North Carolina State University Influence of Motivational and Prevention Factors on Consumer Recycling Behavior Authors: Shaghayegh Rezaei, Kristin A. Thoney-Barletta, Jeffrey A. Joines, Lori Rothenberg North Carolina State University 15.3 13.1 9.5 5.8 2.3 2.01 1.32 0.66 Million Tons 1990 2000 2010 2013 Textile Waste Generated Textile Waste Recycled Abstract The gap between the amount of textile waste generated in the U.S. and the amount recovered has increased over the past few decades. That Could Be RECYCLED Ends Up In LANDFILLS 85% Clothing WASTE RECYCLING PREVENTION Objectives To determine if consumer demographics are related to consumer’s clothing and shoes disposal behavior. To evaluate if having children in the household impacts consumer’s recycling of unwanted clothing and shoes. To recognize the factors that motivate or prevent consumers from recycling unwanted clothes and shoes. Results DEMOGRAPHICS RECYCLING MOTIVATION HAVING CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD Pass to Friends and Family Donate to Charity ECONOMIC HELPING Where What SATISFACTION Selling at Consignment/Resale Shops Methods Survey General U.S. Population (Sample size=209) Conclusions Helping others is the most influential motivation factor. Poor condition of clothes and shoes and lack of awareness are the most prominent reasons in the decision to throw textiles away. Existence of children in the household has a significant effect on clothing and shoes disposal behavior.

DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS (Homogeneity Test) Xi Prob> χ2 Practical Conclusion 1 Gender 0.0106* Females tend to recycle textiles more than males. 2 Age 0.6647¥ There is no difference in textile recycling behavior between different age groups. 3 Ethnicity 0.1226¥ There is no difference in textile recycling behavior concerning household ethnicity. 4 Education 0.1736¥ There is no difference in textile recycling behavior concerning household education. 5 Income 0.0039¥ Households with higher income are more likely to recycle textiles than lower income groups. 6 Marital Status 0.0556* There is a slight difference in recycling textiles between married and single participants. Married respondents are more likely to recycle textiles. 7 Living Arrangement 0.0367* People who own their home are more likely to recycle textiles than those who rent. 8 Type of Dwelling 0.0034* People who are living in a house or townhouse are more likely to recycle textiles than those who live in an apartment. Fisher's Exact Test Prob Alternative Hypothesis Left 0.0106* Prob(Textile Recycling=1) is greater for Gender=Female than Male Right 0.9967 Prob(Textile Recycling=1) is greater for Gender=Male than Female 2-Tail 0.0131* Prob(Textile Recycling=1) is different across Gender Click Here to Return *Fisher’s Exact Test, ¥Homogeneity Test

MOTIVATION FACTORS (Factor Analysis) Helping Less Fortunate People Helping Support a Charity/Cause Helping Friends and Families Helping the Environment HELPING FACTOR Receiving Discount/ Coupon or Store Credit Making Money by Selling Them Receiving a Tax Deduction ECONOMIC FACTOR Creating Space in Closet Avoiding Feeling Guilty by Not Throwing Away SATISFACTION FACTOR Motivational Factors Helping Factor Economic Factor Satisfaction Factor Helping less fortunate people 0.902572 0.084819 0.144656 Helping support a charity/cause 0.902536 0.123912 0.059233 Helping friends and families 0.662270 0.221724 0.194952 Helping the environment 0.453494 -0.018051 0.526072 Receiving discount/ coupon or store credit 0.147001 0.903775 0.147193 Making money by selling them 0.073296 0.834085 0.224816 Receiving a tax deduction 0.158484 0.830311 0.064922 Creating space in closet 0.059568 0.158392 0.745369 Avoiding feeling guilty by not throwing away 0.139298 0.198226 0.705756 Click Here to Return

PREVENTION REASONS (Fisher’s Exact Test) 50 100 150 14 25 124 44 31 33 A B C D E F Prevention Reasons Number of Responses PREVENTION REASONS (Fisher’s Exact Test) (P-value = 0.0048) Responses to Prevention Factor A 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 21.4 78.6 95.6 1 Recycling Textiles Yes No Not Recycling Textiles (P-value = 0.0342) 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 28.6 71.4 12.7 87.3 1 Yes No A Do not see any reason for textile recycling B Drop-off location is not very close and there is no curbside collection/recycling bin near my residence C My clothes and shoes are not in good enough condition D Not sure which products can be donated, recycled, or resold E Not sure where to donate, recycle, or resell unwanted clothes and shoes F other Responses to Prevention Factor E Click Here to Return Not Recycling Textiles Recycling Textiles

HAVING CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLDS (Nonparametric Wilcoxon Test) ADULTS’ & CHILDREN’S CLOTHING ADULTS’ CLOTHING HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN UNDER AGE 13 HOUSEHOLDS WITH & WITHOUT CHILDREN UNDER AGE 13 (P-value = 0.0066) (P-value = 0.0178) (P-value = 0.0178) 10 20 30 40 50 Adults Children Individual Sell Items to Consignment Stores 20 40 60 80 100 With Children Without Children Adults 20 40 60 80 100 Adults Children Individual Pass to Friends and Family Donate to Charity Click Here to Return