Children’s Sleepwear
ADHM 370: Quality & Price Final Paper
Nicolette Larson
Morgan Tschida
Chart of Criteria for Comparison
Criteria
General
Appearance
Finish/Design
Application
Style
Size
Label
Information
COO
Care
Price
Brand
RN#
Fiber
Fabric
Stitch Quality
Length
Tension
Neatness
Uniformity
Seam Quality
Type
Hem Type
Stitches Used
Uniformity
Garment Edge
Finishes
Macy’s
High Price
Target
Moderate Price
Walmart
Low Price
Top: Woven
Bottoms: Printed
2 piece, long sleeves
& pants
6
High Price
Top: Printed
Bottoms: Printed
2 piece, short sleeve &
shorts
Small
Moderate Price
Top: Printed
Bottoms: Printed
2 piece, short sleeve &
shorts
Small
Low Price
Cambodia
Turn garment inside
out. Machine wash
cold with like colors.
Use non-chlorine
bleach when needed.
Tumble dry medium.
Warm iron if needed.
Do not iron
decoration.
$34
Carter’s
35623
High Price
100% cotton
High Price
Cotton
High Price
12 SPI
Balanced
High
High
High Price
Plain seam
Folded
301 lockstitch; 406
bottom cover stitch;
514 four thread
overedge seam stitch;
High
High Price
China
Turn inside out.
Machine wash
cold/gentle with like
colors. Blech when
needed. Tumble dry
low. Do not iron.
China
Machine wash warm
with like colors. Turn
inside out. Only use
non-chlorine bleach.
Low iron on reverse
side. Do not dry clean.
$15
Universal Studios
87652
Moderate Price
100% Polyester
Moderate Price
Polyester
Moderate Price
16 SPI
Balanced
High
High
Moderate Price
Plain seam
Folded
605 cover stitch; 607
cover stitch; 406
bottom cover stitch
$8
JB Apparel
119303
Low Price
100% Polyester
Low Price
Polyester
Low Price
13 SPI
Mostly Balanced
Moderate
Moderate
Low Price
Plain seam
Folded
605 cover stitch; 401
chainstitch; 406
bottom cover stitch
High
Moderate Price
Moderate
Low Price
Folded hem
Folded hem
Folded hem, Banded
hem
Findings
Flammability
Aesthetic/Func
tional Features
Closures
Fit/Ease of
Alteration
High Price
Elastic waist
Trim
Plastic Buttons
High Price
Not flame resistant
High Price
Moderate Price
Elastic waist
Low Price
Elastic waist
Moderate Price
Flame resistant
Moderate Price
Low Price
Flame resistant
Low Price
Dyed, Printed, and
Embroidered
High Price
None
High Price
Printed
Printed
Moderate Price
None
Moderate Price
Low Price
None
Low Price
Snug fit/skinny
Relaxed fit/loose
Relaxed fit/loose
Introduction
Our theme for our quality vs. price evaluation was children's sleepwear. The three price
points we chose for our garments for this project were Macy's, Target and Walmart. Macy's,
Carter brand retailed at $34. Our mid-price sleepwear set was purchased at Target, Universal
Studio brand and retailed at $15. Lastly, our low-price garment retailed at $8 and was
purchased at Walmart.
The areas we chose to use as criteria for our evaluation pertained to label information,
general appearance, stitch and seam quality, construction and aesthetic elements and
sustainability uses. We felt these categories helped us analyze and evaluate each garment the
best in order for us to determine their quality and how it reflected in the price they are purchased
at in stores.
Label Information
The criteria found on the label of the garments included brand, price, fabric, country of
origin, RN number and care instructions. These criteria were chosen because they are all found
on the labels of each garment and help identify and determine the quality of each garment at a
particular price point.
High Price
We chose a white and pink Carter's sleepwear set, retailing at $34, for our high price
garment. The long sleeve top was woven and the bottoms were printed. The set was 100%
cotton and made in Cambodia. The care instructions are to turn garment inside out and machine
wash cold with like colors. Non-chlorine bleach and a warm iron can be used on the garment
when needed. The RN number for this garment is 35623.
