KOREASCHOLAR

Understanding awareness and wearing behavior of functional textiles for silver generation is expected to contribute to clothing products development to improve and maintain their health and marketing strategy fit for user characteristics. For empirical research, a survey was developed and the aged 50 and above were 332 respondents. The results of the study are as follows. First, the level of awareness for both comfort-oriented and health/safetyoriented functional fabrics in high health-conscious group was much higher than that in low health-conscious group. In number of wearing times, health body and high-conscious group wear comfort-oriented fabrics more frequently, while weak body group wear health/safety-oriented fabrics more often. The health-consciousness significantly influenced the possession of active sportswear with various functions. Second, the awareness of functional fabrics in exercise activities groups was much higher than that in exercise-conscious groups. High exercise activities group know more about the wet sensation-related fabrics and clothing materials for outdoor activities. Low exerciseconscious group put on health/comfort-oriented fabrics for casuals more frequent than functional fabrics for sportswear. High exercise activities group preferred to wear sportswear suitable for outdoor activities. The aged people have a lot of health/comfort-oriented functional casual wear appropriate for indoor activities regardless of exerciseconsciousness. However, the more they enjoy exercise activities the more they are interested in functional sportswear. Even though they were unconcerned with exercise, older people are interested in functional casual clothes. As a conclusion, the high interest in health and exuberant activities in silver generation arose the necessity of new multi-functional clothing products.

• 김정민 | Jung Min Kim
• 상정선 | Jeong Seon Sang
• 박명자 | Myung Ja Park