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Consumers recognize the appearance and texture of fabric through viewing photographic images on E-commerce. However, the relationship between evaluations of the actual fabric and its image remains unclear. To understand the evaluation difference between actual fabric and its image, we investigated the relationship of visual evaluations including the price evaluation between actual white fabrics used for dress shirts and their photographic images concerning the online purchase of items presented by their photos. Participants evaluated the impressions of 24 white fabrics (actual fabrics and their images), comparing them with a standard white fabric. Participants also estimated the prices of shirts hypothetically made from different fabrics. We compared the difference between the results for actual fabrics and images. We also carried out a principal component analysis of those impressions and examined the relationship among principal component analysis results, weave structure, and fabric materials and price estimation. In a comparison of actual fabric and image evaluations, the impression of glossiness and brightness differed, with the actual fabrics being rated significantly higher in terms of glossiness and brightness. These differences are due to the difference in media (i.e., direct viewing versus screen display), although the visual environment of the lighting and displays may have had an effect. In principal component analysis, the first principal components were Delicateness and Glossiness for both actual fabrics and their images. The second principal components were Lightness and Coolness for the images of fabrics and Lightness, Coolness, and Softness for the actual fabrics. Fabrics evaluated highly in the first principal component had high price estimations. Thus, it is clear that Delicateness and Glossiness affected the price evaluation for both actual white fabrics and their images. Fabrics with a high value of Delicateness and Glossiness were a poplin made of at least 95% cotton. In contrast, fabrics containing linen and having a small repeating dobby pattern with roughness were evaluated as having low Delicateness and Glossiness and were assessed at a lower price. Additionally, even in the case of blended fabrics such as a cotton–polyester fabric, the expected price was high for diagonal patterns such as stripes and checks. These results will be helpful in the procurement of fabrics with which to make clothing and in the marketing of clothing for E-commerce.

We investigated the effects of the combinations of patternmaking methods and dress forms on the appearance of a garment. Six upper garments were made using three patternmaking methods used in France, Italy, and Japan, and two dress forms made in Japan and France. The patterns and the appearances of the garments were compared using geometrical measurements. Sensory evaluations of the differences in garment appearance and fit on each dress form were also carried out. In the patterns, the positions of bust and waist darts were different. The waist dart length, bust dart length, and positions of the bust top were different depending on the patternmaking method, even when the same dress form was used. This was a result of differences in the measurements used and the calculation methods employed for other dimensions. This was because the ideal body shape was different for each patternmaking method. Even for garments produced for the same dress form, the appearances of the shoulder, bust, and waist from the front, side, and back views were different depending on the patternmaking method. As a result of the sensory evaluation, it was also found that the bust and waist shapes of the garments were different depending on the combination of patternmaking method and dress form. Therefore, to obtain a garment with better appearance, it is necessary to understand the effects of the combinations of patternmaking methods and body shapes.

The effect of the patternmaker’s proficiency on the creation of clothing was investigated by the observation of the patternmaking process for clothing that satisfies the designer. We asked Japanese and French patternmakers to make a clothing pattern for the same design. The reasons for the differences in resultant clothing patterns and toiles made by the two patternmakers are discussed. Although the patternmaking processes used by the proficient patternmakers were similar, the resultant patterns were different owing to different recognition of the design. In particular, the shape and size of the collar that the designer emphasized in the illustration were different in the resultant patterns. Differences in patternmaking originated from differences in the patternmakers′ levels of expertise in terms of education, experience, and proficiency. However, the designer was satisfied with both patterns.

We investigated the distinctive characteristics of jean fabrics (denim fabrics obtained from jeans) and compared the physical properties and the hand. We used 13 kinds of jean fabric from commercial jeans and 26 other fabric types. The physical properties were measured using the Kawabata evaluation system, and the fabric hand was evaluated by 20 subjects using a semantic differential method. To characterise the hand of jean fabrics compared with other fabrics, we used principal component analysis and obtained three principal components. We found that jean fabrics were characterised by the second principal component, which was affected by feelings of thickness and weight. We further characterised the jean fabrics according to ‘softness & smoothness’ and ‘non-fullness’, depending on country of origin and type of manufacturer. The three principal components were analysed using multiple linear regression to characterise the components according to the physical properties. We explained the hand of fabrics including jean fabrics using its association with physical properties.

To better understand the reasons for the marketability of clothing now designed and sold in China and Japan, we asked Japanese and Chinese experts to evaluate Chinese and Japanese brands of clothing currently for sale in the Japanese market. The marketability of the Chinese apparel items in the Japanese market was evaluated by the Japanese experts. Five Japanese jackets were purchased from a department store in Tokyo, and ten items of Chinese clothing were purchased from a department store in Beijing. Five of the Chinese clothing samples were judged as impossible to sell in Japanese department stores primarily because the sewing quality was incompatible with Japanese requirements, the designs were outdated, and the materials were of low quality. However, the other five Chinese clothing samples received high evaluations of marketability in Japan. We found that Japanese experts focused on general design and sewing finish, while Chinese experts considered more general design points. Thus, our results indicate that clothing is evaluated differently in Japan and China. We conclude that it is necessary to consider the respective evaluation points used in each country as we pursue globalisation.