A survey titled "Hong Kong Consumer Awareness of Sustainable Fashion”, conducted by the School of Fashion and Textiles of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) in collaboration with Japanese clothing retailer UNIQLO, showed that 70% of Hong Kong consumers are aware of sustainable development goals, indicating a significant increase in environmental awareness. The survey found that 1 in 10 consumers purchases more than 21 items of clothing each year, but concerningly, about 20% reported that each item is worn less than 10 times on average.
Additionally, the survey revealed consumer clothing disposal habits. Although 90% of respondents expressed their willingness to participate in clothing recycling, the actual recycling rate is only 11%, according to the Environmental Protection Department. The main reasons include inconvenient recycling locations and a lack of understanding of recycling channels.
Consumers expect fashion brands to enhance recycling incentives, such as offering shopping discounts and cash rewards to encourage greater participation in recycling. The survey results indicate that the recycling behaviour of Hong Kong consumers is primarily driven by intrinsic motivations, suggesting that more support from the community and stakeholders can provide more support to further promote sustainable consumption.
PolyU is dedicated to conducting research to foster a sustainable consumption and production economy.
For more:
Impacts of Technology Innovations on Textiles Life Cycle Sustainability Reviewed by PolyU Scholars
Media report with Sing Tao Daily (In Chinese Only)
