A STUDY ON CONSUMER PERCEPTION

TOWARDS RECYCLED CLOTHES IN BIKANER

CITY

Submitted to the RNBGU for partial fulfilment for Award of Degree of

Masters of Business Administration (MBA) 4th Semester Course
Requirement By:
Course Code: 11018600

Komal Agarwal
Roll No. 2011421001

Under the Guidance of

Mr. Shailendra Singh Barath

SCHOOL OF COMMERCE AND MANAGEMENT

RNB GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
BIKANER, RAJASTHAN

APRIL-2022

I
 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Komal Agarwal, RNBGU2020000062 is a Bonafide

Student of School of Commerce and Management, RNB Global
University, Bikaner, Rajasthan. She/he is in the 4th semester of Master of
Business Administration Program (MBA). She has done this project report
under my guidance/supervision towards partial fulfilment of the Final year
MBA course requirement.

Dean Faculty Coordinator

Date:
Place:

School of Commerce and Management Seal

II
 DECLARATION
th
I, Komal Agarwal RNBGU2020000062 studying in 4 Semester
MBA program at School of Commerce and Management, RNB
Global University, Bikaner, Rajasthan. I, at this moment, declare
that this project is an original work of mine, and I have not
verbatim copied/duplicated any material from sources like the
internet or from print media, excepting some vital company
information/statistics and data that are provided by the company
itself.

Signature of student

Date:
Place:

III
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This report would not have been possible without the assistance and
participation of many people. I sincerely appreciate and
acknowledge their contribution. But in particular I would extend my
gratitude to RNBGU for providing us such platforms where I can get
chance for enhance my personal skills.
We are very much grateful to respected Faculty Prof. Mr. Shailendra
Singh Barath of RNB Global University, who has enriched our
knowledge and gave a moral support to do this report. I am also
highly thankful to them for showing the right path and encouraging
us for the preparation of this report.

KOMAL AGARWAL
2011421001

IV
 ABSTRACT

In the era of fast fashion, things are made quickly and for a fraction of the
cost but end up being expensive for the environment. Today, the textile
industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world and in India, it
is the third-largest source of waste after plastic, paper and compost.
According to the Indian Textile Journal, it is estimated that more than 1
million tons of textiles are thrown away every year, with most of this
coming from household sources. Also, Large textile hubs in the country
produce up to 45,000 meters of fabric waste on a daily basis. In order to
ensure sustainability and reduce environmental impacts in the textile and
apparel sector, utilizing a circular economy model is of utmost importance.
Recycling of textile waste is a requirement for the implementation of a
circular model. This study is based on perception of consumer toward
recycle clothes.

V
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapters Particulars Page No.

CHAPTER I 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1-2
1.2 PROCESS OF RECYCLED CLOTHES 3
1.3 BRANDS THAT OFFER TEXTILE
RECYCLING 4-6
1.4 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM 6
1.5 OBJECTIVES 7
1.6 NEED FOR THE STUDY 7
1.7 LIMITATION 7

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 REVIEW OF LITREATARUE 8-9
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN 10
3.2 DATA COLLECTION METHOD 10
3.3 TOOLS USED FOR ANALYSIS 10

CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 11-25

CHAPTER V FINDINGS AND SUGGESTION

5.1 FINDINGS OF STUDY 26-27
5.2 SUGGESTIONS 27
5.3 CONCLUSION 28
REFERENCE 29
APPENDIX 30-38
ANNEXURES I-VIII

VI
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Nos. Figure Heading Page No.

Figure 1 H&M recycling system 30
Figure 2 Zara recycling system 30
Figure 3 Visual Representation of Second-hand Clothing 31
Figure 4 Visual Representation of Upcycled Clothing. 31
Figure 5 Visual Representation of Recycled Clothing 32

VII
 LIST OF ANNEXURES

S. Nos. Annexure Heading Page No.

1 Title Page I
2 Bonafide Certificate II
3 Declaration III
4 Acknowledgement IV
5 Abstract V
6 Table of Content VI
7 List of Figures VII
8 List of Annexures VIII

VIII
CHAPTER I
1.1 INTRODUCTION

Textile is an ancient industry that goes back to the beginning of the history of humanity,
and its products range from products of daily usage to technical ones. All kinds of
garments obtained by processing knitted, woven and nonwoven fabrics are categorized
as the apparel sector. Actually, textile production is one of the main industries that
affect global environmental pollution, as both the production and the processing of the
necessary raw materials are contributing factors to pollution. Another important aspect
of the problem is the waste that results from both production and consumption of the
textile goods. Though technically all waste in the textile and garment sector can be
recycled, unfortunately, only a small amount is recycled. As long as the linear system
currently utilized in the production goes on, it seems that we will not be able to use the
resources efficiently and reduce the environmental pollution.

