Environmentally sustainable fashion and conspicuous behavior

The study investigates whether consumers’ engagement with environmentally sustainable fashion brands (ESFBs) is driven by environmental beliefs or by conspicuous motives tied to fashion symbolism and social meaning. Against the backdrop of rising environmental consciousness and the proliferation of sustainability initiatives and claims (including greenwashing) in fashion, the paper argues that fashion’s visibility and symbolic value make ESFBs vehicles for self-expression and social signaling. It poses two research questions: (RQ1) Do consumers engage in WOM about ESFBs based on environmental beliefs, absent conspicuous intentions? (RQ2) As brands express self-concept, do consumers reinforce WOM to support environmental norms and reveal environmental beliefs, and what role does self–brand connection (SBC) play if conspicuous intentions exist? The study’s purpose is to clarify the roles of environmental beliefs (EB), environmental norms (EN), conspicuousness (fashion trend and social awaken), and SBC in predicting WOM toward ESFBs, addressing a gap that prior research focusing mainly on environmental perspectives has left open. The importance lies in understanding ESFB consumer motives, the interplay of symbolic consumption with sustainability, and implications for ESFB marketing and consumer education.

Environmental sustainability is defined as maintaining natural capital and balancing resource use with waste assimilation; much corporate sustainability communication risks greenwashing, prompting consumers to favor brands with genuine environmental actions (e.g., Patagonia, Freitag). In fashion, substantial environmental impacts and rising ESG expectations have spurred initiatives such as eco-labeling and secondhand platforms, though skepticism about greenwashing persists. The study centers on ESFBs that demonstrably prioritize environmental sustainability. Hypothesis development draws on Value–Belief–Norm (VBN) theory, positing that environmental beliefs (EB) activate environmental norms (EN), which motivate pro-environmental behavior and potentially WOM. Prior work links EB and EN to eco-friendly behavioral intentions and WOM. Accordingly: H1: EB positively affects EN; H2: EB positively affects WOM; H3: EN positively affects WOM. Goal-framing theory (Lindenberg) suggests that normative, gain, and hedonic goals compete; conspicuousness relates to hedonic/gain goals but can also facilitate eco-friendly actions when aligned with self-expression. Given fashion’s symbolic nature, conspicuousness may increase WOM about ESFBs. Thus: H4: Fashion trend conspicuousness (FTC) positively affects WOM; H5: Social awaken conspicuousness (SAC) positively affects WOM. Self–brand connection (SBC) reflects the degree to which a brand helps express and protect the self-concept; higher SBC typically enhances brand attitudes and behavioral intentions. Consumers aware of greenwashing may seek stronger bonds with genuinely eco-friendly brands. SBC may strengthen links from EB/EN and conspicuous motives to WOM. Thus: H6a: SBC moderates EB→WOM; H6b: SBC moderates EN→WOM; H6c: SBC moderates FTC→WOM; H6d: SBC moderates SAC→WOM.

Design and measures: The study employed covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) using AMOS to test hypothesized relationships and moderation via multi-group analysis by SBC. Constructs and items: EB (6 items) and EN (6) adapted from Stern (2000); FTC (3) from Ki and Kim (2016); SAC (4) from Grace and Griffin (2009); WOM (4) from Molinari et al. (2008); SBC (6) from van der Westhuizen (2018). All measured on five-point Likert scales (1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree). Demographics were collected. Stimulus brands and sampling: ESFBs were defined per the maintenance of natural capital, emphasizing recycling/reuse. Candidate brands’ corporate philosophy and manufacturing practices were screened via websites; face validity was established by two professors and three doctoral students. A preliminary survey (n=28) confirmed brand awareness; three ESFBs were selected: Patagonia (USA), Pleat Mama (Korea), and Freitag (Switzerland). The online survey targeted Korean consumers aged 20–40, a demographic suitable for examining conspicuous consumption tendencies in fashion. Respondents indicated past purchase or, if none, high purchase intention toward the brands and recognition of them as ESFBs before proceeding. Data collection and sample: Data were collected via an online panel company (email invitations with incentives). Of 260 completes, 237 valid responses remained after quality screening. Sample characteristics: 18.1% male, 81.9% female; ages 20s (17.7%), 30s (37.6%), 40s (44.7%); majority with higher education; typical monthly clothing spend $50–$200. Analysis and validation: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable fit for the measurement model: χ²=233.328 (df=137), p<0.001; GFI=0.908; CFI=0.969; NFI=0.928; RMR=0.033; RMSEA=0.055; normed χ²=1.703. Convergent validity supported with factor loadings significant at 1%, AVE=0.519–0.790, CR=0.764–0.933, Cronbach’s α>0.70. Discriminant validity assessed per Fornell-Larcker criteria was supported. Structural model fit was good: χ²=106.982 (df=82), p=0.033; normed χ²=1.305; GFI=0.945; CFI=0.987; TLI=0.984; RMR=0.029; RMSEA=0.036. Moderation by SBC was tested via multi-group SEM after establishing full measurement invariance (Δχ²=21.970, df=13, p=0.059).

