ITAA - KSCT Joint Symposium

Consumer Opinions on Sustainable Cotton: Insights from Reddit Discussions  

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Abstract

 As consumer interest in sustainable fashion grows, understanding how people discuss sustainable fibers online is increasingly important. This study investigates consumer perceptions of sustainable cotton by analyzing 1,065 Reddit comments from 32 posts collected in April 2025. Guided by Festinger’s cognitive dissonance theory, two researchers conducted manual content analysis, supplemented by Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). Three major themes emerged: (1) brand and product endorsement or critique, (2) comparisons among different fibers, and (3) practical approaches to sustainable fashion. While manual review captured core themes, LDA provided additional contextual nuance. Findings reveal consumers’ mixed perceptions, knowledge gaps, and tensions in sustainability decision-making. The study suggests that fashion practitioners should clearly communicate fiber trade-offs and offer transparent lifecycle information, especially for blended fabrics, to support informed choices and build trust in sustainability claims.

Keywords: Social Media, Sustainable Cotton, Consumer Opinions

How to Cite:

Li, M., Cavender, R., Wells, C. & Colony, K., (2025) “Consumer Opinions on Sustainable Cotton: Insights from Reddit Discussions  ”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21470