The main benefit of textile recycling activities is the opportunity to reuse clothing.
Through the reuse of clothes and textiles, we can avoid pollution and energy-intensive
production of new clothing. Additionally, clothing that cannot be reused may be
repurposed into products such as rags or recycled into fabric or other material for
reprocessing.

Hence, companies and brands have realised the need to reduce waste and have been
reintroducing the recycling of textile scraps. More sustainable manufacturing and
higher rates of recycling, along with consumer awareness, are key elements to support
sustainable development and lower the impact of the fashion and textile industry.
Consumers are widely seen to play a vital role to drive sustainability, and their influence
on the clothing life cycle present different scenarios. Recycling aims to reduce landfill
or incineration, as well as the sourcing of virgin materials. Textile waste can add value
to the industry, as some companies perceive cost benefits through saving landfill
charges or donating textile waste. Nevertheless, even though textiles and clothing are
claimed to be nearly fully recyclable, less than 1% of clothing textile material is
recycled into new clothes. This means that thousands of tonnes of textiles end up in
landfills. By reusing or recycling fashion, we can turn that around.

1
• Rewear: Wearable clothes are marketed as second-hand clothing.
• Re-use: If the clothes or textiles are not suitable for rewear they're turned into
other products, such as remake collections or cleaning cloths.
• Recycle: All other clothes and textiles are shredded into textile fibres and used
to make new clothes.

The major classification of textiles waste is as follows:

• Pre-consumer textiles waste: It is also called production waste and is

generated from the first phase of the supply chain. The consumer never sees
pre-consumer waste produced during industrial processing of textiles by the
manufacturer. It includes scraps, damaged or defective material samples,
fabric selvages and leftover fabric from the cutting process. On an average,
about 15 per cent of fabric used in garment production is cut, discarded and
wasted. The fabrics that are made from 100 per cent degradable material
like cotton, linen, silk, hemp are recycled into a compost, or upcycled into
a value-added product. Synthetic textiles can be upcycled into composites
and building blocks to be used in construction or sound proofing
applications.
• Post-consumer textile waste: These are household articles or garments that
the owner does not require any more and discards. The out of fashion,
damaged clothes with fitting issues come under this category.
Conventionally, old textiles are recycled again to fit into some household
activities as a mop or wash cloth, but with the current invasion of disposable
textiles, the use and throw approach is quite popular; so old textiles are
thrown away. A disheartening fact is that the majority of the population has
lost the art of mending or repairing of clothing and accessories. Thus, a
change in consumer psychology has created a harmful situation.
• Industrial textile waste: It is generated from industrial applications and
includes conveyor belts, filters, geo-textiles and wiping rags. On wear and
tear of a particular component, the waste components are thrown away. In
most cases, it is inevitable and open for downcycling, upcycling and
recycling options. Many companies work on these wastes and try to
incorporate the waste into an asset, thus leading to circular economy.

2
1.2 PROCESS OF RECYCLED CLOTHES
Most recycled textiles are turned into mattress stuffing or insulation. Garment to
garment recycling system is a mini production line used to process post-consumer
garments into sanitized recycled garments. The system uses no water, no dyeing is
needed. It involves eight steps which are as follow:

1. Used garments are sanitized in an ozone chamber to remove microorganism on

the clothes.
2. The used garments are then shredded into their constituent yarns and fibre
particles in a fibre opening machine.
3. The shredded material is divided into clumps of fibre and impurities attached to
clumps are removed in a cleaning machine.
4. The clumps are then carded and aligned in the same orientation and so become
fibre web.
5. Fibre web are converted into slivers and a number of slivers being drawn
together to form straightened units with improved evenness.
6. A number of these drawn slivers are fed into a high-speed rotor and spun into
single yarn.
7. Two single yarns are then combined and this double yarn is fed into a twister
machine which converts the yarn into ply yarn to enhance strength and balance
torque.
8. Finally, either new garment is made using a whole garment knitting machine or
knitted fabrics are produced by a flatbed knitting machine.

