CLOTHING CONSUMPTION AND DISPOSAL PATTERN AMONGST COLLEGE GOING GIRLS: AN EXPOLORATRY STUDY

Shikha Singh; Kajal; Jyoti Aggarwal

doi:10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i2.2024.1228

Authors

Shikha Singh Research Scholar, Department of Fabric and Apparel Science, Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi, India
Kajal Post Graduation Student, Department of Fabric and Apparel Science, Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi, India
Dr. Jyoti Aggarwal Professor, Department of Fabric and Apparel Science, Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i2.2024.1228

Keywords:

Disposal Pattern, Consumer Behavior, Clothing

Abstract [English]

For the textile industry to be considered sustainable its environmental impact needs to be reduced by 30-100% by using multiple measures like reusing and recycling. This study sought to determine how conscious college girls between the age of 18 and 22 are of the environmental effects of mindless clothing consumption and disposal. This study examined a number of distinct constructs such as environmental concern, environmental influence on clothing consumption and disposal, consumer behavior in relation to clothing, reasons for buying clothes, clothing disposal pattern, and barriers to clothing disposal for college-going girls.
Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were employed to accomplish the goals. Six focus groups with ten to twelve college-age girls each were held as part of the qualitative study. The results of the focus group conversations were used to build a structured questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was administered to 201 college going girls aged 18 to 22. Thus, gathered data was analyzed descriptively as well as statistically using SPSS.
Reliability of each scale was checked using Cronbach's alpha method. To identify the factors in each variable, Principal Component Analysis was used. The survey discovered that while respondents were aware of environmental issues, they were unaware of how the production and disposal of garments affected the environment. The respondents were aware of a variety of recycling and reusing practices; however, they do not engage in these practices. This can be the case because another family member handles these tasks. They frequently buy new clothes in order to keep up with fashion trends and gain psychological comfort. People are unaware of the environmental impact of their clothing disposal, consumption, and purchasing.

References

Arora, G., & Aggarwal, J. (2020). Cosmopolitanism and Clothing Interest Determinants Amongst College Students of Delhi. Fashion Practice, 12(2), 288–307 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17569370.2020.1769352

Arora, G. & Aggarwal, J. (2022). Relationship of Self-Esteem with Clothing Interest Determinants Amongst College Students of Metropolitan City Delhi, India’, Indian Journal of Home Science, January 34(1) 1-10. ISSN 0970 2733 IHMSF-34 (1-264)2022.

Charbonneau, J. S. (2008). Social Responsibility and Women’s Acquisition of Secondhand Clothing (Doctoral Dissertation, Colorado State University).

Chun, H. (1987). Differences Between Fashion Innovators and Non-Fashion Innovators in their Clothing Disposal Practises. Oregon State University.

Da Silva, V. R. (2024). Review of Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences: a Practical Introduction with Examples in R (2nd Ed.): By Daniel Stockemer, Jean-Nicolas Bordeleau. Springer Cham, 2023. XVI, 141 pp. $64.99 (Hardcover), ISBN: 978-3-031- 34582-1. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 0(0), 1–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10705511.2024.2322726

Dorabiala, O., Aravkin, A. Y., & Kutz, J. N. (2024). Ensemble Principal Component Analysis. IEEE Access, 12, 6663–6671. IEEE Access. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3350984

Hamari, J., Sjöklint, M., & Ukkonen, A. (2016). The Sharing Economy: why People Participate in Collaborative Consumption. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 67(9), 2047–2059. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.23552

Hassan, S. H., Yeap, J. A. L., & Al-Kumaim, N. H. (2022). Sustainable Fashion Consumption: Advocating Philanthropic and Economic Motives in Clothing Disposal Behaviour.Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031875

Koukouvinos, D. (2012). Psychosocial Factors Influencing Young Consumers&Apos; Clothing Disposal Behaviour in Greece. University of Borås/Swedish School of Textiles.

Kwon, T. A., Choo, H. J., & Kim, Y.-K. (2020). Why do we Feel Bored with our Clothing and Where Does it End Up? International Journal of Consumer Studies, 44(1), 1–13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12540

McNeill, L. S., Hamlin, R. P., McQueen, R. H., Degenstein, L., Wakes, S., Garrett, T. C., & Dunn, L. (2020). Waste Not Want Not: Behavioural Intentions Toward Garment Life Extension Practices, the Role of Damage, Brand and Cost on Textile Disposal. Journal of Cleaner Production, 260, 121026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121026

Norris, L. (2010). REcycling Indian Clothing: Global Contexts of Reuse and Value. Indiana University Press.

Omer, F. M. (2024). Application of Principal Component Analysis to Vehicle Sales: Case Study at Ibm Company. Zanco Journal of Human Sciences, 28(1), Article 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21271/zjhs.28.1.15

Palomo-Domínguez, I., Elías-Zambrano, R., & Álvarez-Rodríguez, V. (2023). Gen Z’s Motivations Towards Sustainable Fashion and Eco-Friendly Brand Attributes: the Case of Vinted. Sustainability, 15(11), Article 11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118753

Pera, R., & Ferrulli, E. (2024). Consumers’ Textile Disposal Practices and Their Perceived Value in the Circular Economy: A Platform Focused Ethnography Approach. Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(4), 2931–2948. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3616

Rahimi, S., & khatooni, M. (2024). Saturation in Qualitative Research: an Evolutionary Concept Analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 6, 100174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnsa.2024.100174

Shim, S. (1995). Environmentalism and Consumers’ Clothing Disposal Patterns:an Exploratory Study. Clothing and Textiles. Research Journal, 13(1), 38–48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0887302X9501300105

Sohn, J., Nielsen, K. S., Birkved, M., Joanes, T., & Gwozdz, W. (2021). The Environmental Impacts of Clothing: Evidence from United States and Three European Countries. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27, 2153–2164. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.05.013

Stephens, S. H. (1985). aAttitudes Toward Socially Responsible Consumption: Development and Validation of a Scale and Investigation of Relationships to Clothing Acquisition andDiscard Behaviors [Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]. Retrieved July 25, 2024, from

Tryphena, R., & Aram, I. A. (2023). Consumer Perception on Sustainable Clothing Among Urban Indians. Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics, 18, 15589250231168964. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15589250231168964

Vesterinen, E., & Syrjälä, H. (2022). Sustainable Anti-Consumption of Clothing: A systematic literature Review. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 5, 100061. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2022.100061

Walter, E. E. (2008). Textile Recycling Attitudes And Behaviors Among College Students.

Weber, S., Lynes, J., & Young, S. B. (2017). Fashion Interest as a Driver for Consumer Textile waste management: Reuse, Recycle or Disposal. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 41(2), 207–215. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12328

Yan, R.-N., Diddi, S., & Bloodhart, B. (2021). Predicting Clothing Disposal: The Moderating Roles of Clothing Sustainability knowledge and Self-Enhancement values. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2021.100029

Zhang, L., Wu, T., Liu, S., Jiang, S., Wu, H., & Yang, J. (2020). Consumers’ Clothing Disposal Behaviors in Nanjing, China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123184

Ziesemer, F., Hüttel, A., & Balderjahn, I. (2021). Young People as Drivers or Inhibitors of the Sustainability Movement: The Case of Anti-Consumption. Journal of Consumer Policy, 44(3), 427–453. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-021-09489-x