90% of Chinese consumers prefer next-gen leather alternatives: Survey

Millennials and members of Gen X in China expressed the greatest preference for and likelihood of purchasing next-gen leather.

With around a fifth of the world population and a fashion industry revenue projected at $383 billion in 2021, or 44 per cent of the global total, China offers incredible opportunities to those looking to invest in its rapidly growing markets, MII said in a press release.

Not only are these markets growing quickly, but they are full of consumers that are ever more conscious of the detrimental effects of legacy materials, most notably leather.

The MII study was conducted to evaluate the prospects of introducing high quality bio-based leather alternatives, referred to as next-gen leather. It covered 501 Chinese consumers across all generations, education levels, income levels, ethnicities, religions and regions of residence.

Seventy per cent of respondents were enthusiastic about purchasing leather alternatives and explained that they sought these out because of concerns about the environment (72 per cent), quality (72 per cent), animal welfare (63 per cent), personal expression (61 per cent) and cost (56 per cent).

Knowing consumers’ motivations for purchasing next gen leather can help develop effective messaging, MII said. Additionally, 62 per cent of these enthusiastic consumers indicated that they would pay more for leather alternatives.

“Leather production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, harmful chemical pollution and negative health impacts for workers and surrounding communities. On top of this, leather production relies on the skins of approximately 1.4 billion animals every year, a fact that many consumers find unsettling. Creating next-gen leather alternatives that outperform leather both functionally and ethically could lead to a total transformation of the leather market away from animal options,” says Nicole Rawling, co-founder and chief executive officer of MII.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)