A Study on Consumer Perceptions of Eco-Friendly Sports Products Using Text Mining and Social Network Analysis

Purpose: This study examines the perceptual structures surrounding eco-friendly sports products and identifies how sustainability, marketing, and experiential factors interact within the sports industry. This study aims to explore how consumers perceive eco-friendly attributes as concrete, activity-based experiences rather than abstract environmental values. Method: Data related to eco-friendly sports products were collected from major Korean portals and social media platforms (2020–2025) and analyzed using text mining and TF–IDF. Keywords were classified into four structural categories: (1) activity-based consumption, (2) sustainable management, (3) marketing and distribution strategy, and (4) functional and experiential value. Frequency analysis and semantic network mapping were utilized to visualize relational structures and identify core perception clusters. Results: The analysis revealed that eco-friendly awareness in the sports sector is primarily associated with specific activities, such as golf and yoga. Eco-friendly sports products were perceived in terms of their production, materials, and usability rather than as abstract environmental values. These attributes were closely linked to sustainable management and marketing strategies within the sports industry. Conclusion: In conclusion, the the market for eco-friendly sports products should be understood as an integrated system where activity-based consumption, sustainable management, marketing strategies, and functional values interact. These findings suggest that eco-friendly strategies in the sports industry should be designed as comprehensive frameworks rather than localized, single-message approaches.