THE IMPACT OF BRAND IMAGE ON CONSUMER PRE-PURCHASE DECISION- MAKING PROCESS A Qualitative Study on Consumers

Mariam Aptsiauri & Veera Könni

Department of Business Administration International Business Program Degree Project, 30 Credits, Spring 2021 Supervisor: Galina Biedenbach

ABSTRACT The fashion industry’s massive and the throwaway culture of fast fashion have contributed to a growing global interest in and ethics in fashion consumption. Consumers have become more conscious of the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry. Hence, marketers in the fashion industry have realised that creating a favourable brand image establishes positive consumer perceptions. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impact of brand image on consumers' sustainable fashion consumption. Furthermore, the thesis aims to provide a deeper understanding of the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process concerning sustainable fashion. Researchers have agreed that understanding consumer pre-purchase considerations helps explain consumer decision-making since they highly influence purchasing decisions.

A research gap could be identified since there is no study examining the three concepts combined; brand image, consumer pre-purchase decision-making process, and sustainable fashion. Moreover, there is a need for academic research that updates knowledge on sustainable fashion consumers. From prior research, it was recognisable that more in-depth research on different brand image dimensions is needed to understand the underlying factors affecting sustainable fashion consumption. This thesis focuses on the impact of brand image by examining the eight brand associations containing the brand's meaning for the consumers hence examining the impact of these brand associations on each pre-purchase stage. To fulfil the thesis's purpose and answer the research question, a qualitative study was conducted, which consisted of eight semi- structured interviews with sustainable fashion consumers.

The qualitative study has provided a comprehensive understanding of how consumers perceive and are impacted by the brand image in their sustainable fashion consumption pre-purchase stage. The key finding from the qualitative study was that sustainable fashion consumers perceive the brand image of a fashion brand as essential in their consumption. It was also recognisable that brand image highly affects sustainable fashion consumers' pre-purchase behaviour. The thesis's analysis discloses that a good brand image is associated with transparency, eco-friendly materials, stable working conditions, and good quality clothing, affecting the sustainable fashion consumers' pre-purchase process tremendously. The qualitative findings on the impact of the brand associations on the pre-purchase stages resulted in a conceptual model displaying the impact of brand image on the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process.

In addition to theoretical contributions, the thesis offers implications for fashion managers by providing a deeper understanding of sustainable fashion consumers' pre-purchase considerations. By understanding how consumers get influenced by different brand image associations, the thesis provides managers with valuable insight that can help meet consumer demands within sustainable fashion.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Umeå 20th of May 2021 We want to express our gratitude to our supervisor Dr. Galina Biedenbach for the extremely valuable guidance throughout the writing process and for sharing her advice and expertise. Her tremendous encouragement and support have been fundamental for our degree project. We would also like to express our great appreciation to the respondents for their valuable time. Our interviews and research would not have been possible without their participation.

Mariam Aptsiauri & Veera Könni

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT 2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS 6

1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 CHOICE OF SUBJECT 1 1.2 PROBLEM BACKGROUND 1 1.3 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH GAPS 4 1.4 PURPOSE AND THE RESEARCH QUESTION 7

2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 9 2.1 FASHION AND SUSTAINABILITY 9 2.1.1 FASHION 9 2.1.1 SUSTAINABILITY 10 2.1.2 SUSTAINABLE FASHION 13 2.2 BRAND IMAGE 17 2.2.1 DIMENSIONS OF BRAND IMAGE 17 2.2.2 BRAND IMAGE AND CSR 19 2.3 SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR 20 2.3.1. SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE FASHION CONTEXT 20 2.3.2 CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS 22 2.3.3 CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING AND BRAND IMAGE 25 2.4 SUMMARY AND THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL 26

3. SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY 27 3.1 PRE-UNDERSTANDINGS 28 3.2 RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY 31 3.2.1 ONTOLOGY 29 3.2.2 EPISTEMOLOGY 29 3.3 RESEARCH APPROACH 31 3.4 RESEARCH DESIGN 31 3.5 RESEARCH STRATEGY 32 3.6 LITERATURE SEARCH AND REVIEW 33 3.7 CHOICE OF THEORIES 34

4. PRACTICAL METHODOLOGY 37 4.1 DATA COLLECTION METHOD 37 4.2 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE 39 4.3 INTERVIEW GUIDE 41 4.4 INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE 42 4.5 PILOT STUDY 43

4.6 DATA ANALYSIS 44 4.6 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 45

5. EMPIRICAL FINDINGS 47 5.1 PRESENTATION OF THE INTERVIEWEES 47 5.2 CONSUMER PRE-PURCHASE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS 49 5.2.1 NEED RECOGNITION 51 5.2.2 INFORMATION SEARCH 51 5.2.3 EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES 51 5.3 BRAND IMAGE 52 5.3.1 BRAND ATTRIBUTES 61 5.3.2 BRAND BENEFITS 61 5.3.3 BRAND ATTITUDES 61

6. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 65 6.1 BRAND IMAGE AND SUSTAINABLE FASHION CONSUMPTION 65 6.2 BRAND IMAGE AND NEED RECOGNITION 67 6.3 BRAND IMAGE AND INFORMATION SEARCH 72 6.4 BRAND IMAGE AND ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION 75 6.5 REVISED CONCEPTUAL MODEL 80

7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 83 7.1 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 83 7.2 THEORETICAL CONTRIBUTIONS 84 7.3 PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS 85 7.4 SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS 85 7.5 LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH 86

8. TRUTH CRITERIA 87

LIST OF REFERENCES 89

APPENDIX 1: INTERVIEW GUIDE 101

APPENDIX: 2 INTERVIEW ANNOUNCEMENT 105

APPENDIX 3: INVITATION TO THE INTERVIEWS 105

APPENDIX 4: PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEWS CHECKLIST 106

APPENDIX 5: LIST OF CODES 106

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE 1. OVERVIEW OF RESPONDENTS AND CONDUCTED 41 INTERVIEWS

TABLE 2. A SUMMARY OF BRAND ASSOCIATIONS’ IMPACT ON 80

CONSUMER PRE-PURCHASE DECISION-MAKING STAGES KEY FINDINGS

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1. A TYPICAL REPRESENTATION OF SUSTAINABILITY 11 AS THREE INTERSECTING CIRCLES

FIGURE 2. DIMENSIONS OF BRAND IMAGE 19

FIGURE 3. THE PRE-PURCHASE STAGE OF THE CONSUMER 24 DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

FIGURE 4. CONCEPTUAL MODEL 27

FIGURE 5. REVISED CONCEPTUAL MODEL 82

1. INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the reasoning behind the selected topic of this degree project and provides an understanding of the topic and the problem background. The chapter continues with the theoretical background and identified research gaps followed by the expected contributions and our purpose to guide the entire project. At the end of this chapter we present the research question of the thesis. 1.1 CHOICE OF SUBJECT As two marketing students enrolled in the International Business Programme at Umeå School of Business and Economics, we share an interest in consumer behaviour. We are curious to investigate others' values and opinions toward sustainable and unsustainable fashion and the reasoning behind their consumption choices. Both authors are genuinely interested in fashion and frequently follow the industry and trends, which have raised the concern we have towards unsustainable and unethical fashion industry elements. The continued knowledge gained regarding the environment and the harmful factors has intrigued us to investigate which brand image factors influence sustainable consumer choices. The interest in fashion and the global climate crisis concern has increased our consideration for sustainable fashion consumption and production. The most significant driver behind the thesis topic is a mixture of our shared interest in fashion and the recognition of the industry's downsides and its harmful effects on both the environment and people's welfare.

Concerning the choice of theories presented in this thesis, the decision was to research various concepts, such as sustainable fashion, brand image, brand associations and the pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process. The concepts are defined and discussed further in the thesis. Sustainable fashion was the first fundamental concept discussed, as the harmful effects of accelerated production on the environment has required the fashion industry to take actions towards sustainability. Sustainable fashion reflects the improvements both consumers and companies have to make to prevent fast fashion damage. To be able to examine sustainable consumer behaviour drivers, the concepts of the consumer decision-making process and brand image are presented in the thesis. The pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process is profoundly studied, as the section includes the majority of decisions made leading to a purchase. These choices aim to address brand image's relevant conjunction with sustainable decision-making. Moreover, the brand association components of brand image is covered for a further profound perspicacity into the factors affecting a consumer's brand choice.

1.2 PROBLEM BACKGROUND Fashion is described as modern trends in styles during a particular time, involving elements such as taste, acceptance, and change (Moona et al., 2015, p. 939). Change is a crucial element for consumer interest since profiting from such an interest requires the constant creation of new designs, contributing to the supply of fast fashion. Fast fashion can be described as trendy, cheap, and disposable (Cachon & Swinney, 2011, p. p. 778). For fast fashion growth, aggressive marketing has been identified as a critical driver, creating a trend of overdemand and oversupply, resulting in several environmental problems (Moona et al., 2015, p. 939). Sustainable fashion is restrained to clothing products that maximise positive and minimise adverse environmental, social, and economic effects in the supply and value chain (WCED, 1987). The emergence of

1 sustainable fashion began in the 1960s when consumers' awareness of clothing manufacturing's harmful environmental impacts increased, and consumers started to require a change in the industry (Henninger et al., 2016, p. 400). Sustainable fashion was first perceived negatively, but the opinions changed when campaigns against fur emerged during the 1980s, and interest in ethical clothing increased in the 1990s (Henninger et al., 2016, p. 400).

According to UNDP (2020), to achieve economic growth and , we need to urgently change our consumption and production to reduce our growing ecological footprint. The planet's shared natural resources and disposing of waste and pollutants are to be efficiently managed to reach responsible consumption and production (UNDP, 2020). Industries, businesses and consumers need encouragement to recycle and reduce waste (UNDP, 2020). As stated by the UN (2020), global consumption and production are the drivers of economic growth that rely on natural resources and environment leading to impacts that destruct the planet. According to the UN (2020), global material footprint increased by 17.4% from 2010 and 66.5% since 2000. Global domestic material use per capita rose by 7% from 2010 to 2017, with Europe and North America being 40% higher than the global average, indicating enhancing resource efficiency and reducing consumption especially in Europe and North America are urgently needed (UN, 2020). According to Statista (2021), the global apparel market is expected to grow from 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars in value in 2020 to about 2.25 trillion dollars by 2025, indicating that the demand for clothing and shoes is increasing globally. The UN (2020) highlights how important it is that developed countries take the lead in the action towards more and production.

The global interest in sustainability and ethics have grown, resulting in the fashion industry sector to offer various sustainable choices (McNeill & Moore, 2015, p. 212). Green consumption, eco-friendly manufacturing, the use and disposal of products are crucial for hindering global warming, one of the most acute crises today (Lin & Hsu, 2015, p. 326). Despite the sustainable offerings, it is challenging for the industry to change its unsustainable nature if consumers are unwilling to adapt to it in the long term. Providing consumers with sustainability-related information is crucial for a more sustainable consumption pattern (O'Rourke & Ringer, 2016, p. 883). However, receiving sustainability information is not equivalent to an actual change in consumer behaviour (O'Rourke & Ringer, 2016, p. 883). The better knowledge a consumer has about the sustainability strategies of a brand, the better they understand the importance of sustainable consumption (Kim & Hall, 2015, p. 33). The increase of awareness amongst consumers has led to an extended demand for greater transparency in the sustainability marketplace (Mol, 2013, p. 155). The consumption of fashion causes a substantial environmental threat, which forces fashion companies to develop a sustainable supply chain to meet consumer demand (Chen & Burns, 2006, p. 255). Companies' sustainable practices drive young consumers' purchase intentions and attitudes and significantly influence ' purchase intentions (Sharma & Joshi, 2019, p. 315). Sustainability attributes in the communication of sustainability performance of a product are crucial in influencing the consumer purchase decision (Bangsa & Schlegelmilch, 2020, p. 2)

The main reasons limiting consumers from purchasing sustainable products are the lack of research and time on decision-making (Young et al., 2010, p. 25). Brand image refers to sets of feelings, ideas and attitudes a consumer holds for a brand (Dobni & Zinkhan,

2 1990, p.110). The image of a brand is crucial to a consumer’s purchase decision (Dobni & Zinkhan, 1990, p. 110). The same can be said about fashion purchases, and marketers in the fashion industry realise that creating a favourable brand image is a key to win over consumer perceptions (Lee et al., 2000, p. 60). Scandals, such as the destruction of the Dhaka garment factory in Bangladesh in 2013, in which approximately 1200 workers lost their lives due to the collapse, have hurt fashion brands' image and raised awareness of social issues concerning the safety and working conditions (Macchion et al., 2018, p. 10).

Brands, such as Patagonia (Fowler & Hope 2007; Kim & Hall 2015; Macchion et al. 2017, cited in Macchion et al., 2018, p. 10) and Uniqlo (Kapferer & Michaut-Denizeau 2014, cited in Macchion et al., 2018, p. 10) have begun to implement sustainability based on genuine concern for the state of the industry's pretentious practices. Macchion et al. (2018, p. 10) mention Nike, which, on the contrary, was motivated towards sustainability because of the accusations by a documentary from 1996 that Nike used sweatshop labour. Independent of the motive, a fashion company aiming to promote sustainability should develop a sustainable supply chain, considering aspects relating to the environment and human well-being (Shen, 2014, p. 6238). In 2011, the sustainable outdoor clothing company Patagonia made an advertisement in the New York Times during Black Friday, showing a fleece jacket with the title "Don't Buy This Jacket." (Gwilt, 2020, p. 13). The purpose was to send out a message to their consumers to consider their consumption's environmental effects. Gwilt (2013, p. 13) states that Patagonia produces fleece garments made from post-consumer waste like plastic water bottles and uses a production closed- loop system, where unwanted polyester garments are recycled into fibres of fleece for new products. Even though they manufacture somewhat sustainably, Patagonia (2011) states on their official website that everything they create takes something from the planet that can not be given back. Due to this, the advertisement aimed to ask people to purchase less on Black Friday (Patagonia, 2011).

Fast fashion and the consumption of masses of cheap clothes has environmental and social impacts (Brooks, 2019, p. 4). Stories and scandals from emerging economies such as Bangladesh, China and India about poverty-wages, gender-based violence against female workers, and the relentless pace of workloads driven by fast fashion have generated uproar in the mainstream media (Brooks, 2019, p. 4). The fashion industry's massive ecological footprint resulting from vast amounts of emissions, pollution and waste, and a huge volume of water and land usage are all associated with the throwaway culture of fast fashion (Brooks, 2019, p. 5). Besides the extreme amount of waste, the fashion industry's water consumption is in the second place, producing 20 percent of all the water wasted while causing more than all international flights and maritime shipping together (Dory, 2018). Dory (2018) argues that clothing brands' responsibility is to create less waste by addressing chemicals, synthetic fabrics created from plastics that do not break down, and the unethical working environments in the industry.

Sweden has 10 tonnes of per person, which is significantly higher than the global average and needs to come down to 2 tonnes per person by 2050 to keep the global temperature below two degrees (Allerup, 2020). Swedish clothing consumption carbon footprint is about 330kg CO2 per person, only about 3% of an average Swede's total carbon footprint (Sandin et al., 2019, p. 7). However, the climate impact of clothing needs to be reduced to zero for a sustainable future (Sandin et al., 2019, p. 7). The responsibility does not lie individually on the consumer but must also be shared by the public sector and the industry (Allerup, 2020). However, Swedish consumers can change

3 their habits and consumption patterns to reduce their impact on climate. All the choices made can reduce emissions, whether it be travelling less by air, reducing our meat-eating, changing our fashion consumption habits and buying more second-hand instead of new (Allerup, 2020).

Chae et al. (2006, p. 26) argue that investigating consumer pre-purchase product evaluation is crucial to help gain a greater understanding of the consumer purchase decision process. Pre-purchase satisfaction with clothing attributes is significantly related to the clothing attributes and beliefs evaluation about various attributes (Chae et al., 2006, p. 26). Pre-purchase information search has an essential impact on the consumer's involvement with the purchase decision since the level of involvement influences the purchasing decision (Chae et al., 2006, p. 26). The consumer pre-purchase evaluation of fashion products are choices of high risks since they include consequences, symbolic performance, physical appearance, and durability (Eastlick & Feinberg, 1995, cited in Robinson & Doss, 2011, p. 278). Understanding the pre-purchase considerations helps explain consumer decision-making when choosing a fashion product (Robinson & Doss, 2011, p. 278).

