The Survey (Google forms)
Answers in a spreadsheet form:
Methodology
Data was collected via a survey, answered by 25 participants total, developed using Google forms, an online survey tool. Google forms have further analyzed and finalized the answers in their quantity by the forms of piecharts and barcharts. The survey was anonymous, except for one participant, therefore the consent form was unnecessary for most. The survey was designed to find out the key variables, which would help investigate the questions: Are people aware of the ecological issues created by apparel production?, Does it affect their choice while shopping? , Does their environmental consciousness transfer to other forms of ethical consciousness and vice versa? and Do they check for/trust the third party eco-labels?. This survey was used to funnel out and categorize the people with different levels of awareness and activism from least to most aware and see whether they react to other more mainstream labels. The survey was shared via email, instagram DMs and stories, Facebook stories, Watsapp and Telegram. Due to that, the set of participants reached was diverse.
Instagram/Facebook Stories – Artist: Jonas Peterson
Answers to Google Form: 24 participants total
Red Tier: unaware of the facts given in the survey (4 total)
- 3/4 18-25 y.o , 1/4 25-35 y.o
- 18-25 y.o only buy fast fashion
- 18-25 y.o 3/3 answered that they follow trends/wear a lot of different clothes often.
- All answered that they care mildly about the eco-friendliness of the product.
- The participant, answered that they like to follow fashion trends turned out to be the only one not caring about the long lasting factor and the only one not recognizing any of the third party labels
- All 4 recognized popular labels, 3/4 specified.
- 1/4 chose a definite social reason to support a shop
Orange Tier: aware of 1/3 (3 total)
- 1/3 25-35 y.o, 2/3 18-25 y.o.
- 2/3 18-25 y.o, both buy clothes once a week, both buy fast fashion, both do it because they like to wear different clothes often, both care mildly/ neutral to environmentally friendly products
- 2/3 care about long-lasting pieces
- none chose a definite social reason to support a shop
- The participant, answering that they care a lot about eco-friendly products explained that doing so makes them feel like they are helping
- The participant, answering that they care a mildly about eco-friendly products, however checking sometimes for third-party third party labels was the only one recognizing some of them
- 2/3 recognized popular labels
- The most eco conscious participant still said that they buy clothes for the good feeling factor
- 1/3 shared their shopping tactic.
Yellow Tier: aware of 2/3 (7 total)
- 5/7 18-25 y.o . 1/7 25-35 y.o., 1/7 35-45 y.o.
- 2/7 buy clothes once a week, 1/2 buys fast fashion
- 4/7 buy fast fashion
- 3/7 follow current fashion trends, 5/7 answered that they like to wear different clothes often
- 5/7 care about the clothes being long lasting
- 3/7 recognized eco-labels, 1/3 shared an opinion
- Even the participant who does not actively look for third party labels recognize some of them.
- All recognized popular labels, 5/7 had an opinion about them
- Is the only group where none of the participants had any additional comments.
Green Tier: aware of all 3 (8 total)
- 3/8 18-25 y.o, 5/8 25-35 y.o
- 2/8 buy clothes once a week, 1/2 buys fast fashion.
- 4/8 buy fast fashion
- 2/8 follow current fashion trends
- 5/8 care a lot when they find out the product is eco-friendly, 5/8 shared their opinion
- 6/8 sometimes look for third party certification while shopping, 5/6 recognized some of the third party labels, 4/5 shared their opinion
- All recognized popular labels, 6/8 shared positive opinion
- 2/8 shared a personal tactic towards shopping/wardrobe creation.
2 of the participants cannot be categorized as they did not answer whether they did/didn’t know given facts. However, both are 18-25 y.o, both buy clothes at least once a month, both buy fast fashion, both like to wear different clothes often but don’t follow fashion trends, both care about the long lasting factor, do not care a lot about eco friendliness of the products, 1/2 recognized an third party label and shared an opinion, both recognized popular labels and shared an opinion about them.
Additionally, this survey has been filled by an circular economy specialist, who I believe is the target audience for a project like mine. Top Green Tier.
Their answers:
- 25-35 y.o
- Buy every 6 months, only used sector of clothing, does not do it for enjoyment
- Supports social issues as well
- She is the only one, who said “Yes” looking for third party labels on products
- She says that she trusts them but still takes them with a pinch of salt.
Here are her comments:
- I feel very strongly that everyone needs to minimize consumption to reduce waste. We are taught that buying new clothing brings us joy but I think we can equally love our reuse/timeless options just as much. I don’t want my clothing to end up in a landfill in Ghana.
- I do trust them but I think Greenwashing is hard to navigate. I would rather just buy something on vinted than purchase something new.
Discussion:
Overall:
- Despite the level of awareness all groups have participants, all buy fast fashion products. For many it is a source of enjoyment or a hobby.
- Green Tier participants have a tendency towards creating their own tactics to shopping, which can mean that the more informed the person is/the more they care – the more they are willing to twitch their behavioral patterns.
- 62% are aware of most of the facts (more than 3/5). 83% aware at least of one of the facts (more than 4/5). From this it is possible to conclude that regardless of the choices people are making during shopping, at least 4/5 are aware of the issues.
- it is possible to notice that on average the more informed about the ecological issues the participant is, the more they care about other social issues/activisms.
- Green Tier had the biggest percentage of 25+ y.o. participants, from which it is possible to conclude that age can play a role in this scenario.
- Yellow Tier are some of the most informed participants and they have some of the biggest percentage of people saying that they feel neutral to ecological issues. From this it is possible to conclude, that this tier of shoppers are truly neutral towards the ecological factor, as what they are making is an educated personal choice.
- The participant, who is the most educated and active about these issues and does look for third party accreditation still choses a “safer” option of second hand shopping.
- Despite the lack of education, in 3/4 tiers there are people who care a lot or have the potential to care more about the eco- issues, therefore for the matter of this project limiting the target audience by how much they know seems inefficient. Grouping by how much they care seems more reasonable.
The limitations of this research must be mentioned. I could have asked more in-depth questions, however I was worried that if the survey will be too long people might stop half way through. Also, it is entirely possible that due to the nature of the questionnaire participants would start questioning themselves and thus giving not such honest answers by the end of the survey. Additionally, the survey, the information and the labels are targeted towards a more Western/ open-to-Western-thinking people, who live in places where products with such labels are more accessible.
Possible future research:
- A more in-depth survey with the questions that would determine with the “I care a lot/I care mildly” groups: how many eco-friendly, third party certified shops do they know?; Would they try other shops if they knew there were those around their area?; Would they care if the shops suggested were all local?
- Try out a demo-version of a website or an app that would help with looking for particular shops by the consumer’s causes of choice and collect feedback.
Reflection:
Based on the fact that this was my first ever survey I’m satisfied with the result. Though, I had a difficulty with the format and the type of questions at first, I have realized a way to make it better by comparing it to (possibly) one of my peer’s surveys. I have asked in the group chat who’s survey it was to give credit, however the creator is yet to be found.