One of the greatest challenges facing the clothing industry worldwide, including South Africa is to provide well fitting garments to a broadly defined target population (Ashdown, Loker & Rucker 2007:1; Schofield, Ashdown, Hethorn, LaBat & Salusso 2006:147). Yu (2004:32) further states that from the consumers’ perspective, physical and psychological comfort as well as appearance play an important role in determining a well fitting garment and these are most likely to be shaped by the individual’s personal values. According to Kaiser (1998:290), personal values refer to standards or principles that guide an individual’s actions and thoughts that help to define what is important by guiding one’s choices or preferences of how the garment should fit. Hence garment fit and the subsequent appearance serves as a personal expression, communicating some personal values to others (Kaiser 1998:290) that can be achieved through the fitting of the garment. When female consumers encounter garment fit problems either through body shapes, garment sizing or garment size label communication, an emotional experience may result due to the failure to attain the personal values they are aiming to uphold or achieve. Cognitive appraisal theory of emotions is one of the theories among others that attempts to understand why people experience emotions. Lazarus (2001:55) defines cognitive appraisal theory of emotions as a quick evaluation of a situation with respect to one’s wellbeing. The answers to these evaluations directly cause the emotions experienced by a person. Since clothing can be used to express personal values to others (Kaiser 1998:146), the social standards appraisal dimension which can be one of the evaluative questions in the theory of cognitive appraisal concerning a situation, was the relevant evaluative component which this study focused on. This appraisal dimension evaluates whether the situation, in this case the negative experience of an ill-fitting garment affects what the consumer aspires to achieve socially through garment fit. Numerous studies such as Horwaton and Lee (2010); Pisut and Connell (2007) and Alexander, Connell & Presley (2005) on the garment fit problems from a consumer’s perspective have mostly been conducted in developed countries with limited research focusing on the consumers and their emotional experiences with garment fit. Understanding the factors that contribution to the garment fit problem currently being faced by female consumers in South Africa is an essential step in creating awareness of how this problem affects female consumers emotionally and the influence it has on their purchasing decisions. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to determine the female consumers’ personal values attributed to garment fit and to identify the emotions resulting from the perceptions of garment fit. This study predominantly employed an exploratory qualitative research approach. Data were collected from a purposive and convenient sample of 62 females from the UNISA – Florida Campus and King David High School in Victory Park in Johannesburg, South Africa through a self-administered questionnaire. Data on the demographic profile that included the ethnicity and age of the participants as well as data on the psychographic profile of the participants concerning frequently patronized clothing retailers, garment fit preferences and self-reported body shapes were collected through closed-ended questions. These data were analysed using the quantitative method of descriptive analysis. In addition to the psychographic profile of the most frequently patronized clothing retailer and garment fit preferences, participants were further requested to provide reasons as to why they mostly patronized the clothing retailer they ranked number 1, and to provide a reason for their preferred garment fit option. Content analysis, a qualitative method, was used to analyse the reasons provided by the participants for both these questions. Content analysis was also performed on additional information on body shape and garment sizing as well as data on garment size label communication. Furthermore, the means-end chain approach through the hard laddering exercises was used to explore and determine the female consumers’ personal values and emotions depicted through the perceptions of garment fit. Data from the hard laddering interviews on body shapes and garment sizing were carefully coded and categorized into attributes, consequences and personal values. Data were presented through the hierarchical value maps (HVMs) which were constructed through the software program Mecanalyst V 9.1. The analysis established that attributes such as quality of garments, various garment styles, availability of sizes, and fashionable styles directed female consumers’ most frequented clothing retailers. These attributes seemed to be aligned with their personal values they seek when shopping for garments. The findings also showed that most female consumers in this study preferred semi-fitting pants, a blouse and garments in general, a reasonable number of the participants preferred tight-fitting pants (31%), and some participants preferred loose-fitting pants, a blouse and garments in general. The specific personal values such as the comfortability of the garment, modesty, cover-up perceived body shape “flaws” and slimming effect which female consumers in this study desire to achieved through clothing also influenced their garment fit preference. With regard to the perceived self-reported body shapes of the participants, the study reflected that the majority of the participants were triangular body shaped. The study further found that female consumers in this study have expectations of how a garment ought to fit their body. Their expectations seem to be shaped by certain personal values such as “confidence”, “freedom” or “look good” which they aspire to achieve through clothing and garment fit. However, due to variations in body shapes, problems of garment sizing they encounter when purchasing ready-to wear garments and the incorrect information communicated on the size labels or the lack thereof, the majority of the female consumers failed to achieve their personal values. As a result mainly negative emotions such as “frustrated”, “sad”, “confused” and “depressed” were expressed by the participants. With regards to the effect of the perceived garment fit on the purchasing decision, the study found that fit of the garment is an important determinant of making a purchase. However, where female consumers in this study showed an interest of purchasing, while aware of some fit problems, the study found that exceptional conditions such as the possibility of altering the garments and design features such as colours that would conceal their perceived “figure flaws, made it easier for them to decide to purchase. The study further highlighted that some participants only purchased their ready-to-wear garment at certain shops where their needs were catered for and only when they had enough time to try-on the garment they intend to purchase instead of relying on the garment sizing and garment size label communication. Where participants indicated they would not purchase a garment with fitting problems, the study found that some female consumers in this study copied the designs of the garments in the clothing retailers and had someone reproduce it for them, whilst a few female consumers refused to purchase a garment whose size label was incorrectly communicated. Lastly the study also revealed that most female consumers thought that body shape, garment sizing and garment size label communication contribute to garment fit problems female consumers are currently facing in South Africa. It is, therefore, recommended that clothing manufacturers consider the various body shapes in their garment charts, know the needs of their target market and also use uniform sizing and size labelling systems that are easily understood by consumers that purchase ready-to-wear garments from retailers in South Africa. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Sc. (Consumer Science)