Conclusively, short production and fast manufacturing in the fashion industry has increased, matching the supply with uncertain demand and creating the harmful fast- fashion system. Aggressive marketing is a critical driver for fast fashion growth, creating overdemand and oversupply, which results in various environmental problems. The interest in sustainability and ethics has grown globally, urging the fashion industry to become more sustainable. Consumers have a significant influence on changing the harmful fashion industry by consuming more sustainably. By providing consumers with sustainable-related information, the consumption patterns tend to change positively. Scandals amongst numerous brands have damaged brand image and raised awareness. The increase of awareness and knowledge leads to extended demand for broader transparency in the sustainability market. Hence, a company's brand image seems to have a crucial influence on consumer behaviour and decision-making, which leads to more sustainable consumption.

1.3 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH GAPS Previous studies show that the fashion process is a system influencing, interacting, exchanging and adjusting the industry and its consumers (Davis, 1992, p. 123). Simmel (1957) developed the trickle-down fashion theory in 1904 through a perspective focusing on observations of the fashion transfer from upper social class to lower. The theory demonstrated how wealthy upper-class people consumed expensive clothing to exhibit their success (Atik & Firat, 2013, p. 2). King (1963) presented a horizontal fashion flow idea, where fashion spread simultaneously within each social class in mass production. The cheaply available fashion clothing resulted from mass production, which made it simple to spread within each class simultaneously during a season (Atik & Firat, 2013, p. 3). In his study, Swink (2018, p. 7) argues that fashion companies began to speed up their processes and focus on trends, introducing the first fast-fashion framework. Bick et al. (2018) describe that the fashion industry has changed into being readily available and cheap. Prior research describes sustainable fashion as related to ethics (Lundblad & Davies, 2016, p. 150). Mukendi et al. (2019, p. 2874) present the term sustainable fashion when describing a fashion product or behaviour as sustainable, including environmental, social, and sustainable factors fashion, reusable, cruelty-free production practices.

4

The emergence of sustainability as a policy concept began from the Brundtland Report in 1987, concerning the balance between humankind's aspirations for a better life and nature limitations (Kuhlman & Farrington, 2010, p. 3436). Costanza and Patten (1995, p. 193) indicate that the concept of defining sustainability is meaningless because it cannot be "adequately defined". Gruen et al. (2008, p. 1580) define sustainability as the "capability of being maintained at a certain rate or level", and Stirman et al. (2012, p. 10) describe the term as "continued capacity to function at the required level to maintain the desired benefits". The fundamental idea of sustainability is presented as a system that survives or persists, according to Costanza and Patten (1995). However, the authors argue that sustainability is a prediction problem more than a definition problem that includes three additional issues concerning: (1) which system, subsystem, or characteristics need to be sustained; (2) for how long they are sustained; and (3) when we can evaluate whether the system has been sustained. Definitions of sustainability are usually predictions of today's actions that one hopes will lead to sustainability, according to Costanza and Patten (1995, p. 193). McNeill and Moore (2015, p. 212) describe that as fashion cycles quicken in pace and productivity, the fashion industry sectors need faster techniques to keep up with the growing demand, leading to increased use of unsustainable production techniques. Despite the relevance of sustainability topics, and the well-known harmful effects of unsustainable fashion, the research from the consumer point-of-view is surprisingly low (Guedes et al., 2020).

Numerous studies have researched the concept of brand image (Dobni & Zinkhan, 1990, p. 110), and brand image has been the focus of a large amount of influential academic and field study in the fashion industry (Lee et al., 2000, p. 61). Previous research acknowledges factors and barriers that influence consumers' sustainable fashion consumption choices, ranging from price to time and effort, from a lack of concern for the environment to limited knowledge about clothing consumption's impact on the environment (Harris et al., 2016, p.310). Chen-yu and Kincade (2001, p. 29) present in their article that brand image influences consumers' perception of quality and future performance expectations at the consumer decision-making process's evaluation stage. Martin (1971) observed that most of his research participants indicated that product attributes were the most significant factor in their decisions. In addition, many researchers found that consumers interpret price as an essential factor regarding clothing quality, according to Davis (1992, p. 13). The importance of a well-developed brand image is mentioned by Chen-yu and Kincade (2001, p. 30), where they argue that a consumer's brand choice degenerates from how well remembered the brand is. The brand image represents the influence of marketers' stimuli and other information that is perceived by the consumer (Chen-yu & Kincade, 2001, p. 30). However, a research gap is identified in studies that focus on how brand image affects consumers' behaviour towards sustainable fashion. Scientific investigation of the sustainable branding practice is at the very beginning (Grubor & Milovanov, 2017, p. 85). Understanding consumers, making industries and brands sustainable and inspiring a broad audience to adopt sustainable behaviour is one of the main requests in the future and a significant field for research (Grubor & Milovanov, 2017, p. 85).

Previous research on consumer behaviour states that a consumer is an individual that engages in the consumption process and purchases for any consumption (Jisana, 2014, p. 34). Consumer behaviour involves a person's decision to spend available money and time resources on various products and services (Jisana, 2014, p. 34). The action includes

5 purchasing and using products or services and the mental and social processes that follow these actions (Jisana, 2014, p. 34). Hawkings and Mothesbaugh (2010, p. 4) discuss that most people spend time purchasing and consuming products, services and entertainment. Given the time and energy people dedicate to consumption, knowledge about consumer behaviour is extremely useful to consume more wisely (Hawkings and Mothesbaugh, 2010, p. 4). Epstein (2015) recognizes sustainable consumer behaviour as a behaviour acknowledging the lasting consequences of an individual's environmental and societal behaviour. According to Harris (2016, p. 309), consuming sustainable fashion signifies purchasing clothing created with production transparency and emotional and economic investment. Harris (2016, p. 309) further identifies consumer behaviour as a crucial part of improving clothing sustainability. Miller et al. (1993, p. 1429) suggest that fashion is an exceptional example of the social influences associated with consumer behaviour's primary aspect. The amount of research on consumer behaviour is vast, but there is a lack of academic studies on consumer behaviour in sustainable fashion (Guedes et al., 2020). Further work on improving sustainable fashion marketing and a better-updated understanding of the target audience is necessary since there is an urgent need for the fashion industry to become more sustainable (Guedes et al., 2020).

The consumer decision-making process has been researched in marketing spheres over the past decades, according to Stankevich (2017, p. 7). Researchers have developed various models of consumer decision-making processes. In 1959, Herbert Simon presented the Simon model and conceptualised the decision-making process in three different activity stages (Stankevich, 2017, p. 8). Engel, Kollat and Blackwell made a further extensive consumer decision-making process model in 1968 (Stankevich, 2017, p. 8), where the components were input, information processing, decision process, and variables influencing the decision process. A consumer decision-making process model was developed by Narayana and Markin (1975), focusing mainly on brand awareness, including the brands within the awareness set of a consumer. The conceptual framework is presented for possible consumer behaviour when faced with multiple brands. More than one decade later, the Rassuli and Harrell Model proposed in 1990 that choice and purchase can be viewed as inputs to a process rather than necessarily considered the end of the consumer decision-making process. The year after this model, Sheth, Newman and Gross model (1991) was developed, presenting five consumption values affecting consumer decision making. The values covered in this model were functional, social, conditional, emotional, and epistemic values. A more recent model named McKinsey's dynamic model of the consumer decision journey, made by Court et al. (2009, cited by Stankevich, 2017, p. 8).

In a fashion consumption context, most research investigates the consumer decision- making process as a whole (e.g. Sudha & Sheena, 2017) or the consumers' purchase and post-purchase stages (e.g. Barnes et al., 2013). Sudha and Sheena (2017) consider the entire consumer decision-making process, but rather than examining the impact a fashion brand image has on the process, they focus on fashion influencers' impact. Joergens (2006, p. 363) argues that despite consumers' concern about unethical behaviour in fashion products, their attitudes do not always translate to actual behaviour. According to Cooper-Martin and Holbrook (1993, p. 113), ethical consumer behaviour refers to consumers' decision-making, purchases, and other ethical consumption experiences. Barnes et al. (2013) explored the purchase and post-purchase stages of the consumer decision-making process with the primary purpose to investigate the differences between fast fashion and slow fashion consumers in regards to their consumer decision process

6 stages. Barnes et al. (2013) focused on characterizing fast versus sustainable fashion consumers by potentially defining them based on their decision-making characteristics. However, the study does not consider the impact of brand image on consumers' decision- making process. Furthermore, the lack of research on the impact of a fashion brand image on consumers’ decision-making process indicates that a focused, exploratory study on sustainable fashion consumers may help expand upon the underlying reasons for choosing sustainable fashion items. Some research within the field has focused on the first stage of fashion consumers' decision-making process. However, it only focuses on need recognition. Workman and Studak (2006) focus on the need recognition stage of the pre- purchase process, and a comprehensive study, where all three pre-purchase stages (need recognition, information search, and alternatives evaluation) are considered, is missing. Regarding the concept of brand image, the impact it has on consumer behaviour has not previously been studied in a sustainable fashion context, focusing only on the pre- purchase stage. Furthermore, despite strong interest in brand image, little research has been conducted to investigate which brand associations have the most substantial effects on consumer behaviour.

With the focus on the younger generation and their high enthusiasm towards ethical consumption (Cho et al., 2018, p. 2), new research on the differences in this generation's fashion consumers behaviour is needed. Thorough research on sustainable consumer behaviour regarding brand image has not previously been done on Swedish fashion consumers. Previous research on Swedish consumers focuses primarily on the post- purchase stage of Swedish consumers' fashion consumption (Ekström et al., 2012). A more recent study on Swedish consumer behaviour regarding sustainable fashion is needed because of the ever-changing market environment and the increasing need for reducing the fashion consumption footprint (Sandin et al., 2019, p.7). The above-provided research gaps serve as a base for our potentially valuable contribution to the academic field of sustainable fashion marketing and believe the thesis contributes to a better- updated understanding of the sustainable fashion consumers.

1.4 PURPOSE AND THE RESEARCH QUESTION The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impact of brand image on consumer's fashion consumption and to gain a deeper understanding of the consumer pre-purchase decision- making process concerning sustainable fashion. We examine the impact of brand image on the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process by conducting qualitative interviews on sustainable fashion consumers. This degree project aims to contribute to research with a combination of the three main concepts: brand image, consumer pre- purchase decision-making process, and sustainable fashion. Therefore, the main ambition is to contribute to the field with a perspective focusing on the impact of brand image on the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process regarding sustainable fashion consumption. Since the academic research available on consumer behaviour regarding sustainable fashion is relatively scarce, the thesis seeks to provide empirical data to the research field in general. With a qualitative data collection method, we hope to provide a more in-depth insight into consumers' values and opinions and their sustainable fashion consumption choices.

From a practical perspective, this thesis provides managers in sustainable fashion firms with an academic perspective on the consumers' pre-purchase decision-making process regarding their sustainable fashion consumption. Furthermore, our thesis intends to

7 provide a better managerial understanding of a fashion brand image's impact on consumer behaviour. This degree project is to provide an empirical data analysis from consumers' behaviour and pre-purchase decision-making process to develop a framework that promotes sustainable engagement and development. We hope the thesis results encourage sustainable fashion companies to develop a brand image that engages consumers towards more sustainable consumption behaviour. With our thesis, we also hope to contribute to a better view of ethical considerations surrounding consumer perspectives on fashion brands' unsustainable actions and . We believe the data about sustainable fashion consumers’ pre-purchase consumer behaviour provides managers with valuable information on the perceptions of a generation increasingly interested in sustainable fashion. In addition, we expect the degree project to be especially valuable for fashion firms operating in Sweden. The degree project aims to contribute with an answer to our research question: How does brand image impact consumer pre-purchase decision-making behaviour concerning sustainable fashion consumption?

8 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK This chapter presents previous academic studies and literature of relevance that have been used for this thesis. The theoretical framework begins with a broad explanation of Fashion and Sustainability and continues with an overview of Sustainable Fashion. The chapter reviews previous research and theories on Brand Image, Brand Associations, and Brand Image and CSR's linkage. Then, we present theories on Consumer Behaviour and Consumer Decision-Making Process and continue by connecting Consumer Behaviour to Brand Image. The chapter ends with a summary of the reviewed literature and presents the conceptual model.

2.1 FASHION AND SUSTAINABILITY

2.1.1 FASHION Most dictionaries define fashion as a custom or style of clothing in a cultural practice made with the consumers’ specific sense of individualism and being a part of the society (Craik, 2009, p. 2). Prior fashion research shows different perspectives on what fashion is (Levy & Czepiel, 1999, p. 90; Kawamura 2018, p. 2). Craik (2009, p. 2) argues that identity is equal to creating distinctiveness, making fashion balance the modern trends with the individual arrangements of signs and symbols that make a style unique. Davis (1992, p. 123) suggests that the fashion process is a complex of influences, interactions, exchanges, and adjustments between consumers, organizations, and the fashion industry. The fashion industry is seen as a cultural industry that establishes clothing habits' aesthetics and practices and creates an essential part of the global consumer industry (Craik, 2009, p. 2). The fashion system is built by interconnected elements that show the behaviour pattern over time (Marino, 2020, p. 269). Fletcher (2019, cited in Marino 2020, p. 269), defines the fashion system as remarkably complex, multidimensional, stratified, and multidisciplinary. The consumer behaviour perspective within the fashion system complicates the system even more (Marino, 2020, p. 271).

Previous studies mention that fashion is often considered superficial from the outside, but more knowledge shows that there are numerous stocks and flows in the global textile and clothing market, according to Marino (2020, p. 271). Clothing such as t-shirts, shirts, and trousers are categorized as standard clothing choices for consumers. Nevertheless, Marino (2020, p. 271) argues in his article that the variety in lifestyles, culture and geographic area results in clothes having different shapes and attributes, which expands the consumer choices. According to Davis (1992, p. 17-18), the consumer finds fashionable clothing meaningful in terms of social identities, such as expressing youth, femininity or masculinity, work or play, and conformity or rebellion. Thompson and Haytko (1997, p. 16) describe that consumers use fashion to define their social distinctions, build personal history, and fit into social categories, especially gender-related ones. In the fashion industry, the production cycle has shortened in line with consumers' demand for fast change (Zhang & Juhlin, 2016, p. 64). There is a need for variety in styles for consumers, which requires the fashion companies to shorten their production. Blumer (1969, cited in Zhang and Juhlin, 2016, p. 65), argues that fashion is an outcome of "collective selection" where designers have the opportunity to choose what piece of clothing to show in their collections and journalists select items as fashionable looks for the next season. It is proposed by Zhang and Juhlin (2016, p. 66) that fashion thinking is used in consumer products and services, forecasting the future trends and design processes.

9

Miller et al. (1993, p. 143) argue that regardless of the attribute and the value a product has to a consumer, the symbolic meaning attached to the product adds further value. Furthermore, the authors mean that there are two main types of fashion; cyclical and classical fashion trends. The cyclical fashion trends involve a society adopting more intense styles in one direction, such as short skirt lengths, and later extreme in the opposite direction, like long skirt lengths (Miller et al., 1993, p. 143). However, this type of cyclical fashion trends is not frequent but instead changes with time, as stated by Miller et al. (1993, p. 143). The second type of fashion trend is the classical trend, described as a symbolic item in society that is relatively stable over time, such as the blue pinstriped suit (Miller et al., 1993, p. 143).

People develop desires due to the social, economic, or political positions in society which are also connected to consumer behaviour in fashion cycles (Atik & Firat, 2013, p. 2). This statement has been correct for fashion theories that are prominent today. Simmel (1904, cited in Atik & Firat, 2013, p. 2), developed the trickle-down theory of fashion. The theory was developed through a sociological perspective and focused on observations of new fashion's transfer from the upper social class to the low ones. The wealthy people of the upper class consumed to exhibit their prosperity by wearing expensive clothing, which made good taste associated with the absence of the work world, associated as "cheap" (Atik & Firat, 2013, p. 2). This classical viewpoint was developed by King (1963), where he presents the idea of a horizontal flow in fashion. Fashion manages to spread simultaneously within each social class in mass production and mass communication environments. The availability of fashion at all prices results from mass production, while rapid communication broadcasts information about the new fashion trends (Atik & Firat, 2013, p. 3). Therefore, it is simple for fashion to spread within each class at the same time during a fashion season, making the products easily available for a wide group of consumers (Sproles, 1981, p. 119), which leads us into sustainability and its significance in the fashion industry.

