Consumers are increasingly paying attention to the fiber choices their favorite apparel brands make, not just for comfort and style but also for durability and longevity.
According to the latest data from Cotton Incorporated, 60 percent of U.K. consumers name fiber content as a key factor in extending the lifespan of clothing. Among these shoppers, cotton stands out as the preferred choice. The survey reveals that 81 percent of U.K. consumers expect garments made with high levels of cotton to last longer than those made from manmade fibers.
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Almost half (46 percent) of respondents said if clothing lasted less than six months, they would stop buying the brand, and 41 percent said they would shop elsewhere.
“Durability is an important purchasing driver amongst U.K. consumers,” said Andrea Samber, director of brand partnerships for Cotton Incorporated. “Cost-of-living pressures and retail inflation have increased both demands and expectations on our clothing and the majority of people are recognizing the value of natural fibers such as cotton in extending the life of our clothing purchases.”
Samber added that apparel brands using high levels of cotton in their products should be “rewarded by the positive consumer sentiment surrounding natural fibers and longevity,” noting how the Cotton Lives On program is one way for consumers and brands to divert cotton from landfill. Cotton Lives On recycles cotton garments and converts the fiber into roll-up mats for people at risk of homelessness.
Other factors consumers cited as integral to a garment’s longevity include quality of construction (73 percent), laundering methods (65 percent), brand (52 percent) and price (48 percent).
The survey also reveals how consumers are taking steps to help extend the life of their clothes at home by hang drying, using the delicate cycle, treating stains and wearing and washing garments less.
The reasons stated why people stop wearing their clothing include: no longer fits (54 percent), odor that will not wash out (47 percent), stained (44 percent), hole or tear (41 percent) and split seam (41 percent).
