The Impact of Ethical Fashion on Consumer Purchase Intention of the Undergraduates: With Special Reference to Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The basic human need of clothing has now evolved into the concept of fashion, and it keeps developing further into significant niches such as ethical fashion. The growing concerns on ethical fashion have exhibited a vast impact on consumer purchase intentions, especially of young consumers. This research was conducted with the main objective to assess the impact of ethical fashion on consumer purchase intention of undergraduates of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. It has been observed that fashion consumers prefer or reject certain products depending on the ethical considerations, beliefs and attitudes they hold on regarding that specific brand or product, which paved the path to constructing this research study. The research coverage areas include three aspects of ethical fashion, namely cruelty-free, fair trade and eco-friendly and their individual and collective impact on consumer purchase intention. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire that was administrated online to the sample of undergraduates. The findings suggested that there is an overall positive impact of ethical fashion on consumer purchase intention which is exhibited through their willingness to pay a premium and choosing of ethical brands and products over others now and in future. Further statistical analysis is done through tests of correlation and regression and those provided insight into individual variable relationship and impact with the purchase intention of the undergraduates. Based on the results of the study, it can be stated that both businesses and consumers should pay greater attention to ethical fashion, as it has a significant effect on the direction that the fashion industry would take in the future.