In the present master’s thesis, two experiments, a survey and A/B-testing, examined consumer behavior and attitude in the context of recycled fashion in order to accept or reject five different hypotheses. One of the objectives of the survey conducted for this master's thesis was to investigate whether consumers prefer certain recycled materials over others. The materials studied were recycled cotton, recycled plastic and recycled pineapple leaves. With the help of several statistical tests in RStudio, it was found that recycled cotton is the most popular recycled material in comparison.
In addition, the aim was to investigate whether consumers also prefer certain garments over others when buying recycled fashion and whether the proximity of the garment to the skin has a particular influence here. Here, too, an analysis in RStudio revealed that it is not necessarily the proximity of the skin but rather the level of intimacy that is decisive. Finally, the survey was intended to investigate whether and to what extent consumers feel disgust towards recycled fashion and how consumer disgust can be avoided. Practical and theoretical management implications, especially for fashion companies, were being discussed in order to provide companies with a way to implement recycled fashion most effectively focusing on the right choice of materials, fashion type and communication.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Problem Statement and Relevance of the Present Study
1.2 Objective and Research Question of the Present Study
1.3 Delimitation of Research
1.4 State of Research
2. Theoretical Frame of Reference
2.1 Sustainable Fashion
2.2 Recycled Fashion
2.3 Exploration of Consumer Attitude and Behavior towards Recycled Fashion
2.3.1 Value Drivers behind Sustainable Fashion Consumption
2.3.2 Other Influencing Factors in the Fashion Buying Decision
2.3.3 The Emotion of Fear and Disgust in the Context of Recycled Fashion
2.4 Advertisement Effects in the Context of Recycled Fashion
2.4.1 Messaging Effects and Norms
2.4.2 The Attractiveness Factor
3. Empirical Part
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Sampling approach & data collection
3.3 Method of Data Analysis
3.4 Results
4. Conclusion
4.1 Interpretation of Results
4.2 Managerial Implications
4.3 Limitation
5. Outlook
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this master's thesis is to investigate consumer behavior and attitudes toward recycled fashion to determine which factors contribute to making such garments more appealing. By addressing the identified attitude-behavior gap, the study seeks to provide actionable insights for fashion companies to effectively communicate and market recycled textile products.
- Analysis of consumer perceptions regarding different types of recycled materials (e.g., cotton, plastic, pineapple leaves).
- Investigation of the influence of emotional drivers, specifically fear and disgust, on purchasing decisions for recycled apparel.
- Examination of the role of product category and skin proximity in consumer preference.
- Evaluation of messaging strategies and social norms in advertising to increase product appeal.
- Assessment of the impact of model attractiveness in promotional materials on consumer purchase intention.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 Exploration of Consumer Attitude and Behavior towards Recycled Fashion
After having set the theoretical context of sustainable fashion, this part focuses on consumer behavior in the field of sustainable fashion. Thereby the shopper’s perception of sustainable and especially recycled attire will be pointed out to get a feeling for the current attitude towards this newfangled fashion.
Attitude is considered as a cognitive condition possessing the power to influence certain behaviors. It thereby expresses the consumers' individual association with a particular attitude object and has the power to push a person towards or away from a certain behavior. It can be seen as a long-lasting assessment. Every human possesses hundreds of attitudes with different attributes (Olson et al., 2001). According to the universal consumer behavior framework “ABC Model of Attitudes, every attitude is composed of the following three components: affective, behavioral, and cognitive component (Ajzen & Fishbein, 2004). While the affective component is based on emotions thus describes how a shopper feels about a certain attitude object, the cognitive element is based on information and knowledge and the resulting thoughts and beliefs regarding it. Lastly, the behavioral component points out the resulting behavior under the attitudes influence. Overall, it helps to connect the dimensions “knowing,” “feeling” and “doing” (Bagozzi, 1992). In science there are already some applications of the ABC model on recycling in the field of consumer behavior. A closer examination of recycled fashion consumption, however, has not taken place yet. Nevertheless, there are some sources analyzing those attitudes towards sustainable fashion.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter highlights the rising importance of sustainable fashion due to environmental concerns and establishes the research gap regarding consumer attitudes toward recycled clothing.
2. Theoretical Frame of Reference: It defines the conceptual foundations of sustainable and recycled fashion, exploring consumer behavior theories, the impact of emotions like disgust, and advertising effects.
3. Empirical Part: This section details the research methodology, including the design of an online survey and A/B-testing on Instagram to gather primary data.
4. Conclusion: The findings of the empirical study are synthesized to answer the research question, providing managerial implications for the industry and addressing limitations.
5. Outlook: The author reflects on the future of the fashion industry in light of climate change and suggests directions for future research beyond the German market.
Keywords
Sustainable Fashion, Recycled Materials, Consumer Attitude, Attitude-Behavior-Gap, Disgust, Fear of Contamination, Conjoint Analysis, A/B-Testing, Social Norms, Messaging Effects, Consumer Behavior, Fashion Marketing, Upcycling, Textile Industry, Environmental Protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on analyzing consumer attitudes and behavior regarding recycled fashion garments to understand the factors that drive or hinder their adoption.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The work covers sustainable fashion, consumer psychology (specifically emotions like disgust), advertising strategies (social norms and messaging), and empirical consumer research methods.
What is the primary objective of this research?
The main goal is to identify factors that make recycled fashion more appealing to consumers, thereby helping to bridge the attitude-behavior gap in sustainable fashion consumption.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach including a quantitative online survey using conjoint analysis, ranking procedures, and a social media-based A/B-test on Instagram.
What is examined in the main part of the study?
The main part encompasses a theoretical literature review of consumer behavior and sustainable fashion, followed by the empirical investigation of consumer reactions to various recycled materials and advertisement messaging.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Sustainable Fashion, Consumer Attitude, Attitude-Behavior-Gap, Recycled Materials, Disgust, Conjoint Analysis, and Social Norms.
How does the proximity of garments to the skin affect consumer preference?
The study investigates whether items closer to the skin, such as underwear, trigger higher levels of perceived contamination and disgust compared to outer garments like t-shirts.
Does the attractiveness of models in advertisements influence purchase intent?
Yes, the A/B-testing results suggest that the perceived attractiveness of people used in advertisements for recycled fashion has an impact on consumer appeal, though control groups also performed well.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Rebecca Serban (Autor:in), 2021, Consumer Attitude towards Recycled Fashion Garments. Which factors make recycled fashion more appealing to consumers?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1170113
