Comparative analysis of sustainability measures in the apparel industry: An empirical consumer and market study in Germany

Abstract

The pressure on the apparel industry to make its products more sustainable is growing. Concrete measures have hardly been taken so far, also because they aim to avoid consumption which reduces profits. Studies mostly examine impacts on the environment, but not how the market volume can remain at a maximum for producers. To uncover direct market effects from sustainability approaches, this study asked 500 German consumers about their willingness-to-pay and preference order for three different measures, namely “slowing in consumption”, “recyclability of petrochemical clothing” or its “production from bioplastics”. An outdoor trekking jacket served as test object, and influences from sociodemographic and latent variables, as sportiness and environmental awareness, were measured. The results were mapped in a market model from which the output volume was derived. It was found that interest in the topic of plastics-containing outdoor clothing was rather determined by the application. This increased with the sportiness of the respondents (r = 0.13; p = 0.003), but not with their personal environmental awareness. Consent to bioplastics use did not depend on the level of experience, but older consumers appreciated this option more (p = 0.027). Only 20% of the respondents favoured slowing, 26% bioplastics, but 53% recycling of petroplastics. Therefore, research should investigate recyclability, policy should support this measure, and companies should practice take-back and reuse in new clothing. Consumers can maintain fast consumption and would even accept higher prices.