Sustainable Fashion Consumption: Themes, Segmentation, and Paths to Sustainable Values and Behaviours

<p dir="ltr">This dissertation comprises three interconnected studies that aim to advance our understanding of sustainable fashion consumption. Study 1 conducted a systematic literature review, identifying four key themes: Design, Messaging, Customer, and Disposal, and developed a comprehensive framework for sustainable fashion consumption. The identified themes highlight the cyclical nature of sustainable fashion consumption and the shared responsibility of citizens, companies, and governments to drive positive change. Building upon the Customer theme, Study 2 utilized consumer segmentation to explore emotional and shopping characteristics driving sustainable fashion consumption, revealing three distinct consumer segments: Distressed and Self-Oriented, Warm and Thrifty, and Cold and Frivolous. These segments underscore the heterogeneity of sustainable fashion consumers and their motivations. Study 3 extended the findings of Study 2 by investigating the relationship between self-oriented, hedonic tendencies and sustainable values and behaviours. The study revealed that hedonic tendencies are negatively associated with sustainable values but positively associated with sustainable behaviours through the need for uniqueness. These findings challenge existing definitions of sustainable behaviour and emphasize the importance of recognizing both direct and indirect sustainable behaviours. With this broader understanding of sustainable fashion consumption, researchers, organizations, and companies can capture the diverse ways individuals engage in sustainable fashion. This dissertation also acknowledges the complex systems that underlie the fashion industry, such as consumerism and conspicuous consumption, which perpetuate the creation, distribution, use, and disposal of environmentally and socially detrimental products. Addressing these systemic issues requires a reconceptualization of the fashion industry, fostering a more sustainable and equitable future. Overall, this research contributes insights into sustainable fashion consumption. By considering the interplay between themes, consumer segments, and the relationship between hedonic tendencies and sustainable values and behaviours, this research provides pathways for fostering more environmentally and socially responsible fashion consumption practices.</p>