SUSTAINABILITY IN FASHION
People are actively searching for information about sustainability. A lot of brands are releasing eco-friendly collections, with new sustainable brands and materials appearing. We decided to find out if consumers actually care about sustainability and what it means for them overall.
ARE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY SUSTAINABILITY?
57% of people claim to be affected by the sustainability trend
Definitely not
Rather not
Not sure
Rather yes
Definitely yes
"Right now the trend of sustainability is becoming more and more popular in the fashion industry. Does this trend affect you when buying clothes?"
The people who feel most affected by the sustainability trend are in Hungary and Turkey. The trend of sustainability is progressively moving from the western world to the east. The topic is new for many counties, and in some of them it's becoming a popular trend.
"Right now the trend of sustainability is becoming more and more popular in the fashion industry. Does this trend affect you when buying clothes?"
43% of respondents claim that they have bought sustainable products in the last year
While 1/3 of customers simply do not know whether their purchased products are sustainable.
25% no
43% yes
32% I don't know
"Have you bought a sustainable product in the past 12 months?"
Respondents failed to correctly identify sustainable brands
People claim they purchased sustainable products, but when we asked which brands they purchased from, respondents gave the names of non-sustainable brands. So, regardless of how many people feel affected by sustainability, not many of them actually know which brands are sustainable.
In response to the question: "What sustainable brand(s) have you recently purchased?"
(Sustainable brands are marked in green)
70% don't know where to buy products from sustainable brands.
Customers have quite a low awareness, not only of which brands are sustainable, but also about the places they can purchase them.
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY FOR CUSTOMERS?
The majority of people see the influence of the sustainability trend in buying better quality products
60% buy better quality goods
32% don't buy plastic bags while shopping
23% buy less than before
22% buy items from sustainable brands
15% buy more second hand and vintage clothes
Multiple choice question "How did the sustainability trend influence your shopping behavior?"
Non-polluting production and the use of sustainable materials are considered main aspects of sustainability in fashion
47% Production is not polluting to the environment
43% Organic or recycled materials are used
25% The people who make the clothes work in fair and safe conditions
20% The brand has sustainability certificates (GOTS, Fair Trade etc)
16% The production and communication process is transparent
«Indicate which criteria you think the product needs to meet in order to be considered sustainable»
More than half of people check if an item is made from a natural materials
Cotton, bamboo and wool are considered the most sustainable.
77 %
Cotton
41 %
Bamboo
40 %
36 %
Wool
Silk
31 %
Hemp
28 %
Leather
The percentage of people who consider these materials sustainable
Organic cotton and recycled polyester are the most popular material filters for sustainable products.
Not all natural materials are made in eco-friendly ways. Cotton is biodegradable, but consumes a large amount of water during production and requires a large surface area and a lot of pesticides to grow.
Organic and recycled alternatives are actually some of the most sustainable options. Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides, and recycled polyester is among the most popular sustainable materials (based on the clicks of these filters).
42% of users are ready to pay extra for clothing made of recycled materials
The GLAMI material guide provides in-depth information about the origins, care tips and sustainability of materials.
Definitely not
Rather not
Not sure
Rather yes
Definitely yes
"Would you be willing to pay extra for clothing made from recycled materials?"
The impact of the sustainability trend begins with small steps. Paying more for biodegradable packaging doesn't require a big investment and has clear value for the customer.
Some shops change their packaging throughout, while others offer the option for a small additional price.
58% of customers are ready to pay for sustainable packaging
WHO MADE MY CLOTHES
The question "Who made my clothes?" became a motto for an international campaign bringing attention to the working conditions in fashion production facilities. Activists are demanding fair and decent working conditions, pay, environmental protection and gender equality. The movement also calls for brands to increase transparency throughout their supply chain.
This is the ethical component of sustainable fashion, and we decided to ask users if they care where their clothes are made and if they interested in items from local designers and brands.
Almost 2/3 of people are influenced by the ethics of the clothing manufacturer
62%
of respondents would change their decision to buy a product if they learned that the brand has unethical production practices, such as, unfair employee working conditions
36% of customers check where clothes are produced
"When buying clothes, do you look at their country of origin?"
89% of people are interested in purchasing products from local designers and brands.
But only 39% of them claim that they have bought such a product in the last year. 48% of people interested don't know where they can buy such items.
At GLAMI we define local designers as small independent brands, which are not a part of international networks and have their own, usually local, production.
By buying items from local designers people are trying to support national economies while getting a unique piece
Sustainability is still not the main reason for people to buy items from local designers.
53% Supporting national economies
42% Unique pieces
27% Better quality
16% More sustainable
16% Favorable prices
"Why are you interested in buying items from local designers?"
TOP SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS AND BRANDS
The most popular sustainable products on GLAMI
1. Bamboo tops and socks
2. Backpacks made from recycled polyester
3. Bags made from recycled polyester/vegan leather
4. Underwear made from organic cotton
5. Tennis shoes made from hemp and organic cotton
The most popular items from sustainable brands that people clicked on the most on GLAMI in 2019.
The average order cost for sustainable products is 38% higher than for non-sustainable ones.
People are ready to invest in sustainable products if:
1. Product has direct contact with the skin (underwear)
2. Items that require better quality (bags, backpacks)
3. Brand is popular even outside of the sustainable community
The most popular sustainable brands
1. Fjällräven
2. Patagonia
3. Thought
4. Matt Nat
5. Aevor
6. Sandqvist
7. Swedish stockings
8. Armed Angels
9. Nomads
10. Ecoalf
The sustainable brands that people clicked on the most on GLAMI in 2019.