and tactile properties can make the wearer more comfortable. Eighteen fabrics that differed in fiber content, fabric structure and thickness were investigated in this study for their suitability for use as an inner fabric layer for a LCG. Thermal resistance, evaporative resistance, wicking, and water distribution were measured. Correlation among the three moisture management tests was studied. The effects of metal-containment and fabric thickness on thermal and evaporative resistance were determined. The most suitable fabric among the 18 tested fabrics was selected in this study.

Retail Store Lighting for Elderly Consumers: An Experimental Approach

The study presents an investigation of the influence of the color of light on readability by figure to background value contrast, color perception, and overall room-light estimation for elderly consumers in an experimental setting representing a retail store. A factorial design with repeated measures was used to identify the impact of three independent variables: (a) lamp color temperatures, (b) lamp color-rendering properties, and (c) age of the participants. The results show that older adults perceived the higher color temperature light source as less cool than did younger adults. Older adults rated their level of comfort and preference higher than the younger participants under all lighting conditions. Regarding readability, higher color-rendering light sources provide better readability, and older adults have more difficulty with warmer lighting when value contrasts were reduced. Implications from this study can be applied to retail lighting techniques to attract elderly consumers.

Multimedia and Problem-Based Instruction in the Textiles Laboratory

Historically, textile laboratory content has been delivered via a traditional approach called expository instruction and was designed to allow large numbers of students to perform activities simultaneously within a short time. An innovative learning method, problem-based learning (PBL), has been successful in teaching non-biological sciences. Evidence suggests multimedia learning environments facilitate the development of independent, self-regulated thinking. To evaluate the potential for PBL and multimedia as instructional strategies in the textile laboratory, a 2X2 factorial design with a quasi-experimental approach was used. One factor, at two levels, was the use and non-use of multimedia laboratory materials; the second, at two levels, was the instructional approach, PBL and expository. A total of 155 students in four sections participated for a total of eight sections across two semesters. Based on mean section grade point averages, the two treatments (PBL and multimedia) had a positive effect.

Environmental Influences on Dress: Creek Nation, 1885–1900

Womens daydressfrom the Creek Indian Nation (1885–1900) was studied to ascertain the degree to which it paralleled dress being promulgated as fashionable in eastern U.S. newspapers and reprinted as fashion news in Creek Nation newspapers. The results indicated that dresses actually worn in the Creek Nation contained (a) more ease, (b) simpler construction, (c) garment components requiring less fabric yardage, and (d) more durable trims than those dresses publicized as beingfashionable. The investigators concluded that these differences reflected the rigorous Creek Nation environment. The results substantiated that the mere promotion of a fashion product to a targeted market does not ensure consumer acquisition or purchase behavior if that product is not congruent with the environmental conditions, needs, and values of the targeted population.

Perspectives of Recycling and In-Home Recycling Centers

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions of architects, interior designers, and home builders in two states toward environmental factors regarding recycling, recycling behavior, and in-home recycling centers; as well as to compare the willingness of these groups to promote and incorporate in-home recycling centers into their designs. Architects, interior designers, and home builders were selected from the membership lists of the American Institute of Architects, American Society of Interior Designers, and National Association of Home Builders. Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire in 2001. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were used to analyze the responses. Findings revealed that Minnesota architects, interior designers, and home builders each had positive measures on the behavior of incorporating in-home recycling centers into their designs as well as positive measures on behavioral intentions and attitudes regarding the promotion of in-home recycling centers. Although the attitude measures were relatively high regarding environmental concern and in-home recycling centers, Oklahoma architects, interior designers, and home builders did not have positive measures regarding the behavior of incorporating in-home recycling centers into their designs or the preceding behavioral intentions of incorporating such centers into their designs.