Dottorato in INGEGNERIA INDUSTRIALE E GESTIONALE

Titolo della tesi: Sustainable consumer behavior in the fashion industry: a theoretical and empirical investigation of available options and behavioral determinants

The influence of human activities on the ecological balance of the planet is progressively pronounced. Manifold adverse effects originating from anthropogenic sources significantly disrupt the natural environment. Notably, the fashion industry stands as one of the key contributors to global environmental degradation. Several negative environmental impacts are associated with the fashion sector across its entire value chain. Efforts within the international community are being directed towards mitigating these issues. Embracing sustainable practices in both the production and consumption of fashion products stands as a fundamental approach to addressing the challenges present in this pivotal sector. Recently, scholarly attention towards sustainable consumption within the fashion industry has experienced significant proliferation. Nevertheless, various research gaps remain open and are yet to be addressed. With the aim to fill these gaps, this study focuses on the consumer's perspective, delving into the dynamics of sustainable fashion consumption. This research comprises four chapters. Two theoretical investigations (Chapters 1 and 2) were carried out from a holistic perspective by considering all consumption stages (i.e., purchase, use, and disposal). Two empirical investigations (Chapters 3 and 4) were focused on the dynamics of consumers' decision-making processes during the purchase phase. The first two chapters of this work are systematic literature reviews aimed at: (1) elucidating what sustainable fashion encompasses and (2) comprehensively classifying drivers, barriers, and determinants of sustainable fashion consumption. These chapters identify, define, categorize, and discuss sustainable fashion options for which consumer behavior has been studied (Chapter 1) and the determinants affecting consumer behavior concerning the existing sustainable fashion options across various stages of consumption (Chapter 2). The third and fourth chapters of this work are quantitative studies with the following objectives: (1) the examination of the impact of product attributes, i.e., clothing items and sustainable materials, on sustainable fashion consumption, and (2) the investigation of sustainable footwear consumption through a comparative analysis of two distinct markets. In Chapter 3, the determinants influencing consumers' purchasing intentions and their willingness to pay higher prices for garments manufactured from two different types of sustainable materials (biobased and recycled), as well as two specific clothing items (underwear and jacket) differing in visibility and skin contact, are shown. In Chapter 4, the factors influencing consumers' purchase intentions concerning sustainable footwear within the Italian and Dutch markets are analysed. This study contributes to the sustainable fashion consumption domain across various dimensions. It facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the intricate facets associated with this meaningful subject and offers clarity on the current state of knowledge while advancing novel research ideas. Moreover, it introduces elements of novelty, such as the investigation of distinct sustainable clothing categories and items and the development of a new theoretical framework to scrutinize consumer behavior. Furthermore, this work presents novel perspectives by examining the footwear industry, an area that has received limited examination within the broader scope of sustainable fashion consumption research. It also addresses emerging trends such as biobased clothing and digital-related behavioral determinants, expanding the existing body of literature in this domain. The study contributes to the field by enlarging the spectrum of available insights and offering context-specific results through comparative analysis across two countries. Additionally, this work offers practical insights, paving the way for the development and promotion of sustainable fashion products and service offerings, underscoring their crucial importance in the industry.