Greenwashing or genuine? Exploring conscious consumption of green apparel among young adults

Greenwashing in the apparel industry involves deceptive marketing practices where companies misrepresent products as environmentally friendly by fabricating or withholding details about their content or manufacturing processes. Given consumers’ reliance on advertisements and company-provided information, this study assessed young adults’ ability to differentiate genuine green apparel products from greenwashed ones. A survey was conducted with 66 college students aged 18–31, featuring advertisements for two women’s apparel items and one handbag under fictitious brand names. Participants’ perceived environmental knowledge (PEK), environmental concern (EC), green purchasing attitudes (GPA), and perceived greenwashing (eco-score) were analyzed using a mixed-effects model. Results revealed high scores across scales, indicating strong environmental knowledge and awareness. However, participants exhibited skepticism, with an average eco-score of 4.297 (p < .001) for eco-friendly ads. GPA significantly influenced eco-scores (b = – 0.226, p < .001), highlighting the need for consumer education to foster critical thinking, eco-literacy, and informed green purchasing decisions.