Consumer Behaviour in Circular Textiles: Findings from the VERDEinMED Living Labs

As part of the VERDEinMED project, a series of Living Labs were implemented in Italy, Spain, and Greece to examine consumer perceptions, behavioural patterns, and levels of engagement related to circular textile practices.

The initiative combined participatory workshops, surveys, and experiential learning activities involving more than 500 participants, including students, young professionals, educators, designers, and stakeholders connected to the textile and fashion sectors. The objective was to assess how targeted awareness and training activities may influence understanding of sustainability, textile reuse, and circular economy principles.

Methodology

The Living Labs followed a four-phase participatory methodology designed to assess consumer attitudes and behavioural responses related to sustainable textile consumption:

Participant identification and engagement
Initial survey on consumer perception and purchasing behaviour
Practical training and awareness activities
Follow-up monitoring to evaluate changes in awareness and attitudes

The activities combined theoretical and practical approaches, including workshops, stakeholder discussions, site visits, and collaborative exercises focused on textile reuse, eco-design, and circular economy practices.

To complement the participatory activities, VERDEinMED conducted a survey involving approximately 400 participants across the three participating countries in order to better understand consumer expectations, sustainability awareness, and purchasing behaviour.

Key Findings

The survey results highlighted several recurring challenges associated with sustainable textile consumption and consumer engagement:

42% of respondents reported paying limited or no attention to sustainability criteria when purchasing textile products.
69% stated that they read textile labels; however, engagement with label information was significantly lower among younger respondents.
34.6% considered the information provided on textile labels to be incomplete, unclear, or insufficiently transparent.
Respondents expressed strong interest in more detailed information regarding product origin, raw materials, production processes, logistics, and working conditions within the supply chain.
41.1% reported limited knowledge regarding textile waste collection and management systems in their local area.

The findings indicate that consumers increasingly expect greater transparency and traceability within textile value chains, while at the same time facing difficulties in accessing clear and reliable sustainability information.

Behavioural Gap Between Awareness and Purchasing Decisions

The survey results also revealed a discrepancy between environmental awareness and actual purchasing behaviour, commonly described in sustainability research as the “Value-Action Gap”.

While participants generally acknowledged the importance of sustainability and circular economy principles, these concerns were not consistently reflected in purchasing decisions or product evaluation criteria. This trend was particularly visible among younger participants, despite relatively high levels of declared environmental awareness.

At the same time, respondents demonstrated strong interest in further information, education, and practical guidance related to sustainable textile consumption, reuse practices, and circular economy approaches.

Key Recommendations

The Living Lab activities identified several areas considered important for supporting the transition toward more circular textile systems:

Strengthen collaboration between industry stakeholders, public authorities, educational institutions, and citizens.
Improve transparency and traceability across textile value chains.
Expand consumer education initiatives focused on textile sustainability, reuse, and waste management.
Support eco-design and circular production approaches within the textile sector.
Develop communication strategies adapted to different demographic groups, particularly younger consumers.

The findings further suggest that behavioural change initiatives are more effective when awareness activities are combined with practical experiences and direct engagement with textile production, reuse, and recycling processes.

Country Case Studies

Greece: The Living Lab activities in Greece focused on students and young professionals from the fields of fashion, design, and textile production. The programme combined introductory sessions on the social and environmental impacts of textile consumption with practical workshops on textile reuse and circular practices. Participants also visited a clothing manufacturing workshop and a textile recycling facility, enabling direct observation of production processes and end-of-life textile management practices.

See more: VERDEinMED Greece Living Labs

Italy: In Italy, the Living Lab activities promoted interdisciplinary collaboration between students from fashion schools and art academies and specialists from environmental protection and waste management sectors. The activities explored topics including eco-design, circular economy principles, textile waste management, and emerging professional opportunities linked to sustainability and green skills development.

See more: VERDEinMED Italy Living Labs

Spain: The Spanish Living Labs engaged participants from educational programmes related to fashion design and garment production. Activities included roundtable discussions with recycling organizations, educational stakeholders, and social economy actors working in textile reuse initiatives. The programme also incorporated clothing exchange activities (“Swap Parties”) aimed at encouraging reuse practices and extending garment lifecycles, while unused garments were donated to the NGO Madre Coraje to support social reuse initiatives.

See more: VERDEinMED Spain Living Labs