3
1.3 BRANDS THAT OFFER TEXTILE RECYCLING PROGRAM
Even if consumers don’t physically place their old clothing in the garbage, used
garments still wind up in landfills—and they’re piling up at an astronomical rate.
Consumers are likely familiar with at least one ominous statistic regarding the severity
of the clothing waste epidemic—the average American discards 81 pounds of clothes
each year; one garbage truck of clothing is burned or landfilled every second—but
they’re probably not aware that the way they’ve been donating or selling their used
clothing is actually part of the problem.
A number of brands have adopted textile recycling programs that work with facilities
equipped with the appropriate resources for turning used fabric into new garments. The
third-party companies they work with are able to properly separate items and
significantly lower their chances of ending up in landfills.

1. Reformation

A clothing company built on sustainable practices, Reformation launched its recycling

program, RefRecycling, in 2014. The brand does most of its business online, and its
recycling program reflects that.

Customers can recycle old clothes by printing out a shipping label they can pull from
their online profile and adding it to a box filled with the clothes they want to recycle.
Then, they can drop it off at the nearest post office or schedule a home pick-up. From
there, Reformation gives users total transparency into their recycling process:
Customers can log in to their profile, look up the label number and track their shipment
to see where their items end up.

Kathleen Talbot, Reformation’s vice president of operations and sustainability, told

Rivet the program has been a major success. The brand’s goal for 2019 was to reuse or
recycle at least 100,000 garments, and at the end of September, it had already hit
311,361 garments. That’s the equivalent to saving 2,462 metric tons of CO2, 24 million
gallons of water and 194 metric tons of waste.

2. Levi’s

In 2014, Levi’s launched its clothing recycling initiative in partnership with global
solutions provider I:CO to accept clothing and shoes in any condition in exchange for
10 percent off their Levi’s purchase.

4
More recently, the brand partnered with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green program to
create a more enticing offer for denim contributions: Shoppers can bring in denim from
any brand and receive 20 percent off any one Levi’s item. The donated fabric will be
recycled and used as material for building insulation, a portion of which will go toward
constructing libraries, hospitals and schools. Levi’s offers the program at its mainline
and outlet stores in the U.S. and Canada.

3. Madewell

Another brand dedicated to making the most out of used denim, Madewell also partners
with the Blue Jeans Go Green program to turn recycled denim into insulation for
housing projects. It accepts denim from any brand in exchange for $20 off a new pair
of Madewell jeans, and donation boxes are available in stores globally. Since the
partnership began in 2014, more than 716,000 pairs of jeans have been collected from
Madewell stores.

4. H&M Group

H&M Group’s garment collection program began in 2013, and has since collected
78,000 tons of clothing through customer donations at stores around the world.
Shoppers can bring in any textiles in any condition—everything from worn out sheets
to ratty T-shirts are accepted—in exchange for 15 percent off their next in-store
purchase. Textiles are sent to a facility that separates them into categories: rewear, reuse
and recycle. From there, they’re either sold as second-hand goods, converted into other
garments, or broken down into textile fibres to manufacture other products.

5. Zara

Zara offers a clothing collection program that accepts clothes in all conditions at select
stores. Currently, it also offers home pick-up for certain customers in Spain, Beijing
and Shanghai.

When finalizing an online order, these customers have the opportunity to request
complimentary pickup on a box of used clothing the same day the customer’s new items
are delivered. Used clothing is then either donated, recycled, transformed into new
fabric or sold to finance the participating non-profits’ projects. Items are properly
separated accordingly to ensure optimal use.

5
6. The North Face

As The North Face targets a demographic of people who love the outdoors, it only
makes sense that the brand would also be dedicated to sustainability and recycling. In
2013, it launched its Clothes the Loop program, which encourages people to recycle
unwanted clothing and footwear by dropping them off at The North Face Retail and
Outlet stores. In exchange, customers receive a $10 reward toward their next purchase
of $100 or more.

Since the program started, it has expanded to new markets and collected more than
125,000 pounds of used items. The company is committed to growing the program
globally and keeping as much clothing as possible from ending up in landfills.

1.4 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Textiles is the second biggest polluting industry. The average life span of a garment is
roughly three years, and so, textiles generate a huge amount of waste. Five per cent of
all global landfills is being taken up by dumped textile waste.

