It is known that not all polymers can be melted and extruded to form polymer fibers. Electrospinning process involves a direct method to produce fibers in nanometer range by dissolving the polymer in solvent(s) to form the spinning solution. In this work, the spinning solution was prepared by dissolving Poly (ethylene terephthalate) polymer in triflouroacetic acid and methylene chloride. Charging the solution to a very high potential initiated the process to produce electrospun fibers. With increasing voltage, a critical point is reached and a charged jet of the solution is ejected. As this charged jet moves in the air, the solvent evaporates, leaving behind a charged polymer fiber that collects on a targeted source (rotating drum). Equipment to form electrospun fiberwebs on a rotating drum was designed and successfully built. The equipment for this process is relatively simple and small since this process lend itself to the production of fibers/fiberwebs from small quantity of polymer solution. An experiment was designed to investigate the influence of polymer concentration in the spinning solution and the electric field level on fiber and fiberweb response of interest.<br>Electrospun fibers and fiberwebs were characterized for fiber diameter and its distribution, orientation distribution function, and pore size and its distribution. The results showed that an increase in the electric field resulted in a decrease of the average diameter of the electrospun fibers. It has also been observed that there was concentration/electric field interaction effect on fiber diameter. As the electric field increased keeping polymeric concentration constant, the fibers orientation in machine direction increased. It was observed that as the electric field was increased, the average pore diameter decreased. The decrease in average pore size with increase in electric field was explained in terms of fiber diameter as well as fiberweb structural parameters (orientation and basis weight).

Running continues to be one of the more popular sports enjoyed by all ages. Regardless of the popularity of the sport, limited research currently exists to quantify the apparel purchase behavior of runners. This research studied variables that influenced purchase intentions of runners at different levels of involvement. The runners were categorized by the dualistic theory of passion, and their purchase intentions toward apparel brands for running were investigated from the self-congruity perspective. Runners completed an online survey that provided comprehensive information on their running behavior and their past and future apparel purchases. Exploratory factor analysis was used to investigate the dualistic theory of passion and self-congruity theory on the running population. Four variables were found to be important predictors of purchase intentions for all runners: Self-Image Congruence, Function, Aesthetic, and Technology Appeal. Further, logistic regression was used to determine which variables significantly influenced purchase intentions of runners in each category. Based on the findings, a theoretical framework was proposed. This study concluded that functional attributes of running apparel influence runnersâ purchase intentions.

This study identifies how an electronic journal can be established and implemented in the textile and apparel field. The study considers, <a href="http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/jtatm"> Journal of Textile & Apparel Technology & Management </a>as an innovation in the textile and apparel field, and analyzes electronic media as a way of disseminating information to scholarly and industrial communities in a better way. This study documented the process of establishing the electronic journal, and also provides the importance of a feedback loop to provide inputs for future journals. The readership behavior of the journal, including unique visits, repetitive visits, hits (page impressions), geographic location of the readers/visitors, entry page, was examined with the help of log files collected from College of Textiles and Sitestats, a UK based company. Issue analysis (volume 1, issues 1-4, volume 2, issue 1) was compared with previous issues and the results were related to Rogers? Model of the Innovation-Decision process (1995) and proved that JTATM is an innovation in the textile and apparel field.

The purpose of this research is to understand, define and map the weave-room performance decision-making process, and to develop an Information Engineering methodology for studying and analyzing decision-making processes in textile manufacturing departments. A preliminary Decision Cycle Model was developed using knowledge management principles, resulting in a definition of Information Engineering, which was ?a technique for extracting the meaning contained in the information so as to allow the understanding needed by the user to make an informed decision?. A case study approach, in conjunction with a process-modeling tool called IDEF0, belonging to the IDEF (Integrated Definition language) family of modeling techniques, has been used. Case studies were conducted at three weaving plants, resulting in the development of the three AS-IS models. These case studies provided the framework to compare with, and become the underlying basis for, the proposed Best Practices TO-BE model of the weave-room performance decision-making process. Additionally, both the AS-IS and TO-BE models lead to the development of ten key performance-improving tasks that could potentially assist in enhancing the decision process as well as providing the background for analyzing the usability of IDEF0 as an effective process-mapping tool, by means of a SWOT analysis. Finally, a generic Information Engineering methodology was developed that could be used for mapping manufacturing-related decisions. The research deliverables resulting from the Information Engineering methodology would eventually lead to the development and creation of a kind of Digital Decision Dashboard (D3), which could potentially prove to be a valuable tool for decision-making in textiles, thus addressing a critical need presently facing the textile industry.

The body of this research seeks to create an Industry Technology Roadmap for one segment of the U.S. textile and apparel industry, specifically, the flushable pre-moistened wipes industry. Industry Technology Roadmapping is a new type of strategic planning method. Previous technology forecasting methods allowed planners to identify several alternate future states or scenarios and provided uncertainty in either product needs or technological developments. In contrast, Industry Technology Roadmapping allows a company or an industry to proactively plan and prepare for its future by offering future goals, critical requirements and, finally, solutions to achieve the future goals. In addition, Roadmapping works as an effective organizational learning and knowledge creation tool and induces collaboration and new partnerships among companies as well. Currently, flushable pre-moistened nonwoven wipes emerge as new textile products and attempt to expand their future markets. During this research, industry expert interviews and surveys, consumer surveys, heavy user surveys, creation of an Internet blog, and literature review including a patent analysis were conducted for data gathering. The resulting Roadmap provides the nonwoven wipes industry valuable information about the potential future markets, required properties, the current environment of flushable wipes, including challenges, strength, and opportunities, and the solutions. These can help the U.S. nonwoven wipes industry to do informed investment into research, development and manufacturing facilities.

