Design Delight Studio

Consumer Attitude towards Sustainability of Fast Fashion Products in the UK: A Summary

Background and Context

The fashion industry, ranking third globally behind automotive and technology, produces over 150 billion garments annually. In the UK, clothing consumption per capita (26.7 kg) significantly exceeds other European nations, driving a fast-growing £32 billion fashion sector. This industry employs roughly 890,000 people across retail, manufacturing, branding, and design.

The rise of the fast fashion business model, epitomized by brands like Zara, H&M, and GAP, has democratized fashion—making it affordable and rapidly available. However, its low prices and frequent new collections promote overconsumption, generating substantial environmental waste, pollution, and carbon emissions. The fashion industry is responsible for approximately 10% of global CO2 emissions and 20% of waste streams.

Study Objective

This research aims to analyze consumer attitudes towards the sustainability of fast fashion products in the UK, adopting a tri-component attitude model (ABC):

• Affective (feelings/emotions),
• Behavioural (purchase actions), and
• Cognitive (awareness and knowledge).

Methodology

An online questionnaire was distributed to UK university students and alumni, collecting 128 valid responses. The data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and ordered probit (oprobit) regression to understand the determinants affecting sustainability attitudes.

Key Findings

• Cognitive and Behavioural Components: These tend to converge across different cultures and religions, indicating some common understanding and purchasing patterns regarding sustainability.
• Affective Component: Significant variation exists in emotional responses to sustainable fashion depending on cultural and religious backgrounds.
• Employment Status: Influences awareness, decision-making, and feelings about sustainability — employed individuals showed greater engagement.
• Gender Differences: Gender impacts purchase decisions, with women showing differing sensitivities to price and income factors related to sustainable buying.
• Gap Between Awareness and Behaviour: Improved knowledge and emotional engagement with sustainability do not automatically lead to eco-friendly purchase behavior.

Policy Implications

The findings suggest that despite growing awareness and positive attitudes, consumer behavior has not shifted proportionally to sustainable fast fashion buying. Therefore, policy-level interventions — such as taxes on unsustainable products or subsidies for sustainable alternatives — are necessary to promote substantive change in consumption patterns.

Broader Industry and Environmental Impact

• The fast fashion model’s reliance on cheap labor in countries like China and India, coupled with globalized supply chains, results in high carbon footprints surpassing even aviation and shipping emissions.
• Fashion waste is a growing environmental concern, with over $500 billion lost globally due to underutilization and inefficient recycling.
• The UK, committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, needs to address fast fashion sustainability through consumer education, waste regulation, and recycling programs.

Conclusion

While UK consumers are increasingly aware and emotionally receptive to sustainable fast fashion, these attitudes alone do not drive sustainable purchasing decisions. Multifaceted approaches involving consumer education, economic incentives, and regulatory measures are essential to foster a truly sustainable fast fashion industry.

References:

Zhang, B., Zhang, Y., & Zhou, P. (2021). Consumer Attitude towards Sustainability of Fast Fashion Products in the UK. Sustainability, 13(4), 1646. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041646

This summary informs readers and stakeholders in organic and sustainable product industries about current consumer attitudes toward sustainability in fast fashion, highlighting areas for impactful intervention and consumer behavior research in the UK context.

Design Delight Studio curates high-impact, authoritative insights into sustainable and organic product trends, helping conscious consumers and innovative brands stay ahead in a fast-evolving green economy.