Clothing care major factor in efforts for sustainability, new Trunk Club survey finds

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Jan 10, 2019

The average American throws away 600 pieces of clothing in their lifetime, according to a new survey conducted by Trunk Club, the personal styling service owned by Nordstrom.

The survey, conducted as part of the company's new Caring for Clothing campaign, aims to make consumers aware of their clothing waste and provide resources for consumers to better care for the clothes they buy.

According to a press release, the survey found that a notable percentage of clothes are tossed due to improper care, with at least 10 items each year being thrown out due to shrinkage, color issues and damage. 43 percent of those polled said they "rarely or never read the care instructions on their clothing before doing the laundry," while 21 percent said they rarely if ever follow instructions on clothing care tags.

In addition, many of those polled said that confusion when cleaning fabrics like silk, cashmere, suede, leather, and clothing with sequins also led to a higher rate of throw-aways. 

As companies like Asos and PVH Corp join the Global Fashion Agenda to find sustainable solutions for fashion production and consumption, and brands like Everlane launch eco-conscious clothing lines, this new information shows the necessity for durability and intuitive clothing care when it comes to the viability of sustainable fashion 

"When you're building your wardrobe, it's important to think about how you'll take care of those pieces," said Maggie Mee, head of merchandising for Trunk Club. "Understanding the different fabrics and the best ways to clean them can make laundering your clothes a lot easier and will keep your clothing lasting you longer."

To incentivize consumers to consider the value of caring for their clothing, Trunk Club provides a cost-per-wear calculator that estimates the amount of money shoppers can save by taking care of their clothes.

The calculator can be accessed now on Trunk Club's blog.