A groundbreaking new study spearheaded by researchers at the University of Bath in collaboration with Cambridge Judge Business School has unveiled compelling evidence that embedding a “cost per wear” (CPW) metric on clothing labels dramatically influences consumer behavior, nudging shoppers away from transient fast fashion items and toward purchasing higher-quality, longer-lasting garments. By translating the abstract value of garment durability into concrete economic terms, this approach recalibrates consumer decision-making frameworks surrounding fashion purchases, casting an innovative spotlight on sustainable consumption through the prism of financial acumen.
Cost per wear is a deceptively simple yet potent analytical tool that divides the purchase price of a clothing item by the estimated number of times it can be worn throughout its useful lifespan. This method quantifies the intrinsic value of durable apparel, effectively converting longevity into a unit price metric analogous to those used for everyday consumables like groceries. The CPW concept challenges the traditional fast fashion paradigm, where low upfront costs obscure rapid depreciation and disposability, by highlighting that cheaper garments often incur a higher cumulative expense when evaluated over repeated usage cycles.
The research, which was rigorously documented and published in the esteemed peer-reviewed journal Psychology & Marketing, employed a robust experimental framework involving six distinct online studies. These experiments were meticulously designed to test how access to detailed CPW information shapes consumer preferences when confronted with choices between trendy, inexpensive items versus relatively costly but more durable apparel. The findings demonstrated a statistically significant shift in participant preferences toward higher quality clothing when CPW data was provided, even in cases where initial purchase prices were substantially elevated.
Notably, the impact of CPW information was most pronounced when participants could directly compare the CPW values of different garments side-by-side, rather than encountering isolated CPW figures. Additionally, shoppers engaged in selecting clothes for everyday use—items expected to see frequent wear—were more likely to factor CPW into their evaluation than those shopping for special occasion attire, underscoring the contextual nuances that govern consumer valuation of durability.
Dr. Lisa Eckmann, a lead author and behavioral scientist affiliated with the University of Bath’s School of Management and the Bath Retail Lab, emphasized that the cost per wear paradigm reframes the narrative of sustainable fashion. Instead of positioning eco-friendly choices as mere ethical imperatives, the CPW metric ties sustainability to practical financial wisdom. This reframing exposes fast fashion’s hidden costs, revealing it as the more expensive option in the long run due to rapid garment depreciation and disposal, while elevating durable pieces as savvy long-term investments that confer both economic and environmental benefits.
From a technical standpoint, CPW leverages objective durability assessments derived from standardized textile testing protocols commonly utilized in the fashion industry. These laboratory evaluations quantify material wear resistance, tensile strength, and abrasion endurance, thereby providing an empirical foundation upon which reliable longevity projections are constructed. By integrating these durability metrics with purchase price data, the CPW approach offers an evidence-based quantification of garment value over time, bypassing vague marketing claims regarding fabric quality or longevity.
The study’s findings also revealed that CPW communication outperforms generic durability claims typically found on clothing labels. When consumers receive comparative CPW data contextualized against market averages for specific product categories, their ability to discern value improves markedly. Moreover, the researchers underscore the importance of independent third-party verification of CPW claims to bolster consumer trust and mitigate skepticism that often undermines marketing assertions about quality and sustainability.
Despite the promising impact of CPW, the researchers acknowledge a critical socioeconomic caveat: for many consumers, the higher initial investments required for durable clothing remain prohibitive. Consequently, while CPW can enhance perceptions of value and affordability, entrenched financial constraints may continue to drive segments of the population towards fast fashion options. This underscores the need for concurrent policy measures, affordability programs, and retail innovations to bridge the accessibility gap in sustainable apparel consumption.
Looking forward, the research team envisions extending these inquiries beyond controlled online environments into real-world retail settings. Such field studies are poised to deepen understanding of consumer behavior in situ and provide more granular data on purchasing patterns influenced by visible CPW labeling. Furthermore, the researchers advocate for expanded investigations into how consumers negotiate complex trade-offs between durability and other sustainability dimensions, including ethical labor practices, environmental impacts of fiber choices, and circular economy considerations.
Importantly, Dr. Eckmann cautions that CPW is a singular lens focused primarily on durability and economic durability considerations. The metric does not encapsulate broader ethical or ecological facets of sustainability, such as the social conditions under which garments are produced or the comparative environmental footprints of natural versus synthetic fibers. Consequently, CPW should be integrated as one complementary strategy within a multifaceted framework aimed at holistic sustainable fashion solutions.
The introduction of “cost per wear” labels represents an innovative convergence of behavioral economics and sustainability science, exploiting psychological insights about how consumers rationalize expenditures over time. By equipping shoppers with transparent, quantifiable information, CPW has the potential to disrupt ingrained consumption habits rooted in ephemeral trends and fast fashion’s allure. This advance signals a promising path toward reducing textile waste and mitigating the environmental and social toll of the apparel industry on a global scale.
In sum, this pioneering research highlights how reimagining sustainability as pragmatic smart spending, via the explicit communication of cost per wear, can provoke meaningful shifts in consumer preferences. As fast fashion continues to exact profound ecological and ethical costs, tools that empower buyers to make informed, value-driven choices hold vital promise in steering the sector toward more responsible production and consumption models. The study lays firm groundwork for retailers, policymakers, and sustainability advocates to harness CPW as a transformative mechanism in the ongoing effort to recalibrate fashion’s impact.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Shifting Toward Quality: How Communicating “Cost per Wear” Influences Consumer Preference for Clothing
News Publication Date: 3-Oct-2025
Web References: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mar.70061
References: Eckmann, L., et al. (2025). “Shifting Toward Quality: How Communicating ‘Cost per Wear’ Influences Consumer Preference for Clothing.” Psychology & Marketing. DOI: 10.1002/mar.70061
Keywords: Economic decision making, Behavioral economics, Marketing, Business
