Consumers Would Buy More Sustainable Clothing, If They Could Find It

The results of this research will probably strike a chord with many consumers, this blogger included. A survey carried out by Ryan Partnership Chicago and Mambo Sprouts Marketing found that consumers would like to buy more sustainable apparel, if only they were given the choice.

The 2012 Styling Sustainability Survey discovered that around 69 percent ticked 'at least sometimes' when asked if they considered sustainability when purchasing clothing in 2011. It also discovered that shoppers would buy twice as much eco-apparel in 2012.

There's one problem, though: consumers have not been able to access sustainable goods, a fact that is hampering the take-up of eco-fashion. A third of respondents said sustainable clothing wasn't available when and where they shopped. One fourth of them said they didn't even know where to purchase sustainable clothing.

The majority informed themselves of the garment's eco-attributes through product tags while 37 per cent asked for information in-store. Another 61 per cent showed interest in apparel sustainability rating or index.

"The data is showing a strong interest in eco/sustainable apparel. This represents a growth opportunity, especially if manufacturers and retailers make it easier to find," said Christine Nardi Diette, group president, Ryan Partnership Chicago.

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Antonio Pasolini is a Corporate Social Responsibility writer for Justmeans. A media graduate with a specialization in film and TV, Antonio Pasolini is the editor of Energyrefuge.com, a top web destination for alternative energy products, news and commentary. With more than a decade's experience in journalism, Antonio has written on a wide range of topics, from technological breakthroughs by the brains at MIT to a trip to sustainable projects in the Amazon. One of his new projects involves an eco print magazine to be distributed from a selection of London shops.