Abstract:

The increasing public awareness and sense of social responsibility related to environmental issues have led the textile and clothing industry to manufacture products with improved environmental profiles. During the 1990’s, the industrialised world witnessed a growing number of environmental labels as a way of encouraging consumers and industries to alter their consumption patterns and to make wiser use of resources and energy in the drive for sustainable development. In this exploratory study, environmental knowledge among Slovenian consumers regarding the most popular current eco labels was examined. Data were collected through a structured online survey from a simple random sample of 535 consumers. Responses to an online questionnaire indicated that the largest share of participants consider clothing composition the most, while only a small percentage consider eco labels and the environmental impact. Consumers are willing to pay no more than 10% for a textile product with an ecological label attached. The largest proportion of respondents identified themselves as average eco-conscious,, although they didn’t show any knowledge of eco labels. The study revealed that it is necessary to increase the level of awareness of sustainable materials as well as trust in eco labelling systems with transparent standardisation and certification systems.