It is not possible to avoid wastage during production or usage of textiles. Besides, a

sensible analysis on the shopping behaviour and life cycle of a product among the
consumers is essential. The huge quantity of textile waste dumped in landfills and
incinerated can be reduced to a great level by understanding the dimensions of a product
and its compatibility with nature.
In this report we are analysing the perception of people of Bikaner city towards recycled
clothes, which are made from converted old clothes fibre yarn.

6
1.5 OBJECTIVES
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

• To know the perception of consumer towards recycled clothes.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:

• To know the knowledge about the recycle clothes among people.

• Scope of recycle apparel market in Bikaner.

1.6 NEED FOR STUDY

Fashion waste is costing the global economy more than $400 billion every year,
according to a recent World Economic Forum report. And this is just the economic
impact of fashion waste. Beyond economic loss, fashion waste leads to environmental
disasters. On average, consumers throw away 60 per cent on their clothes in the first
year. In 2020 an estimated 18.6 million tonnes of clothing will end up in a landfill.

The Ellen Macarthur Foundation reports that if this trend continues, over 150 million
tonnes of clothing waste will clog landfills by 2050. Hence, circular fashion is the future
to save world from textile pollution. This report will help us to analyse the perception
and knowledge among the people about recycled clothes in Bikaner City.

1.7 LIMITATIONS

• Due to pandemic (Covid-19) Face to face interaction with responded would be

limited.
• Study is limited to Bikaner City only.
• Time Constraint

7
CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW
(Kaisa Vehmas, 2018) In this study, we reviewed consumers’ views on circular
garments (RQ1). Consumers really like the idea of recycling textile waste to produce
new clothes. Finnish consumers more commonly return the clothes for reuse than throw
the old garments away and they would be willing to return their textile waste to a
separate collection point as they do with paper, metal and glass. The attitude towards
circular clothing is positive. Circular clothing is seen basically as new, and in that sense
those who would not wear second-hand clothes, would happily buy circular garments.
Circular garments should be more available on the market, and they should be branded
as luxury items and a special edition that would be easily recognisable.

(Nilanjana Bairagi, 2018) This study observed that almost half of the respondents of
the survey in India would like to discard the clothes that are no more in use. There is a
lack of awareness on the channels available for donation of used clothing, through most
of the respondents were willing to donate. The donated clothing mostly consists of
upper wears. The channels of post-consumer recycling of clothes are mostly NGOs who
use it for charity or up-cycle it to new products using a community of artisans, who
work for their livelihood. At present there are few Indian brands that create designer
products by recycling of post-consumer apparel waste.

(Santosh Tara, 2020) There is enough scope for marketing and enhancing the second-
hand garments in the low-income states like Odisha in India. Over the years, young
consumers are getting attracted towards buying second-hand clothes in the second-tier
cities of India. In some pockets of Bhubaneswar city of Odisha state, some vendors are
selling second-hand clothes and the business is gaining momentum. Young people
having environmental awareness are more interested to buy second-hand clothes
provided these are perfectly cleaned and washed. One of the major factors affecting
consumers’ decision to buy second-hand clothes was the reaction of others towards a
customer’s sale and purchase of second-hand clothes. This is a major problem that
needs to be tackled with thorough awareness campaigns and a boost in the purchase
and sale of recycled garments. Transparency of the supply chain along with making
people aware of the positive aspects of second-hand clothes would play a major role in
increasing sales as more people start accepting the idea.

8
(Søren Askegaard, 2021) The study contributes to the literature on circular fashion by
enhancing our understanding of the effects of consumers’ perceived value and risks of
such products. In particular, it is meaningful that this study focused on circular fashion
made from textile waste generated in the fashion industry and divided it into three types.
It is also meaningful that this empirical study compared differences in consumer
perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors by type. This study identified factors affecting
circular fashion consumption from a more integrated perspective.

9
CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design

Descriptive Research Design is used for the study. A Descriptive Survey Research is
an approach of Descriptive Research that blends quantitative and qualitative data to
provide you with relevant and accurate information. A time-efficient research method,
Descriptive Survey Design engages the people who are at the centre of the research
objective.

3.2 DATA COLLECTION METHOD

Data collection methods are generally two types; Primary Data & Secondary Data.

Primary Data: The primary data are those which are collected a fresh and for the first
time and thus happens to be original in character. The primary data is collected from
the questionnaire.

Secondary Data: The secondary data are those which have already been collected by
someone else and which have been already been passed through the statistical process.
The research is based on secondary data collected from the company sales, production
and other records.

