“WHO ARE YOU WEARING?”: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ON THE AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES AMONG SELECTED UPLB STUDENTS ON SUSTAINABLE FASHION IN LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES
Abstract
This study was conducted to compare the awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices towards sustainable fashion of selected UPLB students. Specifically, it sought to: 1) describe the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents of the study; 2) explain their awareness, knowledge, attitude and practices (AKAP) on sustainable fashion; 3) analyze the relationship between their AKAP towards sustainable fashion; 4) compare the AKAP of students who have not yet taken the HUME 112: Sustainability Science course (first cohort) and students who have finished the HUME 112 course (second cohort) on sustainable fashion; and 5) formulate recommendations on the AKAP of selected UPLB students. This research was conducted using a qualitative research method with a total of 225 selected UPLB students determined through purposive sampling. Self-administered survey questionnaire through Google forms was used as a research instrument. This study used both primary and secondary data. The data gathered from the socio-demographic characteristics and AKAP were presented using descriptive statistics. The other tests used were Spearman’s correlation and Mann-Whitney U-test. Based on the awareness level, the respondents from the first cohort showed a moderate level of awareness on the environmental and social impacts of fast fashion while the respondents om the second cohort showed a high level of awareness. For the knowledge level, many (77%) respondents from the first cohort had a high level of knowledge on the SDG 12 definition, definition, forms, practices of sustainable fashion and sustainable fashion brands in the Philippines. Similarly, almost all (95%) of the respondents from the second cohort showed a high level of knowledge. Both cohorts showed favorable attitude towards sustainable fashion and had a moderate level of practice towards sustainable fashion. Regarding the relationship of the variables, for the first cohort, awareness and knowledge, awareness and practices, and knowledge and practices had a significant relationship with each other. For the second cohort, only the variables of awareness and knowledge and awareness and practices had a significant relationship with each other. Lastly, results showed that there is a significant difference in the awareness and knowledge level between the two cohorts, but there is no significant difference between the two cohorts’ attitudes and practices towards sustainable fashion.