Growing concerns for the environment and sustainability are playing a greater role in consumer purchase decisions for clothing, new research suggests, with transparency on the use of natural fibres increasingly important for apparel brands and retailers.
The findings, released today by Cotton USA, come from a study commissioned by Cotton Council International and led by Harris Insights and Analytics. It found 86% of people globally are considering sustainability and the impact their decisions have on the environment across various parts of day-to-day life – with 57% of people also saying they have thought more about sustainability over the past year.
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While Cotton USA’s insights found that consumers are most concerned about sustainability in areas including food, appliances and vehicle purchases, 61% of those surveyed say they are also concerned about sustainability and environmental impacts when purchasing clothing. As part of this, nearly two-thirds of participants indicate they would put a lot of effort into finding clothing labelled as “environmentally-friendly.”
What’s more, when asked the reasons why they are concerned about sustainability, 38% of consumers said that supporting brands and retailers that are making a conscious positive impact on the environment was paramount. This was followed by taking a stand against those that do not treat their employees fairly (35%) or do not demonstrate sustainability practices as part of their manufacturing process (33%).
“It is imperative that global brands and retailers today establish and maintain a strong image of sustainability, and be transparent with consumers about the measures they are taking,” says Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe, director of European brands at retailers at Cotton USA.
Looking at cotton specifically, an “overwhelming majority” of consumers around the world (83%) say they believe the fibre is safe for the environment, with US cotton considered as an environmentally-safe choice (69%). In addition, 100% of consumers associate cotton fibres with sustainability, more so than other fabrics such as wool, silk, polyester, rayon or spandex.
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By GlobalDataThe research is based on 7,365 interviews in the US, UK, India, Germany, Italy, Mexico and China (at least 1,000 interviews in each country).
