In a new survey by DBS, it was found that seven in ten Singaporeans do not ensure that the clothes they buy are sustainably made and sourced.
This is despite 60 per cent of the respondents of the “Conscious Fashion” survey saying they were aware that fashion is one of the largest contributors to pollution globally.
The main barriers to changing the consumption behaviour of Singaporeans are cost (35 per cent), followed by apathy (25 per cent) and a lack of variety and style (18 per cent).
However, if given the right nudge, seven in ten Singaporeans are open to recycling, swapping or upcycling their clothes to play their part in slowing climate change, according to the survey.
Karen Ngui, Managing Director and Head of Group Strategic Marketing and Communications at DBS, said that even as the world grapples with the issue of climate change, small changes in behaviour can make a collective difference. “Each and every one of us has a responsibility to do our part, be it in big ways or small everyday ways, to reduce our carbon footprint.”
Therefore, in a continuing effort to spark conversations and galvanise change around sustainability, DBS last week unveiled the fourth episode in the second season of its award-winning mini-series Sparks.
The episode is inspired by REmakeHub, a social enterprise that provides circular solutions to address waste pollution in the fashion industry, and its founder 27-year old Sissi Chao. The story revolves around Team DBS trying to think of out-of-the-box financial solutions to support Chao, who is determined to make a lasting change in the fashion industry. The 13-minute episode was produced to encourage viewers to consider fashion purchases that are sustainably sourced and made.
The survey also found that seven in ten Singaporeans buy new clothes at least once every six months. DBS’s new augmented reality game ‘Fashion Slowdown’ thereby aims to drive home the message that everyone can play a part in contributing to a more sustainable future, even by simply shopping less.
