Research and Outreach

Bonnie and Bye: A Braided Approach to Design

The purpose of this design was to test a framing mechanism for practice-based design that is dialogic, emergent and iterative. Developed during a semester-long experiment in design research, we initially sought a format to capture the fuzzy, messy creative process of sensemaking, (Hoysten, 2010). Collectively, we developed a framework called A Braided Approach to Framing Creative Process, expanding the existing model of creative scholarship established by Elizabeth Bye in 2010. The aim of our elaboration was to encompass collective gestures and to, through design research, dialog (mingle) with the literature as a means of honoring and contributing to it. The resultant design artifact is a tactile signature, interlacing apparel design, textile science, and historic costume scholarship.

Researcher(s): Kelly Cobb

Collaborators: Elizabeth Davelaar, Cara Tortorice

Mobile Upcycle

Mobile Upcycle Portable Research and Education Unit combines the concepts of portable public service platform (example: bloodobile) and maker space. A mobile maker space was fabricated to “unfold” from a tuk tuk, outfitted with a portable textile and sewing lab. Four tutorial stations were developed: (1) re/sew demonstrated sewing and embellishment; (2) re/weave demonstrated on loom weaving (3) re/knit demonstrated rope-making and knitting; (4) re/cast demonstrated accessible dyeing. The lab offered skill and tool sharing, demonstration, exploratory studio and dialogue. The researchers encourage empowerment and agency to wearers and consumers of clothing. Reintegrating the wearer might changing destructive patterns of waste generation.

Researcher(s): Kelly Cobb

Collaborators: Jillian Silverman, Dipti Bhatt

Synthesis Design Collaboration and LCA research

Product development challenge to develop (from concept through to first sample) a collection of apparel products meshing athletic and fashion, focusing on a MADE IN THE USA concept, considering a regional lifecycle approach to apparel product development aligned with the brand DNA. While raw material and component networks were simulated, the manufacture of legging (production network) was realized regionally. The resulting apparel ensemble combines sustainable, functional and aesthetic attributes.

Researcher(s): Kelly Cobb, Abigail Clarke-Sather

Collaborators: Mikayla Durbiel-Summer Scholar

Sustainable Geotextiles for Transportation Applications from Recycled Textiles

Funded by the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) National UTC Consortium Led by Rutgers. Geosynthetic fabrics and fibers are used in a wide variety of transportation applications including: silt fencing; soil stabilization of base and subbase layers; construction of reinforced earth retaining structures, stabilizing poor quality soils, and fiber-cement applications. Traditional geosynthetic fabrics and fibers are engineered with specific performance applications in mind but with a relatively high material cost. Apparel and home textiles are routinely landfilled, representing a large waste stream that is increasing drastically in volume; this waste stream is a potential feedstock that could improve the sustainability and reduce the cost of geotextiles/geosynthetics for a wide variety of transportation applications. For this research project we are cooperating with Goodwill of Delaware and Delaware County to gain access to discarded textiles. This project addresses three areas of strategic importance to the USDOT – State of Good Repair, Economic Competitiveness, and Environmental Sustainability. Developing useful transportation geotextiles from waste stream textiles can address Economic Competitiveness by reducing life cycle costs for geotextiles – including initial cost and installation and removal costs.

Researcher(s): Abigail Clarke-Sather

Collaborators: Chris Meehan, Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware

Towards Developing a Method for Identifying Static Compression Levels of Seamless Sports Bras using 3D Body Scanning

Understanding the factors influencing breast support is essential for future development of better functioning sports bras to prevent wearers from soreness and pain (Zheng, 2008). Compression was found to be the most effective factor in controlling breast support and the current retail markets offer a wide variety of styles. A [TC]2 NX-16 3D body scanner was used to scan subjects wearing sport bras in various conditions, aiming to reveal data that can be translated into garment specifications to be used by the seamless technology. The results of this research will be presented at the 7th International Conference on 3D Body Scanning Technologies 2016, Lugano, Switzerland.

