105 Tekstilec, 2023, Vol. 66(2), 105–115 | DOI: 10.14502/tekstilec.66.2023001 Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 4.0 licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Authors retain ownership of the copyright for their content, but allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content as long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher. This journal does not charge APCs or submission charges. Tanja Sedej 1 , Jani Toroš 2 1 Visoka šola za poslovne vede, Tržaška cesta, 42, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia 2 Innovative management institute, Jeranova 15, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Awareness of the Environmental Impact of Clothing Production and Consumption among Slovenian Female Customers Zavedanje glede okoljskih vplivov proizvodnje in potrošnje oblačil Original scientific article/Izvirni znanstveni članek Received/Prispelo 1-2023 • Accepted/Sprejeto 5-2023 Corresponding author/Korespondenčna avtorica: Assist Prof dr. Tanja Sedej E-mail: tanja.sedej@e-studij.eu Phone: +386 40 424 183 ORCID ID: 0000-0002-5363-8599 Abstract The textile industry, where clothing industry accounts for an important share, is one of the most polluting industries in the world. As a result, clothing consumption has a significant impact on the environment. The consumption of clothing has been increasing rapidly in line with growth in the middle classes in developing nations and the fast-fashion business model. At the same time, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability, and have been changing their behaviour accordingly. In this study, we focused our attention on awareness of the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption from the point of view of consumer knowledge, as it relates to different generations, marital statuses, living environments, household income and type of purchasing store. The study reveals a high-level of consumer-evaluated knowl- edge regarding the effects of clothing production and consumption, as well as the purchasing preference in fast-fashion stores. Keywords: clothing consumption, customer behaviour, sustainability, contemporary environment, waste pol- lution logistics Izvleček Industrija tekstila, kjer predstavlja industrija oblačil pomemben delež, je izmed najbolj onesnažujočih industrij na svetu, posledično pa ima potrošnja oblačil pomemben vpliv na okolje. Z naraščanjem srednjega razreda v državah razvojem in vzpon modela hitra mode, potrošnja oblačil raste izjemno hitro. Hkrati se potrošniki vse bolj zavedajo pomena trajnosti in temu primerno spreminjajo svoje potrošniško vedenje. V raziskavi smo se osredotočili na zavedanje vplivov proizvodnje in potrošnje oblačil na okolje z vidika znanja oz. poznavanja v povezavi z različnimi generacijami, zakonskim statusom, življenjskim okoljem in družinskim dohodkom. Raziskava razkriva oceno visoke ravni potrošnikovega znanja o vplivih proizvodnje in potrošnje oblačil, a sočasno tud visokoi naklonjenost nakupom v trgovinah z modelom hitre mode. Ključne besede: potrošnja oblačil, vedenje potrošnikov, trajnost, sodobno okolje, logistika odpadkov 106 Tekstilec, 2023, Vol. 66(2), 105–115 1 Introduction The amount of clothes bought in the European Union per person has increased by approximately 40% in just a few decades. The main reasons are low prices and the increased rates at which fashion is delivered to consumers [1]. In this regard, fast fash- ion is an applied business model that is based on the rapid production of cheap clothing following the latest fashion trends. Consequently, the lifespan of clothing has shortened significantly in recent years as rapidly changing fashion guidelines encourage customers to change clothes more often than ever before. The rapid rise of brands selling cheap and trendy clothing has led to major changes in consumer be- haviour. Many consumers consciously buy clothes that quickly become outdated, both physically and aesthetically. Nevertheless, others still prefer clothes that are characterised as sustainable. The number of those has been also increasing. Moreover, less than half of used clothes are collect- ed for reuse or recycling when they are no longer needed, and only approximately 1% are recycled into new clothes, since technologies that would en- able the recycling of clothes into virgin fibres are only starting to emerge [1]. The greatest cost of mass clothing consumption is increased waste and environmental pollution. In Slovenia, every resident threw away 12.3 kilograms of clothes, on average, in 2019. The European av- erage is lower, at 11 kilograms per inhabitant, al- though that figure also takes into account other sep- arately collected textile waste [2]. This article aims to improve general understanding about the impact of clothing production and con- sumption, as well as consumer clothing behaviour related to sustainability, with a focus on awareness and knowledge, as it relates to different generations, marital statuses, living environments, household income and store preferences. 