The work is about development of spain retailing chain in the field of textile and clothing. The goal of work is finding development the company during timeframe and comparing position of company with competitions.

Thesis( MTech( Marketing Management)) -- Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2011 / South Africa’s retail sector is competitive, and is characterized by a tough and uncertain business environment (Barlow, 2002:21). Amidst such challenges, Dotson and Patton (1992:15-28) found that retailers do not deliver desired services to their customers. To ensure competitive survival, retailers should differentiate themselves and continuously seek ways to maximize the value that they offer to their customers (Parikh, 2006:45-55). Service quality has been identified by Berry (1986:1-9) as the most basic strategy for retailers to create competitive advantages and to improve customers’ shopping experience. This study focuses on determining consumer perceptions of service quality of large clothing retailers within the Cape Metropolitan area, with the aim of identifying areas for improvement, as well as service quality determinants, which are most important to consumers.Secondary objectives include: to establish consumer expectations in terms of service quality determinants; to establish, which areas of service quality require improvement; to provide recommendations to improve service quality based on findings from the study, and to compare consumer perceptions of service quality amongst ad hoc shoppers against those who have accounts (credit facilities) at various retail stores. Quantitative research was conducted by means of face-to-face survey research, and includes results from 120 questionnaires. Interviews, which took the form of store intercepts, were conducted outside the entrance of selected retail stores, and took place during the last week of March. Stores were selected through random multi-stage sampling, while respondents were selected through a systematic sampling process. A descriptive research design was used. The content of the questionnaire was developed based on Dabolkar, Thorpe and Rentz’s (1996:3-16) RSQS structure, which captures the dimensions of service quality in retail stores. Data was analyzed by using SPSS software, and was presented numerically by making use of charts. The major findings of the study relates to levels of consumer satisfaction with the existing levels of service quality delivered by large clothing retailers within the Cape Metropolitan area for ad-hoc shoppers, as well as account holders. The findings of this study could bring about new strategies for the improvement of service quality among large clothing retailers in the Cape Metropolitan area. These strategies will contribute towards creating a competitive advantage through the use of service quality, and will ultimately contribute towards the long-term success of large clothing retailers within the Cape Metropolitan area.