In this report we have used both primary and secondary data to do the research.

3.3 TOOLS USED FOR ANALYSIS

The data was collected through questionnaire method. Again, the research is descriptive
type. The analysis is done through the tabular and graphical representation.

ANALYSIS OF DATA:
• Nature of Research - Descriptive
• Research Approach - Survey
• Contact Method – Email
• Sample Size (n) = 100
• Sampling Criteria - Random Sampling
• Research instrument – Questionnaires

10
CHAPTER IV

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

1. Name

2. Age *
Mark only one oval.

18-20

20-25

25-30

30 above

Age
100 Responses

15%
27%

20%

38%

18-20 20-25 25-30 30 and above

INTERPRETATION: It was found that 38% respondents were from age group of 20-
25,27% respondents were from the age group of 18-20. 20% of respondents were from
age group of 25-30 and remaining 15% of respondents were above the age of 30 years.

11
3. Gender *
Mark only one oval.

Female

Male

INTERPRETATION: It was found that 49% of respondents were male respondents

and remaining 51% of respondents were female respondents.

4. Marital Status *
Mark only one oval.

Married

Single

INTERPRETATION: It was found that 81% of respondents were Single and

remaining 19% of respondent were Married.

12
5. Education Qualification *
Mark only one oval.

Under Graduation

Graduation

Post-Graduation

Other:

INTERPRETATION: It was found that 41% of respondents were doing their post-
graduation degree. 30% of respondents were doing graduation. 28% of respondents
were under graduate and remaining 1% has completed their LLB.

6. Occupation *
Mark only one oval.

Student

Housewife

Professional

Business

Government Employee

Private Employee

13
INTERPRETATION: It was found that 58% of respondent were students, 14% were
private employee 12% were having their own business, 6% of respondents were
housewives and remaining 2 % were Government employees.

7. Family Income (per annum) *

Mark only one oval.

Below 5 Lakh

5 Lakh - 10 Lakh

10 Lakh - 20 Lakh

20 Lakh and above

14
INTERPRETATION: It was found that 37% of respondents were having income

below 5 Lakhs, 31% were having income between the range of 5 lakh – 10 lakhs, 20%

between 10 lakh- 20 lakh and remaining 12% were having income above 20 lakhs.

8. How frequently do you go shopping for clothes? *

Mark only one oval.

Once in a week

Once in a month

Once in three months

Once in six months

Occasionally

INTERPRETATION: It was found that 36% of respondents go for shopping

occasionally, while 25% go shopping once in a month, 24% go once in three months,
9% go once in six month and remaining 6% go shopping for once in a week.

15
9. How many clothes do you buy at a time? *
Mark only one oval.

1 to 2 pair of clothes

3 to 5 pair of clothes

5 to 10 pair clothes

INTERPRETATION: It is found that most of respondent 51% buy 1 to 2 pair of

clothes, 46% buy 3 to 5 pair of clothes and remaining 3% respondent buy 5 to 10 pair
clothes at a time.

10. Your Purchase mostly includes? *

Mark only one oval.

Top wears

Bottom wear

Both

16
INTERPRETATION: It is found that most of respondent 79% buy both top wears and
bottom wears, 19% of respondents buy top wears only and remaining 2% buy only
bottom wear only.

11. Price Range you normally buy?

Mark only one oval.

Below Rs.500

Rs.500 to Rs.1000

Rs.1000 to Rs.5000
Above Rs.5000

INTERPRETATION: It is found that most of respondent with 53% buy clothes with
price range of Rs.1000 to Rs.5000, while 34% buy clothes with price range of Rs. 500

17
to Rs. 1000, 8% of responded buy clothes above price range of Rs.5000 and remaining
5% buy clothes with price range below Rs.500.

12. What do you do with your old clothes? *

Tick all that apply.

Repair and Repurpose

Resale

Donate

Other

INTERPRETATION: It is found that 79% respondent donate their old clothes, 26%
reuse their old clothes by repairing or convert them into other useful products, 3%
Resale their old used clothes and remaining 6% dump their old clothes or give it to their
younger brother or sister.

13. Do you know about recycled clothes? *

Mark only one oval.
Yes

No

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 INTERPRETATION: It is found that 50% of respondents know about recycled
clothes and remaining 50% does not know about recycled clothes.

