MADRID, SPAIN – JUNE 15: Shoppers line up to enter a Primark store in Madrid, Spain on June 15, 2020… [+] Madrid.
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‘Fast fashion’ has become a scapegoat for sustainability in fashion, with many, including billionaire LVMH owner Bernard Arnault’s son Antoine, accusing luxury brands of being the industry’s culprit. Some have even made famous statements on stage at fashion’s premier sustainability summit. “Inherently sustainable.” LVMH’s emissions prove otherwise.
Unfortunately for Arnault, a study carried out by environmental charity Hubab in collaboration with the University of Leeds conclusively debunks the myth that cheap fashion items are more “disposable” than luxury goods. The price of luxury products does not guarantee quality or longevity.
Back in 2022, Hubb and the School of Design at the University of Leeds designed a Primark-funded study to investigate the relationship between clothing durability and price.
Founded 50 years ago by Associated British Foods, the Primark fashion brand aims to provide affordable clothing options for everyone. With 70,000 employees and 450 stores in 17 countries, the brand’s affordable fashion once earned it the nickname “Primarni” in the 2000s, and it has been featured in British Vogue, Grazia and other fashion publications. was featured alongside luxury fashion brands. Most journalists, especially sustainability-related magazines, as well as high-end magazines, are now avoiding Primark.
Since then, Primark and other “value-driven” brands have been thrust into the spotlight by climate change and supply chain tragedies, and have faced a sharp rise in social and environmental criticism, with luxury brands facing the same charges. I feel it’s coming to an end. I haven’t. (The most recent example of such double standards may be the exploitation of farmers by the cashmere brand Loro Piana, whose sweaters retail for as much as $9,000.) We set out to investigate whether there was a correlation with quality.
The 2022 study built on the existing durability guidelines of the Clothing End of Life Protocol, a circular business model from the UK-based NGO Waste and Resources Action Programme, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The study, titled “Threaded Out: Is Price an Accurate Indicator of Clothing Durability?” included a series of tests to assess the durability of clothing, including repeated washing and drying cycles in home washing machines. Combined, performance tests included fiber abrasion, seam strength, fading, and shrinkage. I was affected by the laundry. Using an iterative process of analyzing results throughout the testing cycle, we showed how likely owners were to refuse to wear the garment, return it, or stop wearing it.
“The test was independently developed and analyzed 65 clothing items across three categories: T-shirts, jeans and hoodies,” Hubab CEO Alex Robinson said in an interview. The products were categorized by price range of £10 ($13). Mr Robinson said he was paid £5 ($6.70) for the jeans and hoodie and £5 ($6.70) for the T-shirt, adding that Primark’s involvement only applied to “what the research will examine”. He explained that the study itself was designed, conducted, analyzed and reported. Primark’s involvement So what was the outcome?
Researchers test the durability of clothing in the materials testing laboratory at the University of Leeds.
Leeds Textile Color Institute (LITAC)
For women’s denim jeans, the most expensive products tested ($160 to $200) performed best and ranked as the most durable. However, products priced between $121 and $160 performed very poorly. Jeans priced between $30 and $40 and $15 and $30 did very well, ranking second and third. Overall, the test results showed little difference in durability performance between the most expensive product and the two lowest priced products, despite the $134 price difference between the first and third garments. It occupied three rankings.
Similar results were found in the T-shirt test, with two of the top three performers for women and men at low prices, either below $6.70 or between $6.70 and $13.30.
“There is no correlation between price and durability,” Robinson explained, adding that another interesting finding was consumer attitudes towards clothing prices. “Consumer polls show that people not only believe that more expensive clothing is of better quality, but that they actually believe that quality is higher.” More likely to value expensive clothing It becomes more sexual. ”
“A self-fulfilling prophecy may occur, contributing to durability,” Robinson said, suggesting that we carefully maintain our expensive garments and give them the false impression that they are inherently better quality. He said it means giving. “this [research] It proves that all clothes, regardless of price, deserve to be cared for,” says Robinson.
These findings are supported by another study published at the University of Otago in 2020, which found that more than 50% of consumers preferred low-cost T-shirts (NZD 0-10) (NZD 0-6.15). dollars) is shown to be discarded after 10 washes. . However, the performance of the two lowest-priced T-shirts tested (A: NZ$4 ($2.15) and B: NZ$9 ($5.50)) responds very differently to washing, so price is not necessarily an indicator of performance. It highlights that. . The study also reiterated that consumers tend to use price as an indicator of quality.
Researchers test the durability of clothing in the materials testing laboratory at the University of Leeds
Leeds Textile Color Institute (LITAC)
How did Hubbub’s findings influence Primark’s new durability framework announced this week? And what does the false ‘low price, low utility’ consumer belief mean for ‘low price’ retailer Primark?
