Sustainable Apparel Consumption Behavior among U.S. Students

Abstract

<p>As a result of fast changing fashion trends and declining apparel prices, consumers tend to renew their wardrobe more frequently, buying more garments than ever before (Johansson, 2010). This trend leads to a continual growth in production of textiles, use of non-renewable resources, and increasing disposal rate (Shim, 1995). At the same time, people are becoming more environmentally conscious. In fact, a recent poll showed that 35% of the U.S. consumers were willing to buy and pay more for green products (“U.S. Consumers,” 2010). Although there has been a surge in “green consumption” research, there is a limited understanding about factors influencing sustainable apparel consumption. Only few studies focused on apparel consumption among young consumers. For example, Kim & Damhorst’s (1998) reported that environmental concern and knowledge did not clearly relate to environmentally responsible apparel consumption among university students. The current study explored several critical characteristics that might provide important insights about sustainable apparel consumption: environmentalism, materialism, and knowledge about environmental issues.</p>