2.1.1 SUSTAINABILITY A classic definition of sustainable development is by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, 1987, p.8) that defines sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Even though there is great interest in the subject, and the term sustainability is one of the most used buzzwords of the past decades (Scoones, 2007, p. 590), the term still lacks consistent literature definitions (Moore et al., 2017, p.1 ). According to Moore et al. (2017), the term's lack of a standard definition is a significant challenge in sustainability research. Gruen et al. (2008, p. 1580) define sustainability as the "capability of being maintained at a certain rate or level" and described by Stirman et al. (2012, p. 10) as "continued capacity to function at the required level to maintain the desired benefits". Some critics argue that the concept of defining sustainability is meaningless because it cannot be "adequately defined" (Costanza & Patten, 1995, p.193). Costanza and Patten (1995, p. 193) argue that the basic idea of sustainability is relatively straightforward "a system that survives or persists." However, the authors argue that sustainability is a prediction problem more than a definition problem that includes three additional issues concerning (Costanza & Patten, 1995, p.193): (1) which system, subsystem, or characteristics are to be sustained; (2) for how long they are to be sustained; and (3) when we can assess whether the system has been

10 sustained. Definitions of sustainability are often predictions of today's actions that one hopes will lead to sustainability (Costanza & Patten, 1995, p.193).

Sustainability as a policy concept emerged from the Brundtland Report in 1987, which concerned the balance between humankind's aspirations for a better life on one hand and the limitations imposed by nature on the other (Kuhlman & Farrington, 2010 p. 3436). The concept has emerged with time into a three-dimension interpretation, namely economic, social and environmental (Kuhlman & Farrington, 2010, p. 3436). The re- interpretation of sustainability policy has fed controversial opinions as Kuhlman and Farrington (2010) argue the three dimensions (a) obscure the real contrast between the aims of welfare for all and environmental conservation; (b) risk reducing the importance of the environmental dimension; and (c) separate social from economic aspects, which in reality are the same. Kuhlman and Farrington (2010), present a critical view of the three pillars of sustainability and propose a return to the fundamental meaning of the Brundtland Report, where sustainability is concerned with future generations' well-being and with irreplaceable natural resources, instead of the gratification of present needs which we call well-being. The three-pillar representation of (social, economic and environmental) sustainability has become a commonly used universal concept (Purvis et al., 2019, p. 681). The tripartite description is often presented in three intersecting circles of society, environment, and economy, with sustainability in the intersection, as shown in Figure 1. The graphic is found commonly in academic literature, policy documentation, business literature, and online, as a descriptor of sustainability (Purvis et al., 2019, p. 682). Even though the graphic is a dominant interpretation in literature, the origins of the description, and the time when it emerged into the mainstream, are unclear (Purvis et al., 2019, p. 682).

FIGURE 1: A TYPICAL REPRESENTATION OF SUSTAINABILITY AS THREE INTERSECTING CIRCLES. (PURVIS ET AL., 2019, P. 682)

The United Nations non-binding action plan towards sustainable development, Agenda 21includes distinct social, economic and environmental aspects, the three pillars (Purvis et al., 2019, p. 686). In 1995, policymakers, scientists and environmental organisations reviewed the "three principal aspects of sustainability" (Purvis et al., 2019, p 686). They concluded that the Commission of Sustainable Development should equally emphasise the economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable development (Purvis et al., 2019, p. 686). Several years later, the narrative of integrating the three-pillar approach to sustainable development continues in the report of the UN conference in 2012 as well as in 2015, when the finalised Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted it was stated that the goals are to be "integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions

11 of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental" (Purvis et al., 2019, p. 687). The three dimensions, pillars of sustainability, reflect that responsible development requires consideration of natural, human, economic capital -in other words, the planet, people, and profits (Schoolman et al. 2012, p. 70). Moldan et al. (2012) summarise Article 1 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development in three brief points. Firstly, the idea of sustainable development is an anthropocentric one and focuses on people and their well-being, with essential elements of security, the primary material for a good life, health, good social relationships, and freedom of choice and action (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005; cited in Moldan et al., 2012, p. 4). Secondly, human life should be "healthy, productive, and in harmony with nature" which implies a quest for balance between the three dimensions (Moldan et al., 2012, p. 5). Thirdly, an essential feature of sustainable development is dynamic and long-term nature, taking into account present and future generations (Moldan et al., 2012, p. 5). Moldan et al. (2012) argue that these three simple principles apply to all three pillars.

Economic sustainability often implies various kinds of capital (human-made, natural, human, social) that should be sustained (World Bank, 2006, cited in Moldan et al., 2012, p.5). Goodland and Ledec (1987) focus primarily on the physical aspects of sustainable economic development. According to the study, it means using renewable natural resources in a manner that does not eliminate, diminish them or otherwise decrease their utility for future generations. Markandya and Pearce (1988) focus more on optimal resource management and propose that sustainable economic development requires that todays' use of resources should not decrease real incomes in the future and that the fundamental conditions for equal access to the resource base are met for each following generation. Recently, well-being is recognised as a central notion in the context of sustainable development (Moldan et al., 2012, p.5). Any act of consumption which includes the enjoyment of goods or services, is understood as well-being and could include anything freely provided by nature (Moldan et al., 2012, p. 5).

Moldan et al. (2012) argue that the importance of sustainable economic development increased after the 2008 financial crisis and brought into focus the economic pillar. Maintaining economic growth has been the most important policy for the last five decades across the world and according to Moldan et al. (2012), it has been challenging to find a balance between sustainability and countries' economic growth. Thus, the 2008 financial crisis made us question the sustainability of development through economic progress and brought focus to addressing economic issues separately from the environmental aspects (Moldan et al., 2012, p.5). Fashion industry is one of the largest industries globally, especially in developing countries such as India, where the industry contributes hugely to the economy’s growth and creates enormous job opportunities (Jia et al., 2015, p. 1604). Although the fashion industry has sustainable economic growth and development, it is a threat to the environment and social welfare and, therefore, to achieve sustainability in the fashion sector, it needs to consider more than just economic development (Jia et al., 2015, p. 1604).

The variety of economic, social and cultural conditions in different countries makes the development of a universal definition for difficult (Moldan et al., 2012, p. 5). Colantonio (2007) notes that definitions of social sustainability are often more or less statements of general goals of social policy than profound definitions of the concept. Black (2004, p. 34) attempts to define social sustainability as "the extent to which social values, social identities, social relationships and social institutions can continue

12 into the future". The social pillar is said to be the most critical one considering civilisation's long-term survival (Diamond, 2005; cited in Moldan et al., 2012, p. 5) and yet, despite this recognition and as mentioned before, it is not completely clear what the essential components of social sustainability are. However, a balance between the different sustainability dimensions might be required to ensure that social sustainability does not prevent economic or environmental sustainability (Dempsey et al., 2011, p. 298). The fashion industry's ethical principle is to source garments ethically while providing the workers with stable working standards and conditions and providing a model in the clothes' country of origin (Joergens, 2006, p. 361). Consequently, sustainable fashion implies clothes that incorporate fair trade principles with sweatshop- free labour conditions, including the use of biodegradable materials that cause harm to neither the workers nor the environment (Joergens, 2006, p. 361).

The third and final pillar of sustainable development, environmentally responsible development, was probably first used by the World Bank in 1992 and has been evolved ever since (Moldan et al., 2012, p. 6). According to Goodland (1995, p. 3), the concept of environmental sustainability can be defined as something that: "seeks to improve human welfare by protecting the sources of raw materials used for human needs and ensuring that the sinks for human wastes are not exceeded, in order to prevent harm to humans." Goodland (1995) recognises renewable and non-renewable resources as sources and pollution and waste as sinks. Environmental sustainability, according to Holdren at al. (1995) is about maintaining or improving the integrity of life-supporting systems on Earth for maximising future options including enabling current and future generations to achieve economic and social improvement while maintaining biological diversity and the biogeochemical integrity (proper use of air, water and land resources. Taking care of the ecosystem and nature's services is directly linked to people's well-being since it depends on them, which is why they are incredibly crucial to maintain and secure (Moldan et al., 2012, p.6). The fashion industry contributes to extremely intense use of chemicals and demanding land and water use, generating a high environmental impact (De Brito et al., 2008, p. 538). Fashion companies, manufacturers and retailers are increasingly developing and marketing fashion to promote sustainable consumption (Joergens, 2006, p. 360). Sustainable fashion promotes quality over quantity ideology and therefore reduced fashion production (Fletcher, 2010, p. 262). It seeks to empower workers throughout the supply chain, utilise , and incorporates renewable and organic materials in the production process, long-term relationships and local, transparent production (Johnston, 2012, cited in Chan & Wong, 2012, p. 194). The thesis continues with a more in-depth focus on sustainable fashion.

2.1.2 SUSTAINABLE FASHION Previous studies show that fashion companies in the 1980s started increasing their collections' variety of styles, colours and sizes, leading to an increase in costs of large quantities of inventory and uncertainty (Doeringer & Crean, 2006, p. 360). As a solution, the lean retailing concept was presented and used for inventory management and planning the right demand level (Swink, 2018, p. 7). Fashion companies began to speed up their processes and focus on trends, introducing the first fast-fashion framework (Swink, 2018, p. 7). Bick et al. (2018) describe that the fashion industry has shifted into being readily available and cheap. Cachon and Swinney (2011, p. 778) argue that the fast fashion system includes quick response production capabilities and improved capabilities to

13 design the latest trendy products and decrease the production time to meet the uncertain demand.

The authors Johansson and Nilsson (2016, p. 13) claim that the price for apparel has decreased compared to other products, showing that the consumer price index for other products between 1980 and 2015 has increased by 314%, while the increase for clothing and shoes is only by 76%. This fact indicates that the price for other products increases by a higher rate than clothing, which is only possible due to the western world's exploitation of other countries' cheap labour (Johansson & Nilsson, 2016, p. 13). A sustainability measurement system used worldwide is The Ecological Footprint, mentioned by Lin et al. (2018, p. 2) in Ecological Footprint Accounting for Countries. The measurement includes different indicators whose underlying meaning is recognising Earth's limited resources. The authors further specify that the measurement system provides an integrated, multiscale approach, tracking the use and overuse of natural resources and its impact on ecosystems and (Lin et al., 2018, p. 2). Sweden was appointed as number ten on the list showing countries with the highest ecological footprint per person (Johansson & Nilsson, 2016, p. 17). Another measurement mentioned, , indicates the specific time at which the global consumption rate exceeds the rate at which consumption is sustained (Santor et al., 2020, p. 1). For the importance of sustainability, measuring the rate at which resources are consumed is a priority, making the countries with good economies investing in and sources (Santor et al., 2020, p. 1). Santor et al. (2020, p. 2) indicate that consumer consumption research, including or sustainable consumption, has increased drastically during recent decades. Some studies have investigated the relation between personality traits, such as materialistic or minimalistic traits, and sustainable behaviour, while other studies have researched the possibility of improving sustainability by examining attitudes and values (Santor et al., 2020, p. 2).

Academically, sustainable fashion is not synonymous with slow fashion (Mukendi et al., 2019, p. 2877) or eco-fashion (Carey & Cervellon, 2014, p. 485). Literature and definitions mention that sustainable fashion mostly is related to ethics (Lundblad & Davies, 2016, p. 150). Mukendi et al. (2019, p. 2874) define sustainable fashion as a term used when describing a fashion product or behaviour that is supposed to be perceived as more sustainable, including environmental, social, and sustainable factors fashion, reusable, cruelty-free production practices. Another suggestion of how sustainable fashion can be defined as both product and process is mentioned by Joergens (2006, p. 361) as following: "clothes that incorporate fair trade principles with sweatshop-free labour conditions while not harming the environment or workers by using biodegradable and organic cotton". While Goworek et al. (2012, p. 938) agree with Joergen's (2006) definition, they have extended the definition and states that sustainable fashion also includes clothing that considers social and environmental sustainability aspects as fair trade manufacturing and organic raw material. Lundblad and Davies (2016, p. 150) supplement the definitions and indicate that sustainable fashion is an attempt to correct the wrong decisions in the fashion industry, such as animal cruelty, environmental damage, and unethical treatment of workers.

Fletcher (2014) emphasises the importance of materials in understanding how fashion and textiles contribute to sustainability. Fletcher (2014, p. 11) argues that synthetic fibres are often perceived as "bad" because of its impact on the environment and natural fibres as

14 "good" because of factors like raw material renewability, biodegradability, and stereotypical connections with chemicals, factories and pollution. In the early 1990s, the first interest in sustainability occurred, making natural and recycled fibres play a significant role in customers' view on sustainability (Fletcher, 2014, p.7). The second wave started around 2005 and continues today, where Fair Trade and quickly renewable fibres are vital in the modern idea of sustainability (Fletcher, 2014, pp. 7-8). Fletcher (2014, p. 8) asserts the difficulty to find material variety in today's fashion and textile industry, as it is dominated by a tremendous amount of similar, ready-made products in a similar type of fibres. The production of cotton and polyester increases continuously year after year, being dominant in material choice and is responsible for 85 percent of world fibre production in 2010, which leads to a concentrated impact in specific agricultural and manufacturing sectors, reducing the consumer choice (Fletcher, 2014, p. 8). By replacing come of cotton production with alternatives like organic or low-chemical cotton, flax, hemp, and lyocell would benefit by reducing the water use and pesticides, according to Fletcher (2014, p. 9). The transition from polyester to renewable and biodegradable fibres like wool and textiles made from corn starch brings a great benefit, leading to a significant reduction in petrochemical products, such as oil (Fletcher, 2014, p.9).

Marino (2020, p. 270) portrays the importance of including technical problems in the sustainable fashion production chain, such as the use of energy, water, and chemicals, the safety of the workers, choice in materials, recycling improvement, and fair wages. Furthermore, Marino (2020, p. 270) argues that the sustainability issues are difficult to solve through consumers' individual choices and must be solved by considering the national and international institutional policies since those factors affect the individual choices. Nevertheless, consumption begins to change as consumers become more aware of the impacts of their choices and decisions, according to Martenson (2018, cited in Silva et al., 2021, p. 1). The change encourages circular consumption models, such as second- hand clothing consumption (Silva et al., 2021, p. 1), meaning purchasing new or used products that belonged to someone else (Silva et al., 2021, p. 3). The fashion motives of second-hand consumption are related to the need for authenticity and originality and creating a personal and unique fashion style (Ferraro et al., 2016, p. 262). Second-hand consumption has increased radically over the past three years and provides a higher turnover as it avoids waste production (Silva et al., 2021, p. 1). As second-hand fashion is recognised as sustainable, and sustainable fashion is one of the emerging fashion trends, environmentally concerned consumers' tendency to purchase second-hand has increased (Kim & Kim, 2020, p. 587).

Sustainable fashion is hurt by its low image and suffers from misleading marketing and labels "greenwashing" products to look more sustainable than reality (Aakko & Koskennurmi-Sivonen, 2013, p. 20). Following the three pillars of sustainability, our thesis favours the inclusion of environmental, social and economic issues when discussing greenwashing. According to Seele and Gatti (2017, p. 241), several scholars rely on the Oxford English Dictionary, which defines the concept of greenwashing as "disinformation disseminated by an organisation so as to present an environmentally responsible public image". Seele and Gatti (2017, p. 241) present another widely-used definition of greenwashing by , who defines it as "the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service". Delmas and Burbano (2011, p. 67) simplify the definition of greenwashing by arguing that a greenwashing firm engages in two behaviours: poor environmental performance and positive communication about its

15 environmental performance. Also, it must be deliberate for the act to be considered greenwashing (Mitchell & Ramey, 2011, p. 41), and hence, greenwashing implies intentionality of the deceit (Nyilasy et al., 2012, p.).

The economic, social, and environmental challenges dictate corporations to respect the rules, values, and norms and transparently publish their social and environmental information to probe their compliance (Burlea & Popa, 2013, p. 1579). "Legitimacy theory plays the role of a justifiable factor for the disclosure of environmental information (Burlea & Popa, 2013, p. 1579). Seele and Gatti (2017, p. 242) argue, based on legitimacy, green communication is efficient in signalling an organisation's positive social and environmental values, regardless of its level of integrity. Nyilasy et al. (2012) investigated the effects of green corporate advertising and environmental performance and attempted to link the concept of greenwashing to consumer behaviour. According to Nyilasy et al. (2012, p. 117), if a consumer perceives a particular organisational behaviour relating to the environment, whether it be polluting or environmentally-friendly production, the consumer may develop cognitive reasoning as to why the organisation does these things (such as self-interest, genuine care for nature or business reasons). When consumers observe the actual behaviour of a firm as distinct from what they have communicated, they may analyse the firm's reasons behind the communication and whether it is truthful (Nyilasy et al., 2012, p. 117). The analysing can lead to consumers forming brand attitudes: Green advertising (vs general advertising) when the firm's environmental performance is positive results in slightly higher brand attitudes, but under negative environmental performance, green advertising results in significantly lower brand attitudes (Nyilasy et al., 2012, p. 116).

