Investigating the antecedents of consumer behavioral intention for sustainable fashion products: Evidence from a large survey of Italian consumers

The heavy environmental effect of the fashion industry, along with the growing interest of consumers in sustainability issues, is driving this industry towards greater ecological integrity through the development of sustainable clothing. This study investigates which factors influence green consumer behavioral intention in the clothing industry, through a survey of 2.694 Italian consumers. We study the influence of consumer's environmental concern, perceived value of the product, and consumer familiarity with the product (both direct and indirect experiences) on purchase intention and willingness to pay a premium price for sustainable fashion products. Our results show that environmental concern and perceived value positively affect purchase intention and the willingness to pay a premium price regardless the type of eco-materials used for the products, whereas direct and indirect experiences have different effects based on the specific eco-material used. Further, green consumer behavior is strongly dependent on consumers’ socio-demographic characteristics. Based on these results, important implications for scholars, managers, and policymakers are provided that can foster consumers' adoption of sustainable clothing and a transition towards a more sustainable society. For instance, specific directions for marketing strategy and public communication campaigns are provided.