Iris Publishers_Journal of Textile Science & Fashion Technology (JTSFT)
An Evaluation of the Quality of Men’s 100% Cotton Jersey Knit T-Shirts
Introduction
According to a survey conducted by Cotton Incorporated, consumers have seen a “decline in the quality of apparel, including fading, pilling, losing shape, and shrinking” [1]. Increasing consumer disappointment in apparel quality has coincided with the proliferation and success of fast fashion apparel. Fast fashion is described as “trendy, inexpensive versions of runway styles that shoppers wear for one season, or one occasion and often toss” [2]. Top fast fashion retailers have grown 9.7% since 2010, while traditional apparel retailers have grown only 6.8% in the same time period [3]. These traditional and middle market brands are now being considered plodding and dowdy and must scramble to try to either up their fashionability or lower their prices to try to compete [4]. Hence, in order to stay in business, some apparel companies are adopting the fast fashion business model.
Increased production costs, including the rise of cotton prices, joined with higher transportation costs and wages have resulted in clothing that is more expensive to manufacture [5]. Retailers and brands are faced with finding methods to minimize costs and save margins [6]. Markups can help neutralize the increase in productions costs, however, retailers selling low-cost basic apparel are not able to offset this hike in order to compete at a lower price point [5]. Basic apparel is considered as any item with continued demand, which can be produced in large quantities, season after season, with minimal design changes [7,8]. A significant price increase on a basic item, such as a t-shirt, will cause consumers to complain about the price tag. Therefore, with regard to rising manufacturing costs, shoppers of basic apparel should be prepared for a decline in quality [9].
Apparel price is inherently defined by how a brand needs to position its product relative to where the competition is, but pricing is also heavily dependent on consumer expectations [10]. Consumers are value driven and expect more for what they are prepared to pay [11]. Because the relationship between product pricing, positioning, branding, and perceived quality is complex, it is crucial that an apparel retailer finds the right balance between these criteria in order to remain profitable and satisfy the consumers’ desire for value [12].
It is important to understand the different features in products because consumers are bombarded with a plethora of brands of the same merchandise in varying degrees of quality [13]. Under the vast umbrella of fast fashion retailers and traditional retailers, apparel quality and pricing can be so indiscriminate in nature, it is difficult for consumers to distinguish differences in order to ascertain its value. Therefore, manufacturers, brands, and marketers use quality as a concept to differentiate their product from their competitors [14]. Chowdhary U [13] states, “quality products tend to meet or exceed the consumer expectation”. Consumers want price tags that are commensurate with the quality, yet apparel retailers are not consistently delivering on that desire because product pricing and positioning is not a reliable indicator of quality [15,16,17]. Some apparel companies have resorted to altering production methods to remain profitable [20]. And as a result of rapidly changing productions methods and quality being in the eye of the beholder, gone are the days when the retailer and cost of apparel indicate quality [3,18].
Purpose
The purpose of this research was to evaluate the quality of design, materials, construction, appearance, and performance of men’s 100% cotton jersey knit t-shirts from three retail categories: mass merchant, fast fashion, and better
Research objectives of this study were to:
1. Identify and compare the product specifications of men’s 100% cotton jersey knit t-shirts at three retail categories.
2. Measure and compare the appearance and performance characteristics of men’s 100% cotton jersey knit t-shirts at three retail categories before and after home laundering.
3. Compare the appearance and performance characteristics of men’s 100% cotton jersey knit t-shirts at three retail categories to the ASTM D4154 Standard Specification requirements.
Review of Literature
Fast Fashion is a business model originally developed to make better, more fashionable clothes at affordable prices [19]. It has become the most well-recognized business model in the fashion industry due to its impressive performance in the global market during recent years [20,21].
Increased competition between traditional retailers and fastfashion retailers has contributed to a decrease in the average price of apparel over the past decade [22]. And, consequently, some traditional retailers have adopted production methods similar to fast fashion in order to remain competitive and profitable [23].
Quality is a concept promoted by textile and apparel brands to distinguish their product from the competition and to justify a higher price for similar items [24]. Quality includes understanding how product development and production are integrated so that products satisfy consumer expectations. Differences in product quality can be attributed to differences in components or characteristics of a finished product [25].
Quality products are designed to consistently conform to specifications and standards. Brands consider a quality product to be suitable for their target market in terms of fashion [26], fit, price, performance, materials, etc. [27]. They strive to convey that quality is not just about the price because apparel construction, and materials used, are important factors in determining how well clothing lasts. And although a brand name can sometimes be a telling sign of apparel quality, designers rely on the consumer to be a bit of a “clothing detective”, too, by examining the construction and fabric of a garment [28].
Consumers define quality from many different perspectives: excellence in construction, good performance at a reasonable price, exquisite materials with a good hand, high fashion, good fit and function, attractive or unique detailing, unusual trims, and a recognized brand. But brands realize that when the consumer examines sewn products at the retail level, only a few of the factors which ultimately influence quality can be easily discerned by careful inspection of the garment and its accompanying labels and tags. Consumers’ perception of quality has been shown to be affected by factors that may have no relationship to the actual quality of the item under consideration [29,30]. When consumers cannot see a difference in two similar garments, they often rely on price in deciding which garment is of higher quality. However, price does not necessarily reflect quality, including aesthetic or durability benefits [31,32]. Although quality is a multidimensional construct that cannot be measured by a single attribute, the consumer is the final judge of quality [33].
T-shirts have been a popular fashion staple since the 1950s, with a classic style that is available year-round from almost every apparel manufacturer, sold at all price points and quality levels [34,14]. The adaptability of the t-shirt has made it the “everyday garment for so-called underclasses, but in other social contexts, it can be a high fashion product with a chic designer logo for which an affluent consumer will pay an exorbitant price” [35]. The characteristics of a perfect t-shirt depend on the desires of the consumer. Quality perceptions and preferences “guide the choices for t-shirts that are either fitted or relaxed, thick or thin, long or short, and crisp or worn” [36]. The physical and chemical properties of the materials in a t-shirt fabric will affect how it performs, and ultimately determine if it is suitable for the desired use.
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