Sustainable fashion-related practices among consumers in France 2019

For the launch of the #Wearthechange campaign by the C&A retail chain, promoting sustainable fashion for all, the source examined the relationship between French people and committed fashion. As consumer awareness is driving the apparel and textile sector to take sustainable initiatives, the results of the study provide an insight into the practices already integrated into people's daily lives. Thus, in 2019, nearly half of the French (49 percent) had already brought clothes back to stores or dropped them off at a collection point, and the same proportion had already given clothes instead of throwing them away.

Growing awareness of climate issues among the French

In recent years, issues related to sustainable development and climate crisis have gained increased awareness among the French, particularly regarding the textile industry. In 2018, one out of three people in France took these environmental issues into account when buying clothes. And in 2019, more than a quarter of the French population said they had a guilty conscience when purchasing new clothing. This environmental awareness, although more relevant among the wealthy classes, could in part explain the development of markets such as the second-hand market.

Fast fashion and textile waste

This general awareness of the climate crisis also comes with considerations related to the fast fashion industry. In the eyes of European consumers, large fast fashion companies are not exactly associated with sustainable supply chains. Indeed, the fact that the fashion industry is "fast" implies an overproduction of clothing, which contributes to major environmental problems, such as textile waste, carbon emissions, or water and electricity over consumption. In France, the quantity of textile waste generated per capita was higher than three kilograms in 2016.