There seems to be a conflict between scholars who argue any green advertising to be beneficial, regardless of the truthfulness, and the scholars arguing that green advertising can harm companies in the case of false or misleading advertising. Greenwashing is not only an ethical problem for the companies but also a business one since it can easily lead to decreased brand perceptions in the eyes of the consumer (Nyilasy, 2012, p. 122). Greenwashing can profoundly affect consumer confidence in green products and environmentally responsible firms, making them hesitant to reward companies for environmentally friendly performance (Delmas & Burbano, 2011, p. 84). This reluctance towards green firms, in turn, increases the incentives for firms to engage in environmentally harmful behaviour, creating negative externalities and negatively affecting social welfare and the environment (Delmas & Burbano, 2011, p. 84). Henninger et al. (2016, p. 402) also recognise the problematic consequence of greenwashing when any honest company promoting social and environmental credentials is treated with suspicion. We believe it is a huge ethical problem when a consumer affected by greenwashing becomes reluctant towards genuine, environmentally friendly companies. Therefore the effects of greenwashing, in our opinion, need to be taken into consideration in our study. In the fast fashion industry, trade policies and regulations are the most effective large-scale solutions to change the industry to be more sustainable (Bick et al., 2018, p. 3). However, consumers in high-income countries are responsible for assessing which companies do ensure high standards and only state promising claims about their social and sustainable practices (Bick et al., 2018, p. 3). According to Bick et al. (2018, p. 3), consumers must be aware of greenwashing. As for our thesis, greenwashing is one factor taken into consideration when examining consumer perceptions. The thesis continues with an overview on brand image which is ultimately created by consumer perceptions.

16 2.2 BRAND IMAGE

2.2.1 DIMENSIONS OF BRAND IMAGE A company may have an excellent product, a unique idea, strong management and an efficient distribution system -yet, if the company is not able to communicate the core benefits and advantages of its brand to its target audience, it is destined to fail (Nandan, 2005, p. 276). Marketers in a competitive environment in the fashion industry have realised that creating a favourable brand image is a key to win a larger market share in its market niche (Lee et al., 2000, p. 60). A purchase of a fashion piece is filled with meanings to a customer, and the success of a fashion brand depends on the brand’s understanding of its target customer and their needs (Lee et al., 2000, p. 60). Brand image has been an essential part of consumer behaviour research since the early 1950s when the concept was formally introduced (Dobni & Zinkhan, 1990, p. 110). Numerous studies have researched the concept, and practitioners and academics alike have addressed the concept as the embodiment of the reality that "people buy products and brands for something other than their physical attributes and functions" (Dobni & Zinkhan, 1990, p. 110). In their classic article from 1955, Gardner and Levy (cited in Dobni & Zinkhan, 1990, p. 110) stated that products have a social and psychological nature in addition to their physical one. According to Gardner and Levy (1955), sets of feelings, ideas and attitudes that a consumer holds for brands, their "image" of brands, are crucial to a purchase choice. Kotler (1988, p. 197) defines brand image as "the set of beliefs held about a particular brand." Brand image is related to consumers' perceptions of a brand and its position in the market in their eyes (Nandan, 2005, p. 266). According to Herzog (1963, p. 78), brand image is "total of impressions that consumers receive from many sources, all of which combine to form a brand personality." Brand image represents the perception of the consumer (Nandan, 2005, p. 268). According to Nandan (2005, p. 268), brand image is receiver and target audience-focused. Brand image is created by consumer perceptions and ultimately, brand image is perceived by the consumer (Nandan, 2005, p. 268).

Consumers form the idea of a brand based on the associations they have regarding that brand (Nandan, 2005, p. 267). Nandan (2005, p. 267) adds that brand image is an opinion constructed by a consumer: consumers ascribe an image to the brand based on "subjective perceptions of a set of associations they have about a brand". Keller (1993, p. 2) defines brand associations as informational connections linked to the brand, containing the brand's meaning for the consumers. In his study, Keller (1993) outlines three dimensions of brand associations: attributes, benefits and attitudes. Attributes are defining features that characterise a brand: attributes could be specific, such as size, colour and weight, or abstract 'brand personality' attributes such as 'youthful', 'durable' and 'rugged' (Keller, 1993, p. 4). Brand attributes can be split into product-related attributes that are the necessary ingredients for performing the function sought by consumers, and non-product- related attributes that can be defined as external aspects that relate to purchase or consumption such as, price information, packaging information, user imagery, and usage imagery (Keller, 1993, p. 4). Benefits refer to the personal value a consumer holds to the brand attributes (Keller, 1993, p. 4). Benefits can be distinguished into three categories, according to Park et al. (1986) (cited in Keller, 1993, p.4): (1) functional benefits that refer to fundamental advantages of a product or a service, (2) experiential benefits referring to what it feels like to use the product or the service, and finally (3) symbolic

17 benefits that are the more extrinsic advantages of a product or a service consumption, self- esteem, social approval or personal expression.

The third dimension of brand associations, brand attitudes, as defined by Wilkie (1986, cited in Keller, 1993, p. 4), are consumers' overall evaluations of a brand. According to the tri-component attitude model (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2000), attitudes consist of three components: the cognitive component that relates to the consumer's knowledge or beliefs about a brand, the affective component reflecting the consumer's emotions and feelings about a brand, and the conative component that describe the likelihood or tendency of the consumer to take action towards the brand, e.g. buy it. In summary, there are various types of brand associations that contribute to the brand image. These brand associations include product-related or non-product-related attributes; functional, experiential, or symbolic benefits; and overall brand attitudes. In addition, the association types can vary according to their favourability, strength, and uniqueness (Keller, 1993, p. 5).

The favourability of brand associations refers to the fact that associations can differ according to how favourably they are evaluated -that is, consumers form a positive overall brand attitude when they consider the brand has attributes and benefits that meet their needs and wants (Keller, 1993, p. 5). According to Keller (1993), a marketing program's success is reflected in creating favourable brand associations. Fishbein & Ajzen (1975, cited in Keller, 1993, p. 5) argue that consumers view an attribute or benefit as particularly good or bad if they consider it quite important; thus it is challenging to create a favourable association when a consumer considers an attribute unimportant. However, all associations with a brand will not be relevant and valued in a purchase or consumption decision; an association with a brand, such as colour, may lead to brand recognition and awareness, or assumptions about product quality, it may not always be considered a significant factor in a purchase decision (Keller, 1993, p. 5). For example, service speed and efficiency may be essential for a busy consumer but may have little impact when they are in a less hurried situation (Keller, 1993, p. 5).

The strength of brand associations, the strength of connection to the brand node, depends on how the information enters the consumer's memory and is maintained as part of the brand image (Keller, 1993, p. 5). According to Keller (1993), stronger brand associations are created in a consumer's memory when they are actively thinking about and elaborating the significance of a product or service information. Cognitive psychologists believe memory is extremely durable; thus, the strength of a positive or a negative brand association, once stored in memory, decays slowly (Loftus & Loftus, 1980, p. 410). However, information may not be easily retrieved from memory without strongly associated reminders or retrieval cues, thus the larger the number of cues connected to a piece of information, or a brand association, the greater the likelihood of that information being recalled (Isen, 1992; cited in Keller, 1993, p. 5) The uniqueness of brand associations refers to associations of a brand that a consumer likely does not have for other competing brands -a brand with a sustainable competitive advantage or a 'unique selling point' (Keller, 1993, p. 6). Furthermore, Keller (1993) adds, these unique brand associations may be based on product-related or non-product-related attributes or functional, experiential or symbolic benefits. Strongly held, favourably evaluated, and unique associations that consumers have towards a brand are essential to its success (Keller, 1993, p. 6). Figure 2 summarises the dimensions of brand image.

18

FIGURE 2: DIMENSIONS OF BRAND IMAGE (KELLER, 1993, P.7, DERIVED FROM FIGURE “DIMENSIONS OF BRAND KNOWLEDGE”)

Fundamentally, high levels of brand awareness and positive brand image create an increase in the probability of a brand choice and produce greater consumer loyalty towards a brand (Keller, 1993, p. 8). Brand awareness is related to the "strength of the brand node or trace in memory, as reflected by consumers' ability to identify the brand under different conditions" (Rossiter & Percy, 1987, cited in Keller, 1993, p. 8). Brand awareness is an essential factor in consumer decision making, and Keller (1993) recognizes three reasons for it: First, it is crucial that a consumer thinks about the brand when thinking about its product category since it will increase the likelihood of the brand being a part of the consumer's consideration set. Second, even without any other brand associations, a consumer's decision-making process based solely on being aware of the brand is still affected. Third, brand awareness affects consumer decision-making by influencing brand associations' formation and strength in the brand image. High levels of a positive brand image together with high brand awareness have implications for the pricing, and they should enable a brand to drive larger margins (Keller, 1993, p. 9). According to Starr and Rubinson (1978), consumers with a strong and positive brand attitude are more willing to pay more for the brand. Besides, high brand awareness and a positive brand image are proved to increase marketing communications effectiveness (Keller, 1993, p. 9). That being said, Keller (1993) argues that brands consumers have strong attribute and benefit associations with require less reinforcement through marketing communications. As for our thesis, an essential aspect of brand image and brand associations is the brand's sustainable business practices. The concept of corporate social responsibility is further evaluated.

2.2.2 BRAND IMAGE AND CSR According to Matten and Moon (2008, p. 405), corporate social responsibility (CSR) is difficult to define simply or in detail because of its "internally complex" nature and having relatively open rules of application. However, it can be said that at its core, the idea of CSR is that "it reflects the social imperatives and the social consequences of business success" (Matten & Moon, 2008, p. 405). Thus, according to Matten and Moon (2008, p.

19 405), CSR empirically consists of corporations' policies and practices that reflect business responsibility for a broader societal good. Likewise, Kotler and Lee (2008) define CSR as the assurance or commitment towards the community for its well-being and welfare. CSR consists of activities that are not only beneficial to society but to the firm itself (Lu et al., 2020, p. 108). Firms engaged in CSR practices have established a more substantial overall brand image in society among their stakeholders, consumers and investors (Lu et al., 2020, p. 108). Lu et al. (2020) examined the influence of a firm's CSR activities on brand loyalty and brand image. The study results indicate that the firm's CSR initiatives have a significant and positive impact on brand loyalty and brand image. Sustainable development as corporate sustainability is discussed by Banerjee (2008). CSR as a policy emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as a result of increasing public concern for environmental problems along with environmental legislation (Banerjee, 2008, p. 66). There is no doubt that corporations play a significant role in the path to a more sustainable world, but the big question here is whether the corporations' current environmental practices are compatible with sustainability notions (Banerjee, 2008, p. 67). CSR's emergence has resulted in the need for companies to "sell " to be considered green with a green brand image (Banerjee, 2008, p. 66).

The CSR actions firms can take on, are mostly related to community development, safety, health, education and employment, environment, fundamental human rights, and economic development (Dennis et al., 2017, cited in Lu et al., 2020, p. 108). Most of the CSR theories acknowledge that the foundation of the concept is the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), or the three pillars that state a company should be responsible for three features: profit, people and planet, that is, economic, social and environmental responsibility (Księżak & Fischbach, 2017, p. 99). Księżak and Fischbach (2017, p. 99) argue that only when a company cares for all the three aspects can it be called sustainable. Having established the three-dimensional definition of a sustainable corporation that considers economic, societal and environmental aspects, Banerjee (2008) states that it is unclear what happens if environmental and social issues do not result in business growth. Corporate discourses on sustainable development too often promote the business-as-usual (except greener) and do not describe any drastic change in world-views (Banerjee, 2008, p. 66). The thesis continues with a more in-depth look into consumer behaviour and its linkage to brand image.

2.3 SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

2.3.1. SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE FASHION CONTEXT A consumer is an individual that engages in the consumption process and purchases for any consumption (Jisana, 2014, p. 34). Consumer behaviour proposes how a person decides to spend the available resources of money and time on different products or services (Jisana, 2014, p. 34). The action includes purchasing and using products or services and the mental and social processes that follow these actions (Jisana, 2014, p. 34). According to Hawkings and Mothesbaugh (2010, p. 4), the great majority of people spend time purchasing and consuming all kinds of products, services and entertainment. Given the time and energy people dedicate to consumption, knowledge about consumer behaviour is extremely useful to consume more wisely (Hawkings and Mothesbaugh, 2010, p. 4).

20

In his article, Epstein (2015) defines sustainable consumer behaviour as a behaviour that acknowledges the lasting consequences of an individual's natural and societal environment behaviour. Harris (2016, p. 309) describes that consumer behaviour is a crucial part of clothing sustainability improvement. Fashion is an excellent example of the social influences associated with the primary aspect of consumer behaviour (Miller et al., 1993, p. 1429). Consuming sustainable fashion means purchasing clothing created with production transparency and emotional and economic investment (Harris, 2016, p. 309). When making a clothing purchase decision as a consumer, research shows that one of the crucial ethical concerns are regarding sweatshop labourers (Lundblad and Davies, 2016, p. 150). The factors affecting clothing purchase are mainly price, quality and style, with price being the most important factor for one-third of consumers, despite their awareness of child labour (Harris, 2016, p. 310). The intentions of purchasing sustainable clothing are influenced by social pressure, environmental concerns, guilt, and knowledge about environmentally friendly products (Harris, 2016, p. 310). Among these consumers, purchasing is mainly determined by personal economic considerations, and habits and routines influence disposal behaviours (Harris, 2016, p. 310). Lin and Hsu (2015, p. 327) mention that the willingness to abandon our current high consumption lifestyle is an ethical issue and is, in that case, predicted to leave a habitable planet for the next generations. Since the green consumer behaviour influences individuals and the environment, the ethical issue is placed under the category of (Lin & Hsu, 2015, p. 327). Lin and Hsu (2015, p. 327) argue that green consumer behaviour depends widely on external environmental factors such as environmental change, government policies, social pressure and individual circumstances. However, internal factors are also discussed in the article (Lin & Hsu, 2015, p. 327), including personal cognition, self-awakening, and preferences.

Niinimäki's study (2010, p. 152) in purchasing behaviour has shown that consumers' fashion consumption concern has increased. Dickson (2001, p. 97) argues that, in many cases, consumers care about the social outcomes of their purchases' mainly when human rights in factories were mentioned. Ha-Brookshire and Hodges (2009) researched socially responsible consumer behaviour and found that more than 50 per cent of respondents would pay $5 or more for organic and sustainable cotton shirts. Although various consumers are willing to pay more for sustainability, Lundblad and Davies (2016, p. 150) have found that sustainable clothing prices differ significantly from low-cost fashion, limiting consumers with lower economic capabilities.

Fraj and Martinez (2007, p. 26), in their study, argue that researchers have examined consumer behaviour from various perspectives. One of the perspectives include the amount of information and knowledge people have regarding sustainability problems, and the second perspective is regarding complex psychographic variables, such as values and attitudes (Fraj & Martinez, 2007, p. 26). Goldsmith et al. (1991, p. 38) present in their research that values play an essential role in motivating consumer behaviour and the concept is usually referring to a small number of highly abstract social cognitions. These cognitions are held together by the members of a society representing preferences for specific actions (Goldsmith et al., 1991, p. 39). Authors of previous studies discuss the influence of values on people's personality characteristics, meaning that personality influences the attitudes towards the actual behaviour. Allport (1935, p. 789) defines attitude as "a mental and neural state of readiness, which exerts a directing, influence upon the individual's response to all objects and situations with which it is related" and

21 meant that an attitude is a disposition influencing the behaviour. Theories and models of consumer behaviour and social psychology have a common subject, including the fact that consumer purchase behaviour is affected by a hierarchical system of abstract values and general attitudes (Dickson & Littrell, 1996, p. 52). These values and attitudes are the underlying factors influencing consumer behaviour and purchase decisions (Dickson & Littrell, 1996, p. 52).