Forskning bekräftar att ett gap mellan intention och handling finns. Denna studie belyser etiska konsumenter samt gapet mellan att vilja handla etiskt och hållbart men att inte alltid göra det. Fokus har legat på att ta reda på varför detta gap uppstår och att skapa en förståelse för de faktorer som påverkar konsumenters köpbeteenden. En avgränsning till klädbranschen har gjorts då det finns begränsat med forskning kring gapet inom detta område samt ett till synes begränsat utbud av etiska och hållbara kläder. Genom en kvalitativ metod har 37 semistrukturerade intervjuer gjorts. Intervjuerna har ägt rum i två olika köpcentrum i Sverige. Resultatet visar att det finns respondenter som känner igen sig i det så kallade gapet och de främsta faktorerna respondenterna menar påverkar deras handlingar är pris, hållbara kläder ansågs dyra, informationsbrist, svårt att veta vad som är hållbart och inte samt bekvämlighet, orken att söka information på egen hand är begränsad. Det framkom även att en bristande tillit till det media och företag kommunicerar finns från konsumenternas sida och att detta kan vara en bidragande faktor till att gapet uppstår. Respondenter uttryckte att det aldrig finns några garantier för att de produkter som sägs vara tillverkade under bra förhållanden faktiskt är det. En slutsats om att det inom klädbranschen finns mycket för företag att arbeta med för att öka sin trovärdighet gentemot konsumenterna har kunnat dras. Det ligger dock även ett ansvar hos konsumenter att våga göra sin röst hörd samt att vara öppna för förändring. Det är en ömsesidig relation mellan företag, individer och samhälle / Consumers’ intentions don’t always result in actions. This study focuses on ethical consumers in order to investigate why a gap between intention and action occur. Based on this an improved understanding for the underlying factors that impact buying behaviour is created. A delimitation has been made to focus this study on retail apparel and ethical and sustainable clothes. Some factors have been seen to be of bigger importance to the gap than others, such as price, lack of information and convenience. The results also imply that there is a missing trust from the consumers’ point of view when it comes to trusting what is communicated about ethical and sustainable work within the clothing industry.

La alta competencia preexistente en el rubro de confecciones cada vez demanda mayores esfuerzos hacia las empresas del sector; las cuales, deseando mejorar sus procesos, descuidan aspectos operacionales, generando baja eficiencia productiva. Por ello, diversos autores han demostrado que las herramientas Lean Manufacturing y otras herramientas, como estandarización del método de trabajo, son efectivas en diversas industrias en este aspecto. Sin embargo, sus beneficios no suelen mantenerse. Por tal razón, la propuesta de mejora descrita en el presente artículo se basa en la integración de la estandarización de procesos con el Mantenimiento Autónomo aplicando la herramienta 5S de manera integral, asegurando su sostenibilidad en el tiempo, con el objetivo de reducir la variabilidad del flujo de proceso y así, lograr un incremento de la eficiencia productiva. El principal resultado que se espera de la simulación realizada en este sector es que la eficiencia se incremente en un 12.5% y se reduzcan las averías de las máquinas, al menos en un 42%. En este estudio, se concluye que la integración de estas tres herramientas no solo mejora la eficiencia productiva en una empresa del sector de confecciones, sino que mejora el ambiente laboral y la satisfacción tanto de los empleados como la de los clientes. / The high pre-existing competition in the clothing industry increasingly demands greater efforts from the companies in the sector, which, wishing to improve their processes, are neglecting operational aspects, resulting in low production efficiency. For this reason, several authors have shown that Lean Manufacturing tools and other tools, such as work method standardization, are efficient in several industries in this aspect. However, their benefits are not usually maintained. That is why the improvement proposal described in this article is based on the integration of process standardization with Autonomous Maintenance by applying the 5S tool in an integral way, achieving sustainability over time, with the objective of reducing the variability of the process flow and increase production efficiency. The main result expected from the simulation carried out in this sector is that efficiency will increase by 12.5% and machine breakdowns will be reduced by at least 42%. This study concludes that the integration of these three tools not only improves production efficiency in a company in the confection sector, but also improves the work environment and the satisfaction of both employees and customers. / Trabajo de investigación