14. How did you come across this information and find out about this
term?
Mark only one oval.

Friends

Education Institution

Work Place

Social Media

Till date I am not aware about this term

19
INTERPRETATION: It is found that 47% of respondents were not aware about the
term recycled clothes, 28% came across this information from social media, 11% of
respondents from Friends and Education Institution and remaining 3% from work place.

15. Have you ever bought recycled clothes? *

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

INTERPRETATION: It is found that 91% of respondents had never purchased

recycled clothes and remaining 9% had bought recycled clothes.

16. Are you aware about the Brands that are manufacturing or
selling recycledclothes? *

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

20
INTERPRETATION: It is found that 62% of respondents were not aware about the
brands that are manufacturing or selling recycled clothes whereas 38% were aware
about the brands that are manufacturing or selling recycled clothes.

17. Which brand are you aware of that is manufacturing or selling

recycled clothes?
Tick all that apply.

H&M

Zara

Levi’s’

The North Face

Other

None

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INTERPRETATION: It is found that among the respondents who were aware about
the brands that are manufacturing or selling recycled clothes 21.3% were aware about
Zara and H&M, 15.7% were aware about Levi’s, 13.5% were aware about other brands
while 7.9% were aware about The North Face. 55.1% of respondents were not aware
about any of these brands.

18. Are you aware about various discount provided by these brands
on exchange ofyour old clothes? *

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

INTERPRETATION: It is found that 79% were not aware about various discount
provided by these brands on exchange of old clothes while only 21% were aware about
it.

19. Would you prefer to give away your old clothes And Get Discount
Vouchers in Return? *
Mark only one oval.
Yes

No

22
INTERPRETATION: It is found that 85% of respondents would prefer to give away
old clothes and get discount vouchers in return while 15% would not give away their
old clothes and get discount vouchers in return.

20. Would you like to buy recycled garments? *

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

Maybe

INTERPRETATION: It is found that 52% were not sure about whether they would
like to buy recycled garments, 25% respondents would not like to buy recycled
garments and remaining 23% would like to buy recycled garments.

23
21. If No, Why Not?

Tick all that apply.

Hygiene and Cleanliness issue

Low Quality

High Price

Low Social acceptance

Not that stylish

INTERPRETATION: It is found that among the respondents who won’t prefer to buy
recycled clothes is because of Hygiene and Cleanliness issues with 71.3%, Low Quality
with 36.3%, 25% of respondents feels that recycled clothes are not that stylish,23.8%
because of low social acceptance and remaining 12.5% because they assume it to be
high priced.

24
22. You will purchase recycled clothes because

Tick all that apply.

Affordability

Reduce Textile waste

Trendy and Stylish

INTERPRETATION: It is found that among the respondents who would prefer to buy
recycled clothes is to Reduce textile waste with 72.6%, 50.7% will purchase recycled
clothes because of affordability and remaining 28.8% because they think recycled
clothes are trendy and stylish.

25
CHPATER V

FINDINGS AND SOLUTION

5.1 FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

The aim of our study was to investigate consumers’ perception towards recycled clothes
in Bikaner City. For this we have collected response from 100 people residing in
Bikaner City with the help of questionnaire which was circulated online. Following are
the findings of the study:

❖ The frequency of purchasing clothes among the people of Bikaner city is

Medium. As, most of the respondents go for shopping clothes occasionally.
❖ Average respondents prefer buying more than 2 pair of clothes including both
top wear and bottom wear with an average price range of ₹2,000 per pair.
❖ Most of the respondents believes in donating their old clothes, which is the
main reason for increasing the textile waste. As, at the end those clothes are
dumped in garbage creating textile pollution.
❖ As, per the findings 50% of respondents are aware about recycled clothes, but
rest 50% were not having proper knowledge about recycled clothes.
❖ There is lack of knowledge about recycled clothes as most of the people are not
aware about it and have a misconception regarding it. Even recycled clothes
are understood as upcycled clothes by many people. (Appendix include the
difference between upcycle and recycled clothes).
❖ Brands such as H&M and Zara are also into recycled clothes which is the part
of their CSR activity where these brands are collecting the old clothes and
converting them into a newly formed fashion and are also sold at their stores.
These brands also provide some coupons to their customer on return of their
old clothes, these old clothes are shredded into fibre and make yarn, fabric and
products to sell them. (Appendix includes pictures related to it.)
❖ Preference of recycled clothes is too low in the city as people have the
misconception that the clothes are unhygienic and are of low quality which
again shows the knowledge o recycled clothes is too low in the city.
❖ Only few people have purchased recycled clothes and know about the brands
that are manufacturing or selling it.

