Developing a typology of sustainable apparel consumer: An application of grounded theory

Elena E. Karpova, Kelly L. Reddy-Best and Farimah Bayat

Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 2024, vol. 15, issue 2, 203-220

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to develop a data-driven typology to explain sustainable apparel consumers’ orientations towards clothing acquisition and use. Using grounded theory, we analyzed comments of New York Times readers to a sustainability-focused article and identified the two core constructs that allowed for a systematic and effective classification of sustainable apparel consumers: (1) importance of personal appearance and (2) willingness and/or ability to pay for clothing. The typology was developed based on the discourses of several hundred people’s comments to share and encourage sustainable practices for acquiring and using clothes. As a result of applying the two constructs to the data, four groups of sustainable apparel consumers were established: classy affluents, chic thrifters, functional minimalists, and austeritics. The paper outlines each group’s unique apparel needs and priorities that manifest in everyday practices.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/20932685.2023.2201251 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:rgfmxx:v:15:y:2024:i:2:p:203-220

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/rgfm20

DOI: 10.1080/20932685.2023.2201251

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Global Fashion Marketing is currently edited by Yelena Wang

More articles in Journal of Global Fashion Marketing from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().