Environmentally sustainable fashion and conspicuous behavior

The rise of environmentally sustainable fashion brands (ESFBs) like Patagonia, Freitag, and Pleats Mama reflects growing consumer environmental consciousness and the increasing incorporation of sustainable practices by luxury and fast fashion brands. While previous research highlights the influence of environmental beliefs (EBs) on sustainable fashion choices, it overlooks fashion's symbolic function and social meaning. This study addresses this gap by examining whether consumers' purchases and word-of-mouth (WOM) behavior towards ESFBs are driven by genuine environmental concerns or conspicuous consumption. The researchers posit that consumers may use ESFBs to signal their social awareness and fashion leadership. The study aims to explore this by investigating the impact of two types of conspicuousness: fashion trend conspicuousness (FTC) and socially awakened conspicuousness (SAC), alongside the mediating role of environmental norms (ENs) and the moderating effect of self-brand connection (SBC).

The literature review begins by defining environmental sustainability as the maintenance of natural capital, emphasizing the growing concerns about resource depletion and pollution. It then discusses the fashion industry's environmental challenges and the rise of sustainable fashion initiatives. The review highlights the issue of 'greenwashing'—brands making unsustainable claims for marketing purposes—and the increasing consumer skepticism towards such tactics. The concept of conspicuous consumption is introduced, referencing its role in charitable giving and luxury purchases, where altruistic motivations are sometimes intertwined with a desire for recognition. The review discusses the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, which posits that environmental values and norms influence pro-environmental behaviors, and the goal-framing theory, which suggests that normative goals motivate environmentally conscious actions. The literature also addresses the concept of self-brand connection (SBC), where consumers identify with a brand and use it for self-expression. Finally, the review highlights the symbolic nature of fashion and its potential role in demonstrating social status and adherence to fashion trends.

The study employed a quantitative approach using a survey distributed online to 237 Korean participants aged 20-40. Three ESFBs (Patagonia, Pleats Mama, and Freitag) were selected based on their commitment to environmental sustainability. The survey measured environmental beliefs (EB), environmental norms (EN), fashion trend conspicuousness (FTC), socially awakened conspicuousness (SAC), word-of-mouth (WOM) intention, and self-brand connection (SBC) using five-point Likert scales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess the validity and reliability of the measurement model. A structural equation model (SEM) was then used to test the hypotheses, examining the direct and indirect effects of the variables and the moderating role of SBC.

The analysis revealed that both FTC and SAC positively and significantly influenced WOM towards ESFBs. This suggests that consumers are motivated to engage in WOM to showcase their fashion-forward image or their social consciousness. Contrary to expectations, EB did not directly influence WOM. However, EN acted as a significant mediator, implying that individuals with strong environmental norms are more likely to spread positive WOM about ESFBs. The strength of WOM was also found to be moderated by SBC and EN, indicating that individuals with a stronger connection to the brand and stronger environmental norms are more likely to participate in WOM. While FTC was associated with increased WOM, no moderating effect of SBC on the FTC-WOM relationship was observed. The moderating effect of SBC on the relationship between SAC and WOM was statistically significant; a stronger self-brand connection led to a stronger positive effect of SAC on WOM.

The findings challenge previous research by highlighting the significant role of conspicuous consumption in driving positive WOM for ESFBs, even outweighing the direct impact of EBs. This underscores the need for ESFBs to consider both their sustainability credentials and their fashion appeal to attract consumers. The mediating effect of EN suggests that fostering a sense of responsibility towards the environment is crucial for encouraging positive WOM. The moderating influence of SBC indicates that building strong brand identities that resonate with consumers’ self-images can amplify the impact of conspicuousness and environmental norms on WOM. The lack of a significant moderating effect of SBC on the relationship between FTC and WOM suggests that the desire to signal fashion-forwardness might be relatively independent of self-brand connection.

The study emphasizes the importance of integrating sustainability with fashion trends for ESFBs to succeed in the market. It highlights the need for consumer education to differentiate between authentic ESFBs and brands engaging in greenwashing. Building a strong self-brand connection can further enhance WOM. Future research could explore the influence of cultural factors on conspicuous consumption of ESFBs and refine the measurement of SBC to improve the understanding of consumer motivations.

The study's generalizability is limited by its focus on a specific demographic in Korea. The measurement of SBC could be further refined. Qualitative research could provide a deeper understanding of consumer motivations.