Primark’s Durability Framework is part of our Primark Cares strategy, which spans products, planet and people. The Durability Framework extends the lifespan of garments, makes them easier to care for and repair, and helps deliver on the company’s commitment to keep garments used longer and out of landfills.
WRAP has incorporated its own research findings into Primark’s framework and found that extending the lifespan of clothing by an additional nine months reduces carbon, waste and water emissions by 30% each. The increased use therefore appears to be linked to Primark’s science-based goals, including halving emissions across its value chain by 2030. Despite the association between clothing care and longevity, the fashion industry lacks universal standards for clothing durability. Therefore, Primark has established a brand-specific framework.
Since January this year, Primark’s durability framework has been implemented with all suppliers, with additional testing adding around seven days to production time. The framework includes physical tests and repeated washes (up to 45 times) that simulate home laundering, ensuring that the results reflect the garment’s performance over its lifetime. Check. Primark says some garments meet the required standards after testing and do not require any improvements, while others may require minor adjustments, such as adjusting zippers. . They say this change doesn’t necessarily mean more durable products will cost more to produce.
In an interview, Vicki Swain, head of product life and partnerships at Primark Cares, said the Primark team is “currently building a statistical database of machine washable clothing and is working towards making this a reality.” said. [ones] We provide consumers with optimal care advice and extend the lifespan of each product.
“More than 50% [Primark’s sales] “Volume means ‘basics,’ or everyday essentials like T-shirts, socks, joggers, underwear, and hoodies,” Swain explained, emphasizing the importance of longevity for products that are worn regularly. At the same time, this statistic shows that half of Primark’s sales are unrelated. This calls into question the common commentary that assumes Primark is synonymous with disposable ‘fast fashion’.
After research, a Primark spokesperson said in an email that “more than half of our inventory is permanent products that are always in stock 24/7.” This means there is no built-in obsolescence. They added: “Due to our market knowledge and operating model, we typically have very little unsold inventory. Anything that remains is resold or recycled through our charitable partners. We also have a zero-landfill policy. ” he added.
Lyn Walker, director of Primark Cares, explained in an interview: [sustainability] “We are taking this very seriously,” Walker said, adding, “There are forward-looking elements in terms of upcoming European legislation, and we intend to comply.” The report also mentions strengthening textile product regulations, including expanded producer responsibility regulations and expanded producer responsibility regulations. For the latter, brands will pay a fee for each product sold on the market to offset waste disposal costs when the clothing is disposed of.
Such EPR schemes can include ecomodulation opportunities. This means, for example, that brands pay less if their products are made from durable, low-impact or recyclable materials. Mr Walker said Primark’s new durability framework was part of its preparation for this new regulation, but that it was a time of growing consumer concern about climate change and the environmental impact of clothing. It is also necessary to maintain an operating license.
Primark is a member of the UK’s Textiles 2030 initiative. This is a voluntary scheme with signature brands committed to their environmental goals and progress on the Textiles 2030 Circularity Roadmap. Bar Walker warns.”[Although] Textiles 2030 aims to set guidelines, but it is not fast enough. ” The UK’s 2030 ambitions are somewhat unrealistic, as the European ESPR has already become law this year and the digital product passport (which includes product impact, care and repair data) will follow suit. -The pace at which British brands sell their products in Europe.
Primark unveils its durability framework and takes the plunge to extend the lifespan of its products, but how will consumers react? Behavior reveals cheap clothing isn’t properly cared for If so, how should consumers be educated about how to better care for all their clothing?To achieve this objective, Primark has over 50 in-store sessions to teach customers basic repair skills. We have conducted workshops and established a thriving community in the process.
Primark In-store clothing repair workshop for long-term use.
primark
Should Primark consider raising retail prices at a time when consumer attitudes are skewed towards valuing the expensive and punishing the cheap? Mr Walker said the retailer has something for everyone. They remain resolutely dedicated to providing affordable fashion and declare that price gouging is not an option in order to improve the care of their clothing. Primark’s extremely low pricing remains an issue when addressing its environmental and ethical sustainability credentials. A brand may unethically produce a $9,000 sweater, but can a brand produce a $5 t-shirt ethically and sustainably?
A Primark spokesperson said yes, and provided a written explanation of the elements of the business model that enable such pricing. These lean areas include not selling online (thus eliminating the burden of expensive shipping and returns), and relatively small marketing budgets (instead, using 24 million strong people to share and discuss products). dependence on large social media communities), and very large orders. We work with suppliers well in advance to achieve economies of scale, resulting in much lower retail margins for our brands compared to our competitors.
It is clear that price is not a proxy for quality and no product can be considered ‘inherently sustainable’. But challenges remain in changing consumer perceptions and behavior to care for Primark as carefully as they do for Prada.
This article was updated on 7/10/24 to include research from the University of Otago.
