Members of Gen Z say they want durable clothing, but buy fast fashion instead, research says

Members of Generation Z say they want their clothes to last, but still regularly buy fast fashion, demonstrating a “clear gap” between ideals and practice, a new study shows.

Nine in ten respondents bought fast fashion and only one in six could name a brand that makes sustainable clothing, the British Academy of Management’s annual conference at Alliance Manchester Business School heard today.

Women were more likely than men to advocate for sustainable clothing, but less likely to buy it, the survey found.

Four researchers from Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University, surveyed 56 university students aged 18-24 and four aged over 24 and interviewed six in-depth about sustainable clothing—items produced without exploiting workers or animals and using emissions lower carbon. The four researchers were: Joanne Calver, Glyn Littlewood, Dr. Marc Duffy and Joanne Watts.

The survey of Sheffield Hallam students found that 63% agreed they were concerned about the social implications of the fast fashion industry and 48% said they were concerned about its environmental implications. Only 3% of participants stated that they were not at all concerned about its social and environmental implications either.

However, 17% of participants admitted to shopping at a fast fashion retailer weekly, 62% monthly and 11% annually, with only 10% claiming to have never shopped at a fast fashion retailer. Less than half of respondents, 43%, said they considered where and how their clothes were made before buying.

Five of the six interviewees could not name any brands that produced sustainable clothes. All six said price was the main barrier to buying sustainable fashion.

Dr. Duffy told the conference, “Gen Z is increasingly concerned about the planet, with 94% believing that action is needed on sustainability and that we need to come together to solve important issues. All participants had a negative attitude towards the term ‘fast fashion’, citing words such as ‘unsustainable, unethical and poor quality’.

“But the large proportion who admitted to buying fast fashion shows a clear gap between pro-sustainability ideologies and observed behavior.”

He said the women surveyed “portrayed support for sustainable fashion by stating that they would be willing to pay more or even boycott unethical brands. All women stated that they would be willing to pay more for sustainable clothing , while men do not.”

In contrast, men showed a “lack of concern and knowledge about sustainable fashion, yet their shopping habits were significantly more sustainable than women, buying fast fashion less often and buying clothes from more sustainable retailers. However, this was not intentional – they preferred these brands as they were considered trendy and cool.”

The researchers identified six main barriers to sustainable clothing purchases: price, lack of knowledge, lack of choice, lack of aesthetic choice, skepticism about business transparency and social desirability.

Generation Z includes those born between 1997 and 2012. The global fashion industry is valued at $300 billion and is expected to reach $360 billion by 2025. This increased demand for manufacturing and consumer consumption is causing significant environmental implications, including pollution, waste accumulation and excessive water consumption. There are growing concerns about the social implications of the global fashion industry, including labor exploitation, child labor and inhumane working conditions. Despite demand for sustainable fashion reaching £6.35 billion in 2019 and forecast to reach £8.25 billion in 2023, the sector is still expanding significantly slower than other segments, such as the fast fashion market, which accounts for 30.58 billion dollars.

Provided by the British Academy of Management