Open Access Kent State (OAKS)

As consumers are becoming more aware of the environment, the fashion industry’s demand for sustainable fibers has drastically increased. Consumers are desiring garments that are not as harmful to the environment as they once were. To keep up with growing demand, brands are attempting to be more sustainable by not using as many natural resources. Consumers and brands have long relied on cotton as a staple natural fiber due to its comfort, ease of care, and ability to be produced sustainably. However, cotton is struggling to stay relevant in the successful athleisure trend. This trend uses mostly synthetic fibers for the utmost athletic comfort and performance. The goal of this case study is to explore how the cotton industry is attempting to battle the growing popularity of synthetic fiber usage in the athleisure market. Many brands have partnered with organic cotton initiative like Cotton Incorporated to move toward using organic, sustainably sourced, and manufactured cotton. Researching and reviewing which brands rely on cotton to construct their garments and what the brands are doing to maintain relevant in the changing market will be important. Specifically, investigating what consumers know about synthetic materials and sustainable cotton manufacturing. This information will determine how much consumers know about the garments and brands they are purchasing and whether or not it affects their purchase decision. To collect this data, we plan to distribute a survey to students in Kent State University’s school of Fashion Design and Merchandising. Because these students are largely involved in the fashion industry and are some of the biggest consumers, their insight on the subject will be impactful due to their education and their insight on the subject matter. These fashion students are also more likely to be concerned about the ethical and sustainable manner in which their clothes or clothing fibers are produced than the average consumer. The survey will use opinion based questions to gather information from students. We expect this study to find that students are more likely to pay more for products manufactured with sustainably sourced cotton, but also that they are purchasing more and more synthetic fibers in their athleisure wear, due to their comfort and durability. Brands that have partnered with the organic cotton initiative can use the survey responses to develop new techniques to make cotton more comfortable and durable while using sustainable practices.

With the rapid growth and demand of fast fashion apparel, textile waste has increased tremendously. Fast fashion encourages high consumer consumption habits and cheap clothing has a shorter life cycle, leading to more textile waste. Materialistic consumers purchase large amounts of apparel with a lack of knowledge of textile recycling. This study will investigate the relationship between fast fashion consumers shopping behavior and disposal practices. Content analysis of social media marketing and promotions, fast fashion retailers, H&M, Forever 21, and Zara will give insight into consumer knowledge of textile disposal habits. Reviewing campaigns from said fast fashion retailers will be utilized for analysis of the target customer. In addition to the content analysis, the study will use a quantitative survey method consisting of questions pertaining to the knowledge of fast fashion shopping behaviors and textile disposal practices. Findings from this study will show that the more consumers shop at fast fashion retailers, the less likely they are to recycle their purchases. Furthermore, the survey and content analysis will demonstrate the lack of education of recycling services and processes from fast fashion retailers. If consumers frequently shop at fast fashion retailers then they are less likely to recycle their clothing. Overall, this study aims to find a connection between frequent fast fashion consumers and unknowledgeable textile recycling habits, while looking to improve fast fashion retailers educating consumers about textile recycling programs and ways to combat textile waste.

In today’s retail climate where corporate social responsibility is not only desired but expected of companies, consumers are increasingly aware of how the products they purchase are produced. Despite efforts from companies to adopt sustainability policies, actively employing change within internal systems, specifically related to cotton-based products, continues to be challenging. With a growing emphasis on creating a transparent supply chain that allows consumers to understand the production process, fashion companies have employed education initiatives focused on informing their customers about the steps they take to be ethically, socially, and environmentally responsible. The goal of this case study is to determine whether the educational resources and initiatives presented to consumers from retail companies surrounding their sustainable cotton initiatives affect potential consumer purchase decisions. In order to find the relationship between consumer education and purchase decisions, we will conduct exploratory research investigating companies who actively educate their customers about their sustainable cotton initiatives. By analyzing product reviews related to sustainable products and initiatives, we expect to find that consumers who are educated about sustainable cotton initiatives are more inclined to purchase sustainable and ethical products. Additionally, we anticipate educated consumers to continually support companies within the cotton industry that work to educate their customers on their corporate social responsibility. Overall, we hope to find a positive relationship between a company’s efforts in promoting their initiatives and heightened consumer awareness of sustainable products offered by the company, therefore increasing potential purchase decisions that lead to a lighter environmental footprint within the industry.

As technology continues to advance, transparency of companies’ supply chains have increased in importance. With this advance in technology comes controversial methods of cotton production, including Genetically Engineered (GE) cotton, as well as improvements in sustainability through the growth of organic cotton. Awareness of the social and environmental effects of genetically engineered cotton is a crucial component in the consumer’s purchasing process. This study plans to analyze consumer awareness of the type of cotton used, GE or organic cotton, and whether or not it effects their desire to purchase a specific product or from a certain brand. We will use a survey method to gather data and opinions in regards to consumer purchasing habits. In order to gather this data, college students aged 18-22 who are newly responsible for their clothing purchasing decisions will be surveyed. Questions will pertain to their awareness and knowledge of GE cotton and other sustainable initiatives occurring in the cotton industry. The results of this study are expected to show that there is low consumer awareness of GE cotton and its negative social and environmental effects, but when these impacts are brought to the consumers attention, they are less likely to purchase GE cotton products. However, the study predicts the average consumer is aware of the use of organic cotton and they are more likely to purchase products that promote the use of organic cotton over other sustainable fibers. This research will be completed with the end goal of educating consumers on the differences between GE and organic cotton as well as the positive and negative attributes that contribute to social and environmental impacts. Subsequently, conducting this research study will provide substantial insight on the cotton industry, increase consumer awareness, and educate buyers in hopes of leading them to make more conscious purchasing decisions.

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With technology at our fingertips 24/7, consumers have access to the sustainable initiatives retailers are incorporating into their business models. As sustainability in the fashion industry becomes a prevalent topic in the media, it starts to become a priority in the mind of consumers. By adapting and refocusing efforts to promote positive change and transparency, the fashion industry can decrease the size of its environmental footprint. To increase initiatives, fashion retailers are partnering with organizations such as the Textile Exchange, which promotes sustainable cotton and textiles, with an aim to push environmentally friendly production.

The purpose of this study is to analyze if a consumer’s knowledge of sustainable practices is positively correlated to purchasing sustainable apparel. This study will use a quantitative survey method to research the level of knowledge and understanding the average consumer has regarding sustainability and whether they apply this knowledge when they are shopping for apparel. We plan to analyze and organize this research using descriptive methods to focus on demographics and psychographics that are associated with sustainable shoppers. In conclusion, we expect to find that consumers who are knowledgeable of sustainable practices are likely to purchase and even pay more for brands that are transparent about their environmental efforts. This will provide valuable information for the fashion industry as retailers continue to push sustainable practices and educate and encourage consumers to make thoughtful purchases in the future.