The Significance of Support- Fabrics in Apparel Production in Ghana

Abstract

Apparel production is the process of converting fabrics into garments. The term apparel production is usually used when garments are manufactured in a factory. One of the basic necessities of human life, apart from food and shelter, is apparel (Winck, 2009). People wear clothing for a number of reasons: modesty, survival, fashion and identification. Clothing provides clues as to who we are and what we do and allows us to express our identity (Reeve, 2014). It has transcended from the initial dressing for modesty, protection and adornment (thus, dressing to decorate the body for appreciation) to immodesty, which has to do with dressing to seduce or look attractive (Tweneboa, personal communication, October 14, 2017). One of the many things that ensure that apparel appeals to the wearer through some form of decoration or finishing technique is the use of support fabrics. Support fabrics take care of the shape and structure of either part of or the whole apparel as it prevents stretching and bagging in soft fabrics; adds body to a garment in such areas as the edge of the front opening, lapel and collar; and keeps rough-textured fabrics from rubbing against your skin (Mead and Siemen, 2011). Support fabrics help to enhance the structure of the fabric to look very appealing and attractive. According to Jennah McKinley, (2016) a garment's shape is enhanced through the application of certain finishing techniques that take many forms, from soft and drapery to crisp and firm, and the construction techniques used for shaping and reinforcing certain areas of the garment are selected to create that silhouette or shape. She adds that methods for creating a garment silhouette vary according to the fashion fabric, the type of garment, and the care procedures for the finished garment. The silhouette of a garment can be shaped and reinforced with support fabrics, such as interfacing, lining and underlining. In essence, the role support fabrics play in the apparel industry in Ghana cannot be swept under the carpet due to the kinds of finish, enhancement or decoration it brings to the apparel. The finishing of apparel is an area that needs attention if Ghanaian apparel is to meet standards and cut across cultural barriers in making its way into other international markets. However, over the years, apparels produced by some fashion designers in the Sekondi-Takoradi have been made by paying little or no attention to details or finishing, as per the researcher's observation. One search area is the use of support fabrics to finish or decorate apparel. This study tries to identify and examine the availability or visibility of the support fabrics in the local Sekondi-Takoradi market and also investigate the awareness of support fabric used and its impact on the apparel produced.