McNeill and Moore (2015, p. 212) state that fashion consumers' attitudes towards sustainable fashion consumption and identification of fast fashion impact are crucial. Consumer choices are often irrational and sometimes unconnected to their values, even if environmental aspects should be crucial in consumers' daily purchasing decisions (Koskela & Vinnari, 2009, p. 126). Consumers accomplish deep inner motivations and unconscious needs when consuming (Koskela & Vinnari, 2009, p. 126). The change in consumer attitudes towards clothing consumption, together with low-cost production, has been an essential factor in the continued impulse buying culture (McNeill & Moore, p. 213). McNeill and Moore (2015, p. 214) further argue that even though there is research on attitudinal behaviour concerning sustainability, the gap in research about sustainable fashion consumption attitudes regarding the choice of ethically produced or reused products still exists. They further discuss the significant contribution of consumer attitude research regarding both fast and sustainable fashion. Research by McNeill and Moore (2015) showed a distinction between the behaviour of consumers that view clothing as an explicit functional item and those who see it as self-representational in terms of fashion. The attitudes are influenced by social pressure, such as consumers having in mind their peers' opinions and their own level of knowledge about the products of their choice (McNeill & Moore, 2015, p. 218).

According to Martin and Morich (2011, p. 483), consumer behaviour theories often assess that consumers are making rational and conscious decisions about the brand of products and services they purchase. It is believed that consumer decisions are made by a straightforward attitude formation that determines the chosen purchase of a product or a service (Martin & Morich, 2011, p. 483). Nonetheless, research proposes that human behaviour either begins as an unconscious process or happens outside of conscious awareness, as further stated by Martin and Morich (2011, p. 483). The mechanical manners, including mimicry, stereotype activation, and unconscious actions, also affect consumers' beliefs, attitudes, and goals without engaging their conscious minds (Martin & Morich, 2011, p. 483). For example, several studies have shown that even with high awareness of the environmental impact, it is not enough to predict a restricted consumption (Santor et al., 2020, p. 2). Jisana (2014, p. 34) argues that consumer behaviour is a complex subject and understanding how consumers will behave in a particular situation is almost impossible to predict.

2.3.2 CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS Consumers are continuously making decisions concerning the choice, purchase, and use of products or services (Bettman et al., 1991, p. 50). New technologies and increased competition regularly change the number of alternatives. Advertisements, packages, salespeople, and friends provide a large amount of information available for the consumer, according to Bettman et al. (1991, p. 50). Consumers often face many options, making purchase decisions difficult but essential for both consumers, marketers, and policymakers (Bettman et al., 1991, p. 50). Various factors influence people's behaviours in particular situations. Bakshi (2012, p. 3) argues that consumer behaviours while

22 engaging in purchase decisions are influenced by characteristics such as age, income, and education. Bettman et al. (1991, p. 51) argue that the complex process of consumer decision-making has generated questions regarding how consumers develop and use strategies when making decisions, how previous knowledge affects the choice, and how consumers adapt to different decision settings.

The consumer decision-making process is one of the most academic researched marketing spheres over the past decades (Stankevich, 2017, p. 9). The theory has identified many situations where consumers make irrational choices, according to Stankevich (2017, p. 8). Many studies emphasise that consumer behaviour is valuable, and decision context is crucial (Stankevich, 2017, p. 8). Throughout time, researchers have developed various models of consumer decision-making processes. The Simon Model, deducted by Herbert Simon in 1959, conceptualises the decision-making process in three different stages of activities: intelligence activity, design activity, and choice activity. Simon (1959) argues that the process is cognitive and classified into simple steps. Engel, Kollat and Blackwell (1968) made a further extensive consumer decision-making process model, as cited in Stankevich (2017, p. 8), where the components were input, information processing, decision process, and variables influencing the decision process. The model's five steps are need recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase, and post- purchase behaviour. Narayana and Markin (1975) developed a consumer decision- making process model focusing mainly on brand awareness. The authors explain consumer behaviour by including and classifying all the brands within the consumer's awareness set (Narayana & Markin, 1975, p. 1). The conceptual framework is presented for possible consumer behaviour when faced with multiple brands. The Rassuli and Harrell Model (1990) proposes that choice and purchase can be viewed as inputs to a process rather than necessarily considered the end of the consumer decision-making process. The year after this model, Sheth, Newman and Gross model (1991) was developed, presenting five consumption values affecting consumer decision making. The values covered in this model were functional, social, conditional, emotional, and epistemic values. Stankevich (2017, p. 8) mentions in her study a more recent model named McKinsey's dynamic model of the consumer decision journey, made by Court et al. (2009). This model is more circular with four primary phases, including initial consideration, the process of researching a potential purchase, purchasing brands, and post-purchase when consumers experience the product or service.

This thesis focuses on the pre-purchase stages of the Five-stage model of the consumer buying process, including need recognition, information search, and evaluation of alternatives (see Figure 3). The model demonstrates the steps a consumer encounters when purchasing a product or service (Stankevich 2017, p. 10). The initial step is recognising an unsatisfied need: need recognition (Stankevich 2017, p. 10). When the unsatisfied need is identified, the consumer starts searching for product or service information from diverse sources (Jisana, 2014, p. 37): information search (Stankevich 2017, p. 10). The search process will result in consumers evaluating one option from several alternatives (Jisana, 2014, p. 37): alternative evaluation (Stankevich 2017, p. 10).

23

FIGURE 3: THE PRE-PURCHASE STAGE OF THE CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS (STANKEVICH, 2017, P. 10, DERIVED FROM THE FIVE-STAGE MODEL OF THE CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS)

A firm and its potential consumers have a relationship where the firm communicates with consumers through marketing messages, and the consumer responds by making a purchasing decision (Panwar et al., 2019, p. 38). The initial stage of the consumer decision-making model, need recognition, concentrates on the fundamental motivation to begin purchasing products (Workman & Studak, 2006, p. 75). Need recognition indicates a discrepancy between the consumer's current state and the ideal desired state (Workman & Studak, 2006, p. 77). The current state reflects a need-based approach to problem recognition, while the ideal state reflects a psychological desire-based approach (Workman & Studak, 2006, p. 77). Workman and Studak (2006, p. 75) argue that young adult consumers either set or follow trends. This argument explains the reason why some fashion purchases are motivated by desire and others by necessity. Advertising new fashion products is an external environmental influence on young adult consumers (Workman & Studak, 2006, p. 76). Being exposed to the latest fashion advertisements triggers the consumer's recognition of a need caused by a change in the desired state (Workman & Studak, 2006, p. 76).

Throughout the second stage, information search, the consumer will examine information internally and externally before decision-making, according to Stankevich (2017, p. 10). This stage is crucial for both consumers and marketers, who have to provide consistent product and promotion descriptions (Stankevich, 2017, p. 10). The internal information search involves utilising information from memory and past experiences with the product (Stankevich, 2017, p. 10). Researching public and marketing-controlled sources, such as advertisements, campaigns and banners, categorises as an external information search (Stankevich, 2017, p. 10). Furthermore, asking family and friends about their experiences with new products also counts as an external information search (Stankevich, 2017, p. 10).

The prospective consumer will continue information search as long as the collected information is insufficient to make a purchase (Pellemans, 1971, p. 14). After gathering information, the consumer enters the alternative evaluation stage, influenced by attitudes (Panwar et al., 2019, p. 38). Panwar et al. (2019, p. 38) present an example where a firm provides a message to a consumer who finds the message interesting but decides not to purchase due to the message containing something prohibited according to their beliefs. Karimi et al. (2015, p. 139) argue that product knowledge influences purchase behaviour and affects the information search and alternative evaluation stages. Previous research demonstrates that the influence of knowledge throughout a consumer's effort to search is contradictory (Karimi et al., 2015, p. 139). Some researchers suggest a negative relationship between knowledge and the amount of research consumers do externally. Karimi et al. (2015, p. 139) further argue that consumers with high knowledge prefer to shorten the information search stage, while consumers with less knowledge search and evaluate to a greater extent. The authors explain this statement by mentioning that

24 consumers with high knowledge levels are more aware of their preferences and start their search with fewer alternatives. These consumers are confident in undertaking information searching tasks and tend to have a preconceived idea of which evaluation criteria they should use to evaluate alternative products (Karimi et al., 2015, p. 139). Low knowledge consumers have limited ability to collect and assimilate relevant information for option evaluation (Karimi et al., 2015, p. 139). Hence, these consumers engage in more intensive cycles and time since the awareness of appropriate options and decision criteria is lower, leading to a more extensive set of alternatives and criteria (Karimi et al., 2015, p. 139).

2.3.3 CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING AND BRAND IMAGE Previous research shows a positive correlation between brand image and purchase behaviour (Chen et al., 2020, p. 198). According to Arie et al. (2015, p. 4), brand image is consumer perception and beliefs of a brand embedded in consumer memory. Brand image influences the consumers' perception of quality and future performance expectations at the consumer decision-making process's evaluation stage (Chen-yu & Kincade, 2000, p. 30). Numerous prior studies have shown that product attribute or performance information is crucial in the consumer decision-making process. In his study, Martin (1971) observed that most of his research participants indicated that product attribute was the most significant factor in their decisions. The consumer considers which brands should be evaluated and further selected since brand quality is crucial for a consumer when making a purchase decision (Arie et al., 2015, p. 4). Consumer product knowledge is recognised as a significant characteristic influencing all the consumer decision-making process phases (Bettman & Park, 1980, cited in Bian & Moutinho, 2011, p. 197). Consumers who possess different product knowledge levels have different perceptions of a product, and consumers with comprehensive product knowledge have more complex and in-depth developed decision criteria (Bian & Moutinho, 2011, p. 197). When processing information, less cognitive effort is required, and relevant knowledge structures are activated automatically, enabling consumers to process more information (Bian & Moutinho, 2011, p. 197). In addition, many researchers found that consumers interpret price as an essential factor regarding clothing quality, according to Davis (1992, p. 13).

Zhang (2015, p. 60) argues that the most frequently used predictors of consumer's behavioural intention are customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Consumer satisfaction concerns the consumers' general evaluation of a product or service (Zhang, 2015, p. 60). Consumers' expectations on performance are the key indicators of their satisfaction (Oliver, 1980, cited in Zhang, 2015, p. 60). In case the product performance exceeds expectations, the satisfaction increases, while it decreases when the expectation is higher than the performance (Zhang, 2015, p. 60). Product performance is a crucial component of brand image. Thus, brand image's potential influence on consumer satisfaction is significant to examine by identifying a brand's perception (Zhang, 2015, p. 60). Consumer loyalty is another essential component recognised as the extension of consumer satisfaction, according to Zhang (2015, p. 60). Consumer loyalty is commonly defined as repeated purchasing behaviours and stems from consumers' approval of a brand, leading to continuous purchasing behaviour (Zhang, 2015, p. 60). Chen-yu and Kincade (2001, p. 30) mention that a well-developed brand image is essential for consumers to remember the brand and more likely purchase when a need occurs. A negative brand image reduces consumer purchase intentions. Hence, if consumers consider a brand superior over another, the willingness to purchase their products increases (Chen et al., 2020, p. 198). The brand image represents the influence of

25 marketers' stimuli and other information that is perceived by the consumer (Chen-yu and Kincade, 2001, p. 30).

2.4 SUMMARY AND THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL Based on our literature review, we can conclude that prior research confirms a connection between brand image and purchase behaviour (e.g. Chen et al., 2020, p. 198). In competitive environments such as the fashion industry, creating a favourable brand image is crucial to winning over consumer perceptions (Lee et al., 2000, p. 60). Brand image represents the consumer's perception, and consumers form the idea of a brand based on the associations they have regarding that brand (Nandan, 2005, p. 267). We recognise that little research has been conducted to investigate which brand associations have the most substantial effects on consumer behaviour. However, we have a reason to believe brand associations affect consumer behaviour, as they are a significant part of the whole brand image concept we know correlates with consumer behaviour. Also, due to their prevalence in the brand image literature, we believe that the three dimensions of brand associations: attributes, benefits and attitudes (Keller, 1993, p. 2) impact consumer behaviour.

As for the pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process, the impact of brand image has not been studied before in a sustainable fashion context. Based on our theoretical framework, prior research confirms that investigating consumer pre-purchase evaluation is crucial to better understand the consumer purchase decision process (e.g. Chae et al., 2006, p. 26). In the sustainable fashion context of our thesis, previous studies recognise that understanding the pre-purchase stage helps explain consumer decision- making when choosing a fashion product (e.g. Robinson & Doss, 2011, p. 278). Prior research recognises that brand image impacts consumers' perceptions at the consumer decision-making process's alternative evaluation stage (e.g. Chen-yu & Kincade, 2001, p. 30). However, we investigate whether and how a brand image impacts all the stages in the consumer decision-making pre-purchase process. Gaining a deeper understanding of sustainable fashion consumers' view on a brand image provides new knowledge of how a sustainable fashion brand image impacts the pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process. We believe it is relevant to examine which brand associations affect each pre-purchase stage, as it can help sustainable fashion brands in their branding. Based on our theoretical framework, we argue that brand image and its associations impact the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process in sustainable fashion consumption, and with our empirical findings, we hope to understand how.

Our conceptual model, displayed in Figure 4, serves as a basis for our study. The conceptual model helps us enhance the analysis to provide relevant theoretical and practical contributions. As our thesis aims to contribute to the field with a perspective focusing on the impact of brand image on the pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process regarding sustainable fashion, the conceptual model is constructed considering the main concepts of the thesis. The model illustrates the potential impact of different brand image associations on the three-stage pre-purchase decision-making process. As we still do not know the actual impact brand image has on the pre-purchase stage of sustainable fashion consumption, the surrounding figures illustrating brand associations have no connection to the three-stage pre-purchase decision-making process in the middle. The conceptual model will be revised according to the empirical findings, and we hope to identify potential connections between the

26 specific brand associations and the pre-purchase process stages. Because we also aim to provide a better managerial understanding of a fashion brand image's impact on consumer pre-purchase behaviour, we recognise the advantage of using our revised conceptual model to provide suggestions to sustainable fashion firms, as we can compare the different brand image associations and their significance in each pre-purchase stage. Our conceptual model is a valuable tool for illustrating consumer perceptions and their pre- purchase behaviour regarding sustainable fashion brands as we believe it could be beneficial for sustainable fashion firms to know how consumers perceive the brand image and understand how brand image affects consumers' pre-purchase process.

FIGURE 4: CONCEPTUAL MODEL: THE IMPACT OF BRAND IMAGE ON CONSUMER PRE- PURCHASE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

27 3. SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY This chapter begins with a presentation of our pre-understandings and personal background within the research area, followed by the philosophical stances describing the nature of reality and knowledge. Further, the chapter continues with an explanation of the research approach and the research design and strategy of this thesis. The chapter ends with a presentation of the literature search and review, addresses the critical review of the sources, and clarifies the chosen theories in this thesis. 3.1 PRE-UNDERSTANDINGS A researcher cannot understand or make sense of the world without pre-understandings, leading us to perceive and understand things differently (Gilje & Grimen, 2007, p. 179). As both authors share a background in the International Business Programme at Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, our pre-understandings were highly influenced by our business studies. The programme's last year studies focusing on marketing enabled us to apply corresponding perspectives on the thesis's primary topics, consumer behaviour and brand image. In addition to our business administration studies, our experiences in international contexts have affected our pre-understandings. Personal experiences that are different for each person due to their different background are an essential part of a researcher's pre-understandings (Gilje & Grimen, 2007, p. 183). Our interest in consumer behaviour and brand image has been influenced by earlier academic and professional experiences, such as case studies on marketing planning and working within the fashion retail sector. We share a genuine interest in the processes behind attitudes and values that drive consumer decision-making and a desire to learn more about sustainability. We find the issues covered in this thesis to be relevant for our future careers and professional aspirations.

Whilst our interest in the fashion industry may act as a motivator to increase our understanding of the topic, it is essential to mention that our pre-understandings about the industry are limited. Both of us have studied questions related to brand image and consumer behaviour and have short professional experience from fashion retail. It is reasonable to believe that our pre-understanding level might influence our ability to provide sustainable fashion brands with practical recommendations due to our limited real-life experience of the fashion industry. According to Stenbacka (2001, p. 553), pre- understanding can be first-hand or second-hand, where the latter is based on literature. Provided by our interest in sustainable fashion, we have personally studied the field and media covering the issue. Thus, we believe we have knowledge and second-hand pre- understanding of the industry characteristics whilst not having significant first-hand pre- understandings of fashion brands or sustainability issues. Consequently, our pre- understandings could affect how we perceive sustainability and sustainable fashion. However, we have had constant discussions about the issues to ensure open-minded research and increasingly gained knowledge regarding our theoretical framework and the thesis topics.