Impulse purchases on mobile applications are an important source of income for clothing companies in today's society. Thoughtful store communication on shopping apps is therefore necessary in the competitive clothing industry. Environmental elements are various communication tools in online visual merchandising (OVM) which have a great influence on consumers' purchasing behavior but whose impact on impulse purchases separately has not yet been explored. The purpose of the study is therefore to elucidate which environmental elements stimulate impulse buying behavior online on mobile shopping apps in the clothing industry. To investigate this, a qualitative study was conducted in the form of semi-structured interviews. According to the study, all environmental elements besides audio on video stimulate online impulse buying behavior on mobile shopping apps within the clothing industry. However, certain conditions exist for the execution of these environmental elements for this stimulus to occur. The study's results therefore show a problem that exists in securing which environmental elements stimulate impulse buying behavior when there are many embodiments of environmental elements that are experienced in different ways depending on who is exposed to them that causes an element to be able to stimulate but also prevent impulse purchases depending on this. / Försäljning genom impulsköp via mobilappar är en viktig inkomstkälla för klädföretag i dagens samhälle. Behovet av genomtänkt butikskommunikation på shoppingappar är därför stort i den konkurrenssatta klädbranschen. Miljömässiga element är olika kommunikationsredskap inom online visual merchandising (OVM) som har stort inflytande på konsumenters köpbeteende men vars påverkan på impulsköp var för sig ännu inte har utforskats. Syftet med studien är därför att belysa vilka miljömässiga element som stimulerar impulsköpbeteende online på mobila shoppingappar inom klädbranschen.  För att undersöka detta har en kvalitativ studie genomförts i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Enligt gällande studie stimulerar alla miljömässiga element förutom ljud till video till impulsköpbeteende online på mobila shoppingappar inom klädbranschen. Dock förekommer vissa premisser för utförandet av dessa miljömässiga element för att denna stimulans ska ske. Studiens resultat visar således en problematik som förekommer vid säkerställandet av vilka miljömässiga element som stimulerar till impulsköpbeteende då det förekommer många utföranden av miljömässiga element, som i sin tur upplevs på olika vis beroende på vem som exponeras för dem att det gör att ett element många gånger verkar kunna stimulera men också förhindra impulsköp beroende av detta.

The goal of this thesis is to describe the most important trade policy instruments that have been used in international trade in textiles since the second half of the 20th century, and to deduce the implications of the instruments on the textile sector, mainly the European one. The thesis introduces the classification of instruments in the trade policy used in the international trade in textiles and economic consequences of chosen instruments; brief characteristics of evolution of international trade in textiles since the second half of the 20th century, change in localization and sector structure of the textiles and clothing industry and main trends in its evolution. There are described most important multilateral agreements concerning the trade in textiles: Short-Term Arrangement regarding International Trade in Cotton Textiles, Long-Term Arrangement regarding International Trade in Cotton Textiles, Multifibre Arrangement, Agreement on Textiles and Clothing and current trends in contractual instruments followed by autonomous instruments such as anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures and particular cases. The thesis includes consequences of the instruments mentioned above. In the last chapter, the trends in the evolution of instruments are summarized and the reflection on possible solutions for the European, and thus also Czech textile and clothing industry, is mentioned.

Dans l’industrie du vêtement d’Istanbul, les carrières sont courtes et le taux de renouvellement des ouvriers est élevé. La combinaison entre production flexible et accords de sous-traitance dans un environnement urbain informel amène un nombre croissant d’ouvriers à assumer des fonctions entrepreneuriales équivoques. Ces acteurs sont au cœur de cette thèse de doctorat. Pour maintenir leurs positions ces ouvriers temporaires sont souvent contraints de devenir de petits intermédiaires précaires qui redéfinissent les distinctions entre production et distribution. Basée sur des données empiriques recueillies grâce à un travail de terrain en profondeur à Istanbul, mon travail doctoral questionne sous un angle anthropologique les dynamiques changeantes de l’industrie du vêtement d’Istanbul à différentes échelles et le rôle des petits entrepreneurs dans la formation de ces dynamiques à travers leurs pratiques et leurs innovations. Alors que les petits entrepreneurs sont essentiels, ils sont rarement irremplaçables. Pour explorer ces questions, cette recherche trace les liens entre les différents débouchés de l’industrie du vêtement d’Istanbul et examine comment leurs processus de valuation respectifs sont entremêlés. Durant les dernières décennies, dans l’ombre des exports officiels vers l’Europe occidentale, le « commerce à la valise » vers des pays voisins, ainsi que le marché domestique se sont développés. En « joignant les deux bouts », les petits entrepreneurs de l’industrie du vêtement d’Istanbul sont des courroies de transmission entre ces marchés aux échelles transnationale et locale. Les étudier offre de nouvelles perspectives sur les contextes industriels modernes et le fonctionnement des marchés globaux. / In Istanbul’s garment industry, careers are short and worker turnover is high. The combination of flexible production and subcontracting agreements in an informal urban environment propel an increasing number of workers to assume equivocal entrepreneurial functions. These actors are at the core of this dissertation. In order to maintain their positions, irregular workers are often forced to become precariously positioned small brokers who reshuffle the distinctions between production and distribution. Based on empirical material gathered through in-depth fieldwork in Istanbul, my dissertation questions from an anthropological perspective the shifting dynamics of Istanbul’s clothing industry at different scales and the role of small entrepreneurs in shaping these dynamics through their skillful practices and innovations. While small entrepreneurs are essential, they are rarely irreplaceable. In order to explore these issues, this dissertation traces the connections between the various outlets of Istanbul’s garment industry and scrutinizes how their respective valuation processes are intertwined. Over the last decades, in the shadow of official exports to Western Europe, the so-called suitcase trade to neighboring countries as well as the domestic market have flourished. By “making things fit” and “making ends meet,” Istanbul’s small entrepreneurs are conveyor belts between these markets at both the transnational and local scales. Studying them offers new insights into modern industrial settings and the workings of global markets.

