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Comprehending the Consumer Behavior toward Sustainable Apparel

Author

Listed:
  • Mahendran Balasubramanian

    (Department of Design, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA)

  • Pariya Sheykhmaleki

    (Department of Design, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA)

Abstract

This paper comprehensively reviews the extant literature on consumer behavior toward sustainable apparel as a pathway to sustainability. This literature review is based on journal articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Through an in-depth systematic analysis of the existing literature, this paper provides an overview of the research topic, sustainable apparel consumption, from a consumer perspective. The systematic literature review reveals five main themes: consumer attitudes, consumer purchases, consumer knowledge, consumer preferences, and consumer influence toward sustainable apparel. Different factors leading to sustainable consumer behavior emerged from each of these themes. Consumer preferences for sustainable apparel encompass various factors, such as preferred materials, styles, designs, and sizes, influenced by personal values, psychological characteristics, cultural backgrounds, socio-demographics, and the availability of options. Factors such as perceived costs, design uniqueness, and cognitive dissonance contribute to shaping consumer preferences in sustainable fashion. By delineating the complex consumer behavior and deliberating the sustainable apparel consumption phenomenon, this study aids in developing future sustainable strategies for apparel industries, considering the driving factors and their impact on consumer behavior and sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahendran Balasubramanian & Pariya Sheykhmaleki, 2024. "Comprehending the Consumer Behavior toward Sustainable Apparel," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:18:p:8026-:d:1477799
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lisa Zhang & Jo Hale, 2022. "Extending the Lifetime of Clothing through Repair and Repurpose: An Investigation of Barriers and Enablers in UK Citizens," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-18, August.
    2. Nupur Arora & Parul Manchanda, 2022. "Green perceived value and intention to purchase sustainable apparel among Gen Z: The moderated mediation of attitudes," Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 168-185, April.
    3. Eung Jin Lee & Joonheui Bae & Kyung Hoon Kim, 2020. "The effect of sustainable certification reputation on consumer behavior in the fashion industry: Focusing on the mechanism of congruence," Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 137-153, April.
    4. Henny Puspita & Heeju Chae, 2021. "An explorative study and comparison between companies’ and customers’ perspectives in the sustainable fashion industry," Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 133-145, April.
    5. Cindy Helinski & Gerhard Schewe, 2022. "The Influence of Consumer Preferences and Perceived Benefits in the Context of B2C Fashion Renting Intentions of Young Women," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-25, August.
    6. Norman, Wayne & MacDonald, Chris, 2004. "Getting to the Bottom of “Triple Bottom Line”," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(2), pages 243-262, April.
    7. Lizhu Davis & Chitra Dabas, 2021. "Capturing sustainable fashion purchase behavior of Hispanic consumers in the US," Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(3), pages 245-259, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mazed Islam & Md Shamsuzzaman & H M Rakib Ul Hasan & Md Atiqur Rahman Atik, 2025. "Environmental Sustainability of Fashion Product Made from Post-Consumer Waste: Impact Across the Life Cycle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-20, February.

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