Consumers have “a deep desire” for greater sustainability in the production and supply of the garments they buy, according to a new report.
Research for Avery Dennison Corporation revealed that shoppers want retailers to provide more traceability and information that will support responsible production as well as fashion “circularity” such as recycling.
The Digital Consumer Behavior study, produced by Avery Dennison in partnership with audience insight company GWI, analysed responses from over 5,000 consumers across the UK, the US, France, Germany and China.
More than 50% of respondents in the UK, France and Germany said they wanted access to more information about how their clothes were made so they were better informed about what they were buying.
Across the global markets surveyed, 62% of people said they wanted brands and retailers to make end-of-life options accessible for their products, with 58% saying fashion brands should help consumers repair items, and 57% saying brands should help consumers resell items when they no longer wanted to keep them.
With the rise of secondary fashion marketplaces and rental platforms, the research found that more than half of consumers in Europe and the US said they purchased second-hand clothes, especially younger age groups.
To avoid counterfeits, shoppers are requesting proof of garment authentication. A third of those who purchase second-hand fashion goods said they would use digital triggers such as QR codes to validate the authenticity of a garment.
Avery Dennison concluded that this suggested the onus was on the reseller, who needs physical and digital tools to quickly confirm that a branded item is genuine.
The report supports Avery Dennison’s championing of “smart” labels and digital ID technologies which can provide consumers with information about an individual garment, from its raw materials and production through to recycling.
Debbie Shakespeare, director for sustainability, compliance and core product line at Avery Dennison, said: “There’s no doubt that item-level digital ID technology will bring more value to consumers, retailers and brands, allowing them all to adopt powerful new behaviours to support circularity.
“Scaling up circularity in fashion won’t just benefit the environment and reduce waste. It will also offer another touchpoint for consumers to get deeper product stories and better engage with brands. The opportunities are endless.”
Avery Dennison is a materials science and manufacturing company specialising in the design and manufacture of a wide variety of labelling and functional materials such as care tags with QR codes for apparel.
