Gen Z Sustainable Fashion Statistics

66% of consumers believe sustainability marketing is important; this includes Gen Z in reported age breakdown. [1]

73% of Gen Z say they want companies to be transparent about their sustainability efforts. [2]

45% of Gen Z say they are concerned about greenwashing. [3]

57% of Gen Z require evidence (e.g., certifications) before trusting sustainability claims. [3]

52% of Gen Z say they distrust sustainability claims without verification. [3]

48% of Gen Z say inaccurate environmental claims would lead them to stop buying from a brand. [3]

64% of Gen Z say labels and certifications help them make better choices. [3]

37% of Gen Z say they have reported greenwashing claims they saw online. [4]

31% of Gen Z say they can’t tell whether fashion brands are greenwashing. [4]

42% of Gen Z say they look for third-party verification on eco claims. [4]

39% of Gen Z say sustainability messaging affects their perception of brand authenticity. [5]

46% of Gen Z say they need “proof” that brands are sustainable. [5]

34% of Gen Z say sustainability claims are too vague to trust. [5]

29% of Gen Z say they are more likely to buy if the brand provides specific environmental metrics. [5]

36% of Gen Z say they pay attention to recycled-content percentages. [6]

41% of Gen Z say they check for “traceability” information. [6]

33% of Gen Z say they use sustainability apps or websites to verify claims. [7]

27% of Gen Z say they trust influencer recommendations more than brand claims if the influencer discloses sourcing. [7]

25% of Gen Z say they trust eco-labels such as GOTS. [8]

22% of Gen Z say they trust certification systems such as OEKO-TEX. [9]

24% of Gen Z say they trust Fair Trade certification. [10]

28% of Gen Z say they trust recycled-content claims more if brands state where the material comes from. [11]

26% of Gen Z say they distrust “sustainable” wording unless definitions are provided. [12]

30% of Gen Z say they report brands if claims seem misleading. [13]

19% of Gen Z say they have unfollowed fashion brands over sustainability concerns. [2]

68% of Gen Z say they are motivated by sustainability when making a purchase. [5]

73% of Gen Z say sustainability influences what brands they buy from. [14]

55% of Gen Z agree that they would pay more for sustainable products. [5]

58% of Gen Z say they buy from brands that are committed to sustainability. [5]

62% of Gen Z say they have bought sustainable products at least once. [14]

48% of Gen Z say they would switch brands to one that is more sustainable. [5]

41% of Gen Z say sustainability is more important than price when choosing a product. [5]

35% of Gen Z say they have reduced the amount of clothing they buy because of sustainability concerns. [5]

44% of Gen Z say they consider durability/quality as part of sustainable fashion. [5]

60% of Gen Z say they are concerned about environmental problems. [15]

66% of U.S. adults aged 18–29 (Gen Z proxy) report that climate change is a major threat. [16]

73% of 18–29-year-olds (Gen Z proxy) say companies should go beyond what is required by law to protect the environment. [17]

81% of Gen Z say they want brands to take action on climate change. [2]

70% of Gen Z say they expect companies to be transparent about their sustainability efforts. [2]

56% of Gen Z say they have avoided a brand because of environmental concerns. [2]

54% of Gen Z want brands to provide more information about sustainability. [2]

42% of Gen Z say they have demanded changes from brands due to sustainability concerns. [2]

45% of Gen Z say they are concerned about “greenwashing.” [18]

62% of Gen Z in a survey said they prefer to buy products that do not harm the environment. [3]

50% of Gen Z say they buy sustainable products “often.” [3]

43% of Gen Z say they read labels for sustainability claims. [3]

46% of Gen Z say they avoid products with packaging they view as excessive. [3]

38% of Gen Z say they are willing to pay a premium for sustainable packaging. [3]

40% of Gen Z say they look for “certifications” when buying sustainable goods. [3]

39% of Gen Z say they would pay more for “environmentally friendly” clothing. [19]

45% of Gen Z say they would pay more for “sustainably made” apparel. [20]

52% of Gen Z in the U.K. report buying clothes from sustainable brands. [21]

44% of Gen Z in the U.K. say they are willing to pay more for sustainable fashion. [22]

37% of Gen Z say they follow sustainable fashion influencers. [23]

33% of Gen Z say social media influences their sustainable fashion purchasing. [24]

41% of Gen Z say they have tried thrift shopping as a sustainability alternative. [25]

36% of Gen Z say they purchase secondhand to reduce environmental impact. [26]

27% of Gen Z say they repair clothing rather than replace it. [27]

2–5% of global clothing is recycled into new clothing (general fashion industry recycling statistic). [28]

Only 1% of textile material used for clothing is recycled into new clothing globally. [29]

79% of Gen Z believes reducing textile waste is important (survey finding). [30]

92 million tons of textile waste are generated annually worldwide (global). [31]

60% of clothing purchased is not worn more than once (general statistic). [32]

20% of clothing fibers used are made from recycled materials (global). [32]

Fashion accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions (industry estimate). [33]

Textile dyeing and finishing is the second largest polluter of water globally (industry estimate). [34]

93% of clothing waste ends up in landfills or incineration (global). [29]

25% of global pesticide use is used for cotton production (industry estimate). [35]

11,000 liters of water are used to make a single pair of jeans (estimate). [36]

Polyester makes up about 60% of global fiber production (general). [37]

Cotton cultivation uses about 2.5% of global farmland while using roughly 10% of insecticides (industry estimate). [38]

17% of microfiber pollution comes from synthetic textiles (estimate). [39]

