Research Question # 2

Do consumers think of any barriers impacting the use of Eco-friendly apparel al- ternatives?

 How easily eco-friendly products are available in the market?

 What is the true motive of eco-friendly apparel manufacturers (CSR or profitability)?  What are the barriers affecting the popularity of Eco-friendly textiles?

5.2.1 Availability:

As we have seen in the literature review that most of the people who couldn’t buy eco- friendly apparel blame the lack of availability of the eco-friendly apparels. People have claimed that they couldn’t buy eco-friendly because they couldn’t find them in the plac- es which they mostly visit for their shopping. Those people mostly collect he infor- mation regarding eco-friendly apparel from the hang tag information or from the com- pany websites (Bart King, 2012).

As we can also observe in Figure 5.15 the same in our survey questionnaire responses that approx. 60% of the population claimed that it is difficult for them to buy eco- friendly apparel because they can’t Figure out which shops are selling them. Another 24% claimed that they never saw them in the local stores where they mostly shop. only 15% were of the view that they know where to shop these goods and the very low 3% of the population claimed that they are as easily available as others.

Figure 5:15 Majority of the population cannot find the eco-friendly apparel easily 5.2.2 True motive (Corporate Social Responsibility / Profitability)

Another barrier that might cause alarming bells for the consumers is their believe that selling eco-friendly textile can just be marketing technique to sell more highly priced products in order to gain more profits and the true motive behind the notion of selling eco-friendly is not purely social responsibility. for example in the wake of fast fashion and making fast turn outs companies often run after the suppliers of China, Vietnam and

Bangladesh, countries which are considered as the cheapest producers of the garment. but cheaper sourcing does not come without any price as we have also mentioned in the early parts of this research the sad events like garment factory collapse in Bangladesh. That kind of events have jolted big retailers and Gap, H&M and Walmart like big retail- ers are compelled to design strategies and take initiative to improve the conditions (Jes- sica Marati, 2013).

Despite of all that there is one retailer that is still getting criticised in the news journals but is not keen to change the course of its operation is fast retailing which is considered among the largest retailers of the world is not participating in any initiative regarding the environment friendly or social responsible manufacturing and business models. The company is not yet the member of FLA and doesn’t even participate in SAC (sustaina- ble apparel coalition) (Jessica Marati, 2013).

If we look at the survey responses that the results are quite agreeable to the notion we have just discussed above. In below Figure 5.16, about 39% of the population has agreed with the notion with regard to the statement level 1 and 2 agreement. 40% are in the middle and only around 12% have disagreed with level 4 and 5 with only 2% re- maining at the highest level of disagreement which shows that consumer do have a per- ception in mind that eco-friendly apparel and textile is just another out let of making profit for the big companies.

5.2.3 Major Barrier:

There are certain factors which are acting as barriers for the consumers to buy eco- friendly apparels. As we have seen in the literature review one of the most significant barrier might be the high cost or price of the eco-friendly apparels and fashion goods.

Figure 5:16 Approx. 39% agree that green marketing is another profit making tech- nique.

Consumer sometimes do pay the high price to purchase the eco-friendly apparel as it may give them a self-satisfaction by thinking that their money is also spent for some greater good. But the high prices of eco-friendly apparel might also act as a barrier in some cases (Danziger, 2006).

In another research we have seen that sometimes aesthetic value associated with the fashion and textile goods also act as barrier to purchase them. Fashion apparel is bought keeping the design and appearance as the first thing amount the minds of the consumer. According to Shaw 2010 he also mentioned in his research sometimes less attractive appeal of ethical apparels also acts as a barrier for the consumers to make choices to buy them. As sellers the retailers must not forget to make fashionable apparels which are the most important emotional desire for the consumers to buy the apparel (Shepherd, 2010).

Similarly in the below Figure 5.17 consumers were given a few choices and were asked to advise in their opinion what are the major barriers or hurdles that may stop them from buying eco-friendly apparel. For which approx. 64% rated higher prices of the eco- friendly apparel as the most common barrier that impedes them from buying eco- friendly apparel. second choice was a tie between 2 choices, for approx. 53% people availability of the environmental friendly apparel which they thought was limited and in addition to that the true benefits with the purchase of eco-friendly apparel most of the consumers were also had second thoughts or were lacking with the details benefits that can be reaped out by purchasing eco-friendly apparel.