Perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward sustainable fashion: Application of Q and Q-R methodologies

While sustainability has increasingly attracted the attention of scholars and practitioners, consumer attitudes and behaviors toward sustainable consumption have not yet been elucidated. The decision-making process around sustainable consumption involves diverse and complex considerations including some forms of compromise (tradeoff). In addition, sustainability is a broad and subjective concept, and is not a primary attribute of a product Impacting the choices of consumers. Therefore, it is necessary to apply new methods to overcome the limitations of conventional evidence-based research. This research uses Q and Q-R methodologies to identify consumers' subjective viewpoints toward sustainable fashion and to present socio-demographic differences across segments of sustainable fashion consumers. Study 1 uses Q methodology to interview 26 consumers and to identify four types of decision makers: doubtful egoists, single-minded bystanders, wavering intellects, and opinion leaders. Study 2 uses Q-R methodology to verify the psychological and socio-demographic variables among 328 consumers. The research provides useful suggestions for selecting and approaching target consumer segments in the sustainable fashion industry.