Impact of physical condition on disposal and end‐of‐life extension of clothing

Clothing waste is an increasing global problem as “disposable” fashion items are consumed and discarded at rapid rates. Low‐quality fashion garments are easily damaged and thrown out due to the low initial investment and replacement cost of other items. Previous research has found physical damage to be a common reason for clothing disposal; however, the degree to which damage plays a role in disposal decisions has not been studied. Therefore, using a survey‐based, pre‐experimental design, this research examined the extent to which varying levels of garment physical damage influences consumer disposal decisions and garment life extension practices in Edmonton, Canada. Results indicated that damage severity plays a significant role in how respondents choose to dispose, or otherwise deal with, their unwanted clothing. Garment quality and type were also shown to predict disposal method and end‐of‐life extension strategies.