1.1 Consumer behaviour Many authors have written about consumer behav- iour [3−11]. In contrast to contemporary theories, which are based on empirical data, traditional the- ories are based on economic concepts or marketers’ experiences [10]. Consumer behaviour is the process through which people or groups choose, acquire, utilize and dis- card goods, services, concepts or experiences in or- der to meet their needs and desires [5]. On the other hand, there are authors who define it as a study. In this manner, consumer behaviour is the study of people and the activities they undertake to satisfy their realized needs [3]. Some authors strongly believe consumer behaviour should be defined more broadly in accordance with contemporary trends, as it involves a wide range of consumer activities. Consumer behaviour entails all consumer activities associated with the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services, including the consumer’s emotional, mental and behavioural responses that precede, determine or follow these activities [4]. By understanding how consumers be- have and what affects them, businesses can better manage their marketing mix, brand management and customer communication [7]. Consumer behaviour is an interdisciplinary con- cept that derives from four disciplines: psychology as a study of the human mind and the mental fac- tors that affect it, sociology as a study of the devel- opment, structure, functioning and the problems of human society, anthropology as human societies’ culture and development, and communication as the process of imparting or exchanging information personally or through media channels and of using persuasive strategies [6]. Consumer behaviour can help companies of all siz- es to understand consumption patterns more clear- ly, as well as the internal and external influences that have effect on customers [3]. It is essential that companies comprehensively understand consumer behaviour in order to develop the best possible busi- ness strategy. Nevertheless, some believe studying consumer be- haviour can also have a dark, negative side. Experts who criticize it are concerned that an in-depth un- derstanding of consumer behaviour can enable un- ethical marketers to exploit human vulnerabilities in the marketplace and engage in other unethical marketing practices to achieve business goals [6]. 1.2 Sustainable consumer behaviour in the clothing industry The consumer behaviour related to sustainabili- ty in the clothing industry has been the research subject of many distinguished authors in recent years [12−20]. The term sustainability in consumer clothing behaviour describes the capacity to satisfy current needs without compromising the quality of living for future generations. Awareness of the Environmental Impact of Clothing Production and Consumption among Slovenian Female Customers 107 Clothing business models have gone through an im- mense transformation in recent decades. Instead of waiting for the conventional fashion seasons, com- panies now continuously offer new designs at lower prices. It is becoming more common for people to wear clothing just a few times before discarding it [21]. Fashion leaders are becoming more receptive to overconsumption. Nevertheless, they are also perceptive of new trends. One of them is certain- ly sustainability, which they incorporate into their strategy and influence others through their tastes and preferences [15]. Some studies partly explore certain areas of sus- tainable clothing consumption. One of the studies researched young adult consumers and the main reasons participants engage or do not engage in sustainable clothing consumption [22]. Another emphasizes a gap between consumers’ awareness, their positive attitude toward sustainable fashion and a lack of action in that direction when making purchasing decisions [19]. That study revealed a sig- nificant change in students’ knowledge of social and environmental issues relevant to the clothing and textile industry. On the other hand, the study found no significant adjustments in clothing purchasing behaviour and no significant relationship between students’ knowledge and their reported purchasing behaviour [13]. The next study pointed out that it was clear among fashion-oriented participants that disposable fashion is a prevailing custom that is tied to emotional satisfaction, symbolism, etc. [23]. Customers’ purchasing behaviour is not necessari- ly consistent with their principles [21]. One of the reasons is that sustainable clothing consumption is perceived as expensive [23]. Nevertheless, an in- crease in awareness can be noted regarding the negative effects of mindless fashion production and consumption [14]. The fact is that the topic of consumer behaviour in the clothing industry related to sustainability has become an important discussion in the academic and business environment. 