Researchers from US’ Penn State Smeal College of Business have disclosed that consumers are willing to pay more for customizable clothing and keeping these items for a longer duration, potentially reducing the fashion industry’s environmental impact.
The study — led by Dan Guide, Smeal’s chaired professor of operations and supply chain management, and Aydin Alptekinoglu, professor of operations and supply chain management –was published in the Journal of Operations Management.
The study underscores the notoriety of ‘Fast Fashion’ in contributing to environmental pollution, primarily due to its use of cost-effective, plastic-based synthetic materials known as polymers.
Fast fashion items are often discarded quickly, adding to landfill waste, and the presence of complex polymers complicates recycling efforts, as stated in a press release from Penn State.
Dan Guide, the corresponding author, articulated the study’s central question: How can businesses offer a diverse range of products without incurring significant initial manufacturing costs? The overarching objective is to encourage consumers to retain their clothing items for a more extended period, thereby reducing disability.
The research findings propose that the adoption of a mass customization approach can enable companies to maintain profitability while simultaneously diminishing their environmental footprint.
“Our business school and, in particular, my supply chain department does a lot of work with companies. So, when we talk to managers and engineers, I would feel very comfortable going into those businesses and those plants and telling them this is a way that you can make money while still doing well. I love that message for companies,” Guide added.
In one part of the study, 237 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to assess the impact of different levels of customer involvement in the design, production, and usage of T-shirts on their willingness to pay for and retain the items. In another part of the study, involving 501 participants from the United States, various methods of customer involvement in mass customization were explored.
The researchers point out that the necessary technology for customization is already available. Customers can personalize products through online platforms, and adaptable manufacturing technologies like 3D printing can facilitate large-scale customization.
However, the study acknowledges certain limitations, such as the predominantly Western background of the participants.
Dan Guide stressed that the next steps in this research would involve more inclusive outreach to bring the study’s findings into practical application.
“While the basic idea is applicable to many other industries with significant interest in mass customization, like auto and furniture, the current supply chain structures and consumer behavioral dynamics in those industries can be vastly different. So, expanding to other product categories while respecting those differences might be very useful,” Alptekinoglu added.
Ashley Stadler Blank, an assistant professor of marketing at Xavier University, and Margaret Meloy, a marketing professor at Penn State Smeal was the co-authors of the paper.