Mid-Price
Our mid-price children's sleepwear set retailed at $15 and was purchased at Target. The
brand was Universal Studios and 100% polyester. The top and bottom were both printed and
made in China. The care instructions were to turn inside out, machine wash cold on gentle cycle
and tumble dry low. The tag also stated that the garment was flame resistant and was the only
garment that stated this on the tag. The RN number for this garment is 87652.
Low Price
The low price garment we evaluated was a JB Apparel sleep set from Walmart retailing
at $8. The top and bottom were both printed and made in China. Like the mid-price garment
from Target, the garment was 100% polyester. The care instructions were to machine wash
warm with like colors and turn inside out and do not dry clean. The RN number is 119303.
RN# Information
High Price
The legal name for the company Carter's is The William Carter Company. They are an
importer, wholesaler, manufacturer and retailer The product line is infants and children's
clothing. Their headquarters can be found in Atlanta, GA at 1170 Peachtree Street, Suite 900 or
they can be reached at 404-892-2700.
Mid-Price
The company that created the Universal Studios sleep set from Target has a legal name
of American Marketing Enterprises, INC and they are an importer. Their produce line is wearing
apparel. They can be found at 4620 Grandover Parkway in Greensboro, NC or can be reached
at 336-500-8137.
Low Price
The JB Apparel sleep set from Walmart has a legal name and company name of JV
Apparel Corp. The company is an importer, wholesaler and distributor and a wearing apparel
product line. They can be found at 319 East 50th Street in New York, NY.
General Appearance
The criteria we selected to evaluate the general appearance of our garments were wash,
fit, finish, and color. We chose this criteria because we felt the most obvious different in the
garment were with wash, fit and color and saw the difference in quality for these reasons. These
criteria could be an example of how the consumer evaluates these garments when compared.
High Price
Mid-Price
Low-Price
High Price
The high price garment was the only garment that was fitted. This made the garment
appear more clean and finished. The hand of the garment was soft which is attractive to
consumers when looking for sleepwear. This garment was the most comfortable out of the
three. The set seemed to have the construction to withstand a lot of wear. The color was soft yet
strong and the top was woven while the bottom was printed. The weight of the fabric was the
heaviest out of the three as well.
Mid-Price
The mid-priced garment was also a size small. The fit of the top and bottom of this set
was relaxed. The hand of the garment had a little stiffer hand the high priced garment which
would make it uncomfortable to wear. The top and bottom were both printed and a little faded in
color. The garment seemed to be able to withstand much wear before it would fade. The finish
was also flame resistant and stated this on the label whereas the high priced item did not. The
weight of the fabric was the lightest of the three.
Low Price
The low-price item, size small was the more vibrant in color. The fit was also loose but
the hand was a little stiff like the set from Target. The sleepwear was a lot alike the set from
Target weight wise. The top and bottom were both printed and seemed as though it would not
fade a ton; however, given that some of the stitching was already coming loose, it didn't look like
the construction would withstand lot of wear. This garment also had a flame resistant finish.
Stitch Quality
The criteria used to evaluate the stitch quality of each garment were length of stitch,
stitch tension, neatness, and uniformity. WE chose these guidelines because we felt these
categories best reflect each other. When it comes to stitch and their quality we have learned
that if a garment does not have high stitch quality in one category it will lack throughout the
entire piece.
High Price
The stitch length on this garment was high but the shortest with 12 stitches per inch. The
stitches all had a balanced tension which made the garment attractive to consumers. The
overall neatness and uniformity was also high and is reflected in the overall quality of the
garment.
Mid-Price
The stitch length of this garment was the shortest of all with 16 SPI. We were surprised
by this number because the garment seemed more fragile than the higher priced item but
according to the stitches per inch is the strongest when referring to stich principles. The tension
was balanced but we did see a few unbalanced parts, not extremely noticeable though where
the stiches seemed to be loose in certain parts.
Low Price
With an SPI of 13 this garment could be similarly compared to that of the mid-price garment
from Target. The uniformity and neatness were high as well. White stitches in particular were
different in the mid and low-prices garments we were surprised that they both had higher SPI
number that the high-priced garment; however, the stitching was noticeably loose and raveling
in parts of the garment even before consumer wear, which reflected the quality of the
construction and appearance of the sleep set.
