Supply Chain Insights: Today's Market for Wrinkle Resistance

Wrinkle resistance is one of the most familiar and widely available apparel performance features. Of men’s cotton apparel products that offer a performance feature, 81% have wrinkle-resistance performance properties, based on data from Cotton Incorporated’s Retail Monitor™ survey. According to Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ survey, more men are aware of wrinkle resistance (86%) than are aware of any other type of performance feature, and 61% have purchased a wrinkle-resistant garment — the highest percentage for any performance feature. Although wrinkle-resistant apparel is available in many different fibers and fiber blends, 74% of men prefer their wrinkle-resistant garments to be made of cotton. Consumers love the comfort and softness of cotton, and they appreciate the added value of wrinkle resistance in their cotton apparel.

Despite the familiarity and availability of wrinkle-resistant apparel, consumer attitudinal data point to opportunities to expand and differentiate the market for this feature — in particular, by offering wrinkle resistance in a broader range of products, combining wrinkle resistance with other performance features, and expanding offerings in wrinkle-resistant women’s apparel.

LOOKING SHARP

In today’s tight job market, consumers are more concerned about presenting a polished look on the job (or on the job hunt). Employers also are concerned about slipping standards for workplace attire, prompting them to enforce dress codes and require a neater appearance. Wrinkle-resistant cotton shirting and pants have long had a place in the office, and the recent trend towards a more polished workplace wardrobe has generated renewed interest in wrinkle resistance. The Lifestyle Monitor survey asked employed consumers how likely they were to look for performance features when shopping for work apparel. Wrinkle resistance topped the list, cited by 53% of men and 69% of women, followed by stain resistance, mentioned by 51% of men and 61% of women. In a time of pinched clothing budgets, consumers are attracted to the neat appearance, ease of care, and longevity of wrinkle-resistant cotton apparel, which provides an economical solution for appropriate workplace dress.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MEN’S MARKET

According to the Retail Monitor, 49% of men’s wrinkle-resistant cotton garments offered at retail are woven shirts, 30% are pants, 12% are knit shirts, and the rest fall into several other categories, including jeans, shorts, outerwear, and sweaters. Of wrinkle-resistant woven shirts, two thirds are dress shirts. These retail offerings reflect male consumer demand for wrinkle-resistant products (as assessed by the Lifestyle Monitor) — dress shirts lead the list of wrinkle-resistant cotton products that men say they are “very” or “somewhat” likely to purchase (68%), followed by dress or casual pants (62%). However, substantial percentages of men also say they are likely to purchase wrinkle-resistant coats or jackets, T-shirts, or denim jeans.

As the cost of manufacturing wrinkle-resistant apparel has fallen, brands offering this feature have proliferated, and consumer expectations for garment performance have risen. As a result, the price premium that shoppers are willing to pay for wrinkle resistance has eroded, especially in product categories with historically strong sales of wrinkle-resistant cotton apparel, such as pants. However, wrinkle resistance still commands a premium in product categories where this feature is newer to the market, such as knit shirts and denim jeans. Among the 41% of male consumers who are likely to purchase wrinkle-resistant denim jeans, 71% are willing to pay more for the wrinkle-resistant product, and of the 45% who are likely to purchase wrinkle-resistant T-shirts, 66% are willing to pay a premium. Consumer interest in a broader range of wrinkle-resistant products and their willingness to pay more for these items suggests opportunities to expand the market for wrinkle-resistant menswear.

Another way to expand the market is to add value by incorporating additional performance features. Currently, about 19% of men’s wrinkle-resistant cotton garments have an additional performance feature (Retail Monitor data). Of these, 78% are stain resistant, 17% have a moisture-management feature, and 5% are fade resistant. Wrinkle resistance often is combined with stain resistance in dress shirts and pants, but the opportunity exists for more products to combine wrinkle resistance with moisture management — 30% of employed male consumers say they are likely to purchase work apparel with a moisture-management feature. As the popularity of moisture management in athletic apparel spills over into non-athletic apparel, demand for this feature in office apparel has potential for growth.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WOMEN’S MARKET

Despite its popularity in men’s apparel, wrinkle resistance commands a much smaller market share in women’s apparel. Of women’s cotton apparel products that offer a performance feature, only 10% are marketed as wrinkle resistant, compared with 81% of men’s garments (based on Retail Monitor data). Despite the limited offerings for women, the Lifestyle Monitor finds that more women than men are aware of wrinkle-resistant apparel (92% vs. 86%). Women are significantly more likely than men to look for wrinkle resistance when shopping for clothing to wear to work (69% vs. 53%). Women also prefer their wrinkle-resistant apparel to be made of cotton — 77% cited cotton as the fiber of choice for wrinkle-resistant garments. Lifestyle Monitor data suggest that the desire for a neat appearance in the office could be driving women’s interest in wrinkle-resistant apparel — women who are employed are significantly more likely than those who are not employed to say they would be likely to purchase wrinkle-resistant dress shirts (73% vs. 62%) or dress or casual pants (67% vs. 58%).

Women’s high interest in wrinkle resistance suggests an opportunity to expand the market for wrinkle-resistant cotton womenswear, especially in work attire. Of female consumers, 67% say they are likely to purchase wrinkle-resistant dress shirts, 63% say they are likely to purchase wrinkle-resistant dress or casual pants, and 53% say they are likely to purchase wrinkle-resistant coats or jackets — percentages very similar to those among men. However, regardless of the value added by performance features, the market must meet female consumers’ needs for fit, fashion, style, and color.

OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD VALUE

Consumers prefer cotton for its comfort and softness, and wrinkle resistance adds value to cotton apparel products by enhancing performance, ease of care, and longevity. Although wrinkle resistance is already the best known and most widely offered apparel performance feature, consumer attitudinal data suggest that there is opportunity to expand wrinkle-resistant cotton offerings. Wrinkle resistance can be combined with other performance features, such as moisture management, and offerings in both men’s and women’s apparel can be expanded — especially in men’s knit shirts and denim jeans and women’s apparel for the workplace.

About the Research
Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ survey is a monthly on-line research study that gauges the attitudes and behavior of U.S. consumers regarding clothing, appearance, fashion, home furnishings, fiber selection, and other topics. Each year, 6,000 consumers are surveyed, 60% female and 40% male, aged 13 to 70, and representative of the U.S. population based on ethnicity, income, education, and geography. Cotton Incorporated’s Retail Monitor™ survey is a quarterly survey of textile products carried by national mass-merchant, chain, department, and specialty stores. It is conducted in stores and via the Internet, and data are collected on product category, brand, fiber content, fabrication, price, country of origin, and product features.