Latest data from Cotton Incorporated reveals the vast majority of UK consumers (81%) expect fashion brands using high levels of cotton to last longer than garments made from manmade fibres.

Almost half (46%) of respondents said if clothing lasted less than six months, they would stop buying the brand, with 41% saying they would shop elsewhere. Just over a quarter of consumers (27%) said they note the fibre content of garments ahead of purchase, with 24% stating they would complain to the retailer if disappointed by the longevity of their fashion purchases.

“Durability is an important purchasing driver amongst UK consumers,” says Andrea Samber, Director of Brand Partnerships for Cotton Incorporated. “Cost of living pressures and retail inflation have increased both demands and expectations on our clothing, and the majority of people are recognising the value of natural fibres, such as cotton, in extending the life of our clothing purchases.

“Fashion brands using high levels of cotton in their products should be rewarded by the positive consumer sentiment surrounding natural fibres and longevity. The Cotton Lives On™ programme continues to work with brands participating in the programme to divert cotton from landfill when people stop wearing their clothes.”

The Cotton Lives On™ recycling programme aims to reduce landfill waste and extend the life of old cotton in a way that helps both people and our planet.

The programme diverts old cotton from landfill and transforms it into mattresses for people at risk of homelessness. To date, the Cotton Lives On™ recycling programme has collected approximately 8,000kg of cotton in the UK and provided over 100 roll mats.

Each new roll mat contains the equivalent of 45 cotton T-shirts. People around the UK at risk of homelessness and living in difficult conditions receive roll mats as part of their first essential products package when moving to a hostel, or as part of their new home kit once they find a more permanent place of residence.

For further information on the Cotton Lives On™ recycling programme, please click here.