3.2 RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY Philosophy is a system of beliefs that originated from the study of knowledge, reality, and existence (Collins & Hussey, 2014, p. 43). The view on values, reality and scientific research is crucial when conducting academic studies (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 43). In

28 the philosophical analysis, the facts, theories, and alternatives are brought together and interpreted to create knowledge (Chia, 2002, p. 2). Collis and Hussey (2014, p. 43) discuss that it appears as a framework for the logic of methods implemented and significantly influences the obtained results. Philosophy improves the processes of creating knowledge in all academic fields, including the business research field (Chia, 2002, p. 2). The main concepts of scientific methodology within business research will be presented in the section below, followed by our reasoning and perspectives towards the chosen methods in this thesis.

3.2.1 ONTOLOGY The qualitative research approach requires discussions and debates about the meaning of concepts (Goertz & Mahoney, 2012. p. 207). Questions include qualitative answers involving the presentation of attributes and characteristics that develop the concept (Goertz & Mahoney, 2012, p. 207). Ontology concerns the nature of reality and refers to the science of object structures, events, processes and relations in the sense of reality (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 47; Floridi, 2003, p. 155). The philosophy of ontology seeks to implement a comprehensive classification of entities in all spheres of being and seeks taxonomy and description (Floridi, 2003, pp. 155-156). The classification describes the accuracy of the truth and solves issues of entity requirement for completing the description of all that goes on in the universe, according to Floridi (2003, p. 155). There are two main ontological perspectives; positivism and interpretivism (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 47). The believers of positivism demonstrate that social reality is objective and external for the researcher, according to Collis and Hussey (2014, p. 47). Thus, the reality is singular, and the sense of it is equal for everyone (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 47). The interpretivism view of ontology defines social reality as subjective since it is constructed socially, meaning that each individual has their own sense of reality (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 47). The ontological concept embraced in our research is interpretivism. We believe that our choice of writing this thesis through an interpretivist view of ontology is most applicable, as we view the reality as being socially constructed. Since we aim to research how brand image impacts the pre-purchase decision behaviour of fashion consumers, the answers to our interviews require subjective viewpoints. Consequently, from an interpretive point of view, the results received from our research are restricted to the observed individuals' circumstances and unavoidably formed by personal constructions and social reality.

3.2.2 EPISTEMOLOGY Epistemology refers to the theory of knowledge that informs the researcher (Tuli, 2010, p. 99). The kind of knowledge we accept as valid is explained with the epistemological assumption, according to Collis and Hussey (2014, p. 47). The philosophy behind epistemology involves examining the relationship between the researcher and what is researched (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 47). Positivist and interpretive researchers both argue that human behaviour can be patterned and regular (Tuli, 2010, p. 100). Nonetheless, while the positivists view this as the laws of cause and effect, interpretivists recognise such patterns as created out of systems people generate from the social interaction (Tuli, 2010, p. 100). Positivists in this context believe the validly regarded knowledge only comes from an observable and measurable phenomenon, while interpretivists minimise the distance between the researcher and what is researched (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 47). Smith (1983, p. 10, cited in Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 47)

29 argue that the facts in quantitative research constrain our beliefs while beliefs determine what categorises as facts in interpretivist research.

The social reality for positivists constitutes empirical facts, existing exclusively from personal ideas and thoughts and instead governed by laws of cause and effect (Tuli, 2010, p. 99). The positivist view of epistemology sees social science as an established method combining deductive logic and precise empirical observations of individual behaviour (Tuli, 2010, p. 99). The outcome from this results in the discovery and confirmation of probable laws used to predict general patterns of human activity (Tuli, 2010, p. 99). The philosophical framework for most qualitative research, the interpretivist perspective, recognises the world as constructed, interpreted, and experienced by people when interacting with one another in a comprehensive social system (Tuli, 2010, p. 100). According to this paradigm, the analysis nature is interpretive, and the purpose is understanding a phenomenon rather than generalising it (Tuli, 2010, p. 100). Research within the interpretivist paradigm applies to real-world situations as naturalistic, non- manipulative, unobtrusive and noncontrolling (Tuli, 2010, p. 100). Qualitative research methodology usually relies on personal contact under a particular period between the researcher and the people studied (Tuli, 2010, p. 100).

As our primary goal is to apprehend how brand image impacts the consumer decision- making process concerning sustainable fashion, we argue that the epistemological view of interpretivism would be most suitable for our research. We believe that the impact of brand image is developed from the interactions between several people in a constructed society and should be examined by capturing the subjective reality of the individuals studied. Since our study aims to apprehend the individual perceptions of brand image, it would be impossible to consider the study's insights as objective. 3.3 RESEARCH APPROACH Induction and deduction create the basis of all research and consolidate various logical reasonings practised in qualitative and quantitative research (Reichertz, 2013, p. 123). Induction is a general derivation from examining a set of observations, while deduction identifies unknown particulars (Rothchild, 2006, p. 2). Induction refers to the process of inferring a principle from observing a particular situation and the operation of discovering and proving propositions (Rotchild, 2006, p. 3). The theory in inductive research is developed from empirical reality observations (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 7). It allows the advantage of gaining a deeper understanding of social events, which generally is associated with sampling and analysing qualitative data from a smaller sample (Bell et al., 2018, p. 45). However, all inductive studies do not generate theories but instead use theories as foundations for the studies (Bell et al., 2018, p. 45). Since the method allows the researcher to move from individual observations to general pattern statements, it is referred to as shifting from the specific to the general (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 7). General presumptions are induced from particular instances, hence being the opposite of the deductive approach (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 7).

According to Rothchild (2006, p. 3), deduction refers to the process of concluding from something known or assumed. The term defines the purpose of solving problems by examining general characteristics in a group of observations and identifying a particular situation through its resemblance to a group of known observations (Rothchild, 2006, p. 3). To deduce means to draw a conclusion from something already known or assumed and understand it (Rothchild, 2006, p. 3). With deductive research, a conceptual and

30 theoretical structure is developed and tested by empirical observation (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 7). Thus, the method is indicated as moving from the general to the particular (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 7).

Both approaches consolidate advantages and disadvantages, as the deductive method benefits the study from being objective with quantitative data but lacks the association between the data and hypotheses (Bell et al., 2018, p. 43). On the other hand, inductive studies have the advantage of deep understanding of context exploring but are often based on small samples, resulting in too general answers (Bell et al., 2018, p. 43). Since our main objective is to research how brand image impacts the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process concerning sustainable fashion consumption, the data will be collected through a qualitative method. Thus, our research approach is mainly inductive, as it suits our strategy to develop a deeper understanding about the impact of brand image on the consumer decision-making process. The unstrict research structure leaves space for alternative explanations that otherwise could have been left out in the study. 3.4 RESEARCH DESIGN A research design is a strategic plan towards answering the stated research question and contains clear objectives originated from the research question (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 137). The design signifies a strategic framework and serves as a bridge between the research question and the research implementation (Durrheim, 2006, p. 34). The objective is to guide the data collection and data analysis, relevantly combining them to achieve the research purpose (Durrheim, 2006, p. 34). Bell et al. (2018, p. 29) argue that the research conduction choices cannot be isolated from the expressed epistemological and ontological viewpoint.

The interpretation of the research question results in analysing the research purpose, which often is classified into three different forms of research design; exploratory, descriptive and explanatory (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 138). According to Saunders et al. (2003, p. 139), an exploratory study is crucial for finding out the incident, seeking new insights, asking questions, and assessing phenomena from a different perspective. The benefit of an exploratory study is significant when the problem's objective is unclear since it intends to clarify the understanding of the problem (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 139). Exploratory research can be conducted in various ways, such as interviewing experts in the subject, searching the literature, and conducting focus group interviews (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 140). This research type brings the great advantage of being flexible and adopting change when a need for direction change occurs due to new data and insight appearance (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 140). Although, the flexibility inherent in exploratory research does not mean direction absence to the analysis. It indicates that the focus is initially extended and becomes narrower throughout the research progresses (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 140). In descriptive studies, the objective is limited to describing the current practice (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 68). Saunders et al. (2003, p. 140) argue that the researcher needs to have a clear picture of the study purpose before collecting descriptive research data. Descriptive research aims to portray an accurate event or situation and could often be an extension of exploratory research or a part of explanatory research (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 140). Lastly, studies authenticating relationships between variables are termed explanatory research (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 140). In explanatory studies, the current theory is used to interpret and describe what is happening, according to Collis and Hussey (2014, p. 69). This type of research emphasises the study

31 of a situation or a problem to explain the connection between the variables (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 140).

Considering our stated research question, we decided to use an explanatory research design. Subsequent to studying the vast amount of previous research on consumer behaviour and consumer decision-making process, we saw the absence of studies on how brand image impacts sustainable fashion consumers' decision-making process. Consequently, we recognised a need for extensive research on the issue. The academic positioning of explanatory research aligns well with the core of our research question, where we intend to cover how brand image impacts consumer decision, implying that the phenomenon is confirmed and explored by previous researchers. The collection of data was implemented through interviews, further supporting the explanatory research approach.

3.5 RESEARCH STRATEGY To make a suitable decision of practical method, the researcher must choose a research strategy that specifies alternatives of collecting and analysing the sampled data (Bell et al., 2018, p. 58). Hence, a significant determination is whether the research should be quantitative or qualitative (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 160). The purpose of collecting quantitative data is to generate reliable, generalisable and unbiased data (Steckler et al., 1992, p. 2). According to Bell et al., (2018, p. 58), the quantitative method is associated with the positivist approach, indicating a severe numerical data structure with a deductive approach. The quantitative design investigates variables and verifies the relationships between them using controlled experiments and statistics (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 145).

According to Steckler et al. (1992, p. 2), the qualitative research design applies anthropological research methods to study appropriate social phenomena. Qualitative researchers are involved with their observations by analysing the interactions, participating in activities, interviewing essential people, and constructing case studies and analysing existing documents (Steckler et al., 1992, p. 2). The purpose of qualitative data collection is to obtain opinions from the group studied (Steckler et al., 1992, p. 2). Qualitative research does not concern numerical data analysis and instead intends to understand the problem, unlike the quantitative approach (Queirós et al., 2017, p. 370). The qualitative researcher is both subjective and objective to produce a more profound understanding of the problem's various dimensions (Queirós et al., 2017, p. 370). Qualitative research concerns the reality aspects that can not be quantified, intending to understand and explain social relations dynamics (Queirós et al., 2017, p. 370). The approach attempts the meanings, motives, aspirations, values and attitudes, and corresponds to deeper relationships, processes and phenomena that are not converted into variables (Queirós et al., 2017, p. 370). When commencing the research using an inductive approach, existing theories are used to shape the approach adopted to the qualitative research process and aspect of data analysis (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 489).

The chosen strategy for our thesis is qualitative since we aim to collect and analyse qualitative data. The strategy is compatible with our philosophical and design-related standpoints taken, as well as consistent with the critical insight in order to provide the expected contribution in the research field. Our decision to not implement the quantitative strategy originates from the need to have personal views and opinions from the consumers

32 of sustainable fashion on how brand image impacts their decision, which is our principal objective.

3.6 LITERATURE SEARCH AND REVIEW Searching for relevant literature is an essential part of a research project (Hart, 2001, p. 5). As a researcher, it is vital to become thoroughly familiar with one's thesis topic (Hart, 2001, p. 5) and to not only rely on theories that support one's argument but choosing theories that provide a broad and diverse overview of the topic (Patel & Davidson, 2003, p. 69). A careful and critical evaluation of existing research often leads to new insights by integrating previously unconnected ideas (Hart, 2001, p. 5). Searching is not separate from reviewing the literature for research (Hart, 2001, p. 7) and together with literature search, literature reviews are among the most fundamental elements of academic work and research studies (Turner, 2018, p. 118). According to Hart (2001, p. 3), a literature review (1) assists the researcher to identify what scholars have previously covered and what methodologies they have used; (2) supports the researcher in avoiding pitfalls and mistakes made by earlier research; (3) guides the researcher in finding appropriate strategies and methods; and (4) assists in the identification of research gaps.

When searching for relevant and adequate literature, we have used several sources and search tools. Most sources used are academic articles from external databases such as EBSCO, using Umeå University Library and Google Scholar's search engines. The primary objective was for all articles to be peer-reviewed, thereby ensuring the best possible quality for our work. We turned to classic business research books and textbooks, and online books for this project's research methodology. Also, to describe matters with the most recent information possible, we relied on other credible sources such as the United Nations, and the statistical source of Statista, in addition to scientific articles. Our literature review incorporates a broad and open approach to gain as many perspectives on the topics as possible. We have approached the literature review with a broad investigation of the existing literature before narrowing it down to our primary focus points, the theories on the consumer decision-making process and brand image. The literature review in this thesis has been done critically, assessing the source's objectivity and validity, which will enhance the quality of the research (Patel & Davidson, 2011, p. 69).

Throughout this degree project, we have avoided using secondary sources to lose the source's true meaning, and secondary referring has therefore been limited to as little as possible. However, on some occasions, primary sources were impossible to find without high costs, and we had to rely on secondary sources in those few cases. When investigating more in-depth into the thesis's core issues, we encountered a frequent recurring of specific authors and books, which thereby came to serve as a foundation for our theoretical framework because of their classical status within their academic field. In the literature search, specific keywords were used to gather academic sources on the thesis topics, such as: sustainability, brand image, brand associations, fashion, sustainable fashion, fast-fashion, consumer behaviour, consumer decision-making process, pre- purchase decision-making, greenwashing

33 3.7 CHOICE OF THEORIES The purpose of reviewing literature is to review and help develop a good understanding and insight into the most relevant and significant research on the thesis topic (Saunders et al., 2003, p.61). Critically reviewing the literature provides the foundation on which the research is built (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 61). Thus, it is necessary to argue for the relevance of theories chosen for this thesis's purpose.

The theoretical framework begins with our thesis's underlying themes, fashion and sustainability, followed by sustainable fashion. For the fashion concept, we have chosen an approach that includes sustainability and consumer behaviour. For our thesis purpose, it was essential to consider fashion from a consumer behaviour perspective and let that approach guide us in the process. Consumer behaviour in fashion cycles is connected to people's desires due to social, economic, or political positions in society (Atik & Firat, 2013, p. 2), and according to Davis (1992, p. 17-18), the consumer finds fashionable clothing meaningful in terms of social identities. In terms of fashion and sustainability, we found several sources describing the fashion industry issues (e.g. McNeill & Moore, 2015, p. 212), highlighting the importance of sustainable fashion (e.g. Lundblad & Davies, 2016, p. 150). Sustainable fashion is broadly defined as "clothes that incorporate fair trade principles with sweatshop-free labour conditions while not harming the environment or workers by using biodegradable and organic cotton" (Joergens, 2006, p. 361). Defining sustainable fashion from both product and process point of view suits the thesis's purpose, and we noted that this definition was widely used or agreed upon by other researchers in the literature. We had reason to believe that some of our respondents would have negative attitudes towards a brand that has been caught in the act of greenwashing and some respondents that are unfamiliar with greenwashing altogether. Therefore, we chose to take into consideration both possibilities in our data collection and in our theoretical framework.

We chose a broad approach to sustainability as we found it necessary for this thesis's fundamental purpose. The sustainability concept needed to be looked at from different perspectives to understand the underlying issues and factors affected by consumption and highlight the importance of sustainable fashion. The three-pillar representation of (social, economic and environmental) sustainability has become a commonly used universal concept (Purvis et al., 2019, p.681). We chose the three-pillar definition of sustainability as it is the most used approach to sustainability in literature, and we acknowledge all three factors as equally important in a sustainable fashion context. We could recognise the three-pillar concept in sustainable fashion and brand image literature as well, and it became a logical choice to consider the three factors throughout our degree project. Much of the contemporary sustainability literature focuses on the UN's diverse set of sustainability goals (SDGs). Therefore, we chose to consider them as well, as the goals are to be "integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental" (Purvis et al., 2019, p. 687) which suited the three-pillar approach of our sustainability research.

