IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i9p4159-d1649240.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Wardrobe Management Apps and Their Unintended Benefits for Fashion Sustainability and Well-Being: Insights from User Reviews

Author

Listed:
  • Gigi Jiang

    (School of Textiles and Design, Heriot-Watt University Scottish Borders Campus, Nether Road, Galashiels TD1 3HF, UK)

  • Lisa Macintyre

    (School of Textiles and Design, Heriot-Watt University Scottish Borders Campus, Nether Road, Galashiels TD1 3HF, UK)

Abstract

Global clothing production and waste continues to increase while garment utilisation is decreasing. Many consumers wear only a fraction of the clothing they own, often forgetting or overlooking items already in their wardrobes. This disconnection from existing garments encourages unnecessary purchases and contributes to the environmental and psychological burden of fashion overconsumption. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of wardrobe management apps (WMAs) and their potential for reducing fashion overconsumption. This paper has two core aims: first, to assess how WMAs contribute to sustainability through organisation, extended use, and behavioural change, and second, to examine their emotional and practical benefits for users. A content analysis of 27 WMAs was conducted alongside a thematic analysis of all 5953 user reviews from Apple and Google Play stores. Our analysis showed that 470 users reported behavioural shifts related to reduced overconsumption and increased garment utilisation, while a further 210 users described psychological benefits such as improved mental clarity and reduced anxiety. These results demonstrate the potential of WMAs to support more sustainable fashion habits and enhanced consumer well-being, offering a digital means to promote responsible consumption and align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 12.

Suggested Citation

  • Gigi Jiang & Lisa Macintyre, 2025. "Wardrobe Management Apps and Their Unintended Benefits for Fashion Sustainability and Well-Being: Insights from User Reviews," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:4159-:d:1649240
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/4159/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/4159/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaoyun Zhang & Quanling Liu & Yangfan Li & Zhao Xu, 2024. "Bloggers’ Minimalist Consumption Guidance for Sustainability: Exploring the Determinants to Reduce Excessive Apparel Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Jeffery Bray & Nick Johns & David Kilburn, 2011. "An Exploratory Study into the Factors Impeding Ethical Consumption," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 98(4), pages 597-608, February.
    3. Shuai Yang & Yiping Song & Siliang Tong, 2017. "Sustainable Retailing in the Fashion Industry: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-19, July.
    4. Haeun Bang & Jin Su, 2022. "Who Uses Virtual Wardrobes? Investigating the Role of Consumer Traits in the Intention to Adopt Virtual Wardrobes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-16, January.
    5. An Liu & Emily Baines & Lisbeth Ku, 2022. "Slow Fashion Is Positively Linked to Consumers’ Well-Being: Evidence from an Online Questionnaire Study in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dan-Cristian Dabija & Raluca Băbuț, 2019. "Enhancing Apparel Store Patronage through Retailers’ Attributes and Sustainability. A Generational Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Lyndsay Mesjar & Karen Cross & Yang Jiang & Josie Steed, 2023. "The Intersection of Fashion, Immersive Technology, and Sustainability: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Elena Kossmann & Mónica Gómez-Suárez, 2018. "Decision-making processes for purchases of ethical products: gaps between academic research and needs of marketing practitioners," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 15(3), pages 353-370, September.
    4. Patient Rambe & Takawira Munyaradzi Ndofirepi, 2016. "Influence of Small Business Ethics on Buying Decisions of Customers: A case of Indigenous Owned Fast-Food Outlets in Zimbabwe," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 8(5), pages 169-183.
    5. Munten, Pauline & Swaen, Valérie & Vanhamme, Joëlle, 2024. "Exploring rebound effects in Access-Based services (ABS)," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    6. Cai, Ya-Jun & Chen, Yue & Siqin, Tana & Choi, Tsan-Ming & Chung, Sai-Ho, 2019. "Pay upfront or pay later? Fixed royal payment in sustainable fashion brand franchising," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 95-105.
    7. Zheng Shen, 2023. "Mining sustainable fashion e-commerce: social media texts and consumer behaviors," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 949-971, June.
    8. Natalia Stanulewicz & Emily Knox & Melanie Narayanasamy & Noureen Shivji & Kamlesh Khunti & Holly Blake, 2019. "Effectiveness of Lifestyle Health Promotion Interventions for Nurses: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-36, December.
    9. Alex Hiller & Tony Woodall, 2019. "Everything Flows: A Pragmatist Perspective of Trade-Offs and Value in Ethical Consumption," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(4), pages 893-912, July.
    10. Austgulen, Marthe H. & Skuland, Silje & Schjøll, Alexander & Alfnes, Frode, 2015. "Consumer readiness to reduce meat consumptions and eat more climate friendly," 143rd Joint EAAE/AAEA Seminar, March 25-27, 2015, Naples, Italy 202757, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Fung, Yi-Ning & Chan, Hau-Ling & Choi, Tsan-Ming & Liu, Rong, 2021. "Sustainable product development processes in fashion: Supply chains structures and classifications," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    12. Kutaula, Smirti & Gillani, Alvina & Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Christodoulides, Paul, 2022. "Integrating fair trade with circular economy: Personality traits, consumer engagement, and ethically-minded behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1087-1102.
    13. Brand, Benedikt M., 2025. "Bridging the intention-behavior-gap through digitalized information (?) - Two laboratory experiments in the textile industry," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    14. Ronak Warasthe & Finja Schulz & Ralf Enneking & Marcus Brandenburg, 2020. "Sustainability Prerequisites and Practices in Textile and Apparel Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-18, November.
    15. Lim, Xin-Jean & Cheah, Jun-Hwa & Ngo, Liem Viet & Chan, Kara & Ting, Hiram, 2023. "How do crazy rich Asians perceive sustainable luxury? Investigating the determinants of consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    16. Yingxiu Hong & Abdullah Al Mamun & Mohammad Masukujjaman & Qing Yang, 2024. "Sustainable consumption practices among Chinese youth," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, December.
    17. Hoshiar Mal & Nagendra Singh Nehra, 2023. "The Impact of IoT Characteristics, Cultural Factors and Safety Concerns on Consumer Purchase Intention of Green Electronic Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-12, April.
    18. Alena Kusá & Marianna Urmínová, 2020. "Communication as a Part of Identity of Sustainable Subjects in Fashion," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, December.
    19. Park, Hyun Jung & Lin, Li Min, 2020. "Exploring attitude–behavior gap in sustainable consumption: comparison of recycled and upcycled fashion products," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 623-628.
    20. Strzelecka, Marianna & Nisbett, Gwendelyn S. & Woosnam, Kyle M., 2017. "The hedonic nature of conservation volunteer travel," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 417-425.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:4159-:d:1649240. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.