PEFC survey shows that consumers expect more green activity around forest-based fibers

PEFC International has released a new survey that it says shows “significant gaps between consumer expectations and perceived brand progress” when it comes to fashion items made from forest-based fibres. That means fibers like viscose and lyocell.

The global forest certification organization Fashion from sustainable forests YouGov conducted a survey of 5,329 adults in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. It found that 74% of consumers surveyed believe it is important for clothing made with forest-based fibers (known as MMCF, which stands for man-made cellulosic fibers) to come from sustainably managed forests.

But bad news for fashion brands is that only 25% of respondents believe that brands are effectively addressing their concerns about the environmental impact of clothing made with these fibers.

About 71% of consumers would like to see a certification label and 59% would be willing to pay more for a garment made from a certified material.

Everything suggests that brands that make an active effort on this front could benefit from greater patronage and consumer trust.

This is especially the case because the need for the fashion industry to move away from virgin, fossil-based synthetics, such as polyester, is highly publicized; However, polyester production continues to grow and is currently reported to account for around 54% of the fiber produced worldwide.

It means that consumers are more aware of the problem, but also face dilemmas when it comes to purchasing fashion products, as they do not always have the option to make the kind of green purchasing decisions they would like.

That said, MMCFs are gaining popularity. PEFC said the MMCF market is forecast to grow from 6 billion to 10 billion tonnes over the next 15 years, “making it increasingly important for the industry to ensure future MMCF growth comes from forests.” managed sustainably”.

Regulation means the industry must get on board too. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is scheduled to come into force from early 2025, but recent research reveals that only 12% of brands currently publish measurable, time-bound commitments to deforestation.

We've already heard how consumer expectations are rising in this area and we're told that those in the UK have the least satisfaction with what brands are currently doing.

However, overall, 68% of adults surveyed said they would buy brands that provided information about their sustainable sourcing practices, while 64% believe sourcing from sustainably managed forests would increase a brand's value.

When asked what factors increased the level of trust in a brand's claims about fiber origin, 50% said independent sustainability certifications, 35% said the brand's own sustainability-focused line and 29% said consumer reviews, followed by brand reputation at 28%.

About 59% of adults surveyed also said they look for sustainability labels (always or sometimes) while purchasing clothing and 71% of adults surveyed would like to see certifications confirming that forest fibers come from sustainably managed forests.

Furthermore, almost half of consumers would be willing to pay more for such products.

Therefore, PEFC believes that brands must review their current sourcing policies for MMCF materials and make strong commitments; as well as communicate your sourcing and sustainability requirements to the supply chain; and provide information to consumers on their websites about collections containing MMCF fibers.