However, the three pillars have not been safe from critique. One problematic aspect of the concept is the lack of theoretical development, as there seems to be no original urtext (Purvis et al., 2019, p. 685). Some research suggests additional pillars such as institutional (Spangenberg et al., 2002; Turcu, 2013), cultural (Soini & Birkeland, 2014), and technical (Hill & Bowen, 1997). The institutional pillar refers to (inter-) governmental

34 organisations and mechanisms like procedures and legal norms considering sustainable development (Spangenberg et al., 2002, p.61). Cultural sustainability as a pillar emphasises the role of culture in local planning, such as heritage, diversity and cultural vitality (Soini & Birkeland, 2014, p. 213). The technical pillar of sustainability refers to concepts related to the performance, quality and service life of a building or structure (Hill & Bowen, 1997, p. 227). Dimensions such as institutional, cultural and technical, are important yet slightly irrelevant for this thesis's purpose. Having established a strong linkage between the economic, social and environmental dimensions and the SDGs, both being universally recognised regarding sustainable development, we chose to use both the three pillars and the SDGs to guide our sustainability research in this thesis. Even though the three dimensions do not explicitly form the 17 SDGs, they work as a core for those goals. We recognise that all the SDGs are profoundly interconnected and that a lack of progress in one goal hinders the achievement of other goals.

The theoretical framework continues with the central topic of our thesis, brand image. Kotler (1988, p. 197) defines brand image as "the set of beliefs held about a particular brand." Our choice to focus on brand image was first and foremost due to its consumer perspective. Our thesis focuses on various consumer-sided viewpoints and behaviour, such as consumers' decision-making, associations, beliefs, opinions, values, and attitudes. Brand image represents the perception of the consumer (Nandan, 2005, p. 268). According to Nandan (2005, p. 268), brand image is receiver and target audience-focused. Consumer perceptions create a brand image, and ultimately, brand image is perceived by consumers (Nandan, 2005, p. 268). Our choice to examine the brand associations was first and foremost due to their prevalence in the brand image literature. For our thesis, we think it was interesting to look at how the different components of brand image, brand associations impact consumer behaviour. As for brand associations, we decided to use Keller's extensive and universally recognised work. Keller (1993, p. 2) defines brand associations as informational connections linked to the brand, containing the brand's meaning for the consumers. In his study, Keller (1993) outlines three dimensions of brand associations: attributes, benefits and attitudes, all of which we studied in-depth. We examined the work of other relevant researchers such as Wilkie (1986) and Fishbein and Ajzen (1975), some of which Keller (1993) cited, to strengthen the arguments on brand associations. As our thesis has a sustainability focus, we could not ignore the CSR (corporate social responsibility) factor in our brand image research. According to Lu et al. (2020), a firm's CSR initiatives significantly impact brand loyalty and brand image. We established the three-dimensional definition of a sustainable corporation that considers economic, societal and environmental aspects to align with our three-pillar sustainability approach. Most of the CSR theories acknowledge that the foundation of the concept is the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), or the three pillars that state a company should be responsible for three features: profit, people and planet, that is, economic, social and environmental responsibility (Księżak & Fischbach, 2017, p. 99).

Sustainable consumer behaviour, defined by Epstein (2015), is a behaviour acknowledging the lasting consequences of an individual's natural and societal environment behaviour. The choice to focus on sustainable consumer behaviour was logical and aligned with the thesis's purpose. As it is a crucial part of improving fashion sustainability (Harris, 2016, p. 309), examining sustainable consumer behaviour was a sensible choice for our thesis, as it gave us an understanding of sustainable consumption patterns. We found that theories and models of consumer behaviour and social psychology have a common subject, including the fact that consumer purchase behaviour

35 is affected by a hierarchical system of abstract values and general attitudes, which are the underlying factors influencing consumer behaviour and purchase decisions (Dickson & Littrell, 1996, p. 52).

The consumer decision-making process is one of the most researched marketing spheres over the past decades (Stankevich, 2017, p. 9). Engel, Kollat and Blackwell (1968) made an extensive consumer decision-making process model, which includes five steps: need recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase, and post-purchase behaviour. We chose to study the pre-purchase stages of the Five-stage model of the consumer buying process, including need recognition, information search, and evaluation of alternatives to understand where and how, in the process before the purchase, the consumer is most influenced by brand image. A firm and its potential consumers have a relationship where the firm communicates with consumers through marketing messages, and the consumer responds by making a purchasing decision (Panwar et al., 2019, p. 38). We found it interesting to learn how sustainable fashion brands’ image impacts customers before purchasing decisions. Previous research shows a positive correlation between brand image and purchase behaviour (Chen et al., 2020, p. 198). Therefore, it can be assumed that studying the relationship between brand image and consumer behaviour is important to understand how customers assess and evaluate a brand. According to Chen- yu and Kincade (2000, p. 30), a well-developed brand image is essential for consumers to remember the brand and more likely purchase when a need occurs. A negative brand image reduces consumer purchase intentions.

36 4. PRACTICAL METHODOLOGY This chapter provides the reader with an understanding of how data has been collected in this thesis. The chapter begins by presenting the interview structure, followed by the sampling method and overview. In addition, the chapter explains how the interview guide was conducted and describes the interview technique and the pilot study. Finally, the qualitative data analysis method is described, and the chapter rounds off with a discussion of the data collection's ethical considerations.

4.1 DATA COLLECTION METHOD The two main types of data are primary and secondary and there are numerous ways of collecting and analysing them (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 59). Primary data refers to the new data generated for the specific purpose of the study from sources such as interviews or questionnaires (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 59). The data in primary data collection is contemporary and the advantages of such collection are the relevance for the specific research objective and complete control over the participants (Hox & Boeije, 2005, p. 593). Although several types of primary data can be collected cheaply by online surveys, it can also be expensive and time-consuming when involving face-to-face interviews (Hox & Boeije, 2005, p. 594). More disadvantages comprehend prior information search about the subject and attracting enough respondents for the research (Hox & Boeije, 2005, p. 594). Secondary data refers to data already collected from existing sources, e.g. publications or databases (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 59). The main advantages of using secondary data are saving time and money (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 268). The time and money spent on collecting secondary data are significantly lower when collecting secondary data in comparison to collecting primary data (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 268). Nevertheless, the disadvantages of secondary data usage could be that it is collected to meet other purposes than the purpose of the research performed (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 268).

Based on the stated reasons, we consider it relevant for our research to collect primary data, as we believe that our research's purpose cannot be fulfilled through already existing data. Data in qualitative research can be collected through various methods, including observations, textual or visual analysis and interviews conducted from individuals or groups (Gill et al., 2008, p. 291). According to Hox and Boeije (2005, p. 595), the purpose of qualitative research is to examine people and their approach to behaving in a particular way. Hence, socially flexible and sensitive data collection methods are used to meet the purpose of the qualitative method (Hox & Boeije, 2005, p. 595). The popular primary method of collecting data is qualitative interviews, where the respondents get the opportunity to talk about their experiences and views (Hox & Boeije, 2005, p. 595). Hox and Boeije (2005, p. 595) further describe that observation is a widely used method to generate data involving researchers engaging in systematically observing interactions or events. Other commonly used qualitative data collection methods involve focus groups, photographs, documents, video, and film (Hox & Boeije, 2005, p. 595). Our study aims to analyse how brand image impacts the pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision- making process. Therefore, we need to collect individual data based on individual experiences. The method used in our study is qualitative interviews. We excluded the observation, as we need personal thoughts about behaviours, and it would be inconvenient to observe the behaviour without asking our respondents why they behave in a certain way. The other methods are also excluded in our research, with the reasoning that we

37 need face-to-face interactions with the respondents to produce data as accurate as possible. Therefore, the chosen primary data collection method is the conduction of interviews since our purpose requires subjective answers. Interviews are data collection methods in which the respondent answers questions regarding what they do, think or feel (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 133). Saunders et al. (2003, p. 318) argue that interviews are conducted between two or more people to obtain valid and relevant information to the research purpose of the study (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 318). There are various forms of interview structures, and the chosen one should be consistent with the research objectives (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 318).

Interviews are often divided into three categories depending on how structured they are (Babbie, 2007, cited in Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310). The categories include structured, semi- structured, and unstructured interviews. Unstructured interviews are conducted without preparation of the questions, as they are expected to evolve during the interview (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 133). The questions are open-ended, requiring developed answers and cannot be answered shortly (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 133). Jamshed (2014, p. 87) argues that unstructured interviews primarily are conducted in long-term fieldwork where the respondents are allowed to answer the questions at their own pace. The purpose of the structure is to have informal, conversation-like interviews to collect deeper information with questions spontaneously generated during the interview (Jamshed, 2014, p. 87). Structured interviews, on the other hand, use a schedule containing structured and detailed questions leaving no room for off-topic responses (Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310). The structure is similar to a questionnaire, and the questions are worded in the same order to the respondent, leaving no room for variety in the language used (Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310). Structured interviews are based on the assumption that the questions are formulated in an unambiguous and understandable way, where the responses must be comparable to each other (Berg, 2009, cited in Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310). Structured interviews are predominantly used in quantitative studies but may incorporate in some qualitative studies (Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310).

In between unstructured and structured interviews, there are semi-structured interviews, where the researcher prepares the questions beforehand to encourage the participant to talk about the major topics (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 133). The flexible structure of the interview enables the interviewer to pursue less structured questions and allows the examination of spontaneous arguments raised by the respondent (Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310). The open-ended questions leave space for unanticipated responses to emerge throughout the interview (Collis & Hussey, 2014; p. 133, Jamshed, 2014, p. 87). The phrasing of the questions is flexible and facilitates the interviewer to use and clarify during the interview (Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310). A semi-structured interview is usually conducted once with an individual or a group from 30 minutes to more than one hour (Jamshed, 2014, p. 87). Respondents are explored systematically and comprehensively with an interview guide, utilising the interview time to the maximum (Jamshed, 2014, p. 87). The interview questions cover the core question of the research and various other questions associated with the central question, improving further with the help of pilot testing of the interview guide (Jamshed, 2014, p. 87). To avoid the interviewer from being distracted, interviews are often recorded instead of handwritten, simplifying the transcription to generate a written version of the interview (Jamshed, 2014, p. 87). An example of a semi-structured approach is discovery interviews, a one-to-one interview using open-ended questions and inquiries based on the principle of allowing the interviewee to control the interview process (Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310). The purpose is to

38 allow the respondent to show their subjective approach and an individualistic perspective, rather than answering a set of structured questions (Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310).

We argue that the choice of semi-structured interviews is the most appropriate alternative for our research and interview structure, as we consider entirely structured and unstructured interviews to be inappropriate for our approach. Our choice to exclude unstructured and structured interviews is based on the construction of our research method. The purpose of our study involves researching various brand image associations and examining how they impact the pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process. Thus, our interview structure requires specifically asked questions regarding the subject. Conducting unstructured interviews is not suitable for our aim, as we need to ask particular questions. Structured interviews limit the respondents to elaborate and variegate their answers, which also is inappropriate for our study. Semi-structured interview enables us to construct an interview guide with questions developed by prior theories and models, combined with the ability to deviate from the developed questions and ask other questions arising from the conversation. We have the possibility to ask follow-up questions if necessary with this approach and simultaneously reach the desired interview outcome. The respondents have the possibility to ask for clarification of the question from us if needed. In case of omitted significant points, the respondent can easily fill it out by talking about different themes than mentioned by us. The comparability of responses is enabled as well, independent of the person facilitating the interview.

4.2 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE Independent of the research question and objectives, the researcher must consider whether sampling is necessary for the study (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 210). A sample selection is needed for all the research data collection, regardless of interviews, questionnaires or observations (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 212; Vehovar et al., 2016, p. 329). As described by Collis and Hussey (2014, p. 51), a represents any precisely defined experimental group of people for research purposes, and a sample is the subset of a population. Sampling techniques provide various methods that enable the researcher to reduce the needed data collection by only considering data from a sub-group (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 212). Such techniques incorporate probability sampling and non- probability sampling, whereas probability sampling considers all population units and involves randomisation (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 212; Vehovar et al., 2016, p. 329). Nonetheless, non-probability sampling signifies the absence of a probability sampling mechanism, meaning that some of the probabilities are known to be unexisting (Vehovar et al., 2016, p. 328).

The collected research data is not analysed statistically under an interpretivist paradigm, and therefore, no random sample selection is required (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 131). The selection of non-random samples is achieved by various methods; snowball sampling, purposive sampling, or natural sampling, as stated by Collis and Hussey (2014, p. 132). In research where it is crucial to include respondents with experience of the phenomenon studied, snowball sampling is used to collect a sample (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 131). Such sampling is a method where the selection is made by finding respondents, which in turn help to extend the sample with additional people from their network (Vehovar et al., 2016, p. 328). Purposive sampling is similar to snowball sampling as the researcher selects the participants based on their experiences on the phenomenon studied (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 132). The selection is based on the

39 researcher's judgements and ideas of the representative sample (Vehovar et al., 2016, p. 328). Natural sampling includes finding participants available at the time of the study when the researcher has little influence on creating the sample (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 132).

We argue for non-probability sampling with a purposive method to be most suitable for our research sample. As our study aims to provide empirical findings on brand image's impact on consumer pre-purchase decision-making in sustainable fashion, we believe in the relevance of reaching out to sustainable fashion consumers. Being a sustainable fashion consumer naturally means possessing the perspicacity and knowledge needed to describe how brand image impacts personal pre-purchase decision-making. The choice to use the purposive sampling method is based on the experience needed individually from each sustainable fashion consumer. As our research aims to provide empirical findings on Swedish consumers of the young generation, we developed criteria upon screening for suitable respondents, including the requirement of being a sustainable fashion consumer of age 18 to 25. We excluded the requirement of location since we planned to conduct the interviews digitally via the video communication platform Zoom. We wanted to implement the interviews digitally as comfortably as possible for both parties. Thus, Zoom was selected due to its easy approachability of video call.

Regarding defining a sustainable fashion consumer, it is highly challenging to measure, as the components forming the term are versatile. Our objective was to include all kinds of sustainable fashion consumers. Hence, the criteria of what defines a sustainable fashion consumer were also excluded from our invitations. Instead, an assumption was made about the samples' sustainable fashion consumption based on their LinkedIn profile information. In order to confirm our assumption, we requested them to respond and participate only if they genuinely are sustainable fashion consumers, enabling them to define their own consumption. We published an announcement on the online platform LinkedIn, describing our study and the competence we searched for in the participant. The announcement can be seen in Appendix 2. Furthermore, invitations were sent to possible candidates via direct message on the online platform LinkedIn. The message template is attached in Appendix 3. The choice to reach out on LinkedIn is based on our judgment that the platform users are transparent with their professional and educational experiences and receptive to serious conversations. The probability of ignoring an interview invitation seemed higher when reaching out on other social media platforms. In the absence of response, the potential interviewees were excluded from the study immediately. Before the start of the interview, we summarised the primary purpose of our study and the conditions of the interview and asked for permission to record. Appendix 3 shows the introduction to our interviews.

After the publication of the announcement, no participants contacted us themselves. In total, 24 invitations were sent out to diverse LinkedIn profiles to participate in our study. We managed to schedule interviews with 8 participants within our time frame for conducting the interviews. We did not have enough respondents within the age frame we stated, therefore, we allowed some of slightly higher age, with the oldest being 28 years old. They considered themselves sustainable fashion consumers, which they confirmed again at the start of the interview. All respondents in the sample were women and hence referred to as [Respondent x], and she or her in the findings section. Considering all respondents were fluent in Swedish, we decided to hold the interviews in Swedish to make it easier for the respondents to express themselves.

40

We conducted interviews with eight respondents in total. After these interviews, we reached data saturation since various factors impact the adequate number of interviews needed for research (Baker & Edwards, 2012, p.27). Based on the time and purpose of our study and the length and the depth of our interviews, eight interviews are sufficient to fulfil our purpose. The respondents, age, date, length and setting of each interview are presented in Table 1 below. We refer to the respondents by using different letters to maintain their identity as confidential. The letters increase the reader's ability to distinguish and better gain an overview of the responses.

TABLE 1: OVERVIEW OF RESPONDENTS AND CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS

RESPONDENT AGE INTERVIEW INTERVIEW INTERVIEW DATE DURATION SETTING

A 22 18/04/2021 28 minutes Zoom Video Call

B 26 20/04/2021 28 minutes Zoom Video Call

C 23 20/04/2021 31 minutes Zoom Video Call

D 23 21/04/2021 34 minutes Zoom Video Call

E 22 26/04/2021 32 minutes Zoom Video Call

F 22 28/04/2021 30 minutes Zoom Video Call

G 22 28/04/2021 33 minutes Zoom Video Call

H 28 29/04/2021 58 minutes Zoom Video Call

4.3 INTERVIEW GUIDE An interview guide includes a list of themes covering the research topics, with subsequent questions for the respondents (Bell et al., 2018, p. 459). An interview guide is not a strict protocol for the interviewer to follow, rather than a list of general areas to be covered with each respondent (Taylor et al., 2015, p. 122). The interview guide serves as a base for the interviewer to remember to ask about specific topics (Taylor et al., 2015, p. 123), allowing flexibility and openness during the interviews (Bell et al., 2018, p. 459).