1.3 Impact of the clothing industry on the environment The clothing industry has an immense impact on the environment. The fast-fashion business mod- el has fuelled growth in the multi-trillion-dollar clothing sector [24]. It is estimated that the global textile industry pro- duces 150 billion pieces of clothing and generates 93 million tons of waste annually. However, only 1% of all the fabric used for clothing is recycled [2]. Between 2000 and 2015, the average consumer in- creased the purchase of clothing by more than 60% [24].The number of times an article clothing is worn has declined by 36 per cent in the last 15 years [25]. Moreover, data shows that European households consume huge amounts of clothing. In 2018 and 2019, Europeans spent an average of 600 euros per year on clothing, 150 euros on footwear, and 70 eu- ros on household textiles [26−27]. The greatest cost of this unlimited increase in consumption comes in waste and environmental pollution. The clothing industry uses immense amounts of water, energy and chemicals in all process phases, from production and the processing of raw materi- als to disposal. Because the quantities of produced and purchased clothing have been constantly grow- ing, the problem of textile waste and the logistics of its disposal have are becoming increasingly more burdensome [2]. Water use and pollution are important factors dur- ing clothing production. Approximately 20% of in- dustrial water pollution is caused by the manufac- ture of clothing. Numbers show that the world uses 5 trillion litres of water each year for fabric dyeing alone [24]. Moreover, the UNEP estimates that the clothing industry produces between 2 to 8% of glob- al carbon emissions. If changes are not made, the fashion industry will use up a quarter of the world’s carbon budget by 2050 [25]. Global environmental concern also addresses the production of waste and its proper disposal. The challenge of optimizing marketing channels, in- cluding the disposal of the clothing, is immense. Consequently, this has become an important issue in all phases of marketing channels [28]. The main opportunities lie in readjusting the disposal of clothing waste through the reuse and commercial- ization of the waste generated by the companies in the cluster [29]. 1.4 Impact of the clothing industry on the environment in Slovenia Consumers have been becoming more environ- mentally conscious in Slovenia, as well. The trend of wearing environmentally friendly clothing has evolved as a result of our culture’s evolving con- sciousness [30]. Various methods of addressing these issues have been proposed, including the de- velopment of new business models, designing prod- 108 Tekstilec, 2023, Vol. 66(2), 105–115 ucts in a way that would make re-use and recycling easier (circular fashion), convincing consumers to buy fewer clothes of better quality (slow fashion), and generally steering consumer behaviour towards choosing more sustainable options [31]. The latest Slovenian study shows that Slovenians throw away clothing mostly due to long-term wear and tear. One of the main reasons that clothes be- come threadbare or change their shape faster than in the past is the poor quality of materials used to make the clothing sold by fast-fashion stores. The number of fast-fashion stores has been increasing in Slovenia, as well [2]. In 2019, Slovenia imported the most clothing from European nations, such as Germany, Austria and Italy, and from non-European nations, most nota- bly from China and Bangladesh. The average price per kilogram of imported clothing was 25 euros, while the average price of exported clothing was 45 euros. The numbers indicate that Slovenia exports high-quality clothing products and imports low- er-quality products [2]. In reality, however, consumers still rarely choose options that are defined as sustainable. Consumers may have high level of environmental awareness, but they rarely take environmental impacts into account when purchasing clothing. Slovenian consumers prioritize, when purchasing clothing, factors such as fashion trends and place of origin, while they still place less value on factors such as environmental sustainability [31]. The share of used, second-hand clothing sales compared to the purchase of new clothes was only 0.62% in Slovenia in 2019, while the share of clothing rental was even lower. On the other hand, a positive trend has been noticed [2]. Purchasing used clothing is still not a typical practice in Slovenia [31]. One of the studies in Slovenia suggest that overall positive attitudes toward environmentally friendly clothing products should be reinforced, as consumers can be influ- enced through advertising [32]. 2 Methodology 2.1 Methods The main objective of this study, conducted in 2022, was to examine women’s decision-making in the selection and purchase of sustainable clothing. Among other things, we addressed their level of knowledge as it relates to sustainable clothing and their preferred clothing store options. An in-depth analysis of collected data was carried out, using se- lected demographic characteristics. The survey was performed on convenience samples of female clothing customers born between 1945 and 2005. They were classified into four age groups: Baby Boomers (1945–1964), Generation X (1965– 1980), Generation Y (1981–1994) and Generation Z (1995–2005). Our research focused solely on women, as one of the studies found out that wom- en consider their own awareness to be higher than men’s [19]. 