sustainability Article Pattern Preference Analysis of Black-and-White Plaid Shirts Qianling Jiang 1 , Li-Chieh Chen 1, Chun Yang 2 and Jie Zhang 3,* 1 The Graduate Institute of Design Science, Tatung University, Taipei 104, Taiwan; [email protected] (Q.J.); [email protected] (L.-C.C.) 2 Graduate School of Design, National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, Yunlin 640, Taiwan; [email protected] 3 Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +86-15217014324 Received: 1 September 2018; Accepted: 15 October 2018; Published: 17 October 2018 Abstract: The market economy has shifted the decision-making power of the garment industry from the enterprise to the consumer. Research on consumer clothing preferences is an essential part of sustainable development of the garment industry. Based on data statistics from eight fast fashion brands, black and white are most commonly used in two-color plaid shirts. This paper carried out a psychophysical experiment to investigate factors affecting pattern preferences for black-and-white shirts and the differences and similarities between male and female pattern preferences. Twenty-eight different representative patterns of plaid shirts were selected by five fashion designers together from 190 different black-and-white plaid shirts from eight fast fashion brands, which were then classified into three categories: gingham, tartans, and windowpane. Based on these patterns, 28 male and female shirts were simulated in three dimensions and presented on a calibrated computer display. The simulations were assessed by 42 observers (consisting of 21 males and 21 females) in terms of four semantic scales, including light–dark, delicate–rough, simple–complex, and like–dislike. The experimental results revealed that there was no significant difference of pattern preference between females and males for 89.29% of the black-and-white plaid shirts, and also described features of the patterns that the females and males liked or disliked. Furthermore, the study also demonstrated the formulation between the four semantic scales and three pattern features (including the percentage of black region, the size of the minimum repeat unit, and the descriptor of the pattern complexity). The findings could be used to develop a more robust and comprehensive theory of pattern preferences and provide a reference for pattern design for black-and-white plaid shirts. More comprehensive pattern preference theory is not only an effective tool to solve the problem of plaid shirt inventory in the garment industry but also an important theoretical basis for the “sustainable design” of clothing, which is of great significance to the sustainable development of the garment industry. Keywords: pattern preference; plaid shirts; pattern categories 1. Introduction 1.1. Research Background and Motivation For the garment industry, inventory has always been one of its main pain points. The product backlog not only occupies the company’s operating capital but also increases the company’s management and profit costs, reducing the company’s overall profits, and is also an obstacle to the sustainable development of the garment industry. Linkshop [1] collated the annual inventory Sustainability 2018, 10, 3739; doi:10.3390/su10103739 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2018, 10, 3739 2 of 18 Sustainability 2018, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 18 data of eight Chinese listed garment enterprises from 2012 to third quarter 2016, including HLA, YOUNGOR, SEMIR,SEMIR, HODO, HODO, METERS METERS BONWE, BONWE, SHANSHAN, SHANSHAN, JOEONE, JOEONE, and and BUSEN; BUSEN; these these data weredata calculatedwere calculated from thefrom annual the annual reports reports of enterprises, of enterprises, as shown as shown in Figure in Figure1. 1. Figure 1. Stock status of eight Chines Chinesee clothing companies in 2012–2016. The figurefigure above above shows shows that that the the inventory inventory value value of YOUNGOR of YOUNGOR exceeded exceeded 10 billion 10 RMB billion annually RMB everyannually year every from year 2012 from to third 2012 quarter to third 2016, quarter and 2 even016, and reached even 23.473 reached billion 23.473 RMB billion in 2012. RMB Even in 2012. the lowestEven the inventory lowest inventory value of thevalue eight of companies,the eight companies, BUSEN, stillBUSEN, exceeded still exceeded 200 million 200 RMB million annually RMB betweenannually 2012between and 2012 2016. and It can2016. be It seen can be that seen the that inventory the inventory problem problem is becoming is becoming an obstacle an obstacle to the sustainableto the sustainable development development of the of garment the garment industry. indust Thery. studyThe study of pattern of pattern preference preference is not is not only only an effectivean effective tool tool with with which which to solve to solve the inventory the inventory problem problem of the garment of the garment industry butindustry also an but important also an theoreticalimportant theoretical basis for the basis sustainable for the sustainable design of apparel. design of It isapparel. of great It significanceis of great significance to the sustainable to the developmentsustainable development of the garment of the industry. garment industry. To solvesolve the the inventory inventory problem problem of the of garment the garm industryent industry and promote and the promote sustainable the development sustainable ofdevelopment the garment of the industry, garment we industry, need not we only need a not strong only supply a strong chain supply system chain but system also but rapid also market rapid responsemarket response ability to ability support to thesupport extremely the extremel high inventoryy high turnover.inventory Consumerturnover. Consumer clothing preference clothing researchpreference is anresearch effective is toolan effective with which tool to with support which the marketto support reaction the market abilityof reaction the garment ability industry. of the Thegarment market industry. economy The causes market the economy decision-making causes the power decision-making of the garment power industry of the to be garment transferred industry from enterprisesto be transferred to consumers. from enterprises By understanding to consumers. the preferences By understanding of consumers, the preferences clothing enterprises of consumers, can avoidclothing unsold enterprises clothing can as much avoid as unsold possible clothing and reduce as much inventory. as possible By understanding and reduce the inventory. preferences By of consumers,understanding the the design preferences and production of consumers, of clothing the des enterprisesign and production can reduce of undesirable clothing enterprises clothing andcan thusreduce reduce undesirable inventory. clothing and thus reduce inventory. “Sustainable design” is formed in the deep thinkingthinking of the relationship between human development andand environmental environmental problems problems and and the practicethe practice of constantly of constantly seeking seeking change. change. The strategy The ofstrategy the “sustainable of the “sustainab design”le design” of clothing of clothing can besummed can be summed up in three up in ways: three sustainableways: sustainable design design based onbased a material on a material foundation foundation aims at ai reducingms at reducing the use ofthe materials use of mate andrials optimizing and optimizing the use of the materials, use of andmaterials, intuitively and reflectsintuitively the reflects ecological the concept ecological of environmental concept of environmental protection; sustainable protection; design sustainable based ondesign conveying based on specific conveying ideas specific uses emotional ideas uses design emotional methods design to conveymethods sustainable to convey sustainable ideas sensibly ideas to consumers;sensibly to consumers; and sustainable and sustainable design based design on lifebased cycle on considerationslife cycle considerations aims at prolonging aims at prolonging clothing usageclothing and usage service and life. service Overall, life. the Overall, third method the thir isd themethod easiest is tothe implement easiest to and implement can be achieved and can in be a shortachieved period in a ofshort time; period the study of time; of clothingthe study preference of clothing can preference improve can the durabilityimprove the of durability the relationship of the betweenrelationship clothing between and clothing people, therebyand people, reducing thereb consumptiony reducing consumption and waste of an resources.d waste of resources. From the above point of view, this paper carried out a psychophysical expe experimentriment to investigate factors affecting pattern preferences for black-and-whiteblack-and-white shirts and the differences and similarities between male and female pattern preferences. Psyc Psychophysicshophysics has has been defined defined as “the analysis of perceptual processes by studying the effect on a subject’s experience or behavior of systematically varying the properties of a stimulus along one or more physical dimensions” [2]. Sustainability 2018, 10, 3739 3 of 18 perceptual processes by studying the effect on a subject’s experience or behavior of systematically varying the properties of a stimulus along one or more physical dimensions” [2]. Research on fabric preferences has mostly focused on color. For instance,