An investigation of young fashion consumers' disposal habits

Abstract

The research, undertaken in two different stages, was aimed at establishing an understanding of how consumers dispose of fashion products and how to increase sustainable consumption. Increasing volumes of textiles are being produced, purchased and disposed of in landfill sites, which affect the environment. Research has identified the influences in increased purchase behaviour and the tendency to keep clothing for a shorter time. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used to undertake this exploratory research. Consumer focus groups and interviews were conducted initially to identify the main themes relating to fashion consumption and disposition. These were followed by a survey administered to young females to ratify the qualitative findings and to ascertain the extent of textile reuse and recycling. This study identifies consumers' lack of understanding of how this behaviour affects the environment and suggests ways of addressing the growing problem of textile waste and how fashion consumption could become more sustainable.