Sustainability as a fashion trend: The Role of Readiness in Sustainable Fashion Adoption

Author : Ms. Sunanda Kumari, Dr. Rashi Taggar

Abstract :Interest in sustainable fashion is rising among academics and consumers as a result of the fashion industry’s growing adverse environmental impact. This study explores at how Indian consumers’ adoption of sustainable fashion is influenced by three important psychographic factors: consumer awareness, social value, and environmental knowledge. Based on the Value–Belief–Norm (VBN) framework and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the study suggests readiness as a mediating variable that connects these antecedents to adoption behavior. Further, fashion consciousness is introduced as a mediator of readiness and sustainable fashion adoption. A structured online survey was used to collect data from 314 respondents Gen Z and millennial respondents, which were then analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that all three psychographic characteristics have a favorable influence on readiness, which in turn significantly predicts long-term sustainable fashion adoption. The moderating analysis reveals that fashion consciousness enhances the connection between readiness and sustainable fashion adoption. These findings give both theoretical and managerial insights, indicating that promoting sustainability themes that are consistent with fashion identity can effectively increase consumer readiness and transform it into actual sustainable fashion activities

Keywords :Awareness, Circular economy, Environment, Readiness, Sustainable fashion.

Conference Name :International Conference on Emerging Trends in Circular Economy, Business Ethics and Sustainability (ICETCEBES-25)

Conference Place Seoul, South Korea

Conference Date 19th Dec 2025