Abstract
In this paper, design images were visually evaluated using blouse samples and the results were compared to mechanical properties of fabrics. Seventeen types of blouses were used, all of which were made of white fabrics whose properties were examined previously. The subjects of sensory test were 59 female college students. In order to investigate the relationship between the mechanical properties and appearance, the mechanical characteristics of fabrics which were measured in the previous study were used and compared to design images. Design images like “expensive looking-cheap looking, ” “elegant-sporty, ” “adult-young” and “refined-vulgar” were deeply related to mechanical properties such as linearity of load-extension curve, bending rigidity, shear stiffness, linearity of compression and coefficient of friction. The “elegant” factor in the design images was deeply related to mechanical properties; on the other hand the factors of “decorativeness” and “fashionability” were not related to mechanical properties. A study of the relationship between the four clusters of the design images of the blouses and the mechanical properties showed differences in linearity of load-extension curve, linearity of compression and compressional resilience for the design images. Comparison between the mechanical properties and the images of the fabrics clearly indicated that there were differences in bending rigidity, linearity of compression, compressional resilience, geometrical roughness and fabric thickness among the different clusters of images. The evaluation of the design images of blouses is considered to be visually affected by texture and image.
