chp. 2 Product Development from a Textile Perspective

Chapter 2 Objectives

• To describe the role of textiles in product development.

• To apply the serviceability components, including sustainability concepts, to textiles and textile products.

• To assess product serviceability and textile performance with target market needs and expectations.

• To identify information sources used in developing textile products.

Product Development

• Definition: "The design and engineering of a product so that it has the desired serviceability characteristics, appeals to the target market, can be made within an acceptable time frame for a reasonable cost, and can be sold at a profit."

Role of Textiles in Product Development

• Textile firms actively identify and capitalize on opportunities within their specific markets.

• Fabrics and other textiles are presented in diverse formats to meet various market needs.

• Assortment: Refers to a cohesive group of fabrics that share a common element, such as design, structural characteristics, or color palette.

Serviceability

• Definition: "Measure of a textile product’s ability to meet consumers’ needs."

• Serviceability Concepts:

  • Aesthetics: "The appearance or attractiveness of a textile product."

    • Texture

    • Luster

    • Pattern

    • Color

    • Opacity

    • Drape

    • Stiffness

  • Durability: "How a product withstands use or the length of time the product is considered suitable for the use for which it was purchased."

    • Strength

    • Abrasion/pilling resistance

    • Snag resistance

    • Appearance retention

    • Wearability

  • Comfort: "The way a textile product affects heat, air, and moisture transfer and the way the body interacts with the textile product."

    • Absorbency

    • Fabric hand (how it feels)

    • Moisture retention

    • Heat transfer/loss

    • Permeability

  • Safety: "The ability of a textile or textile product to protect the body from harm."

    • Thermal protection

    • Chemical protection

    • Liquid protection

    • Systems Level Testing (evaluating the overall product, not just a single component, for safety)

  • Appearance Retention: "How a product maintains its original appearance during use, care, and storage."

    • Wrinkling

    • Shrinkage

    • Soil release

    • Stretching

    • Pilling

  • Care: "The treatment required to maintain a textile product’s original appearance."

    • Care label instructions

    • End use (determines expected wear and care needs)

    • Cost (can influence willingness to invest in specific care)

    • Fiber content (dictates appropriate care methods)

    • Target market (influences consumer expectations for ease of care)

  • Environmental Concerns: "Impact on the environment of the production, use, care, and disposal of textiles and textile products."

    • Sustainability: Describes practices and policies aimed at reducing environmental pollution and ensuring that current lifestyle needs are met without exploiting people or natural resources, and without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

    • Life Cycle Impact: A comprehensive examination of how a product's entire lifespan (from production through use, care, and ultimate disposal) affects the environment and the individuals involved with it.

  • Cost: "The amount paid to acquire, use, maintain, and dispose of a product."

    • Direct Costs:

      • Raw materials (fibers, yarns, fabrics, finishes)

      • Production costs (e.g., cut and sew operations, patternmaking)

    • Indirect Costs:

      • Overhead and administrative costs (e.g., rent, utilities, salaries of non-production staff)

Performance

• Definition: "Manner in which a textile, textile component, or textile product responds when something is done to it or when it is exposed to some mechanical or environmental element that might adversely affect it."

• Factors influencing performance:

  • Mechanical Factors:

    • Abrasion (wearing away surface material by friction)

    • Impact (sudden forceful contact)

    • Strength (resistance to breaking or tearing)

  • Environmental Factors:

    • Extreme conditions (e.g., very high or low temperatures)

    • Light exposure (e.g., UV radiation causing fading or degradation)

    • Moisture exposure (e.g., humidity, rain affecting integrity or appearance)

• Standard Test Methods: Used to objectively measure and quantify textile performance.

Quality

• Definition: "The sum of total product characteristics, including appearance, appropriateness for end use, performance, and interactions of materials in the product, consistency among identical products, and freedom from defects in construction or materials."

• Perspective Difference: Product quality means different things to consumers (e.g., value, aesthetics, durability) and producers (e.g., adherence to specifications, manufacturing efficiency, defect rates).