The Role of Garment Care: The Consumers' Perspective

Garment care labels play an important role in telling consumers how to maximize the life of apparel. It is critical for the consumer to know whether a garment should be machine washed, hand washed, professionally laundered, or dry cleaned in order to prolong its wear and good appearance. But when consumers purchase apparel, do they consider garment care factors? If so, what are the key drivers in a consumer’s decision between products labeled for home laundering or professional care? Once apparel is purchased, do consumers abide by the care-label instructions? Are consumers aware that there are different types of professional care techniques (laundering vs. dry cleaning), and do they specify which type of care they prefer for specific product categories, such as wrinkle-resistant slacks?

Top

Sales of Apparel by Type of Garment Care

In 1990, 82% of all apparel units purchased at retail were machine washable; in 1999, the proportion reached 86%. On a dollar basis, the percentage of apparel sold that was labeled for home care increased from 71% in 1990 to 75% in 1999.

Designer-label apparel is four times as likely to require professional care as national-brand apparel, and twice as likely as private-label apparel. In 1999, the percentage of unit sales of dry-cleanable clothes was highest for department stores (8.1%) and lowest for discount stores (less than 1%).

Sales of machine-washable apparel have increased as a direct consequence of consumers' shift towards a more casual lifestyle.  The percent of consumers indicating that they had casual days at work grew from 57% in 1994 to 68% in 1999, according to Cotton Incorporated's Lifestyle Monitor^TM. Over the past four years, sales of casual apparel (knit tops, work shirts, sweaters, jeans, and casual pants) have grown twice as fast as sales of tailored apparel (suits, sport coats, dress pants, and dress shirts).  Overall, only 29% of tailored apparel purchased in 1999 was labeled for home care, compared with 71% of casual apparel.  Sales of wrinkle-resistant slacks also have benefited from casual days in the workplace.

Top

Top

The Importance of Garment Care Labels

In a recent (late 1999) study commissioned by Cotton Incorporated on consumer attitudes toward garment care, 61% of respondents indicated that care labels were important in their decision to purchase an item of clothing.  Women 35 to 55 years of age accounted for approximately 77% of apparel purchases (on a unit basis) during 1999, according to the NPD Group, and 70% of consumers fitting this profile said care labels were influential in their decisions to buy clothing.

More than 50% of all consumers and 62% of core apparel consumers (women aged 35 to 55) said they frequently checked garment care labels before buying apparel.  In addition, 46% of all consumers and 52% of core consumers said they would avoid purchasing a garment because of its laundering instructions.  However, consumers under 35 are less likely to be concerned about care labels when buying clothing.  Only 28% of younger consumers said they frequently checked labels before buying apparel, and only 36% said they would avoid buying items because of care requirements.

Top