Seam Quality
When it comes to seam quality, the criteria we chose to evaluate and analyze our
sleepwear garments were the overall quality, seam types used, hem types, used, stitches used
to create the seams, and uniformity. We chose this criteria because it contributes not only to the
overall quality and look of the garments, but also to their durability and performance.
High Price
The seams used for the high price garment were all plain seams. The stitches used for
the plain seams were 514 four thread overedge seam stitches that secured the edges of the
fabric on the inside of the garment. The hems of the sleepwear, which were all folded, were
secured with both 301 lockstitches and 406 cover stitches in different areas - the 400 class
cover stitch for the neckline and the 301 lockstitched for the other folded hems. All of the hems
were folded as part of it's finishing features, as well as having serging to secure the edges of the
fabric. The uniformity of the stitches were high, along with the seam quality being up-to-par with
the price of the garment. The garment was well put together using higher quality stitches for
sleeping garments, which showed that this was higher-quality sleepwear for children.
Mid-Price
The seams used for the mid-priced garment are plain seams. For this garment, the plain
seams used 605 cover stitches to secure the edges of the fabric, the manufacturer then decided
to go over the plain seams again with a 607 cover stitch - this added constructional and design
detail to the garment. The shorts used 406 cover stitches to secure the waistband and folded
hem of the bottom of the shorts. The folded hem for the bottom of the shirt uses a 605
coverstitch to secure those hems. There was high uniformity to the seams; however, there was
a slight imbalance in the connection of various panels of fabric, along with some raveled seams,
which lessened the quality of this garment.
(See photos, next page)
Low Price
The seams used for the low-priced garment were all plain seams. The stitches used for
the plain seams were 605 cover stitches to secure the edges of the fabric on the inside of the
garment. The folded hems on the bottom of the shirt and on the waistband of the shorts used
406 bottom cover stitches. An added detail, the neckline and sleeve edges used 401 chain
stitches to secure a banded hem - this added extra detail in both construction and design. This
garment has moderate uniformity along with a few raveled stitches that had already caused
loosening of seams, which lessened the quality of this garment. In this case, the quality would
match the price of the garment.
Construction Elements & Additional Features
The criteria we used to evaluate the construction elements and additional features were
an analysis of findings and finishes, overall fit, aesthetic and function features, waistline
treatments, and garment pieces (such as necklines and sleeves). We chose this criterion
because they are incredibly important to the construction and performance of children's
sleepwear; they contribute to both the look and functionality/durability of the garments.
High Price
The Carter's brand high-price sleepwear is a tighter-fitting garment which is something
some parents look for in sleepwear. Although there aren’t any specific special features of the
sleepwear garments, it does have an elastic waistline for comfort, and added detail such as
plastic buttons, an embroidery element, and crochet/lace trim, for design purposes. The sleeves
also had a folded round cuff that adds security and comfort for the child, as well as adding an
additional design element. Although most children's sleepwear is flame resistant, this sleepwear
set is not. We investigated the reason as to why this is on carters.com, which stated: "We
design our children’s sleepwear with a combination of fabrics and fits that do not require
treatment with harsh chemicals to prevent flammability. Our 100% cotton sleepwear is tight
fitting, and therefore does not require additional fabric treatment. All of our sleepwear products
are created with children’s safety, health, and comfort in mind, and meet Consumer Product
Safety Commission requirements." We felt that this adequately addressed consumer’s
questions as to why flame resistance was not necessary for this sleepwear. The added benefit
is that no harsh chemicals were used to treat these items, which could add additional quality to
the set.
Mid-Price
The mid-price sleepwear is a looser fit that would be more breathable for children. The
only constructional element that it has is an elastic waistband, which also adds comfort and
ease of fit. The sleepwear is printed with a Disney design which adds an aesthetic feature and
selling feature - especially for children. There were no other elements or features to this
sleepwear set that were used in our evaluation criteria.