Researcher(s): Adriana Gorea

Collaborators: Adriana Gorea and Dr. Fatma Baytar (Iowa State University)

Beauty Ideals in China: Feminine Identities, Gender Roles and Cultural Changes

Dr. Jung recently traveled to Shanghai, China to interview young women about their understanding on both traditional and contemporary beauty concepts. This project awarded by the Global and Area Studies Grants is aimed to examine contemporary definition of female beauty ideals in China in relation to gender roles and socio-cultural changes. It is believed that growing concerns with body image dissatisfaction and disturbance (e.g., eating disorders) in East Asian societies are associated with changing definitions of gender roles, women’s identities and social pressures placed on women’s physical appearance. Understanding female bodily aesthetics along with changing definitions of female gender roles and identities from the traditional notion to contemporary society may provide an opportunity to better understand the Chinese society and identify the culture’s unique definition of a beauty.

Researcher(s): Jaehee Jung

U.S. Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study

Starting from 2014, Dr. Sheng Lu has been working in collaboration with the U.S. Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) on its annual industry benchmarking study. Based on a survey of executives from leading U.S.-based apparel companies and fashion brands, the study explores the fashion industry’s business outlook, sourcing practices and collective views on trade policy. The study is widely used as an important industry reference and cited in the media, including the Wall Street Journal, Women’s Wear Daily, Sourcing Journal Online, Apparel Magazine, Just-Style and Textile World

Researcher(s): Sheng Lu

Integrating sustainable textile and apparel concepts into FASH undergraduate curriculum

A team of FASH faculty Marsha Dickson, Huantian Cao, Kelly Cobb, Martha Carper (from left to right in the picture), and Brenda Shaffer obtained a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to integrate sustainable textile and apparel concepts into FASH undergraduate curriculum. Working with Goodwill Industries of Delaware, researchers will seek solutions for the annual generation of more than seven million pounds of textile waste. Though the importance of sustainability in the textile and apparel industry is widely acknowledged, there exists a gap between the industry needs and the college curriculum in textile and apparel. The UD FASH research team will develop college curriculum for apparel design and merchandising majors and create a minor for non-majors, and establish an on-campus pop-up apparel store to provide students with participatory learning experience; thus mainstreaming sustainable education and practices throughout the college curriculum.

Researcher(s): Huantian Cao, Martha Carper, Marsha Dickson, Kelly Cobb, Brenda Shaffer

No problem, I’ll just return it! Purchase effort, product returns, and cognitive dissonance

As the benefits of liberal product return policies on sales and profitability are recognized, retailers are balancing the loss from product returns with loosening return policies to encourage buying. Although returning products is part of the consumption process, most studies have been from economic and logistical perspectives; only a few studies on the psychological impact of returning products can be found and similar research on apparel product returns is limited. Based on the theory of cognitive dissonance, this research examines the influence of product purchase and return effort on cognitive dissonance. This research fills the void in the literature on apparel product returns and offers retailers insight into how negative feelings related to product returns is connected to the purchase and return process.

Researcher(s): Hye-Shin Kim

TPP and Textile and Apparel Supply Chain in the Asia-Pacific Region

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is THE most influential and complicated free trade agreement reached by the United States in history. Textile and apparel (T&A) industry in particular has a high stake in TPP, because of over $220 billion annual T&A trade volume in the TPP region and many unique provisions in the agreement that will shape future “rules of the game” for the T&A sector. By adopting the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) computable general equilibrium (CGE) model based on the latest GTAP9 database, Dr. Sheng Lu intends to quantify the impact of TPP on the T&A sector and gain insights into how the implementation of the agreement will lead to a shift of the T&A supply chains in the Asia-Pacific region. Findings of the study will fulfill an important research gap and augment our understanding of the T&A-specific sectoral impact of TPP. Results of the study will also provide valuable inputs in support of related business decision making and future trade negotiations. The research project is funded by the Center for Global and Area Studies at the University of Delaware.

Researcher(s): Sheng Lu

Sustainability Education in Textile and Apparel: A Web-Based Content Analysis of the University Curriculum

The inclusion of education for sustainable development has become a crucial paradigmatic shift within higher education (Deale et al., 2009). The United Nations declared the decade 2005-2014 as the time for education in sustainable development in order to promote sustainability (UNDESD, 2011). As of January 2016, 499 universities worldwide have signed the Talloires Declaration which is a blueprint for incorporating sustainability in learning and teaching (ULSF, 2016). In collaboration with Dr. Eunah Yoh, visiting faculty from Keimyung Unversity, this research project examines how sustainability is integrated in a T&A curriculum.

Researcher(s): Hye-Shin Kim

Collaborators: Eunah Yoh, Keimyung University, Korea