Jennifer Banning

Perceived ease of use and usefulness of sustainability labels on apparel products: application of the technology acceptance model

This study explores consumers’ perceptions of sustainability labels on apparel products and examines sustainability labels as an effective means of determining consumers’ purchase intentions, using the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the foundation. Data were collected via self-administered web-based surveys from 903 randomly selected shoppers throughout the United States (U.S.). Findings validated that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitudes, and purchase intention were associated with consumers’ use of sustainability labels. Within those four variables, sustainability label users exhibited significantly higher scores than non-label users, though the path relationships among those variables were not different between the two groups. This study is one of the first to use TAM to understand how consumers perceive and use sustainability labels for apparel products. Through this application, label reading behaviour is viewed similarly to how consumers use new informational sources for their decision making process. The findings provide practical implications for business marketers and managers of sustainability apparel products. As this study focused on sustainability labels and apparel product shopping among U.S. consumers, it may be limited to apply findings to other product categories and may be limited to consumers outside the U.S.

Implementation of lean production and environmental sustainability in the Indian apparel manufacturing industry: a way to reach the triple bottom line

ABSTRACT In response to global environmental issues and general business competition, the last few decades have seen a tremendous increase in the awareness of the environmental impact and the usage of production management systems such as lean production (LP). To examine these strategies in the Indian apparel manufacturing industry, this study examines the extent and impact of cost-of-production and waste management practices, as well as barriers in the implementation of LP and environmental sustainability (ES) practices. Research was conducted and a total of 51 respondents working in the Indian apparel manufacturing sector were surveyed. According to the results, there is room for improvement in the implementation of LP and ES practices in the Indian apparel manufacturing sector, which could be achieved by effectively tackling the barriers identified in the research. Common and divergent factors for LP and ES regarding cost of production and waste management were also found in the research.

One Woman’s Commodity Bag Garments Compared to Styles in Good Housekeeping, 1949 to 1968

The research objective of this study was to compare characteristics of one woman’s home-sewn daywear commodity bag garments with characteristics of fashionable women’s ready-to-wear daywear garments depicted in a national magazine targeted to women of middle socioeconomic status. Characteristics of the garments were compared with characteristics of garments pictured in Good Housekeeping magazine’s ‘‘Fashion’’ sections during the same time period. Analysis showed the commodity bag garments shared similar design and fabric characteristics as styles that appeared in Good Housekeeping magazine. This finding indicates that although the commodity bag garments were primarily made for work in a rural setting, they had many of the same fashionable features as mass produced garments that could be purchased in department stores nationwide and could, therefore, be considered fashionable.

Perceptions of How the Transition From Home Life to College Life Affects Type 1 Diabetes Management

An estimated 7,700 freshmen with type 1 diabetes enter college every year (1). Challenges that arise with regard to diabetes self-management increase the need to support this population during the transition from home life to college life. Management of diabetes is important not only to prevent physical complications resulting from high blood glucose levels, but also to address psychological issues. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), people with type 1 diabetes are more likely than those without diabetes to experience depression, which can cause disruptions in sleep behavior, difficulty concentrating, and a decrease in energy (2). Students suffering from these symptoms may have a hard time maintaining high academic performance. Forms of support for these students include emotional support, assistance from medical professionals, and available campus resources. First-year college students must learn how to cope with new academic challenges and the psychosocial expectations of higher education (3). Developing psychosocial identity involves living up to social expectations, identifying one’s purpose, and maintaining stability through hormonal changes (4). The ADA’s Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2017 (5) recommends that “diabetes self-management education and support should address psychosocial issues, since emotional well-being is associated with positive diabetes outcomes.” This emphasis on support of psychosocial well-being points to the importance of providing assistance to first-year college students with diabetes as they enter a crucial milestone in the development of psychosocial identity. The potential vulnerabilities inherent in teens’ transition to adulthood elicit the need for both pediatric and adult health care teams to be involved in the provision of support and assistance with resources (5). Students’ ability to cope with their diagnosis of diabetes and self-management while going to school has been the focus of many research studies (6–13). However, there is a dearth of literature focusing specifically on young adults moving …

Fashions from Commodity Bags—Case Study of a Rural Seamstress in the Mid-Twentieth Century

Abstract Beginning in the late-nineteenth century, recycling commodity bags into household items and garments was commonplace in rural America. Despite the prevalence of the practice, there is little information available about what commodity bag garments looked like, and the steps seamstresses went through to recycle the bags. This paper focuses on thirty-five garments made from recycled commodity bags by Rosa Keller Aucoin between 1949 and 1968 in southeast Louisiana. Rosa’s wardrobe presents an unparalleled research opportunity since no other collection of commodity bags of this number by one seamstress has been identified. This study examined Rosa’s commodity bag wardrobe made for work and informal social occasions. Specific goals were to 1) identify, 2) evaluate, 3) culturally analyze, and 4) interpret the commodity bag garments. The study found the garments to be colorful, durable, and fashionable, fitting into both the rural culture surrounding the seamstress, as well as the wider American culture of the time.