DUAL VIEWS ON SUSTAINABILITY
While consumers have a better understanding of the terms “environmentally-friendly” and “natural” when referring to clothing, they do not clearly understand the term “sustainable.” When thinking about clothing, over half of shoppers (51%) say sustainable refers to the durability or longevity of apparel and 14% indicate that they do not know what “sustainable” clothing means. Only 22% of shoppers associate the word “sustainable” with the environment, when considering their clothing. The environmental factors that consumers relate to the term are “does not harm the environment” and “made from renewable resources.”
Consumer perceptions that sustainability relates to the lifespan of their clothing points to concerns that they have about apparel quality and a possible diminishing attraction to disposable inexpensive clothing. Embracing sustainability in terms of clothing longevity from a consumers’ perspective and environmental responsibility from an industry standpoint could be gaining headway1. The long-term financial costs of fast fashion for consumers, coupled with the potential detrimental environmental impacts, could accelerate the expansion of sustainable apparel offerings. Connecting with consumers to help reduce the environmental footprint of apparel can be aided by communicating and demonstrating clear financial savings and sustainability advantages.