CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN AND ATTITUDE TOWARD ECO-APPAREL: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Abstract

The escalating environmental effects of the clothing business have heightened the desire to determine the reaction of the customers to the sustainable fashion items. This paper identifies the role of consumer knowledge and environmental concern on perceptions of eco-apparel. The study employed a quantitative research design where a structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data in 200 apparel consumers. The results indicate that consumer knowledge plays a significant role in increasing environmental concern, as well as, the attitude towards the eco-apparel is positively affected. Environmental concern developed to be a stronger predictor of the positive attitude than knowledge alone, which shows the paramount impact of the emotional and value-based influence in sustainable consumption. The findings imply that the positive attitudes of eco-apparel purchased by the consumers can be reinforced by enhancing consumer awareness and elevating the level of ecological concern. The research is practical to the apparel marketers, policymakers, and educationalists in encouraging sustainable fashion consumption.