Consumer evaluation of apparel quality

Quality is a term often used by manufacturers of textiles and apparel to distinguish their product from the competition and to justify a higher price for similar items. How a consumer perceives quality will affect not only whether they make a purchase but, also how much money they are willing to spend for the item. A correlational research study was undertaken to assess what cues consumers use to evaluate quality in textiles and apparel. Six hundred eighty one men and women ranging in age from 18 to 91 representing 41 self-defined ethnic groups, with annual household incomes ranging from Significant differences in cue usage were observed within all demographic categories. These differences were associated with garment type. Participants were found to rely on cues relating to the aesthetic and tactile characteristics of a garment more than any other type of cue. Brand was found to be the most utilized cue for determining the quality of jeans. Prior education in apparel and textiles appeared to have little effect on participant's ability to identify the garments representing better quality.