Design and Value-Added Superior Product of Thailand: Traditional Isan Printed Sarong

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) design and add value to products made from traditional Isan printed sarong, 2) analyze consumer group expansion of the products, and 3) develop marketing strategies for the products. The design and value-added products were created by the integration between Human-Centered Design (HCD) and the fashion trend analysis for Spring/Summer 2018. Researchers collected data through fashion expert interviews and surveyed consumer requirements from students and early working-age, and created pre-prototypes which were used to test product satisfaction and analyze market trends. The results showed that casual wear was the most potential product to add value to the printed sarong and tend to expand consumer group to students and early-working age. The majority of sample group was interested in Naga-Pine pattern (39%), small sarong strips insertion (68%), and preferred dark shades and warm colors in the design. Then, the product satisfaction was tested and found that 56.4% of female group was satisfied with no. 4; 59.4% of male group was satisfied with pre-prototype no. 8. Regarding marketing guidelines, the entrepreneurs should sell the product through online channels and the product price should not be higher than 500 Baht based on purchase power and target group.