Classifying the Sustainability Profile of Clothing Customers

The textile sector faces reverse logistics, with activities that can foster a circular economy, such as recycling and reusing materials, a challenge. Industrial waste represents difficulties in all countries, and searching for a solution to the issues related to this subject is highly needed. In 2010 in Brazil, a National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) was implemented, and after almost a decade, the textile industry is still far from adequate regulation. The consumer society and its unstoppable garbage production need action to reverse this situation. Education and conscious consumption are urgent, especially in developing and poorer countries. The present study’s objective was to propose a clothing consumer classification model based on recycling initiatives. The research was developed based on a questionnaire distributed by email and social media platforms. The questionnaire used the Google Platform to examine the garments consumers’ characteristics and profiles. The data mining approach was used to process the organized data, and random trees were built to express the models. The results describe the clothing consumers’ sustainability characteristics based on their gender, age range, school level, monthly income, purchasing and recycling habits, and commuting. Results indicate that consumer sustainability awareness is mainly related to the period they wear the clothes and how often they purchase them. Consumer behavioral habits such as recycling solid waste and commuting are also indicators of their sustainability degree related to buying and using clothes.