Women's Preferences Among Selected Textile Products

Excerpts from the report Introduction: This survey was addressed to the problem of the competitive position of cotton and other fibers in specific end-use markets. Market outlets for household and apparel textiles are largely determined by the actions of ultimate consumers. Information of various kinds is available at the manufacturing, converting, fabricating, wholesaling, and retailing levels, but there are few adequate data on consumer preferences. Consequently, information relating to factors affecting consumer preferences for textile products is needed to supplement that already assembled or being assembled on other phases of the problem. The Cotton Subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture has been investigating problems affecting cotton and suggesting solutions to them. One part of this investigation resulted in the establishment of nine active projects dealing with agricultural economic problems of the Cotton Belt. One of these nine was a project to examine the competitive position of cotton by major end-use products. Members of this particular project committee urged the Bureau of Agricultural Economics to proceed with a survey to learn consumer preferences with respect to selected textile products. Such a survey was undertaken. A sample of 1,782 women was selected and interviewed. These women represented all women in the United States between the ages of 18 and 65, and homemakers of any age. The results are reported here. A copy of the interview schedule is included in the appendix.