Measuring Saudi Mothers’ Awareness of Sustainable Children’s Clothing

Abstract

A mother begins to care about her baby once she learns about her pregnancy. She becomes even more concerned about her baby after delivery, and, therefore, starts to scrutinize everything that is of interest to the baby, including the selection of adequate clothing that is not harmful to sensitive skin. Given the importance of providing comfortable and healthy clothing to our children, it was necessary to focus on the type of fabrics from which children's dresses are made. Also there has been a need to understand the best characteristics and specifications of fabrics, as sustainable fibers that are made from cotton are commonly preferred over synthetic fibers which are considered unsuitable for children due to the sensitivity of their skin. With the beginning of the 21 st century, fast fashion has become a source of growth, and production of clothing doubled dramatically. Estimates indicate that consumers are turning to cheaper clothes which are usually discarded after a short time, while ignoring sustainable fabrics and quality of clothing, thus harming the children's skin. Based on this fact, this research seeks to examine Saudi mothers' awareness of sustainable fabrics, their interest in purchasing eco-friendly children's clothing as well as their purchasing preferences of children clothing. This paper also seeks to raise awareness among mothers on the importance of choosing sustainable fabrics for children's clothing, guide mothers to opt for quality of fabrics over designs, encourage designers to create designs for children's clothing using eco-friendly fabrics, and encourage merchants to use and market eco-friendly fabrics in order to reduce the environmental pollution, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.

Study of mechanical properties and characteristics of eco-fibres for sustainable children's clothing

“…It is seen in Figure 3-bottom that recycled polyester fabric sample has considerable high tensile strength as compared to organic cotton fabric sample which is in line with Gizem and Kenan [19]. However, Mahjoub et al [8] found that 100% organic cotton fabric offers less tensile resistance due to the lower strength of cotton fibres. Tensile strength depends mainly on the properties of fibre, yarn and fabric.…”

“…It is extremely tear-resistant compared to other types of fabric. For example, organic cotton twill is resistant to wrinkles, creases and shows less dirt and stains [8]. Hence, choosing fabrics made of eco-fibres assist to achieve design purposes in multifunctional children's clothing.…”

Children’s Functional Clothing: Design Challenges and Opportunities

“…In addition to the practical considerations of growth, purchasing children's clothing also carries significant emotional value and concern. Berry et al [59] highlight that the consumption behaviour of children's products reflects the societal values placed by par-ents. This motivates parents to pay meticulous attention to their children's needs and be discerning in selecting clothes that suit them.…”

Parents' Determinants Buying Intent on Environmentally Friendly Children's Clothing

“…Moreover, the satisfaction of the children's clothing market is primarily evaluated for its appearance, function, price, durability, and comfort at first sight. On the other hand, with regards to sustainable clothing products for children, Berry et al (2020) mentioned that parents choose organic cotton clothes because of the quality and better tactile feel which is important for children. Likewise, Gam et al (2010) research framework demonstrated how mothers' environmental concerns, environmental purchasing and recycling behaviour all have a significant impact on their involvement in children's clothing.…”