The first-ever nationwide study into how Australians use and dispose of clothing has revealed people are buying too many clothes and are unsure how to discard them responsibly.
Conducted by RMIT University and commissioned by the Kmart Group and the Queensland Government, the study of 3080 Australians explored how they acquired, used and disposed of their clothing.
Australians are among the world’s biggest clothing consumers, importing 1.4 billion units or more than 383,000 tonnes annually. However, each year, more than 200,000 tonnes of clothing is sent to landfill.
The authors, led by RMIT Professor Alice Payne, recommend establishing a national textile collection program for unwearable clothing that could be recycled, to prevent items being unnecessarily sent to landfill.
Across all findings, age was the most significant factor in determining consumer clothing practices, surpassing gender, income bracket and location.
Young Australians, aged 18–34, were more likely to buy second-hand, repair, resell or share clothes but tended to have large collections of unused clothing that were no longer in style.
However, older Australians were more likely to donate clothing they no longer wanted, though were less likely to buy second-hand.
Payne said although Australians buy too many clothes, there are some things that are done well.
“Compared to European data, Australians are better at shopping second-hand and washing clothes responsibly,” said Payne, Dean of RMIT’s School of Fashion and Textiles.
“Brands and retailers must create higher-quality products that endure both fashion trends and wear.”
Results showed most Australians donate unwanted but otherwise good clothes, with 87 per cent of consumers indicating they donate unwanted clothing to charity.
The findings also show consumers are confused about where and how to responsibly discard clothing that can no longer be worn.
Fifty-one per cent throw away worn-out or significantly damaged clothes in the general waste bin and 30 per cent in the household recycle bin at least half of the time.
Payne said consumers need more durable products and a national textile recycling scheme, which were key recommendations in the report.
The study also found about one in three consumers preferred to repair clothing themselves or take it to a professional repairer, particularly if they had paid a higher price or felt emotionally attached.
Payne said Australians were open to repairing their clothes but often did not know how.
“We need clothing education programs, focused on boosting clothing repair skills and confidence,” she said.
“This could be through supporting initiatives such as community repair cafes and embedding skills into school curriculums.
“Our research found consumers clear out their wardrobes once or twice a year, and strategically timed collection drives for this clothing could work well.”
Co-author Professor Simon Pervan, from RMIT’s Graduate School of Business and Law, said governments could step in by supporting second-hand clothing sellers.
“Businesses who resell clothing should be financially supported through grants, investments or financial incentives,” he said.
“These circular business models exist in the market but need a helping hand to scale up and boost capacity.”
Blake Lindley, Kmart Group’s Head of Sustainability, said the findings speak to the company’s commitment to a sustainable textiles industry.
“This landmark study provides us with the vital data we need in order to develop and invest in evidence-based programs and initiatives that will directly and measurably reduce the amount of clothing that ends up in landfill,” he said.
“We know our customers want to do the right thing. As one of Australia’s largest retailers we have an important role to play; we’re committed to developing and being part of the right solutions that have a material impact on fashion waste.”
For more information, Keeping clothes out of landfill: A landscape study of Australian consumer practices,
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