Sustainable Consumption: Differences between China and the West

Background

With the increasing severity of global environmental issues, "sustainable development" has become an important issue that cannot be ignored by all industries around the world, penetrating every link of the industry chain and closely related to every consumer. However, there are significant differences between Chinese and Western consumers in terms of sustainable consumption.

Differences in sustainable consumption between China and the West

Differences

1) Different Stages

The stages of sustainable development in China and the West are still different. Chinese consumers mainly focus on the environmental, natural resource, and biological aspects of sustainability. However, Western consumers not only pay attention to environmental sustainability but also consider social and governance sustainability within their scope of thinking. Additionally, although Chinese consumers have a high awareness of sustainability, fewer people actually take action, while Western consumers are relatively balanced in this regard.

2) Different Attitudes and Preferences

Due to changes in the lifestyle of Chinese consumers, they are gradually more and more willing to pay a higher price for environmental protection and social responsibility. Chinese consumers have begun to pay more attention to the sustainable practices of brands, preferring those that use environmentally friendly materials and promote green production methods. In contrast, Western consumers place a greater emphasis on the social responsibility of brands when it comes to "sustainability" topics, making them more interested in brands that have a moral or environmental conscience.

3) Differences in Sustainable Consumption Values

With the rapid economic development and increasing scarcity of resources in China, Chinese consumers have become more concerned about conserving natural resources and emphasizing materials recycling. Their approach to sustainability has become increasingly mature, and their pursuit of sustainability is not just about "avoiding harm" but is shifted towards "for good". This "for good" focuses more on energy, environment, ecology, and other aspects. Western consumers, instead, pay more attention to respecting human rights and adhering to ethical work practices. They want to ensure that the products they purchase are produced under conditions that respect worker rights and provide fair wages , and good working conditions.

Similarities
The Similar Understanding of Sustainable Attributes of Products Among Chinese and Western Consumers

When defining what makes a product sustainable, Chinese and Western consumers have provided nearly identical answers. When purchasing sustainable products, both Chinese and Western consumers consider product durability and reparability as important factors. This indicates that consumers, regardless of whether they are in China or Western countries, tend to choose products that can be used for a long time and are easy to maintain, in order to reduce resource consumption and waste generation.

Conclusion

The environmental awareness of consumers is constantly awakening, and their requirements for transparency, environmentally friendly consumption, and corporate social responsibility practices of fashion companies are becoming increasingly stringent.

Especially in the current era, fashion consumers are no longer satisfied with superficial trends and aesthetics alone. Instead, they are beginning to pay close attention to the transparency and ethical practices of fashion supply chains. This trend is particularly evident among younger generations of consumers, who place greater emphasis on the environmental and social impacts of fashion products and expect brands to align with their values. We will delve into the differences between China and the West in sustainable fashion consumption in the next article.

Between Conscious Program Boosts the Internationalization and Sustainable Iteration of Brands

As an international sustainable fashion platform, Between Conscious Program is committed to providing brands with upgrading services under sustainable principles. We offer comprehensive consulting services and assist companies in establishing sustainable teams, leveraging their corporate, social, and brand values. For Western brands, Between Conscious Program facilitates their adaptation to the Chinese market, satisfying Chinese consumers' demand for sustainable fashion. For Chinese brands, we provide a pathway to the international market, enhancing their brand image and enabling dual iterations of internationalization and sustainability.