What do consumers want from a fashion or textile item, and which factors decide what they choose to buy?
Consumer requirements and the factors affecting consumer choice of fashion and textile items: needs and wants, function and performance, aesthetics, fashion and trends, cost and value for money, quality, brand, ethical and environmental concerns, and individual needs.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on consumer requirements, covering the factors that affect consumer choice of fashion and textile items, including function, aesthetics, fashion, cost, quality, brand, ethics and individual needs, and how they shape design.
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What this key area is asking
Fashion and textile items are designed for consumers, so designers must understand what consumers want and which factors decide what they buy. SQA Higher expects you to know the range of consumer requirements and the factors affecting consumer choice, and to use them to explain or justify design decisions. These factors are the starting point for any design brief and the yardstick for evaluating the finished item.
Needs and wants
The factors affecting consumer choice
- Function and performance. The item must do its job: a raincoat must be waterproof, a school shirt hard-wearing and easy-care, sportswear breathable and stretchy.
- Aesthetics. How the item looks and feels - colour, style, shape, pattern, texture, handle. Aesthetics often drive the first decision to buy.
- Fashion and trends. Many consumers want items that are current and on-trend, which is why fashion changes seasonally and drives repeat buying.
- Cost and value for money. The price must fit the consumer's budget, and the consumer must feel it is worth it for the quality and features offered.
- Quality. Consumers expect the item to be well made, durable and reliable; poor quality leads to returns and lost trust.
- Brand. A brand carries reputation, image and status; some consumers pay more for a label they trust or that signals identity.
- Ethical and environmental concerns. A growing number of consumers choose items that are sustainable, recyclable or ethically produced (fair wages, safe conditions).
- Individual needs. Consumers differ in size, shape, age, ability and culture; design must allow for a size range, easy fastenings for older or disabled wearers, and culturally appropriate styles.
Why designers must balance the factors
No item can be best on every factor at once. A very low price usually means lower quality or less ethical production; high fashion can mean an item that dates quickly; a strong focus on function (a technical outdoor jacket) may sacrifice some aesthetics. The designer's job is to prioritise the factors that matter most to the target consumer and accept the trade-offs.
Examples in context
Example 1. Fast fashion versus a classic coat. A fast-fashion top is bought mainly for fashion, aesthetics and low cost, and the consumer accepts lower durability because it will be worn for one season. A classic wool coat is bought for function, quality and value over time, so the consumer pays more for durability. The same shopper weighs the factors differently depending on the purchase.
Example 2. Adaptive clothing. A range of adaptive clothing for wheelchair users prioritises individual needs: seated-fit cuts, easy fastenings (magnets, Velcro), and openings that make dressing easier. Function and inclusive design lead the brief, showing how individual needs can be the dominant factor for a specific consumer group.
Try this
Q1. Distinguish between a consumer need and a consumer want for a winter coat. [2 marks]
- Cue. A need is what the coat must do (keep the wearer warm and dry); a want is something extra the consumer would like (a particular brand, colour or this season's style).
Q2. Explain two factors, other than cost, that affect a teenager's choice of trainers. [4 marks]
- Cue. Fashion and brand (trainers signal identity and being on-trend, so a teenager may insist on a particular label); aesthetics (colour and style appeal); function and comfort (cushioning and fit for sport); quality/durability. Develop any two.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA Higher style6 marksFactors affecting consumer choiceShow worked answer →
Worth 6 marks. Describe several factors that affect what a consumer buys, one mark each for a developed point.
Function and performance (1 mark): the item must do its job well, for example a coat that is warm and waterproof.
Aesthetics (1 mark): how it looks - colour, style, shape - must appeal to the consumer.
Fashion and trends (1 mark): many consumers want items that are current and on-trend.
Cost and value for money (1 mark): the price must fit the consumer's budget and feel worth it for the quality.
Quality (1 mark): consumers expect the item to be well made and durable.
Ethical and environmental concerns (1 mark): some consumers choose items that are sustainable or ethically produced.
SQA Higher style4 marksIndividual needs in designShow worked answer →
Worth 4 marks. Explain how designers respond to individual needs, linking the need to the design response.
Some consumers have specific physical needs, for example older or disabled wearers (1 mark), so designers use easy fastenings such as Velcro and front openings to make dressing easier (1 mark).
Consumers vary in size, shape and culture (1 mark), so designers offer a size range, adjustable features and culturally appropriate styles so the item suits the individual (1 mark).
Related dot points
- The design process and the design brief: writing a brief and a specification, researching and analysing, generating and developing ideas, planning and making, and evaluating, as the structured way of developing a fashion or textile item.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on the design process, explaining the design brief and specification, research and analysis, generating and developing ideas, planning and making, and evaluation as the structured route from brief to finished textile item.
- The elements of design (line, shape, colour, texture, pattern, tone) and the principles of design (balance, proportion, emphasis, rhythm, harmony, contrast) and how they are applied to create the aesthetics of a fashion or textile item.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on the elements and principles of design, explaining line, shape, colour, texture and pattern and the principles of balance, proportion, emphasis, rhythm, harmony and contrast, and how designers apply them to a textile item.
- Evaluating fashion and textile items: testing and judging a finished item against the design specification and consumer needs, using objective tests and user feedback, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and suggesting improvements.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on evaluation, explaining how to judge a finished item against the design specification and consumer needs using objective tests and user feedback, identify strengths and weaknesses, and suggest improvements.
- Selecting fabrics that are fit for purpose: matching the combined effect of fibre, construction and finish to the performance requirements of a fashion or textile item, and justifying the choice in terms of the properties needed.
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on selecting fabrics fit for purpose, showing how to combine fibre, construction and finish to meet the performance requirements of an item and how to justify the choice using the properties needed.
- Sustainability and the environmental impact of textiles: the impact of the textile life cycle (resources, water, energy, pollution, waste), fast fashion, and ways to reduce impact (reduce, reuse, recycle, repair, sustainable fibres and the circular economy).
An SQA Higher Fashion and Textile Technology answer on sustainability, covering the environmental impact of the textile life cycle, the problem of fast fashion, and ways to reduce impact through reduce, reuse, recycle, repair, sustainable fibres and the circular economy.