[Clothing recycling survey] 96.9% of respondents have “recycled clothes”; Uniqlo is by far the most popular for in-store recycling *Trust Ridge Co., Ltd.*
Press release: September 2, 2024
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[Clothing recycling survey] 96.9% of respondents have “recycled clothes”; Uniqlo is by far the most popular for in-store recycling *Questionnaire survey on clothing recycling (ELEMINIST Trend Research)* ELEMINIST, a service that guides people to sustainable living, is operated by Trustridge Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Yoshiyuki Oba, hereinafter referred to as “Trustridge”). Implemented.
*ELEMINIST “Survey on Clothes Recycling” Survey Summary*
Survey period: August 16th to August 25th, 2024
Survey target: 64 ELEMINIST Followers (ELEMINIST community) (men and women in their teens to 60s)
*As a general rule, figures are rounded off to the second decimal place, so the total may not add up to 100%.
* ▼89.1% have clothes at home that they rarely wear*
First, we asked them how many clothes they rarely wear at home.
50.0% answered “a little bit”, 28.1% said “somewhat”, and 10.9% said “a lot”. 10.9% of the respondents answered “I hardly ever wear them,” and approximately 90% of the respondents answered “I have clothes that I hardly ever wear.”
* ▼The reason is “My tastes have changed” and “It no longer fits the trend” * When we asked them why they “rarely wear clothes”, we got the following results:
The most common answer was “My preferences have changed,” with 56.3% of respondents choosing this answer. This was followed by “It no longer fits the trend” (26.6%) and “The size no longer fits” (23.4%). Approximately one in five people answered “somehow.” * ▼96.9% have “recycled” clothes*
So, what about your experience recycling unwanted clothes?
51.6% said they “always do it” and 45.3% said “sometimes”, indicating that the majority of people recycle clothes on a daily basis.
* ▼Popular ways to recycle clothes are “flea market apps” and “recycle shops” * I asked them specifically what kind of recycling they did.
The most popular option was “Selling items on flea market apps” at 66.1%. “Selling to a recycle shop” (51.6%) was also popular. Other options included “taking it to an apparel shop that recycles it” (41.9%) and “giving it to the local government for collection” (38.7%), indicating that they are using a variety of options.
* ▼The most well-known brands that recycle are “UNIQLO,”
“Patagonia,” and “MUJI.”*
In recent years, more and more apparel brands are recycling their products. So, we asked them about any brands they know of that recycle their clothes.
“Uniqlo”, “Patagonia”, and “Muji” were well-known for their recycling practices.
* ▼Uniqlo is by far the most popular brand that has actually been recycled* Next, we asked about brands that have actually sent their clothes for recycling.
Uniqlo was the most popular at 48.4%. Additionally, 25.0% said they have never sent their products for recycling, indicating that although it is becoming known that there are apparel brands that recycle, only a small percentage of people actually use them. Ta.
* ▼Regarding recycling at apparel shops: “I wish there were more stores that offer benefits/recycling” “I want to know what happens after recycling” *
There are still only a limited number of people who have recycled clothes at apparel shops, so how can we make it easier to do so? We asked apparel shops their opinions on recycling clothes.
