The ambivalent value of product repairability: a proposed multidimensional framework for sustainable fashion

Purpose Repairability is widely promoted in fashion as a value-enhancing sustainability attribute, yet it does not consistently translate into consumer or brand value. This study aims to explore when repairability creates value for consumers and brands, and when it may erode that value. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on qualitative interviews with everyday fashion consumers and industry experts, this exploratory study applies Sheth et al.’s (1991) theory of consumption values to examine how repairability may shape multiple dimensions of consumer value. A hybrid deductive-inductive coding process was used to identify the psychological mechanisms and brand-controlled triggers shaping responses to repairable fashion. Findings Repairability in fashion may function as an ambivalent value cue. Brand-controlled triggers can generate competing positive and negative evaluations, while product characteristics, audience orientation and brand framing condition whether repairability supports or undermines consumer and brand value. Originality/value This research applies insights from ambivalence and consumption-value theory to the repairability context by identifying repairability-related triggers, value mechanisms and contextual conditions that shape consumer and brand outcomes.