• EB strongly and positively affected EN (β=0.783, t=8.040, p<0.001), supporting H1.
• EB did not directly affect WOM (β=−0.160, t=−1.218, p=0.223), rejecting H2; EB’s effect on WOM is fully mediated by EN.
• EN positively affected WOM (β=0.265, t=2.015, p<0.05), supporting H3.
• FTC positively affected WOM (β=0.219, t=2.672, p<0.01), supporting H4.
• SAC positively affected WOM (β=0.545, t=6.097, p<0.001), supporting H5.
• Moderation by SBC: No moderation for EB→WOM (H6a rejected) and FTC→WOM (H6c rejected). EN→WOM was stronger for high SBC (β=0.406, p<0.05) versus low SBC (β=0.188, p=0.343), Δχ²=5.049, p<0.05, supporting H6b. SAC→WOM was stronger for high SBC (β=0.691, p<0.001) versus low SBC (β=0.174, p=0.121), Δχ²=4.713, p<0.05, supporting H6d.
• Overall, conspicuousness (especially social awaken conspicuousness) exerts a stronger influence on WOM for ESFBs than environmental beliefs; fashion trend conspicuousness also increases WOM, indicating use of ESFBs for self-expression.

The findings address RQ1 by showing that WOM about ESFBs is not primarily driven by environmental beliefs; instead, EB motivates WOM indirectly via internalized environmental norms, while conspicuous motives (socially awakened identity and fashion trend leadership) directly and strongly increase WOM. This underscores fashion’s symbolic and visible nature and the role of social signaling in ESFB engagement. Addressing RQ2, the study shows that self–brand connection strengthens WOM when aligned with normative motivations (EN) and with socially awakened conspicuousness, indicating that identity congruence with ESFBs amplifies communication behavior. However, SBC did not moderate the EB→WOM path and did not strengthen FTC’s effect on WOM, suggesting that fashion-led conspicuousness may drive WOM even among those less bonded to the brand. The results reinforce VBN and goal-framing theories: normative goals (EN) channel beliefs into behavior, and hedonic/gain goals (conspicuousness) can complement eco-friendly actions via self-expression. Practically, ESFBs should leverage both authentic environmental performance and fashion-forward, identity-expressive attributes, while fostering strong consumer-brand bonds to catalyze WOM among norm-driven and socially attentive consumers.

The study contributes by integrating environmental belief–norm dynamics with conspicuous consumption and self–brand connection to explain WOM toward ESFBs. It shows that conspicuousness—especially social awaken conspicuousness—and fashion trend conspicuousness substantially drive WOM, while EB influences WOM indirectly through EN. ESFBs should acknowledge their dual identity as fashion and environmentally sustainable brands, integrating authentic sustainability with up-to-date fashion trends and self-image expressiveness to build loyalty and stimulate WOM. Future research should broaden understanding of ESFB consumer motives, refine identity-related constructs such as SBC, and examine cultural and contextual variations in conspicuous eco-fashion behaviors.

• Conceptual and methodological scope: ESFBs were operationalized with a focus on recycling/reuse; broader or alternative definitions and qualitative exploration of conspicuousness in ESFBs were not undertaken. Future work should incorporate qualitative methods to unpack motives and meanings.
• Measurement of SBC: SBC was assessed as a general connection with eco-friendly brands, which may have limited detection of moderation with fashion-related variables. More nuanced, multi-dimensional SBC measures are recommended.
• Sample and generalizability: Data from Korean consumers aged 20–40 may reflect collectivist, other-oriented tendencies and limit generalizability. Cross-cultural comparisons (individualist vs collectivist contexts) are needed to test differences in conspicuous ESFB behaviors.