Reversible Jacquard Knitted Fabrications: Perceptions of Sri Lankan Customers

Abstract

Slow fashion appears to be the new trend that is emerging as a solution to garment industry pollution. Weft-knit reversible fabrics made using the Jacquard technique are being promoted as a product that would be effective at reducing pollution. Even though reversible Jacquard knit fabrics are available in Sri Lanka, there is a lack of published research evidence regarding its place in the market. Therefore, the goal of this study is to assess Sri Lankan customers' perceptions and attitude towards reversiblejacquard knitted fabrics. The primary data collection method of this study was a questionnaire survey. Participants for the questionnaire survey were selected based on the random sampling technique. The 105 completed questionnaires were subjected to data analysis by using Microsoft Excel. According to the survey results, 58.1 percent of respondents were unaware, while 41.9 percent were aware of reversible jacquard knit technology. 41.7 percent of respondents had heard about jacquard knit technology through social media, while 28.3 percent learned about it through showrooms, magazines, and word of mouth. However, even 91.4 percent of the respondents who were aware of this fabric had never used it. The findings showed that 90 percent of respondents supported the concept of ‘reversible’ jacquard knitted fabrications. Reversible jacquard knitted fabrications were deemed fashionable by 63.9 percent of participants while 21.3 percent of participants thought they were aesthetically appealing. 38.7 percent of respondents preferred outerwear with reversible jacquard knitted fabrications. These findings will be useful to the knitwear designers and manufacturers in Sri Lanka as it will guide them to upgrade their existing products and find bigger markets for them.