Low Price
The low-price sleepwear was also a looser fit which would also be breathable. It was
extremely lightweight which could be nice for comfort, but not necessarily for durability
purposes. It had an elastic waistband for a snugger fit at the waist. Other than that, there were
no other elements or
Sustainability Practices
Sustainability was used as evaluation criteria because it is a practice that is increasingly
important in the fashion industry and to conscious consumers. It not only influences a lot of
buying practices for certain consumers, but it also adds to selling points for a line of apparel.
High Price
Manufacturing level (Carter's): Carter's does not tend to disclose information on the life
cycle of their products, as well as the sustainability of their products and services. They have
been rated poorly for their sustainable fibers, and are among the worst for unsustainable supply
chain management. They have also not been noted for supporting or partnering with
environmentally-friendly organizations that could improve their sustainability practices. For a
consumer who is environmentally conscious, this would not be a brand/manufacturer that they
would most likely buy from.
Referece: http://www.goodguide.com/products/338887-baby-brights-reviews-ratings
Retail level (Macy's): Macy's Inc. had dedicated itself to reducing their carbon footprint
through both corporate social responsibility and in environmental practices. They have been
known to take significant action to making their entire company environmentally friendly. They
do this through they buying of certain products as well as creating partnerships with
organizations that further their mission. They have even created a website that houses all of the
ways they are continuing to live and service in an environmentally friendly way.
Reference: https://www.macysinc.com/social-responsibility/
http://www.macysgreenliving.com/
Mid-Price
Manufacturing level (American Marketing Enterprises, Inc.): No information about sustainability
practices was found for this manufacturer.
Retail level (Target): Target has a high commitment to sustainability practiced
throughout their entire company. They strive to keep their community healthy and their
environment clean. Some of their sustainability practiced include commitment to sustainable
living and products, smart development, and efficient operations - showing that they not only
focus on the products they sell but also through services, partnerships, and corporate social
responsibility. They also focus on smart sourcing when it comes to manufacturing services.
Reference: https://corporate.target.com/corporate-responsibility/sustainability
Low Price
Manufacturing level (JV Apparel Corp.): No information about sustainability practices
was found for this manufacturer.
Retail level (Walmart): Walmart strives to be sustainably responsible in their business
practices. According to their website, they have three goals that they strive to reach through
those practices. They state on their sustainability website that those goals include: "be supplied
100% by renewable energy, create zero waste, and sell products that sustain people and the
environment." They achieve these goals through corpaorate social responsibility as well as
partnering with green organizations that help with achieving their goals. They also strive to instill
these practices in their employees. They have also created a website solely to promoting what
they do to be a sustainable company.
Reference: http://corporate.walmart.com/global-responsibility/environmental-sustainability
Recommendations
Based on our criteria, comparison, and analysis, we have developed a set of
recommendations for each price point we compared. The recommendations are based off of the
initial comparison and include recommendations for improving the products based on the price
and quality comparison.
High Price
In terms of the criteria chosen and the evaluation of the sleepwear from Macy's in terms
of that criteria, we do not have any general recommendations for this garment. The one
recommendation we do have is to provide a simple explanation on the hang tag as to why the
sleep set is not flame resistant as that could inhibit a consumer from buying without knowing the
completely reasonable and even impressive reason for not including the flame resistant finish.
Other than that, we do not have any additional recommendations.
Mid-Price
We feel that through our evaluation, that this sleep set could improve it's seam and stitch
quality. Some of the stitches were already raveling creating loose seams which lowered the
durability possible performance off-the-bat. We feel that because this was considered a
"licensed item" because it was a Universal Studios design, that it was entitled to a higher price,
while the quality did not match. We recommend adding additional features or constructional
elements that could increase the quality or at least aesthetic appeal to better match the price.
Low Price
For being a lower-priced item, we felt that this sleep set adequately matched it's price.
Although there are things that could be improved such as seam and stich quality and possible
design improvements, that would also increase the price. Overall, we do not have any specific
recommendations for this sleep set.
