Magnetoelectrical Clothing Generator
In article number 2107682, Weilin Xu, Xiaoming Tao, Guangming Tao, Bin Su, and co‐workers show scalable‐manufactured flexible magnetoelectrical clothing that can ...convert mechanical energy generated by daily behavior into electrical energy required for electronic devices, solving the problem of continuous power supply of electronic clothing especially in harsh outdoor environments, and promoting sustainable development in wearable electronics.
The apparel industry causes environmental problems, particularly due to the shortening life cycle of garments and fast-fashion’s throw-away culture. The circular economy provides solutions to ...minimise and prevent these problems through innovative circular business models, which require changes in consumer behaviours. With the lens of environmental psychology, we analyse consumers’ willingness to acquire circular apparel considering four approaches on clothing life-cycle extension. We conducted an online questionnaire among Brazilian and Dutch consumers and tested if the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory can explain the willingness of consumers to purchase circular apparel. Our results indicate that, overall, the variables from the VBN theory explain circular behaviour in the apparel industry and that the paths suggested by the model are supported by our analyses. Additionally, we tested and found that when all of the variables from the VBN theory were controlled for, materialistic values did not explain circular behaviours in the apparel industry among Brazilian respondents. However, they had a positive influence on some circular apparel behaviours among Dutch consumers. Overall, materialistic values did not play an important role in predicting willingness to consume circular clothing. Furthermore, the results suggest that the VBN theory predicts willingness to consume circular apparel better in the Netherlands compared to Brazil, suggesting that this behaviour may be perceived as more effortful for the Brazilian population. However, we highlight the need for future research.
Energy-saving is a mandatory research topic since the growing population demands additional energy yearly. Moreover, climate change requires more attention to reduce the impact of generating more ...CO2. As a result, some new research areas need to be explored to create innovative energy-saving alternatives in electrical devices that have high energy consumption. One research area of interest is the computer visual classification for reducing energy consumption and keeping thermal comfort in thermostats. Usually, connected thermostats obrtain information from sensors for detecting persons and scheduling autonomous operations to save energy. However, there is a lack of knowledge of how computer vision can be deployed in embedded digital systems to analyze clothing insulation in connected thermostats to reduce energy consumption and keep thermal comfort. The clothing classification algorithm embedded in a digital system for saving energy could be a companion device in connected thermostats to obtain the clothing insulation. Currently, there is no connected thermostat in the market using complementary computer visual classification systems to analyze the clothing insulation factor. Hence, this proposal aims to develop and evaluate an embedded real-time clothing classifier that could help to improve the efficiency of heating and ventilation air conditioning systems in homes or buildings. This paper compares six different one-stage object detection and classification algorithms trained with a small custom dataset in two embedded systems and a personal computer to compare the models. In addition, the paper describes how the classifier could interact with the thermostat to tune the temperature set point to save energy and keep thermal comfort. The results confirm that the proposed real-time clothing classifier could be implemented as a companion device in connected thermostats to provide additional information to end-users about making decisions on saving energy.
We study the adoption of energy-efficient LED lighting in garment factories around Bangalore, India. Combining daily production line–level data with weather data, we estimate a negative, nonlinear ...productivity-temperature gradient. We find that LED lighting raises productivity on hot days. Using the firm's costs data, we estimate that the payback period for LED adoption is less than one-third the length after accounting for productivity co-benefits. The average factory in our data gains about $2,880 in power consumption savings and about $7,500 in productivity gains.
PurposeSecond-hand clothing (SHC) has kindled a growing interest among researchers and practitioners. However, despite all the benefits that this market presents, consumer adherence still has ...considerable room for improvement. Several studies have explored the main motivations that lead consumers to buy second-hand clothes (SHCs), but few have focused on the factors that prevent consumers from adopting this consumption behavior. Hence, this study aims to identify barriers through the differences in the perception of experienced and inexperienced consumers in SHC purchases.Design/methodology/approachData collected through an online questionnaire from 127 cases were analyzed using means comparison and binomial logistic regression.FindingsThe findings of this study revealed that having previous experience in purchasing SHCs influences consumers' perception of the barriers. The results also indicate that social embarrassment is the factor that most negatively influences the purchase of SHCs, as well as the consumers' lack of knowledge regarding the available channels.Originality/valueConsidering the importance of the SHC market and its potential, this study reveals what motivates and at the same time prevents consumers from acquiring SHCs. Original findings regarding the importance of channel familiarity and social embarrassment assist companies in defining their marketing strategies and enhancing the consumer experience in the purchase of SHCs.
•A 2D model for the heat dissipation through clothing air gap is developed.•Heat and moisture transfer through the static and dynamic air gaps are considered.•Static air gap with open ends performs ...better than that with closed ends.•The dynamic air gap exhibits the largest heat dissipation due to pumping effect.
The clothing air gap between the skin surface and clothing layer plays an important role in the body heat dissipation. In this study, we built a numerical model to investigate the heat transfer phenomenon through the clothing air gap in a single layer loose-fitting garment with large air gaps. Firstly, we investigated the thermal performance of the static air gaps with closed ends and open ends, respectively, against their thickness and height at different environmental temperatures. Then, the dynamic air gaps with oscillating clothing layers were studied to examine the influence of the so called pumping effect (viz. the oscillation of clothing layer) on the heat transfer through the air gaps. The results showed that closing the ends of the static air gap (i.e. simulation of closing the openings of clothing) can double the thermal resistance when the air gap thickness is sufficiently large. On the other hand, the pumping effect, which may be caused by body motion or external forces, can halve the thermal resistance of the air gap with open ends in some conditions. This study is of great importance for the design of functional clothing for human body thermal management.
This paper reports outcomes from a research study whereby fashion-oriented students experienced life where the ability to acquire new clothing was removed. Students volunteered to participate in this ...experiential learning challenge, titled the Fashion Detox: to abstain from clothing acquisition for 10 weeks and reflect about the experience. This learning experience was characterized by barriers to sustainable consumption, chief among them a range of temptations prompted by inescapable merchandising and marketing strategies, compulsive tendencies, and envy of those who could consume with impunity. Students also indicated many benefits to abstaining from acquisition, such as creativity and self-regulation. This teaching and learning experiment has important implications for the challenges faced by educators who must engage fashion-oriented students in sustainability topics and how these may be navigated.
As the rapid economic growth and over-consumption within the largest population worldwide has resulted in harmful environment deterioration, a shift to more sustainable consumption behaviors is ...required in China. Although public interests in sustainability have increased and consumers’ attitudes are positive, their behavioral intentions are not consistent with attitudes. This study aims to uncover psychological drivers and barriers (consumption values, social norms, and attitudes to sustainable apparel products) of Chinese consumers’ behavioral intentions toward sustainable apparel products (SAP) by exploring the attitude–behavioral intention gap. Online survey data were used to examine the moderating impacts of consumption values and social norms on relationship between Chinese consumers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions toward SAP. Results from moderating regression analysis suggest that (1) Chinese consumers’ SAP attitudes had a strong positive effect on the purchase intention toward SAP, (2) aesthetic values positively moderated the relationship between the SAP attitude and purchase intention, whereas conspicuous values negatively moderated the relationship, and (3) utility values and social norms did not show any significant moderating influences on the relationship between the SAP attitude and purchase intention. Our study validates the attitude–behavior gap model in sustainable consumer behavior and discusses how the current findings can assist researchers and practitioners in the Clothing and Textiles field alike to fine-tune sustainable programs and marketing strategies in China.
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