Perceived Authenticity of Assam Handloom Products: A TPB Model of Awareness, Sustainable Brand Image, and the Role of Demographic Moderation

This study explores the psychological and socio-cultural drivers of sustainable purchase intentions for Assam handloom products by extending the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with constructs of Sustainable Brand Image, Perceived Authenticity, and demographic moderations. Using data from 210 purposively sampled consumers, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) validates a conceptual framework where Consumer Awareness and Sustainability Perception shape Purchase Intention both directly and indirectly via brand evaluations. The findings establish Sustainable Brand Image as a pivotal mediating mechanism and reveal how demographic factors moderates the awareness–brand image pathway. Women in higher-income groups link sustainability to emotional and cultural continuity, whereas customers from East and North-East India in particular exhibits stronger perceptions of sustainability, authenticity, and intention. Novelty emerges from integrating sustainable consumption, authenticity perceptions, and demographic heterogeneity within the TPB framework, contextualized in the culturally significant Assam handloom industry. The study extends existing literature by demonstrating that sustainability narratives and authenticity not only reinforce ethical consumption but also enhance emotional brand attachment in emerging market settings. Social implications advocate for awareness-driven sustainable marketing and cultural heritage promotion, sensitive to income and regional contexts whereas managerial insights suggest tailoring sustainability communications to diverse consumer segments through authentic storytelling strategies. To increase customer involvement, marketers could make use of income-based value propositions, gender-sensitive storylines, and regional pride. Cross sectional design and regional context are the limitations. Overall, the paper contributes a differentiated perspective on how traditional industries can effectively align cultural identity, sustainability positioning, and consumer psychology to drive responsible consumption behaviours’.