Influence of personal factors on clothing use practices

Abstract

This research study examined how personal factors influence sustainable clothing use practices (wear, care, and repair) within the clothing consumption cycle as well as the potential influences of age and gender on sustainable use practices. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the use phase of clothing as it relates to sustainable practices and to understand how personal factors (i.e., fashion trend sensitivity, style orientation, mindfulness, and frugality) may influence wear, care, and repair practice. Additionally, this study explored how demographic factors (i.e., age and gender) may influence the relationship between personal factors and sustainable use practices. A questionnaire was administered online. The results indicated that sustainable use phase practices are positively influenced by both fashion trend sensitivity and style orientation. The results also indicated that mindfulness does not have a positive influence on sustainable wear practices and that frugality does have a positive influence on sustainable repair, though it did not reach statistical significance. The demographics of age and gender indicated there were slight differences within each use phase practice; however, no interactional effects reached statistical significance. Understanding how these personal factors influence the use phase will be beneficial for future research as little is currently known about sustainable use phase practices.