Understanding consumer behavior in the sustainable clothing market: Model development and verification

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to expand the knowledge of consumer behavior in the market for sustainable clothing and to build a theoretical model of this behavior based on the review of the relevant literature and the author’s own research. The model is to provide a wider perspective on consumer behavior with respect to textile and clothing products with ecological and social characteristics, as well as describing the relationship between the consumer and the manufacturer of textiles and clothing pursuing a strategy founded on the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The selected elements of the theoretical model are verified empirically by means of structural equation modeling (SEM) using a representative sample of 981 Polish customers. The research findings show that consumers’ attitudes towards apparel shopping have a significant and positive influence on their willingness to pay a premium for sustainable products, on the recognizability of ecological and social labels, and, finally, on the actual purchase of sustainable clothing. These results give additional evidence pointing to a prominent role of the recognizability of ecological and social labels in purchasing sustainable apparel. The results of the study allow better understanding of factors determining consumer behavior towards sustainable clothing and suggest practical solutions to their producers.