Supply Chain Insights – Sustainability & Concerned Consumers
Sustainability & Concerned Consumers
October 25, 2021
SUSTAINABILITY
CONCERNED CONSUMERS
COTTON INCORPORATED’S
|
SUPPLY CHAIN INSIGHTS
t the conclusion of the warmest decade worldwide since record-keeping
began, sustainability is on the minds of global consumers
2
. Nearly 9 in 10
consumers (86%) say environmental change is real and requires a
change in our behavior, a number that has remained steady since 2017, and
climate change tops their list of concerns. Consumers are motivated to effect
change, and brands can partner with them by offering products they perceive as
natural and renewable.
A
KEY INSIGHTS
Environmental change is a concern for consumers worldwide, highlighting
the need for brands to address the environmental impact of their products.
Brands can speak to consumers’ concern for sustainability by marketing
clothing made from natural fibers and highlighting its low impact on the
environment.
While comfort, price, and fit remain primary purchase drivers, consumers are
motivated to take sustainable actions, including when purchasing clothing.
GLOBAL CONCERN FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Percent saying concerns about environmental change are very real and require change in our behavior.
Concerned with environmental change:
U.S. 75%
MEXICO 93%
GERMANY 80%
U.K. 83%
CHINA 89%
INDIA 88%
ITALY 93%
TOP ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Percent rank issues as #1 or #2 environmental concern.
are motivated
to take
sustainable
actions
84
%
44
%
43
%
27
%
40
%
26
%
21
%
Climate
Change
Water
Scarcity or
Pollution
Air
Pollution
Ocean
Waste &
Overfishing
Land &
Waste
Mgmt
Population
Growth
hile global consumer concern for environmental change has remained
steady since 2017, more consumers report that sustainability
influences their clothing purchases, from 61% in 2017 to 66% in 2021.
This increase is particularly strong in regions where interest was lower in 2017,
with 10-point jumps among consumers in the UK, the US, and China. When
thinking of sustainability in clothing, consumers connect it with naturalness and
low environmental impact, looking for clothing made of natural fibers, especially
cotton.
W
SUSTAINABILITY IN CLOTHING PURCHASES
Percent saying sustainability has a moderate to great influence on their clothing purchases.
2017
Countries with significant change.
2021
U.S. U.K. CHINA
2017
64%
62%
69%
81%
62%
64%
71%
81%
GERMANY
ITALY
MEXICO
INDIA
2021
43%
57%
+14%
46%
58%
59%
68%
+12%
+9%
What Makes
Clothing Sustainable?
What does
“sustainable” mean?
It can be used repeatedly
and has no impact on
the environment.
- Chinese consumer
What does
“natural” mean?
Made from natural raw
materials such as cotton,
silk...not synthetically
produced.
- German consumer
44
%
48
%
Made with
natural fibers
like cotton,
wool, or silk.
Can be
recycled.
REASONS TO PURCHASE SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING
Percent saying sustainable clothing is:
Higher quality
59%
58%
57%
54%
Better for my family’s health
Better value for my money
Function better
Learn more about
Sustainable Cotton Innovations at
Source: CCI & Cotton Incorporated’s 2017 & 2021 Global Sustainability Survey, a survey of 6,000 consumers in the U.S.,
U.K., Germany, Italy, Mexico, India, and China. Additional Sources:
2
US Environmental Protection Agency, 2021.
©2021 Cotton Incorporated.