The perception of Ghanaian consumers of textiles and clothing labels

Abstract

A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on 105 (53·3% women, 46·7% men) workers in establishments in and around Legon in Accra, Ghana, about their perception of textiles and clothing labels. About 80% were aged between 24 and 44 years and 60% were educated beyond secondary school level. Those who looked for labels while shopping for fabrics were 75%, whereas 83% looked for labels when selecting ready‐made clothing to determine the quality, suitability, the fit and the care to be given to the clothes. Chi‐square analysis indicated no significant difference between the sexes with regard to perception of textiles and clothing labels. Information items required on labels indicated by the respondents, in order of preference, were fibre content, size/width, manufacturer's/brand name, price, care instructions and country of origin. The Ghana Standards Board (GSB), Ghana Consumers' Association and the Home Science Department at Legon are to assist in enforcing labels on all textiles and clothing. This will enable consumers to shop wisely and get their money's worth. Illiterate consumers are to be studied to determine their criteria for judging the quality of clothing at the point of purchase. This could be used to develop labels for them.