Reducing environmental pressure through a more circular consumption of clothes

Abstract

Clothing production and consumption contribute to various environmental problems, such as climate change and environmental pollution. With the expected growth in demand, these negative effects will only increase. Consumers making sustainable choices in the acquisition, use and disposal of garments can play a critical role in the reduction of such environmental pressures. This study, taking a circular economy perspective, assesses to what extent the adoption of circular consumer behaviour in the Netherlands could reduce environmental pressures related to clothing and which behavioural changes are most effective in doing so.

In our analysis we incorporated 14 types of behaviours, all based on a framework for consumer options related to the circular economy. To provide a realistic estimation of the environmental reduction potential of these behaviours, we not only calculated the theoretical environmental reduction potential of each behaviour but also considered behavioural plasticity (i.e., the share of consumers that do not yet engage in a behaviour but would be willing to do so) and interactions between behaviours. The theoretical reduction potential was calculated with a combination of input-output- and process analysis, and the behavioural plasticity was based on survey data of a study among Dutch consumers.

Our results show that a more circular consumption of clothing in the Netherlands could reduce approximately 11–19 % of greenhouse gas emissions and approximately 3–29 % of land use related to clothing. Buying fewer new clothes, and choosing more durable garments, garments made from more environmentally-friendly and from recycled materials are behaviours that have the highest reduction potential when behavioural plasticity is considered. Renting clothes, buying second-hand, repairing, and changes in washing and drying behaviour have a lower reduction potential.