How much does environmental sustainability influence Singapore’s fashion choices?

To what extent do sustainability labels make consumers more likely to purchase a fashion item in Singapore?

In Part 2 of our three-part series on the Sustainable Fashion Landscape in Singapore, we explore the extent to which sustainability factors into the purchase considerations of consumers who are shopping for fashion items.

To what extent do Singaporeans consider sustainability when buying fashion items?

Latest research from YouGov Surveys reveals that about a third (34%) of consumers say seeing a fashion item marked as “sustainably-made” or similar makes them more likely to purchase it.

Such green labels have slightly greater clout among younger consumer who are Gen Z (36%) and Millennials (37%), compared to older consumers who belong to Gen X (32%) and Baby Boomers (29%).

When asked about the top three most important factors when buying fashion items, price emerged as the top consideration for most consumers (86%), ahead of design / style / fit (80%) and quality / durability (64%).

Notably, just one in eight consumers say that environmental sustainability / brand ethics is among their top three considerations when shopping for fashion items. This was broadly comparable across generations – although sustainability considerations are relatively higher among Gen Z and Millennials, compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers.

Why isn’t sustainability a top consideration for most Singaporeans when buying fashion items?

Among consumers for whom environmental sustainability is not among their top three considerations when buying fashion items, close to nine in ten (87%) say financial pressures brought about by a challenging economic climate has led them to prioritise price over sustainability.

Additionally, four in five also point to the difficulties in identifying whether fashion items are sustainably made (80%), while over two-thirds say they struggle with verifying / being convinced of sustainability claims made by fashion brands (69%).

Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online in January 2024, with a national sample of 1,018 Singapore residents, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, and ethnicity to be representative of all adults in Singapore (18 years or older) and reflect the latest Singapore Department of Statistics (DOS) estimates. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced. 

_{Cover photo by BlackSalmon}