North Americans more open to green fashion than Europeans, claims survey
New research carried out by the International University of Monaco (IUM) suggests that “green fashion” is more appealing to North Americans than to Europeans.
In its paper ‘Green in Fashion’, IUM researchers measured consumers’ interest in eco-fashion. More than 100 Europeans and North Americans responded to questions about their motivation for purchasing organic fashion and described how they perceive someone who typically purchases these products.
Researchers found that environmental protection, health impact and ethical concerns most motivate consumers to purchase green fashion, although interest is fairly moderate.
Researchers found that North Americans perceive green fashion more favourably, in part because eco-clothing brands have been launched by celebrities, such as the Edun brand, run by Bono and his wife. North Americans associate green fashion with women in their twenties, simple but attractive, who wear organic shoes and clothing.
On the other hand, European respondents perceive organic fashion consumers as unglamorous. A typical consumer would be a simple woman in her forties who is healthy and wealthy, but unsophisticated. Because organic products are typically more expensive, Europeans associate organic with social status and showing off.
“Although consumers are ready to pay a premium to purchase organic food, they do not yet see the interest in organic fashion,” said Sandrine Ricard, vice-president of IUM and part of the research team. “There is a need to better inform consumers about the nature of organic fashion and to continue glamorising both the communication and the products.”
