Consumer relationship with pro-environmental apparel brands: effect of knowledge, skepticism and brand familiarity
| Pages | 1-14 |
| Published date | 10 June 2019 |
| Date | 10 June 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-03-2018-1794 |
| Author | Lauren Copeland,Gargi Bhaduri |
Consumer relationship with pro-environmental
apparel brands: effect of knowledge,
skepticism and brand familiarity
Lauren Copeland and Gargi Bhaduri
Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The apparel industry is often scrutinized for its lack of environmental stewardship, and thus pro-environmental initiatives have been of
significant consideration among apparel brands in recent years. However, one personality trait of specific concern to brand marketers is consumer
skepticism toward climate change, which has the potential to negatively impact the success of brands’pro-environmental initiatives. In this light,
research indicates that knowledge of the environmental impact of products can lead to lower skepticism (Tobler et al., 2012) and ul timately higher
purchase intentions of such products. Thus, this study investigates the impact of consumers’knowledge about environmental impact of apparel,
climate change skepticism on their evaluation of brands’pro-environmental initiatives (shared value and perceived benefit) and ultimately their
relationship with the brand (perceived trust, commitment), leading to purchase intention for both familiar and unfamiliar brands.
Design/methodology/approach –Two separate studies were conducted for familiar and unfamiliar brands. Data for online surveys were collected
from two US nationwide samples and analyzed using path analyses.
Findings –Consumers’intention to purchase from a pro-environmental brand was influenced by knowledge and skepticism. Particul arly, the
obtained shared value perceptions and perceived benefits of consumers influenced their relationship with the brand through trust and commitment,
which eventually impacted their intention to purchase from the brand. Differences were observ ed for familiar and unfamiliar brands.
Practical implications –Findings of this study will help brand managers design effective pro-environmental marketing messages. Both familiar and
unfamiliar brands would benefit from educating consumers about the true environmental impact of their apparel choices, as well as the personal
benefits and values earned when purchasing/consuming pro-environmental apparel. This, in turn, reduces consumer skepticism toward climate
change, leading to favorable evaluations of the brand’s pro-environmental initiatives and improvement of long-term brand relations.
Originality/value –This study extended the social exchange theory by understanding antecedents of consumers’shared valu e and perceived
benefits, namely, their knowledge about the environmental impact of apparel and their skepticism toward climate change, with the final outcome
variable being consumers’patronage intention of pro-environmental brands.
Keywords Purchase intention, Social exchange theory, Apparel, Pro-environmental, Trust, Knowledge, Commitment, Skepticism,
Perceived benefits, Brand relationships, Shared value, Brand relation, Brand familiarity
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Sustainable, particularly pro-environmental, initiatives have
been of significant consideration among apparel brands and
their consumers in recenttimes as the environmental impact of
the apparel industry has become well known. Although the
global apparel industry is valued at $3tn, apparel production
finds itself the second leading industrialcause of environmental
pollution, thus taking a vast toll on the planet (Fashion United,
2019). The industry is often scrutinized for its lack of
environmental stewardship such as contributing to excessive
landfill waste and use of harmful chemicals (Boström and
Micheletti, 2016;McCarthy,2018).
The past few years have seen an increase in pro-
environmental initiatives by both apparel brands and
consumers. A majority of consumers have increasingly
expressed interest in considering pro-environmental products
for purchase and expect brands to disclose their pro-
environmental initiatives publicly (Nielson, 2015). It is
particularly importantfor apparel brands to communicate such
initiatives clearly and effectively because of the fact that pro-
environmental qualities of apparelare credence attributes, that
is, it is difficult to evaluate fromsurface appearance if a product
is made with harmful dyes or uses recycled materials
(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,
1997). This is aggravated by the complex and fragmented
nature of the apparel supply chain,in which a single garment is
manufactured in multiple countries under varying
environmental regulations, thus making it difficult for
consumers to know the true environmental impact of their
consumptionchoices.
Thecurrentissueandfulltextarchiveofthisjournalisavailableon
Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
29/1 (2020) 1–14
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-03-2018-1794]
Received 22 March 2018
Revised 7 August 2018
27 February 2019
17 April 2019
17 April 2019
Accepted 24 April 2019
1
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