COTTON INCORPORATED’S
SUPPLY CHAIN INSIGHTS
DURABILITY MATTERS, AND CONSUMERS SAY COTTON LASTS
Percent saying factor contributes to clothing longevity:
73%
65%
60%
48%
52%
Quality of construction
Laundering methods
Fiber content
Brand
Price
If clothing lasts less than 6 months, consumers will:
Stop buying the brand Shop elsewhere Note the fiber content
46% 41% 27%
Complain to the retailer
24%
MANY FIND NEW USES FOR CLOTHING THEY STOP WEARING
What consumers do with clothing they no longer wear:
CONSUMERS WEAR THEIR CLOTHING AN AVERAGE OF FOUR YEARS
Average years worn before considered worn out or not worn regularly, by garment type:
Top activities consumers take to extend the lives of clothing:
4.5 TO 5 YEARS
4 TO 4.5 YEARS
3.5 TO 4 YEARS
FIT, ODORS, STAINS, AND HOLES MAKE CONSUMERS STOP WEARING GARMENTS
Top reasons why consumers stop wearing clothing:
54%
No longer fits
47%
Odor that will
not wash out
44%
Stain that won’t
wash out
41%
Hole or tear
in the clothing
41%
Hole or split
in the seams
Casual shirts, T-shirts,
Sweatshirts/sweaters,
Dress shirts, Casual pants,
Sweatpants/leggings,
Dress pants
Athletic bottoms, Athletic
shirts, Underwear, Casual
shorts
Dresses, Denim
jeans, Skirts
Stain treatHang dry Wear less Wash delicate Wash less
31%32%33% 32% 30%
of consumers expect
cotton clothing to last
longer than garments
made from polyester,
rayon, or other
manmade fibers.
81%
U.K.
43%
31%
22%
22%
Donate
Recycle
Throw away
Give to friends/family
14%
19%
10%
13%
Sell
Repurpose
Keep
Return
DURABILITY SURVEY
COTTON INCORPORATED’S
SUPPLY CHAIN INSIGHTS
in the U.K.
For More Information Contact: Corporate Strategy & Insights at MarketInf[email protected]
CCI & Cotton Incorporated's Global Durability Survey 2025 (U.K.), n=1,017
AMERICA’S COTTON PRODUCERS AND IMPORTERS. Service Marks/Trademarks of Cotton Incorporated. ©2026 Cotton Incorporated.