WRAP is inviting major fashion companies from these regions to participate in the programme, which will assess the durability of clothing produced by fashion brands in these regions.
The initiative, initially tested in the UK, aims to test garment durability through repeated wash and wear cycles. It involved more than 200 products across ten categories from 25 major UK brands and was conducted in partnership with the University of Leeds.
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The pilot provided “invaluable insights” into how these garments performed relative to competitors, identifying both strengths and areas needing improvement, stated the NGO.
WRAP textiles programme lead Mark Sumner said: “Most shoppers assume the more they spend, the more wear they’ll get but our UK study shows this is totally misleading. If you’re judging on price alone — buyer beware. Our fieldwork found that higher prices, fibre composition and fabric weight are no guarantee of a more durable product.
“The composition and weight results surprised many experts, with lightweight fabrics performing better than heavier options, and synthetic mixes not always better than natural fibres. Now we want to put the US and EU market under the same spotlight and test their staying power to see just what we’re getting for our money.”
Additionally, WRAP plans to surpass current durability standards in their testing to more accurately reflect the actual wear and tear on clothing.
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By GlobalDataCurrent industry standards require garments to endure only 15-20 wash cycles, though consumer expectations extend to about 50 washes.
WRAP said it aims to provide a more realistic assessment of garment longevity, offering unique insights into testing methods and the high standards that should be pursued.
The climate impact NGO revealed that many items already exceed proposed legislative standards, such as Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) abrasion benchmarks, suggesting that existing measures may not sufficiently address the environmental impact associated with garment production.
Emerging policies are being designed to help consumers identify durable products and assist brands in creating them. However, WRAP’s findings indicate that these standards might fall short.
This gap between current benchmarks and consumer expectations was a focal point at a Climate Week NYC roundtable attended by 23 global fashion brands and NGOs.
Participants underscored the necessity of establishing standardised metrics for measuring garment durability.
WRAP EU executive director Sofie Schop said: “We’ve shown that designing for durability delivers, offering a tangible, customer-aligned solution with both short and long-term returns on investment. But we need to be bold, ambitious and more realistic in our benchmarking, and in what we agree comparable durability should and could look like. Especially as clear benchmarks will be essential to meet future reporting requirements and waste-reduction legislation such as EPR and ESPR.”
Leah Karrer, executive director of WRAP Americas, noted that extending the lifespan of clothing by nine months could reduce carbon emissions, water usage, and waste by up to 20%.
This aligns with findings from a recent Zalando survey, which reported that 62% of consumers prioritise durability when choosing garments.
Findings from the study, which were published in July, revealed that six out of the ten most durable t-shirts cost less than £15 ($20.16), outperforming more expensive options.
