Personal Values, Beliefs, Knowledge, and Attitudes Relating to Intentions to Purchase Apparel from Socially Responsible Businesses

The purpose of the study was to provide initial understanding of female consumers' decisions to purchase from socially responsible apparel businesses, operationally defined as the U.S. Department of Labor's Trendsetters. The relationships between three major groupings of variables were explored including the following: (a) consumers' personal values, beliefs, and knowledge, (b) attitudes relating to socially responsible apparel business practices, as well as product-specific attitudes, and (c) intentions to purchase apparel from socially responsible businesses. For the 219 women surveyed, only product-specific attitudes were related to intentions to purchase from socially responsible apparel businesses. However, greater knowledge and concern about issues in the apparel industry, as well as beliefs about the U.S. apparel industry and perceived effectiveness, were related to greater support for socially responsible businesses. Suspicion about business practices intended to solve apparel industry problems was related to beliefs about foreign apparel businesses and societal values. Implications for government and industry initiatives involving consumers in the elimination of sweatshops are discussed.