Quantifying the handle and sensibility of woven silk fabrics

This paper attempts to identify the handle and sensibility of woven silk fa brics for neckties to determine any relationships between them and purchasi ng preferences. Male and female students evaluate the specimens with a sema ntic differential scale of handle and sensibility adjectives: twenty-one ha nd adjectives are grouped as four "surface sense," "thermal sense," "flexib ility sense," and "dryness sense"-and twenty-five sensibility adjectives ar e grouped as four-"modern,". classic," "character," and "natural"-through f actor analysis. Fabrics with a "flat" and "warm" touch result in a classic sensibility, but those that feel "flat" and "cool" represent a modern feeli ng. The "rough" fabrics with "warm" touch are natural, but those with a "co ol" touch show character. Fabrics evaluated as high in handle and purchasin g preferences for neckties show a "soft" and "flat" touch, and display mode rn and classic sensibilities. These relations between handle, sensibility, and fabric type are shown in image diagrams.