More than a quarter of consumers stop buying from a brand when a garment fails, while only 2.3 per cent replace it with the same brand, according to a Samsara Eco report. Consumers are 12 times more likely to leave than replace a failed item with the same brand.

The Circular-Conscious Consumer report surveyed more than 5000 consumers globally, mostly Gen Z, on clothing quality, materials and circularity.

When a garment fails, 27.7 per cent stop buying from the brand, including 15.8 per cent who never return and 11.9 per cent who switch to competitors. Only 5.9 per cent return the item, while more than 64 per cent repair it or continue wearing it. Common issues include thinning or torn fabric, splitting seams and pilling.

Some 89 per cent of respondents expect garments to withstand at least 30 wears. More than half said brands were responsible for product quality, twice the proportion who attributed responsibility to government regulation.

“Durability has always been a question of quality. It’s now a retention question, and in Europe it’s becoming a compliance one – both showing up on the bottom line,” said Lars Kissau, GM Asia at Samsara Eco.

Some 80.5 per cent of respondents said knowing what their clothing is made from was essential. Material information and evidence of performance received a combined 62.6 per cent of first-place votes on factors that build trust, compared with 6.6 per cent for independent certification.

Cost-of-living pressures had influenced clothing purchases for more than 88 per cent of respondents. Around one-third said they were buying less and expecting more from each item, while 43 per cent were buying second-hand clothing and 13.9 per cent were choosing cheaper options.

Kissau said circularity meant keeping materials in use at their highest possible value. Clothing must last long enough to be reworn, resold or passed on. When it can no longer be worn, its materials should be recycled into clothing rather than lower-value products.

“Downcycling only slows the linear model. It doesn’t stop it,” he said. “Durable products can be made from recycled materials – there’s no trade-off in quality or performance. That’s what unlocks a truly circular textiles industry.”

Katy Stevens, head of ESG at the European Outdoor Group, said consumer insights could help the industry identify which product failures matter most and improve testing to reflect real-world use.

“Translating that insight into better design and measurable performance is fundamental to a circular future,” she said.

• Further reading: Global report on personalisation: what consumers want, need & expect.