*It’s nice to have special benefits*
– “I think it would be great if there was a benefit that everyone would want to have.” (20s/Female)
– “I think there are many places where you can get coupons, but it’s also nice to be able to exchange them for other items.” (Female, 30s)
– “I would be happy if points were given, but I don’t need them.” (30s/Female)
– “I think it would be nice if there were benefits such as coupons that could be used on the spot when trading in, giving me a reason to take it with me.” (Female, 30s)
*I wish there were more stores/places where you can recycle* – “I would be happy if there were more stores that recycle” (30s/female) – “I wish more stores would collect recycling and introduce a circular system to produce clothes using recycled materials.” (Female, 20s)
– “Collection outside of stores (stations, commercial facilities, etc.)” (40s/Female)
* Items from other brands can also be recycled *
– “I think it’s difficult, but I would appreciate it if you could recycle any kind of clothes, not just those from local brands.” (Female, 30s)
– “I would be happy if the clothes I bought at any store were collected back.” (Female in her 40s)
*I want to know about after recycling*
– “I want it to be clear where the clothes go after they are collected” (30s/female)
– “I want a report on what happened after it was collected” (40s/female) – “I want them to establish a recycling method other than donating it overseas, so I can know where my clothes are going.” (Female, 20s) –
“I’ve heard of problems such as even if you put out what you think is a good thing, it ends up in another country’s garbage, so I’d be happy if you could see what happens after you recycle it.” (Female, 40s)
– “I want something like a flyer or pamphlet that explains how recycling is done.” (Teen/Female)
–
“I feel that the destination and purpose of the collected items are unclear (many shops only disclose some information), so I’m cautious about using this method.” (50s) male)
*I would like to be able to send it by mail*
– “I think it would be convenient to have an online site like Mercari because I have to actually go there.” (Female in her 40s) – “If that is not the purpose, it would be difficult to bring it, so I would like to send it by mail” (30s/female)
* others*
–
“Currently, it’s common to put it in a box, but if the staff picks it up at the counter, they can clearly see why they’re recycling it, and we might be able to take an approach that will make them reconsider their consumption.” (30s) others)
–
“Apparel shops don’t have an image of recycling. In the first place, I feel embarrassed to bring in things I’ve used or worn. I don’t have the impression that the store staff will welcome me either.” (Female, 20s)
* ▼What do you think about recycling clothes? *
Lastly, we asked them for their opinions on recycling clothes. * Considerations when purchasing *
– “I want to choose clothes that I can wear for a long time even as I get older” (30s/female)
– “I want to be particular about purchasing fashionable clothes that are not tied to trends, because I soon become unable to wear them.” (Female, 30s)
–
“I’ve learned that too many clothes are made, and as much as I love clothes, I want to shop with care and planning.That’s why I buy materials that can turn discarded items into new clothes. I hope we can become a more circular consumer society by using them.” (Female, 20s)
*Repair/Remake also*
–
“Recycling is important, but I also think it’s good to repair and continue using it, so I thought it would be nice to be able to choose things that can be used for a long time and repair services would be more accessible.” (Female in her 40s)
– “I don’t want it to be trash, so I want more resizing and remakes.” (Female in her 40s)
–
“I feel that recycling requires a lot of energy, so I hope we can create a culture where people can enjoy upcycling clothes by doing things like remakes and embroidery!” (Female, 30s)
–
“Instead of buying and selling, I want to use clothes responsibly by remaking them as much as possible.I consider recycling to be a last resort, and treat clothes that are still in wearable condition with care, and may redistribute them. I think it’s important.” (20s/Female) *I want to use used clothes more*
–
“I used to live in New Zealand, and there were more secondhand clothing stores than chain apparel stores, and they were popular, so I would like to see the culture of secondhand clothing take root in Japan.” (20s) woman)
– “I think it would be nice if it became normal to buy second-hand clothes.” (Female, 50s)
*Buy only what you need*
–
“I try to buy only what I need as much as possible, but I wish they would reconsider selling in bulk with the premise of throwing away surplus clothes.” (Female, 40s)
–
“Personally, I believe that reducing the amount of clothes you buy (buying only what you really need) is the first thing you should do, and that it will have the greatest impact on improving the
environment.” (50s) /male)
* ▼Summary*
Many people regularly recycle clothes, indicating that it has become commonplace to recycle clothes when they are no longer needed. On the other hand, only a small number of people have experience using the recycling services offered at apparel brand stores. It seems that various measures are needed to further promote usage, such as increasing the number of stores where items can be recycled and making it possible to recycle items from other brands as well.
In addition to recycling, there are also opinions that when purchasing items, people should think about whether they can be worn for a long time, buy only what they need, and consider the option of remaking or repairing items.
Recycling clothes has become commonplace, but it’s not just a matter of just sending them out for recycling.I think it’s becoming more and more important to think about not buying too much in the first place and only buying what you need.
The contents of this press release are also published on “ELEMINIST”. https://eleminist.com/article/3713
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*About Trust Ridge Co., Ltd.*
Add color to your lifestyle
With the mission of “connecting”, we operate the food and lifestyle media “macaroni” and the service “ELEMINIST” that guides you to sustainable living. Furthermore, BRAND, which provides creative production and solutions that leverages its knowledge of media management,
We are developing a multifaceted business, from consulting that supports STUDIO, influencer initiatives, and media monetization to online advertising.
Company name: Trust Ridge Co., Ltd.
Established: September 2008
Representative: Yoshiyuki Ohba
Head office location: 1-1-71-5F Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo Number of employees: 60 (as of May 1, 2024)
Business content: Lifestyle business
Official website: https://trustridge.jp/
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