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Case study
Adoption of Next-Gen Materials in the US
Next-gen materials is an overarching category of high performance, sustainable, and animal-free materials developed for the fashion, automotive, and homegoods industries. North Mountain is partnering with Material Innovation Initiative (Napa, CA, US) to establish a consumer research program on next-gen materials used in the fashion, automotive, and homegoods industries.
In this study, we assessed indicators of future adoption of next-gen materials, determined potential market shares, and profiled US early adopters.
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Methods
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Our sample of consumers (N = 2,051) was representative of the US population, with interlocked sampling quotas for age, gender, and region.
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We reported findings for the general US population, each generational category, and early adopters (those who reported a high interest in purchasing next-gen materials).
Select Findings
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Purchase intention: Nearly all participants (94%) stated they were at least somewhat likely to purchase next-gen materials, and nearly half (45%) were highly likely to purchase. Interest in purchasing was consistent across generations and geographic regions.
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Likelihood of paying more: 60% of early adopters were willing to pay more for next-gen materials than conventional materials. Likelihood of paying more was fairly similar amongst the Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X segments (42-44%), though Boomers were less likely to pay more (30%).
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Market share: Estimated market share of next-gen products was over half of total purchases for each material subcategory: 54% of leather, 57% of wool, 60% of silk, 61% of down, 66% of fur, and 63% of exotic skins.
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Sociodemographics: Early adopters were very similar to the general population in terms of age, gender, region, and race/ethnicity. The early adopter population was slightly more educated, higher income earning, and more liberal.
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Production technologies: Among early adopters, likelihood of purchasing products was higher for products made with familiar production technologies such as recycled materials, biodegradable materials, and materials sourced from plants/algae/fungi. Less familiar or more technical production technologies, including biopolymers, cell-cultivation, and greenhouse gas inputs had a lower purchase likelihood. (However, technologies were not explained in detail and benefits were not described.)
Recommendations
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Targeting early adopters is a key step in long-term societal adoption, as subsequent population segments watch and later adopt after the innovation begins to normalize in society.
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For technologies that are less widely known, awareness and education will be important for consumers to gain familiarity as a precursor to purchasing.
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Additional consumer research applied toward specific next-gen products and technologies will provide further guidance for R & D and marketing.
Learn more
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We have also conducted a US pilot study on leather alternatives, a Chinese consumer study on leather alternatives, and a nomenclature assessment.
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The reports are available for download at www.materialinnovation.org/reports.
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