West Africa’s textile and clothing (T&C) industries have persevered through the decline following the economic liberalization policies in the 1980s. This thesis seeks to explore the sustainable and circular business models which exist in the West African region. It also explores the ways that businesses relate to the social conditions of poverty, a small T&C industry, strong competition from imports, and the concentrated levels of imported textile waste. Through a qualitative methodology, secondary data is collected on thirty T&C businesses in West Africa. These businesses are analyzed through the framework of the eleven sustainable business model (SBM) pattern groups by Lüdeke-Freund, et al. (2018). In the results, five main SBM pattern groups emerge: Supply Chain, Social Mission, Closing-the-Loop, Eco-design, and Cooperative pattern groups. Most of the businesses do not fall neatly into one pattern, but rather embody various hybrid sustainable business models. West Africa is unusual in facing both high poverty rates and textile waste landfills, which may influence the multi-dimensional approach to sustainability. By working with the local textile value chain and artisan communities, the thirty businesses contribute to poverty alleviation. They also pave the way for ‘artisan futurism,’ where handicraft is combined with circularity and eco-design initiatives, leading the West African T&C industry into the future.

Because of the growing pressure and expectations on companies' social and ecological responsibility from society, sustainability has become anincreasingly important aspect to integrate within companies. This study has analyzed how sustainability reporting can function as a tool for companiesto communicate their sustainability work. A content analysis was conducted on four of H&M Group’s sustainability reports from the years of 2002,2008, 2014 and 2020. Through the lens of a theoretical framework the analysis studied how the reports had changed over time, which themes couldbe distinguished and how they reflected good sustainability reporting according to science. The results of the analysis showed that H&M Group´ssustainability reports had an overall focus on responsibility, the value chain and the impact from external events. Furthermore, the focus shifted frombeing on the social aspects to including more of the ecological aspects over time. The results correlated with what science considers as good sustainability reporting. / I och med samhällets ökande press och förväntningar på företags sociala och ekologiska ansvarstagande har hållbarhet blivit en allt viktigare del förföretag att integrera. Den här studien har analyserat hur hållbarhetsrapportering kan fungera som ett verktyg för företag att kommunicera sitt hållbarhetsarbete. En innehållsanalys genomfördes på fyra av H&M Group:s hållbarhetsrapporter, år 2002, 2008, 2014 samt 2020. Genom stöd i ettteoretiskt ramverk undersöktes hur rapporterna hade förändrats över tid, vilka teman som kunde ur-skiljas samt hur de återspeglade forskningens synpå god hållbarhetsrapportering. Resultatet påvisade att H&M Group:s hållbarhetsrapporter hade ett övergripande fokus på ansvarstagande, värdekedjan samt påverkan från omvärlden. Vidare skiftade fokus från att ligga på de sociala aspekterna till de ekologiska aspekterna i rapporterna övertid. Resultatet gick i linje med vad som, enligt forskningen, anses som god rapportering.