A scale for measuring consumer knowledge of fashion sustainability

The transition toward more sustainable fashion consumption is crucial for addressing global ecological and social challenges. Informed consumer choices play a central role in this transition but rely on adequate knowledge of fashion sustainability. To date, no scientifically robust measure exists to assess such knowledge. This study addresses this gap by developing a comprehensive scale of consumers’ objective knowledge of fashion sustainability. Drawing on current literature, existing scales, and consumer feedback (n = 319), and validated through qualitative interviews with two fashion experts, an initial item pool was created. Using Item Response Theory (IRT), a 25-item scale was developed, capturing system, action-related, and effectiveness knowledge across all three dimensions of sustainability and the entire product life cycle. The scale was tested with 394 participants, demonstrating appropriate item difficulty distribution. This instrument provides a reliable, extendable measure of consumer knowledge, supporting further research to promote sustainable fashion consumption.