The purpose of this study was to examine what consumer characteristics are related to willingness to purchase and selection of children's organic cotton clothing (OCC). A survey was conducted on mothers of pre‐schoolers to collect data on mothers' environmental characteristics, involvement with OCC and children's clothing, children's clothing purchasing behaviour and willingness to purchase OCC. A buying scenario experiment was used to examine whether price and other product characteristics influenced the participants' selection of OCC. It was found that a mother's environmental concerns, environmental purchasing behaviour and recycling behaviour significantly affected their involvement in OCC, which further significantly determined mother's willingness to purchase OCC. However, mothers were not willing to pay a premium for purchasing children's OCC. A majority (59.5%) of the mothers who selected OCC in the buying scenario indicated fabric softness was the main reason for their selection. Preparing environmental education materials for consumers and producing OCC with high quality and good performance would help improve the acceptance of OCC in the market.

As an important component of a retail store's atmospherics, lighting can affect the emotional responses that influence consumer shopping behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine, through cross‐cultural comparison, the effect of the color quality of light in a retail environment on consumers' emotional states, behavioral intentions, and perceptions. The experimental research followed a 2 times 2 × 2 factorial design with repeated measures to identify the impact of culture group, color rendering index, and color temperature. The results of this study indicate that consumers are aroused and pleased by certain lighting effects and that cultural differences influence perceptions as well as the behavioral intentions of “approach‐avoid” in a retail environment. Practical implications of this study could include application of store lighting techniques that enhance visual perceptions of consumers, induce emotional states of arousal and pleasure, and appeal to consumers from different cultures.

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 Braungart's "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" children's knitwear prototypes were developed. Produced with an acceptable manufacturing cost, the products have good mechanical and color fastness performance. Practical implications -The C2CAD model provides practical guidelines for apparel designers and manufacturers and allows them to address all three pillars in sustainable development: economic development, social development, and environmental protection. Originality/value -The C2CAD is the first apparel design and production model that emphasizes sustainability in addition to functional, expressive, and aesthetic considerations. The production process of "Four-season sustainability" children's knitwear demonstrated the implementation of C2CAD model in sustainable apparel design and production.

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.

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 eff ect.