A recent UK-led survey suggests competing manufacturers of the Tencel brand of apparel and fibres should beware of its environmental credentials.
The poll conducted by Alexandra Workwear asked British and Irish respondents what compels them to purchase the clothing they choose. The results should shoppers aren’t swayed by established brands so much as those that align with their values – a result that is good news for eco brands like Tencel.
Brand loyalty? Shoppers say ‘no’
The Alexandra ethical workwear survey results show Irish and British shoppers don’t feel a loyalty to brands they’ve previously worn but instead have other priorities.
When asked to list their primary deciding factor for choosing clothes, only 3.9% selected ‘Brand Loyalty. Instead, shoppers are more often swayed by ‘Comfort’ (32.7%), ‘Price’ (29.5%), ‘Quality’ (19.7%) and ‘Environmental Impact’ (7.1%).
Therefore, a brand’s newcomer status to the clothing market shouldn’t be seen as a barrier to its success so long as they create products that target at least one of the top four shopper demands.
Tencel is getting it right
Results from the Alexandra survey seem good news for Tencel clothing because concern about a product’s environmental impact now comfortably sits within shoppers’ top four deciding factors.
As one of the world’s latest and fastest-growing sustainable clothing and natural fibre manufacturers, it seems Tencel has identified a gap in the market that shoppers are willing to let a new brand fill.
The Tencel material fibres are created from a mixture of eucalyptus and beech tree wood pulp. The trees used are grown in sustainably managed forests that are certified to FDC standards. Furthermore, few chemicals are used in the materials’ manufacturing processes, and 98% of all the wastewater created is recycled rather than being dumped into the environment.
Tencel’s environmental approach is the core point to the brand’s existence – an ethos that will strike a chord with the UK and Irish consumers who are demonstrably unswayed by loyalty to existing brands.
