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Towards Sustainable Clothing Disposition: Exploring the Consumer Choice to Use Trash as a Disposal Option

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  • Pamela S. Norum

    (Department of Textile and Apparel Management, University of Missouri Columbia, Columbia, MO 65203, USA)

Abstract

The textile and apparel supply chain plays an integral role in providing consumers with a continuous supply of apparel that must ultimately be discarded. Viewing the consumer as a player in the process between the supply chain and the post-consumer textile waste stream, this study was designed to explore the consumer apparel disposition process with an eye towards understanding how both supply chain members and post-consumer waste entities can interact with consumers to reduce the amount of apparel discarded in landfills. Hanson’s Consumer Product Disposition Process framework was used to help guide the research. Using a qualitative research approach, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-four female consumers in the United States to address three main research questions. The findings revealed several themes: use of both “compensatory” and “non-compensatory” choice heuristics in decision making; a “usable life” and the “personal nature” of garments as barriers to non-trash disposal options; and the need to “create awareness” and “provide assurance” to encourage alternative disposal modes. Implications for apparel producers and retailers, secondhand stores and textile recyclers are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Pamela S. Norum, 2017. "Towards Sustainable Clothing Disposition: Exploring the Consumer Choice to Use Trash as a Disposal Option," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-14, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:7:p:1187-:d:103870
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Spiggle, Susan, 1994. "Analysis and Interpretation of Qualitative Data in Consumer Research," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 21(3), pages 491-503, December.
    2. Deniz Köksal & Jochen Strähle & Martin Müller & Matthias Freise, 2017. "Social Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Textile and Apparel Industry—A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-32, January.
    3. Hibbert, Sally A. & Horne, Suzanne & Tagg, Stephen, 2005. "Charity retailers in competition for merchandise: examining how consumers dispose of used goods," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(6), pages 819-828, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Cai, Ya-Jun & Choi, Tsan-Ming, 2020. "A United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals perspective for sustainable textile and apparel supply chain management," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    2. Sumera Ahmad & Suraya Miskon & Rana Alabdan & Iskander Tlili, 2020. "Exploration of Influential Determinants for the Adoption of Business Intelligence System in the Textile and Apparel Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.
    3. Ting, Hiram & Thaichon, Park & Chuah, Francis & Tan, Sharon Rebecca, 2019. "Consumer behaviour and disposition decisions: The why and how of smartphone disposition," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 212-220.
    4. Stamm, Andreas & Altenburg, Tilman & Müngersdorff, Maximilian & Stoffel, Tim & Vrolijk, Kasper, 2019. "Soziale und ökologische Herausforderungen der globalen Textilwirtschaft: Lösungsbeiträge der deutschen Entwicklungszusammenarbeit," EconStor Research Reports 209119, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    5. Katja Beyer & Marlen Gabriele Arnold, 2022. "Social sustainability in an evolving circular fashion industry: identifying and triangulating concepts across different publication groups [Soziale Nachhaltigkeit in einer sich entwickelnden zirkul," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 29-54, December.
    6. Bin Shen & Qingying Li & Ciwei Dong & Patsy Perry, 2017. "Sustainability Issues in Textile and Apparel Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-6, September.
    7. Esther Oluwadamilola Olufemi Rotimi & Cheree Topple & John Hopkins, 2021. "Towards A Conceptual Framework of Sustainable Practices of Post-consumer Textile Waste at Garment End of Lifecycle: A Systematic Literature Review Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, March.
    8. Kuo-Kuang Fan & Yi-Ting Chang, 2023. "Exploring the Key Elements of Sustainable Design from a Social Responsibility Perspective: A Case Study of Fast Fashion Consumers’ Evaluation of Green Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.
    9. Melissa Monika Wagner & Tincuta Heinzel, 2020. "Human Perceptions of Recycled Textiles and Circular Fashion: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-28, December.

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