26
 ❖ The frequency of the people who want to get discount vouchers in return of
their old clothes is high but the knowledge about it is too comparatively low.
❖ Most of the respondents are confused to buy the recycled clothes, which may
be because of lack of knowledge. But the future is all about sustainable
development and to reach there the awareness regarding the recycled clothes
should increase and which is only possible through educating the younger
generation.

5.2 SUGGESTIONS
Textile pollution is one of the major problems which is never talked about in today’s
world. People are not aware about it and are not having a proper knowledge to discard
their old clothes. A major population is following the fast fashion culture which means
buying cheap dresses repeatedly to make a collection. It is the production of cheaper
clothes that involves harmful dyes and chemicals. The rising trend of fast fashion has
also led to the emission of carbon gasses in the environment. Finally, these low-quality
materials end up in a landfill. Fast fashion suppliers often provide huge discounts on
their textile products. This attracts buyers to purchase new dresses frequently.

A lot of waste is also created while the clothes are being manufactured which is also
known as pre- consumer textile wastes. Recycling of the clothes is the only one of the
ways we can solve this problem. Hence, knowledge regarding this should be generated
among the people so that we can contribute toward solving this problem. Awareness
about the recycled clothes should be increased with the help of campaign and social
media.

Even as an individua we can contribute toward solving the problem related the textile
waste in the following ways:

❖ Always prefer to buy high quality clothes rather than purchasing low-quality
clothes. As, the high-quality clothes are much more durable for the longer
period of time.
❖ Old clothes can be donated to the poor if you get bored of wearing those durable
clothes, sometime your old clothes can be repaired and sold in second hand
market. It can also be converted into the other product and can be repurpose.
❖ Even you can give away your old clothes in different brands that offer discount
vouchers in return of it.

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5.3 CONCLUSION

The textile manufacturing process starts from a series of activities like spinning,
weaving, dyeing, finishing, etc, and ends with a beautiful garment placed in a
showroom for sale. Unfortunately, every step produces textile waste in many forms.
There is a sharp increase in the global production of clothing. It has gained more
importance when compared to the last twenty years. We need dresses for every
occasion, mood, and season that raises the demand for textile. In return, the textile
industry has turned out to be a major contributor to pollution level.
In India, there was a time when our mom crafted a curtain out of her old saree or made
a beautiful table cloth with old bedsheets. It was a sensible approach towards reusing
textile. Post modernization, there has been a rise in demand for textiles and the process
to reuse them is getting faded. We are influenced by the western lifestyle which is a
significant contributor to landfills. We do not want to repeat clothes on any occasion or
start discarding them after a month’s use. Such an attitude towards textile, increases the
waste. Recycling, upcycling, repairing, reusing is some of the environment-friendly
steps to reduce textile waste.

The study has observed that there is lack of awareness among the people of Bikaner
City about the recycled clothes. People are less aware about the various brands that are
manufacturing or selling recycled clothes. The main issue that stops people to purchase
recycled clothes is cleanliness and quality factor. This issue is also because of lack of
knowledge. Hence, there is need to increase the awareness and knowledge about the
recycled clothes before starting recycled clothing market in Bikaner City.

Based on finding we found that people are ready to give away their old clothes in return
of discount vouchers from various brands. But they were not aware about it. Moreover,
most of the respondents want to buy recycled clothes to reduce the textile waste which
is a positive response which shows that they care for the mother earth and also wants
to be part of sustainable growth. The future is all about recycling and reducing the
landfills and bringing out the ways to reduce the pollution.

Recycled clothing market is the future and also a great way to reduce the textile waste
on the other hand being more fashionable and stylish. In coming future, we can see it
as a scope of business.