Overall Evaluation
Based on the criteria we chose, we did an overall evaluation of each sleep set. We
looked at our criteria and determined whether the quality matched it's price, or not. We also
compared what we found, to determine which set was the best quality for the price. The depth of
the overall evaluation will look at 5 key points: general appearance, care, stitch and seam
quality, and construction elements, as the base for a summary of evaluation.
High Price
The high-priced sleep set from Macy's had great seam and stitch quality along with high
uniformity and a great fabric choice for comfort. It had a lot of design elements that made it
unique compared to other lower-priced sleepwear and had certain construction elements that
added to its quality. It also had easy care which is a selling point to consumers, especially for
children’s wear.
Mid-Price
The mid-priced sleep set from Target has average to moderate seam and stitch quality
but with higher uniformity. Some stitches were already coming loose, which was not impressive
at first glance. It was lightweight with a loose fit which could be more comfortable to a child than
something snug. There weren't any aesthetic or constructional elements that made it stand out
or increase quality. The only thing that added to the appeal is that it was a recognizable design
from Universal Studios. Overall, we felt that the quality of this garment did not match up to it's
price; however, it is common to pay higher for licensed apparel just because of it's imagery,
making this price somewhat adequate for the quality on that reason alone.
Low Price
The low-priced sleep set from Walmart had average to moderate seam and stich quality
with moderate uniformity. There were some loose stitches and seams already, which made it
seem that it would not be adequate for long-term use and wear. It was lighter weight and loose
which could be more comfortable for children. It was also naturally flame resistant which is very
important for children's sleepwear. There weren't any aesthetic or constructional features that
made it stand out, but overall we felt that given that the price for this set was so low, the quality
matched the price in this case.
Conclusion
After an in-depth evaluation of each sleep set based on the criteria we chose, the
Carter's brand sleepwear is the best quality for the price - worth the splurge. A nice fact about
Carter's is that they are known be on sale frequently at local department stores. You can find
the brand that is usually $36-$50 for $12-$20 a lot of the time. The quality of the garments make
them adequate for longer-term use and are likely to have a better performance and aesthetic
appeal compared to the lower priced sleep sets. The Carter's set had easy care, durable
stitches and seams, and design features that made it aesthetically unique. The most apparent
difference between all three of the sleep sets was the criteria of seam and stitch quality Carter's clearly came out on top within that criteria. Although Carter's is not known to be a
sustainable company, you can tell from their mission and FAQS page on their website, that they
strive for perfection in their product quality. They care for their customers and want their
products to be safe and comfortable for all children. This sleep set met basically all of our
criteria and provided the best options for the best buy, even though it is a higher price.
Certain criteria that was evaluated was easier to find than others. The label information,
RN# information, fiber content, etc. was easy and accessible to find and identify. The average
customer would know where to find it and what it meant for the garment which is important
during the buying process. Criteria that was more difficult to identify was the stitch and seam
quality and sustainability information on the manufacturing companies. Not many customers
would consider looking at such criteria as buying points unless sustainability and garment
construction plays a large importance in their buying habits. Since we learned about these
topics in class, this information was easier to identify at this stage of the class, versus a
consumer trying to identify this information.
Although children's sleepwear has less to consider as far as criteria, compared to other
garments, it is a type of garment that parents usually compare value when purchasing. For this
reason it would be important that retail staff know about certain criteria including care,
flammability standards, and general performance and fit. Care is important, especially for
parents buying for their children, not only do they want it to be easy but they also want to be
educated on how to make these garments last as long as possible - especially if they choose to
spend more for higher quality. Flammability is extremely important to be knowledgeable on for
children's sleepwear. Staff members should be well-versed on the standards and how certain
products meet those standards. Given that sleepwear is something that is worn frequently,
performance and fit is also important, and retail staff should be knowledgeable on this criteria.
Although looser fitting sleepwear would generally be more comfortable, it can present more
hazards and risks for children while they sleep - something staff and consumers should consider
when buying in this apparel category. Although it is pretty apparent to the general consumer, it
is important for staff to know which brands tend to perform and fit better based on customer
feedback, especially in comparing certain qualities with the price ranges they offer. This is all
information that most consumers would want to know before purchasing children's sleepwear.