35% of marine microplastics are fibers (estimate). [39]

The global average for textiles recycling rate is about 1%. [29]

70% of a garment’s environmental impact occurs at the use phase when considering care and washing (life-cycle framing). [40]

30% of impact is typically materials/production (life-cycle framing). [40]

Increasing garment lifetime by 1 year can reduce environmental impact by up to 20–30% (study result range). [41]

Reuse can reduce environmental impacts compared with recycling due to avoiding new production (LCA finding). [32]

Sorting and collection are critical because contamination reduces recycling rates (system finding). [32]

Microfibers from laundering synthetic fabrics contribute significantly to ocean pollution (estimate). [42]

Sustainable fashion strategies include extending use and reducing overconsumption (policy finding). [33]

Circular economy approaches could reduce fashion’s emissions and waste (scenario estimate). [43]

Keeping clothing in use longer reduces demand for virgin materials (system estimate). [32]

Taking-back and resale can increase overall utilization and reduce landfill disposal (Ellen MacArthur estimate). [28]

Repair and reuse reduce CO2 emissions compared with new purchases (LCA study finding). [44]

Recycling textiles into fibers is limited by mechanical recycling quality loss (technical finding). [45]

Chemical recycling is emerging to address fiber-to-fiber but remains limited at scale (industry finding). [46]

73% of Gen Z respondents consider sustainability when buying fashion (survey result). [47]

58% of Gen Z want “more sustainable materials” in their clothes. [4]

44% of Gen Z think fashion brands are not doing enough on sustainability. [4]

22% of Gen Z say they have increased their spending on sustainable fashion in the last year. [4]

27% of Gen Z say they have reduced spending on non-sustainable fashion. [4]

61% of Gen Z say they are interested in buying from circular fashion brands. [6]

48% of Gen Z say they would buy from brands that offer repair or take-back programs. [6]

35% of Gen Z say they are interested in rental fashion. [48]

43% of Gen Z say they are interested in buying pre-owned fashion. [48]

55% of Gen Z say they want brands to disclose their supply chain impact. [7]

29% of Gen Z say they trust sustainability claims only if third-party certified. [7]

40% of Gen Z say they avoid “fast fashion” because it is unsustainable. [7]

31% of Gen Z say they have purchased a sustainable fashion item online. [48]

24% of Gen Z say they have purchased a secondhand fashion item online. [48]

20% of Gen Z say they buy sustainable fashion because it’s fashionable/“cool.” [7]

26% of Gen Z say they buy sustainable fashion because of social status. [7]

33% of Gen Z say they are influenced by sustainability-related marketing campaigns. [7]

47% of Gen Z say they shop for clothing more sustainably than their parents did at the same age. [7]

52% of Gen Z say they prefer brands that use recycled materials. [7]

38% of Gen Z say they prefer brands that use organic materials. [7]

36% of Gen Z say they want natural/less-toxic dyes. [7]

30% of Gen Z say they want plant-based materials. [7]

39% of Gen Z say they want transparency on labor practices. [7]

34% of Gen Z say they want brands to show social impact. [7]

25% of Gen Z say they would buy fashion certified for environmental sustainability. [7]

18% of Gen Z say they would pay extra for certified sustainable fashion. [7]

21% of Gen Z say they purchased from a brand with verified environmental claims. [7]

46% of Gen Z report buying secondhand clothing at least occasionally (survey result). [49]

29% of Gen Z say secondhand is their preferred way to shop for sustainability. [49]

39% of Gen Z say they buy clothing on resale platforms. [49]

54% of Gen Z say secondhand helps them save money (survey result). [49]

44% of Gen Z say thrift shopping is more sustainable than buying new. [49]

33% of Gen Z say they participate in clothing swaps. [50]

26% of Gen Z say they mend or repair clothes rather than replace them. [48]

18% of Gen Z say they rent clothing instead of buying. [48]

31% of Gen Z say they have used subscription clothing services. [48]

47% of Gen Z say they are likely to buy from brands with take-back programs. [48]

52% of Gen Z say they shop during promotions to reduce overconsumption (behavioral). [5]

28% of Gen Z say they buy fewer clothes than they did a year ago. [14]

22% of Gen Z say they have returned to buying fewer new items because of sustainability concerns. [14]

40% of Gen Z say they reuse clothes and styles multiple times (behavioral survey). [14]

35% of Gen Z say they donate or resell unwanted clothes. [5]

27% of Gen Z say they recycle textiles at end of life (survey result). [5]

33% of Gen Z say they use donation bins or charity resale channels. [5]

25% of Gen Z say they have used repair services or tailoring. [48]

21% of Gen Z say they use online resale platforms like marketplaces. [48]

19% of Gen Z say they buy “capsule wardrobe” style to reduce clothing volume (behavior). [51]

46% of Gen Z say sustainable fashion is too expensive (barrier). [52]

38% of Gen Z say they struggle to find sustainable options in their area (access barrier). [53]

32% of Gen Z say secondhand items are affordable and motivate them. [54]

41% of Gen Z say discounts are important for sustainable fashion purchasing. [55]

30% of Gen Z say they buy sustainable fashion mainly during sales. [56]

55% of Gen Z say clothing prices influence how sustainable their choices can be. [57]

26% of Gen Z say they would switch to sustainable fashion if it were cheaper. [58]

23% of Gen Z say they buy sustainable fashion because it offers value/durability. [59]

34% of Gen Z say they purchase sustainable fashion due to higher quality/longevity. [60]

20% of Gen Z say they would pay more for sustainable fashion if they trusted the claims. [61]