Dimensional stability of tufted carpets has been a continuing problem in the industry for years. When a tufted carpet is installed by the stretch method, it experiences stress relaxation over time which can cause the carpet to buckle, wrinkle and become loose with the only option being a costly re-stretching of the carpet. Since woven carpets seldom require re-stretching, the carpet buckling problem seems to be linked primarily to the tufted construction. This research seeks to analyze the various components of the tufted carpet composite structure and identify the role each component plays in the phenomenon of stress relaxation. Since a carpet is always stretched in both dimensions simultaneously during installation, understanding its biaxial stress decay is important. To this end, a biaxial loading system has been used to test various samples of the primary backing alone (before tufting), primary backing after tufting (with tufts), the secondary backing alone, and the finished carpet after attaching the backings with various binder weights per area. The four variables under consideration include: primary and secondary backing constructions, tufting density, and latex weight, with the secondary backing and latex weight expected to have the greatest effects on stress decay. In order to collect the most information, the biaxial test system was connected to a computer-based data acquisition system to continuously monitor stress levels and generate stress relaxation curves over a 20-hour testing period. A viscoelastic model that included representations of each component in the carpet structure was used to analyze and understand the influence of the components on the stress relaxation of carpets.

<p>The apparel design process involves gathering and analyzing information on fashion trends, markets, past line sales and editing ideas for successful combinations of fabric, style and price. These ideas are the result of creativity. Creativity is most often modeled as a problem solving process involving complex chaotic systems. In the fields of architecture and software design, pattern languages have been developed to help understand the various fundamental components and dynamics of complex systems by using a series of related generic problem-solving patterns empirically proven to be successful in a specified context of forces. Patterns record existing knowledge to make it rapidly and easily accessible and communicated between different users. The research objective of this dissertation was to develop a pattern language describing the initial creative phase of the apparel design process. First, an archetype of the initial creative process in apparel design was constructed based on the literature reviewed to integrate the intervening marketing and design components, and suggest a set of links between these components and the various stages of the process. Second, patterns describing these links and the archetype were developed to form a pattern language representing the dynamics of the archetypal model, i.e. the articulation and interdependencies of all its components and stages. Design professionals reviewed the pattern language. Students used it to develop product concepts and storyboards, which were evaluated by a panel of judges. Feedback from these participants indicates the pattern language offers a "design manual" that can be used by all team members to improve design efficiency and effectiveness, i.e. higher success rates of new products in a timely manner. Combining information technology and the pattern language could make an even greater contribution to apparel design, both at an operational level and a strategic planning level. This research provides a working example of a pattern language and shows the benefits to be attained. Also, the dissertation includes a guide on constructing pattern languages in the hope of reaching the ultimate goal of encouraging industry and academic apparel design experts to contribute to the necessary ongoing developments of the pattern language. <P>

<p>The purpose of this research has been to examine possible factors which effect yarn production and prices in the U.S.The research approach first involved gathering the data from different sources about yarn production and prices. Second, data was gathered about the different factors which could have an effect on these. These factors included enduse demand, cotton consumption, the effect of spinning systems, labor cost and demand, machinery hours and shipments, and the level of imports and exports. Third, the data was compared and conclusions were made based solely on the obvious trends in the data. Fourth, current situations in the textile market were examined in order to conclude if any have had an effect on yarn production and price. The main issues which are facing the textile industry and were included in this analysis were NAFTA, CBI, Asia and the WTO. The effect that these have had and will have on the spinning industry was examined in detail. Fifth, a statistical analysis was conducted. The analysis included the use of a correlation matrix for both yarn production levels and yarn prices in order to see which factors statistically had the strongest impact on these. Overall, this research offers a view into the inside of the U.S. spinning industry, including the dynamics which effect final yarn production levels and yarn prices, as well as situations which will have an impact on the future of the spinning industry.<P>

<p>LEE, EUN-KYUNG. Creation of Casual Index Based on Habit Stocks and General Social Behaviors. (Under the direction of Dr. Moon W. Suh and Dr. William Oxenham.)A fashion preference indicator called "Casual Index" was created to signify and measure the degree of casualness at any given time point by using various statistical and econometrics models. The indices were created based on two approaches; one for theoretically constructed and the other for practical application. The theory-based Casual Index is a composite index formulated from two sub-indices that were derived from the general social behaviors and apparel demand patterns of contemporary Americans. The consumption-based Casual Index is also a composite index aimed at practical application, derived from consumption data on certain apparel items. In addition, the Total Casual Index was created by combining the consumption-based Casual Indices of men and women based on unit volumes of apparel consumption. In deriving the various casual indices, the General Social Survey data from National Opinion Research Center (University of Chicago) and the Current Industrial Report MQ23A of U.S. Bureau of Census from 1972 through 1998 were applied. For the first time, the behavioral patterns of the society and the habit formation by consumers were combined in creating and successfully validating theoretically formulated Casual Index. The statistical methods applied were proven to be highly effective. The consumption-based Casual Index was shown to be most useful for practical applications as well as for forecasting for the future casual trends. Although somewhat subjective in the formulation, the newly created Total Casual Index is expected to enhance its utility in the absence of complex data and mathematical models. The casual indices derived for both men and women suggest that the casual trends have shifted dynamically during the last three decades. Based on the Total Casual Index, the 1998 figure (75.7) is shown to be higher than that of 1972 (63.7). <P>