2.2 Questionnaire and hypotheses The study was conducted using a web-based struc- tured questionnaire, which was pilot-tested in ad- vance. The number of respondents participated in pilot testing was 24 (six respondents from each generation). The pilot testing confirmed that the questions were clearly articulated and the response options are relevant. The questionnaire tackled: awareness and prefer- ences related to clothing consumption, the effect of the clothing industry on the environment, and sus- tainable consumer behaviour in the past and future. We noted many possibilities for further research on consumer behaviour related to sustainability. Based on a theoretical review, limitations and suggestions from previously conducted research, we defined three hypotheses. Many studies partly tackle consumer behaviour awareness and sustainability [13, 19−22]. One of the studies confirmed a generally low awareness about environmental issues and attitudes [21]. Another study discussed positive awareness and attitude toward sustainable fashion [19]. Based on differ- ent research results, we aimed to verify whether Slovenian female consumers consider themselves as well-informed, and if they feel they know a lot about the issue and feel that they are experts in the field. Hypothesis 1 We assumed that those who consider themselves as well-informed also feel that they know a lot about the topic and are experts in the field. One recently conducted research regarding con- sumer behaviour found that a lack of knowledge and skills is one of the reasons young adults are not engaged in purchasing sustainable clothing [22]. Taking into account the research results, we defined a hypothesis to explore the difference in knowledge Awareness of the Environmental Impact of Clothing Production and Consumption among Slovenian Female Customers 109 between generations of Slovenian women (baby boomers, X, Y and Z). Hypothesis 2 We assumed that members of the older generations are more confident in their knowledge and exper- tise than members of the younger generations. One research project that emphasised clothing purchasing behaviour in the area of sustainable behaviour focused on the analysis of demographic data, such as age, education and status [31]. In this way, we defined a broader hypothesis to analyse the clothing purchasing behaviour of Slovenian women consumers using other demographic data to ensure comprehensive understanding. Hypothesis 3 We assumed that clothing purchasing behaviour differs according to demographic data, such as age, marital status, living environment and household income. 2.3 Representativity of the sample Our plan was to collect 400 completed question- naires, with at least 100 responses from each gener- ation (Baby boomers, Generation X, Generation Y and Generation Z). The study was conducted during the first half of 2022. Our objective was achieved and exceed- ed, as we collected 505 fully completed question- naires (100 Baby boomers, 129 Generation X, 133 Generation Y and 143 Generation Z) In this way, we obtained some perspective on the research subject for all four generations. 3 Results The aim of the survey was to gather data about the respondents’ awareness about the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption. We asked them three questions to find out how informed they are about the topic, how they rate themselves in terms of knowledge about the topic and whether they consider themselves novices or experts. Respondents answered on a scale of 1 to 7. First, they rated how informed they are about the topic, ranging from “I am not informed” to “I am well-informed”. In the next step, they rated their knowledge of the topic from “I know very little” to “I know a lot”. Then they rated their belief on whether they know a lot or a little about the topic. In the third option they rated themselves on a scale from “I am a novice” to “I am an expert”. Table 1 shows that respondents evaluated them- selves the highest on a scale from 1 to 7 when these extremes correlated to “I know very little” and “I know very much”, respectively. The mean score was 4.53. However, respondents were less confident when choosing between “I am a novice” and “I am an expert”. The mean score was 4.22. In the next step, we took a closer look at the con- sistency of the answers and compared whether re- spondents’ ratings of how much they know were logically related to their ratings of how well-in- formed they are. Those who rated themselves as be- ing poorly informed would not be expected to rate themselves as knowing a lot about the topic in ques- tion, and vice versa. Those who are well-informed are also expected to know a lot about the topic. In most cases, we see that respondents who consider