28
REFERENCES
Books/ Research Papers/ Articles

1. Ayşegül Körlü “Waste in Textile and Leather Sectors” September 9th, 2020
2. Inhwa Kim, Hye Jung Jung and Yuri Lee “Consumers’ Value and Risk
Perceptions of Circular Fashion: Comparison between Second-hand, Upcycled,
and Recycled Clothing” 2021
3. Kaisa Vehmas “Consumer attitudes and communication in circular fashion”
2018
4. Nilanjana Bairagi “Recycling of Post-Consumer Apparel Waste in India:
Channels for Textile Reuse” 2017

Websites

1. https://textilevaluechain.in/news-insights/upcycling-consumer-awareness-
survey-report/ (last assessed 23-04-2022)
2. https://homegrown.co.in/article/802190/what-to-do-with-your-old-waste-
clothes
(last assessed 23-04-2022)
3. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/specials/clean-tech/when-waste-
becomes-the-trendy-winner/article34123012.ece (last assessed 23-04-2022)
4. https://circularapparel.co/blog/2021/08/25/role-of-circular-business-models-
in-india/
(last assessed 23-04-2022)
5. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/textile-recycling-facts-and-figures-2878122
(last assessed 23-04-2022)
6. https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/8696/harmful-effects-of-
textile-
waste#:~:text=Textiles%20is%20the%20second%20biggest,production%20or
%20usage%20of%20textiles.
(last assessed 23-04-2022)

29
APPENDIX

Figure 1 H&M recycling system

Figure 2 Zara Recycled clothes

30
 Figure 3 Visual Representation of Secondhand Clothing

Figure 4 Visual Representation of Upcycled Clothing.

31
Figure 5 Visual Representation of Recycled Clothing.

32
QUESTIONNAIRE:

A Study On Consumer Perception Toward RecycledClothes In

Bikaner City

Dear Respondents,
I am Komal Agarwal, doing research on the topic- "A Study On Consumer
Preferences Toward Recycled Clothes In Bikaner City". It is an academic
research, which is the part of my MBA curriculum at RNB Global University,
Bikaner. I would like to assure you that your responses will be kept
confidential and will only be used for academic purposes.

*Required
About Research
Today, less than 1% of the materials used to make clothes get recycled each
year. This means that thousand ton of textiles end up in landfills. By reusing
or recycling fashion, we can turn that around. Clothes recycling is the
process of recovering fibre, yarn or fabric and reprocessing the textile
material into useful clothes which again help to save our planet earth from
textile waste. This research is done to know your perception towards these
types of recycled clothes.

1. Name

2. Age *

Mark only one oval.

18-20

20-25

25-30

30 above

3. Gender *
Mark only one oval.
Female

Male

33
4. Marital Status *
Mark only one oval.
Married

Single

5. Education Qualification *
Mark only one oval.
Under Graduation

Graduation

Post-Graduation

Other:

6. Occupation *
Mark only one oval.
Student

Housewife

Professional

Business

Government Employee

Private Employee

7. Family Income (per annum) *

Mark only one oval.
Below 5 Lakh

5 Lakh - 10 Lakh

10 Lakh - 20 Lakh

20 Lakh and above

34
 8. How frequently do you go shopping for clothes? *
Mark only one oval.

Once in a week

Once in a month

Once in three months

Once in six months

Occasionally

9. How many clothes do you buy at a time? *

Mark only one oval.

1 to 2 pair of clothes

3 to 5 pair of clothes

5 to 10 pair clothes

10. Your Purchase mostly includes? *

Mark only one oval.

Top wears

Bottom wear

Both

11. Price Range you normally buy?

Mark only one oval.

Below Rs.500

Rs.500 to Rs.1000

Rs.1000 to Rs.5000
Above Rs.5000

35
 12. What do you do with your old clothes? *
Tick all that apply.

Repair and Repurpose

Resale

Donate

Other

13. Do you know about recycled clothes? *

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

14. How did you come across this information and find out about this term?
Mark only one oval.
Friends

Education Institution

Work Place

Social Media

Till date I am not aware about this term

15. Have you ever bought recycled clothes? *

Mark only one oval.
Yes

No

16. Are you aware about the Brands that are manufacturing or selling
recycledclothes? *
Mark only one oval.
Yes

No

36
 17. Which brand are you aware of that is manufacturing or selling recycled
clothes?
Tick all that apply.

H&M

Zara

Levi’s’

The North Face

Other

None

18. Are you aware about various discount provided by these brands on exchange
ofyour old clothes? *
Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

19. Would you prefer to give away your old clothes And Get Discount
Vouchers inReturn? *
Mark only one oval.
Yes

No

20. Would you like to buy recycled garments? *

Mark only one oval.
Yes

No

Maybe

37
 21. If No, Why Not?
Tick all that apply.

Hygiene and Cleanliness issue

Low Quality

High Price

Low Social acceptance

Not that stylish

22. You will purchase recycled clothes because

Tick all that apply.

Affordability

Reduce Textile waste

Trendy and Stylish

Thank You for your response

38
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