Fair Trade Fashion: Indians Have a Penchant for Sustainability

89 percent of Indians surveyed in a 2021 Statista Consumer Insights special claimed to buy sustainable and eco-friendly fashion, for example clothes made from sustainable fabrics, fair trade goods or products with lower CO2 emissions than regularly produced items. As our chart shows, this makes Indian survey participants the most eco-conscious dressers of all surveyed countries.

China takes second place out of the five countries in the survey, with 69 percent of participants buying sustainable clothing, accessories or shoes. For most participants from Western countries like the United States or Germany, fashion doesn't necessarily need to be sustainable, with only 49 and 41 percent of respondents claiming they buy eco-friendly clothes and similar items.

As other parts of the survey show, 45 percent of the Indian residents surveyed are willing to pay a much higher premium for fashion if it's produced fairly. The most important criteria for sustainable fashion purchases in India were quality, price and comfort, while only 47 percent of Indians claimed to base their purchasing decision on the brand or manufacturer.