themselves well-informed also feel that they know a lot about the environmental impact of clothing pro- duction and consumption. However, cross-tabulating how much they know and how informed they are can reveal some dis- crepancies. As many as 12.3% of respondents who consider themselves poorly informed claim to know a lot about this area. Moreover, as many as 35.7% of those who stated that they are only moderately well-informed think that they know a lot about the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption, as shown in Table 2. A statistically significant difference was found at Chi-Square 388.8 and p = 0.001. Table 1: Descriptive statistics for the question “What is your awareness of the impact of clothing production and consumption on the environment?” Answers were given on a scale of 1 to 7. 1. I know very little” to “I know very much” 2. “I am a novice” to “I am an expert” 3. “I am uninformed” to “I am well-informed” Number 505 505 505 Mean score 4.53 4.22 4.34 110 Tekstilec, 2023, Vol. 66(2), 105–115 Even when showing how the variables cross-tab- ulate (i.e. how informed the respondents are and their opinions on their level of expertise in this field), the result is similar. Those who stated that they were poorly informed are slightly less likely to be considered experts. However, in the group of respondents who stated that they were moderately well-informed, as many as 20% consider themselves to be experts in the field. The results are shown in Table 3. A statistically significant difference was found at Chi-Square 405.7 and p = 0.001. We also examined how much each generation knows about the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption. The results presented in Table 4 show that the youngest group of respond- ents, Generation Z, are more reserved in their state- ments about their knowledge of the topic. They are more likely than the other generations to say that they know a moderate amount. A statistically sig- nificant difference was found at a Chi-square of 16.8 and p = 0.01. Table 2: Cross-tabulations of respondents’ scores of how much they know, linked to their scores of how well- informed they are How well-informed are they? How much do they know? (%) Very little Intermediate amount Very much Poorly informed (%) 71.6 16.1 12.3 Moderately well-informed (%) 10.2 54.1 35.7 Well-informed (%) 2 7.9 90.1 Table 3: Cross-tabulation of the variables of how informed they are and what kind of experts they are in the field How well-informed are they? What kind of experts they are in the field? (%) Inexperienced Has some experience Is an expert Poorly informed (%) 81.3 12.3 6.5 Moderately well-informed (%) 20.4 59.2 20.4 Well-informed (%) 5.6 10.7 83.7 Table 4: Cross-tabulation of variables of age groups with respect to knowledge about the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption Generation Knowledge about the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption (%) Knows very little Knows a moderate amount Knows very much Baby boomers (%) 30 12 58 Generation X (%) 20.2 16.3 63.5 Generation Y (%) 20.3 21.1 58.6 Generation Z (%) 30.1 25.8 44.1 Table 5: Comparison of experience concerning the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption between different age groups Generation Is inexperienced (%) Has some experience (%) Is an expert (%) Baby boomers (%) 37.0 13.0 50.0 Generation X (%) 24.0 21.7 54.3 Generation Y (%) 23.3 23.3 53.4 Generation Z (%) 42.6 22.4 35.0 Awareness of the Environmental Impact of Clothing Production and Consumption among Slovenian Female Customers 111 We also checked which option best describes their preferences when it comes to the purchase of clothes. The respondents had five options to choose from: • Option 1 The latest fashion trends, as offered by large cloth - ing chains, which often change their store assort- ments (daily, weekly). Design is important, quality is diverse and the origin of the material is not a key factor. Women who shop there often leave a store with many pieces that they wear only a few times or even never (e.g., H&M, Zara, Reserved, C&A, Orsay and Takko). • Option 2 Clothes offered in smaller shops and boutiques lo- cated near the customer’s place of residence or em- ployment, or in smaller e-shops that are not widely known. They have a relatively stable and sufficient selection of goods that does not change too fre- quently. They offer reasonable quality (e.g., Icona, Anna and Broadway). • Option 3 Clothes in second-hand shops, bazaars and/or on- line platforms. The clothes are of basic quality; have previously been worn by someone else or the clothes on offer are completely new and unworn but be- long to previous years’ collections. The clothes are offered at a lower price (e.g., Humana, Dajadaja, Krama and Moja tvoja omara). • Option 4 Clothes designed and/or made by local designers or manufacturers. The pieces are timeless and clas- sic, and do not go out of fashion quickly. The qual- ity and origin of the material are very important in this case (e.g., BooPacks, Wearelena, Goodwill, Ihavenofocus, Oblak and By Andraž). • Options 5 Second-hand and/or upcycled clothes that are ex- ceptional, authentic, original and made of natural and ecological materials. The clothes were pre- viously worn, but nevertheless are and appear in very good condition. Not only can those clothes be bought, they can also be rented (e.g., Krinolina, Sanjska obleka, Maja’s closet, Naturaland, Terrasleep and Bombažek). Analysis shows that most respondents (55.6%) still purchase clothes in large fashion clothing chains, where fashion trends change rapidly. In second place (30.3%), respondents placed smaller shops and bou- tiques located near their place of residence or em- ployment. The other three options combined account for less than 15% (second-hand shops, local stores with classic clothes, rental stores, etc.). We cross-tabulated the data to determine wheth- er there were significant differences in shopping behaviour between groups of respondents who thought they knew a lot about the environmental impact of clothing and those who knew little or nothing about it. As evident from Table 7, no one from the groups that know nothing or little about the environmen- tal impact of clothing in the Option 5 group buys second-hand clothing or clothing made from or- ganic materials. Only those who know a lot about the impact buy such clothing. A statistically signif- icant difference was found at a Chi-square of 29.1 and p = 0.01 (the zeros in the table have been treated with some caution in the statistical calculation). Similarly, the purchasing behaviour of groups who identify themselves as experts regarding the envi- ronmental impact of clothing is only slightly less pronounced. Those who deem themselves as nov- ices do not buy clothes in the way described in Option 5. Experts, however, stand out again, as can be seen in Table 8. Table 6: Descriptive statistics on respondents’ preferences on where to purchase clothes Options Frequency Valid (%) Cumulative (%) Valid Option 1 281 55.6 55.6 Option 2 153 30.3 85.9 Option 3 35 6.9 92.8 Option 4 21 4.2 97 Option 5 15 3 100 Tota l 505 100 112 Tekstilec, 2023, Vol. 66(2), 105–115 A statistically significant difference was found at a Chi-square of 24.0 and p = 0.01 (the zeros in the ta- ble have been treated with some caution in the sta- tistical calculation). We also tested the hypothesis of whether demo- graphic characteristics influence purchase beha- viour. In the first case, we crossed age groups data with purchasing behaviour. Second-hand and/or recycled clothing is increasing- ly popular among baby boomers. The data shown in Table 9 give us statistically significant differences at a Chi-square of 29.2 and p = 0.01. We can confirm thus our hypothesis about various age groups’ pur- chasing behaviour. However, in the case of crosses between single and married people, there is no difference in purchasing habits, as shown in Table 10, so we must reject the hypothesis. Similarly, there is no statistically significant differ- ence between urban and rural residents, as shown in Table 11. We also checked whether purchasing behaviour differs according to household income. We took a threshold of 2,000 euros per month and divided the respondents into those who have an income below this threshold and those who have an income above this threshold. In this case, as shown in Table 12, we conclude that there are no statistically significant differences, so we must reject the hypothesis. Table 7: Chi-Square tests on the question “Which one of the following options best describes your preferences when it comes to the purchase of clothes?” Knowledge about the environmental impact of clothing production and consumption Option that best describes preference (%) Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Knows very little (%) 29.9 21.6 20 9.5 0 Knows a moderate amount (%) 22.8 18.3 8.6 14.3 0 Knows very much (%) 47.3 60.1 71.4 76.2 100 Table 8: Cross-tabulation on the question “Which one of the following options best describes your preferences when it comes to the purchase of clothes?” (the second option from “I am a novice” to “I am an expert”) How identify themselves as experts on the environmental impact of clothing Option that best describes preference (%) Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Is a novice (%) 37.4 28.8 20.0 19.0 0.0 Has some experience (%) 21.4 22.2 11.4 19.0 13.3 Is an expert (%) 41.3 49.0 68.6 61.9 86.7 Table 9: Preferences of different age groups and purchasing clothing options Generation Option that best describes preference (%) Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Baby boomers (%) 40 42 8 3 7 Generation X (%) 47.3 35.7 7 7.8 2.3 Generation Y (%) 58.6 25.6 8.3 4.5 3 Generation Z (%) 71.3 21.7 4.9 1.4 0.7 Table 10: Comparison of marital status in relation to consumers’ purchasing behaviour Status Option that best describes preference (%) Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Single (%) 2.4 29.3 56.6 3.9 7.8 Married (%) 5.3 31 55 2.3 6.3 Awareness of the Environmental Impact of Clothing Production and Consumption among Slovenian Female Customers 113 Table 11: Comparison of purchasing behaviour of residents Residence Option that best describes preference (%) Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Rural (%) 5.1 26.4 59.1 3.7 5.7 Urban (%) 2.9 35.9 50.7 1.9 8.6 4 Discussion Consumer behaviour explains why people choose to spend their money, time and effort on the prod- ucts that companies are trying to sell them [6]. In our contemporary environment, such decisions are increasingly influenced by product sustainability. Consumer behaviour and environmental protection are closely related [31]. However, there has been noted a rise in public awareness of the harmful consequences of sense- less clothing production and consumption [14]. Our study clearly highlighted, inter alia, the issue of awareness and knowledge about sustainability, which is necessary to change consumer behaviour. The issue has not yet been addressed in this dimen- sion in Slovenia. The results show that respondents generally believe they are knowledgeable about the impact of clothing production and consump- tion. Moreover, they assessed that they are mostly well-informed and mostly consider themselves ex- perts. Nevertheless, respondents gave themselves the highest scores when assessing their options on a scale from “I know very little” to “I know very much”, and the lowest when assessing themselves as “I am a novice” and “I am an expert. The results were at a relatively high level for both formulations. Additionally, we examined preferences in terms of purchasing clothes. The number of fast-fash- ion stores has been increasing in Slovenia [2]. Our study clearly shows that women’s consumption behaviour in Slovenia is based on short-term deci- sion making. Slovenian women prefer to buy a large amount of cheap clothes in large clothing chains, which has long-term negative consequences on the environment. Furthermore, more detailed analyses were conduct- ed for a more in-depth understanding of clothing purchasing preferences as they relate to knowledge, generations, material status, living environment and household income. In short, below are a few of the main findings. The group that buys second-hand clothing or clothing made with organic materials assessed themselves as knowing a lot about envi- ronmental impacts. Second-hand and/or recycled clothing stores are the most popular among baby boomers. In the case of crosses between single and married people, and rural and urban respondents, there is no difference in purchasing behaviour. 5 Conclusion During the 21st century, we have witnessed an in- crease in discussions regarding the importance of sustainable growth. The clothing industry has a sig- nificant and detrimental impact on the environment. Globalization has widened the industry’s boundaries. Sustainability is undoubtedly one of the factors that influences consumer behaviour. This study investigated customers’ awareness and knowledge concerning the purchasing of clothing in Slovenia. Despite widespread knowledge, there is an urgent need for more education and information-sharing regarding the importance of sustainability in dai- ly life. There are numerous opportunities today to promote sustainability. One is certainly through ed- ucation [18], another through advertising [31]. The Table 12: Purchasing behaviour in relation to household income Household income (EUR) Option that best describes preference (%) Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 2,000 or less (%) 3.6 32.5 52.6 3.2 8 more than 2,000 (%) 4.9 27.3 56.6 3.5 7.7 N/A (%) 4.4 29.2 61.1 1.8 3.5 114 Tekstilec, 2023, Vol. 66(2), 105–115 study also examined the contemporary consump- tion of clothing as it relates to different store types, generations, material statuses, living environments, and household income levels. Overall, the results of these studies provide a bet- ter understanding of Slovenian women’s perception of awareness of clothing sustainability and various related factors, as well as difference and similarities related to different demographics. Despite the fact that this study has made contribu- tions to understanding the issue in question, there are many opportunities for future research. In the study, we limited ourselves to studying Slovenian women’s behaviour in purchasing clothing. Moreover, we analysed knowledge and customer preferences using selected demographic segmenta- tion. Future studies should pay greater attention to the motivational elements that influence clothing consumption and gauge how to change behaviour toward more environmentally friendly clothing purchasing and consumption. It is nevertheless evident that the trend of sustaina- ble fashion is here to stay, despite the powerful and lingering fast-fashion trend. We strongly believe that more studies should be conducted on consum- er sustainability behaviour in terms of consumer awareness linked to fostering attitudes and the will- ingness to buy sustainable clothes. References 1. 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