41 An interview guide is often conducted for semi-structured interviews (Bell et al., 2018, p. 467), and as for our semi-structured interviews, we constructed the interview guide based on our thesis's research question and the theoretical framework. The logical order of questions is crucial for a good quality interview guide, and moving from general to more specific topics is often recommended (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 136). With the help of our theoretical framework, we started constructing the interview guide by deciding which themes needed to be covered. Based on the themes, we started to write down questions. As is often the case for semi-structured interviews, we made sure to use open-ended questions that allow respondents to give answers in their individual way (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 324). We prepared follow-up questions but remained flexible with their use as some of the respondents gave such comprehensive answers where follow-up questions were not needed. The general strategy of successful interviewing, according to Taylor et al. (2015, p. 123), is to: (1) ask open-ended questions; (2) ask descriptive questions about general topics; (3) wait for respondents to talk about meaningful experiences or what is meaningful for them; and (4) probe for details and specific descriptions of the respondents' perspectives. Our interview guide (see Appendix 1) was constructed with open-ended questions, and during the interviews, we made sure to listen carefully to the respondents' perspectives and ask for clarifications or elaborating when we felt like we did not quite understand the answer. Our aim with the interview guide was to create broad questions that would facilitate discussion and answers concerning the central topics without leading the respondent at any time.

The main themes included in the interview guide are the pre-purchase decision-making process and brand image. Before going through the two main themes, we began the interview guide with four background questions. When constructing the interview guide with themes and subsequent questions, we reviewed our theoretical framework. The three main topics of our research, pre-purchase decision-making process, brand image and sustainable fashion, are all covered in the interview guide. The concept of sustainable fashion is incorporated in all the questions, and therefore it is not included as a theme of its own. The first theme, with background questions, serves partly as an introductory, including more general questions regarding the respondent's sustainable fashion consumption. The second theme goes through questions concerning the respondent's pre- purchase decision-making process concerning their sustainable fashion consumption. The questions cover the stages of the pre-purchase process: need recognition, information search and alternative evaluation. The third and final theme is dedicated to investigating the impact of brand image on the respondent's pre-purchase process. The questions cover all the eight brand image associations and also enable the interviewee to explain their view on brand image in sustainable fashion. The theme connects all the research topics, the brand image in focus with follow-up questions on the pre-purchase process and sustainable fashion as an underlying theme throughout the questions. The interview guide can be found in Appendix 1.

4.4 INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE The practical interview techniques and skills can determine how comfortable the respondents are of expressing themselves (Bell et al., 2018, p. 459). The interviewer has to create ways to get people to share their perspectives and experiences without overly structuring or defining what the interviewee should say (Taylor et al., 2015, p. 118). Signals of non-verbal communication, e.g. body language or tone of voice, are essential aspects of the interview and should be paid attention to by the interviewer (Bell et al.,

42 2018, p. 459). Because of the nature of our digital interviews, it was harder to notice every little non-verbal detail in the communication. We paid attention to the respondents' facial expressions and tone of voice or shifts in their attitude towards specific questions.

During the early moments of an interview, the interviewer needs to demonstrate credibility and friendliness to develop a positive relationship with the interviewee (Saunders et al., 2018, p. 331). Combined with assurances of confidentiality, we started the interviews by presenting ourselves and describing the thesis purpose. To create a respectful and relaxed tone of the relationship with the interviewee, we made sure the interviewee understood they could interrupt us at any time, ask for clarifying the questions and ensured them of not getting any judgements for their responses. According to Saunders et al. (2018, p. 333), the interviewer should avoid making any comments or non- verbal gestures and instead remain neutral in responses to avoid any lead that may result in bias.

Multiple interviewers can create a more relaxed interview atmosphere, as it might resemble more of a discussion (Bell et al., 2018, p. 459). As for our interviews, both the authors were present in all the interviews. We found it effective as the other could always ensure the coverage of all topics, ask supplementary questions or encourage the interviewee to elaborate on the questions asked. Today's technology allows for digital interviews, posing problems in some circumstances and certain advantages in others (Saunders et al., 2018, p. 350). Our digital interviews allowed us to interview people geographically dispersed and did not pose any more significant problems than the difficulty of noticing every non-verbal detail in the respondents' communication. Due to the circumstances with COVID-19, video interviews over Zoom became the most feasible alternative for us to gain an adequate number of respondents while considering the pandemic restrictions. The video interviews enabled us to get real-life-like face-to-face communication, and allowed us to record audio for transcribing efficiently, and no significant technical problems were encountered. According to Bell et al. (2018, p. 623), there are no findings that the usage of digital interviews would impose low conditions for creating trusting and confiding relationships with the interviewees.

4.5 PILOT STUDY It is practical to conduct a pilot study to test the interview guide and structure (Patel & Davidson, 2003, p. 60). We decided to carry out a pilot study to test our interview guide in a real-life setting to see if any interview guide adjustments were needed. We reached out to a fellow friend of ours whom we know to be a sustainable fashion consumer and overall interested in the research topic. According to Patel and Davidson (2003, p. 60), a pilot study should be conducted on an individual or a group that matches the actual sample. The choice of the individual for our pilot study was motivated by her fit for the sample in terms of consumption patterns and interests. Also, the interviewee's age and location fit our sample well. The pilot study proved to be extremely valuable concerning the overall interview process. It served as an indicator for changes that needed to be done to make some questions in the interview guide clearer or better formulated. With the pilot study, we could test the functionality of recording and the overall digital setting of the interview. The pilot interviewee gave us constructive feedback on the interview questions and the comfortability of the interview. Overall, conducting a pilot study helped us enhance our interview skills and strengthen the familiarity with the interview guide and

43 the interview setting. It also served as an indicator of the time needed to cover all the topics of the interview.

4.6 DATA ANALYSIS LeCompte and Schensul (1999, cited in Kawulich, 2004, p. 96) define data analysis as the process of reducing data to an interpreted story. The interpretation of the qualitative data collected is valuable since the analysis is usually extended to a research theory (Saunder et al., 2003, p. 480). The data collected needs to be summarised, categorised or restructured into a meaningful narrative analysis (Saunder et al., 2003, p. 480). Subsequent to audio-recording, the interviews are transcribed into a written account where the interviewees' responses are described (Saunder et al., 2003, p. 485). The transcriptions need to be linked to the contextual information locating the interview, requiring the exact respondent statements and indications of the tone it was said in, together with the participants' non-verbal communications (Saunder et al., 2003, p. 485). The data analysis method should be based on a combination of factors such as the research question, theoretical foundation of the study, and the appropriate techniques of collecting data (Kawulich, 2014, p. 96). The initial step is to familiarise with the data before searching for patterns and themes to find the correlation between the data and the research purpose (Kawulich, 2004, p. 96).

In our research, we recorded the interviews to simplify the writing and analysis of the findings. Subsequent to the recording, we temporarily stored, transcribed, and subsequently deleted them. The empirical findings were categorised according to different sections sufficient for our purpose. The categories include the three stages of the pre-purchase consumer decision-making process (need recognition, information search, alternative evaluation), brand image, and brand attributes, brand benefits, and brand attitudes. The transcriptions are made according to the exact statements and indications of the tone from the respondents. The analysis is linked to our purpose and categorised as following: brand image and sustainable fashion; brand image and need recognition; brand image and information search; brand image and alternative evaluation. In the analysis, we link the empirical findings with the theoretical foundation of this study with appropriate data collecting techniques. The codes, which were generated during the analysis can be seen in Appendix 5.

Our study aimed to receive answers regarding individual experiences from our respondents, as we strived to understand their behaviour concerning sustainable consumption. Hence, we decided to use the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach. According to Alase (2017, p. 9), IPA is participant-oriented and enables the researcher to understand the inner reflections and thoughts of the research participants. The purpose of IPA is to explore in detail the participant's sense of their individual and social worlds (Smith & Shinebourne, 2012, p. 53). Simultaneously, IPA emphasises the dynamic research process with a researcher with an active role (Smith & Shinebourne, 2012, p. 53). Using this approach in a qualitative research study repeats that its primary objective and essence are exploring the participants' lived experience and allowing them to narrate the findings through their experience (Alase, 2017, p. 9). IPA studies are typically conducted on small sample sizes (one to fifteen participants) since the detailed individual transcript analysis takes a long time (Smith & Shinebourne, 2012, p. 55). As we intend to explore a small sample size and their individual experiences, the IPA approach enables us to examine how brand image impacts the sustainable consumption

44 of our respondents. In order to answer our research question, the respondents' personal consumption experiences are essential and enable us to explore the consumption in depth.

4.6 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS Ethical aspects of research refer to the appropriateness of the researcher's behaviour concerning the rights of those who are the subject of the researcher's work or are affected by the work (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 183). Research ethics are concerned with how research is conducted and how the results or findings are reported (Collis & Hussey, 2014, p. 30). Throughout our degree project, it has been vital to address ethical issues to reduce unethical conduct. Our most important principle has been to ethically perform every stage of the research process as ethical concerns are critical for the conduct of research and can occur at all stages of the research project (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 202). In this subchapter we present the essential topics within research ethics and explain how our thesis has followed the recommended ethical principles. Ethical concerns of research can be broken down into four main principles (Diener & Crandall, 1978, cited in Bell et al., 2018, p. 114): (1) The research participants should not be opposed to any harm; (2) The research participants agree to participate and are informed about the research; (3) The privacy of the research participants is guaranteed; and (4) no deception is involved in the research.

According to Bell et al. (2018, p. 114), it is the researcher's responsibility to evaluate the possibility of harm to research respondents and minimise the possibility of harm to the extent that it can be. Both physical and mental harm is to be avoided as much as possible (Bell et al., 2018, p. 114). We have made every effort to avoid causing any harm, embarrassment, stress or discomfort to our research's participants. Our priority was to make the interviews pleasant for the interviewee to feel the most comfortable and relaxed. Before each interview, we stated that the respondent and their answers were utterly free of judgements from our side. The participants were provided with a copy of our interview guide if they asked for it, which we believe made them feel even more comfortable with the interviews. The issues of confidentiality and anonymity are to be carefully considered to avoid harm to the research participants (Bell et al., 2018, p. 116). In this thesis, confidentiality is maintained at all stages. Our data collection respondents are confidential throughout the data collection, storage, analysis, and reporting of the results. Confidentiality and anonymity are critical when conducting qualitative research due to the nature of the research, where great care has to be taken into consideration in regards to the possible identification of persons, organisations, and places (Bell et al., 2018, p. 116). We ensured that the participants and their answers could not be identified by not using their real names at any time in the material. At the beginning of each interview, we asked for permission of the participants to record the interviews, and it was ensured that the recordings would be confidential and that the participant's privacy would be secured. The participants were informed that the finished degree project would be published in Digitala Vetenskapliga Arkivet (DiVA).

We recognise the importance of individuals' privacy and other potential ethical issues when seeking access. Individuals have a right to privacy and should not feel pressured into participating (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 188). Potential respondents were partly found online, via professional networking platform LinkedIn, and introductory letters were only sent to those willing to make contact on the website. We also posted the introductory letter on our personal LinkedIn profiles where potential participants could contact us voluntarily. The introductory letter stated that respondents' anonymity is to be ensured

45 and that the results would be managed confidentially. To avoid causing any harm, by no means were the respondents pressured into participating. Consequently, a researcher needs to accept any refusal to participate (Cooper and Schindler, 2008, cited in Saunders et al., 2003, p. 189), and the respondents need to be free to withdraw from the study at any time (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 189). We accepted any refusals we faced from potential respondents and informed them of their freedom to withdraw.

The participant must be well informed about the research to completely understand what they agree to participate in, whether they want to participate (Bell et al., 2018, p. 114). We ensured complete understanding by describing the research, the nature of the interview and the value of participating adds to the study in the introductory letter. According to Saunders et al. (2003, p. 179), an introductory letter should outline the purpose of the research, how the potential respondent might help, and what is involved in participating. By repeating the purpose for the interviewee before conducting the interview, we ensured the interviewee still had a comprehensive understanding of the research. Before and during the interviews, the participant was free to ask further questions about the research. Deception refers to the act of misleading participants about the nature, purpose or use of research by the researcher (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 189). No form of deception has been applied in this thesis. As for our interviews, openness was always maintained when it came to the purpose of the thesis. The questions asked were the questions from our interview guide, and no questions that could mislead the respondent of the thesis purpose were stated. We consider the interview themes and questions non-sensitive and therefore claim that deception would not have gained us anything. The first and foremost priority with our qualitative data collection has been to follow ethical guidelines and to take the participants' needs and wants into consideration at all times.

46 5. EMPIRICAL FINDINGS This chapter will present the qualitative data collection findings. The chapter begins with a presentation of the interviewees, based on the background questions included in the interview guide. The chapter follows the thematic structure of the interview guide, starting with the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process and continuing with the brand image dimensions.

5.1 PRESENTATION OF THE INTERVIEWEES This sub-chapter briefly presents the interviewees by considering their answers to the background questions stated at the beginning of each interview. Following the thesis’s interview guide, the background questions consisted of the interviewees’ age, their views about themselves as sustainable fashion consumers, their consumption patterns regarding sustainable fashion, and which fashion brand they consider sustainable.

RESPONDENT A Respondent A is a 22-year old female, who considers herself a sustainable fashion consumer: "I try to be conscious about my consumption. I am not completely informed of the sustainability of newly produced clothes, but I am aware to a certain extent. I rarely order clothes online and have been purchasing second-hand lately". For her, essential basic clothing is the most important category to shop sustainably in: "In my opinion, essentials are the most important category of clothing when consuming sustainably since those kinds of clothes are used daily and get worn out faster." When asked to mention sustainable clothing brands perceived as sustainable for Respondent A, she thought for some seconds, but no brands came to her mind.

RESPONDENT B Respondent B is a 25-year old female, who considers herself a sustainable fashion consumer: “Yes, absolutely. I seldom buy clothes, and when I do, I buy second-hand. That, for me, is sustainable fashion consuming.” She finds jeans the most important fashion category to shop sustainably in: “Definitely jeans. I think about the enormous amount of water needed to produce a pair of jeans. And when it is as big of a trend as using jeans, we need to develop methods for making jeans that are easier on the environment.” Respondent B does not view brand image as essential in sustainable fashion: “Honestly, I don't really think about the brand. For me, it's more about the circular economy, how long has the garment circulated and so on.”

RESPONDENT C Respondent C is a 23-year old female, who considers herself a sustainable fashion consumer: “Yes, I am. I try to shop mostly second-hand and I buy clothes I can wear for a long time. I try to not follow trends intensively, instead, I buy timeless clothes. Quality is something I consider a lot because then I can have the clothes for several years. Also, I look for clothes that are made from recycled materials” Respondent C considers consumption patterns more than specific fashion categories: “For me it’s more about consumption patterns, to shop less in general and to resell or recycle my clothes.” She considers Patagonia a sustainable fashion brand: “Patagonia is one. And perhaps it’s a bit controversial, but I see that H&M is on their way to becoming more sustainable. Or at least they are actively trying. But Patagonia first and foremost, because I have done

47 some research and they are transparent with their production and supply chain, and they work a lot with the circular economy.”

RESPONDENT D Respondent D is a 23-year old female, who considers herself a sustainable fashion consumer:“I try to shop as rarely as possible and avoid purchasing just because a brand is readily available. Instead, I research a lot before buying clothing". She answers that clothes that are trends and used frequently are essential items to purchase sustainably: "I am highly interested in what happens to the clothes when the trend has passed. It is an extra important parameter for me. It is crucial for me that clothes worn close to the body, such as underwear, are produced cleanly”. Respondent D could not think of any sustainable brands: “Right now, my strategy is to remove the brands that are not entirely sustainable from my alternatives when purchasing. I believe there is a difference between social and ecological sustainability. For example, many brands consider inclusion. As for the environmental aspect, I think many brands have a long way to go".

RESPONDENT E Respondent E is a 22-year old female, who considers herself a sustainable fashion consumer: “I care a lot about sustainability in my everyday life, whether it be clothes or food or whatever. I carefully consider all my purchases and ask myself, ‘Do I actually need this?’ So, I definitely think I am a sustainable fashion consumer. I avoid going after trends and buying clothes very often. If I do, I consider sustainable brands or second- hand clothing.” For her, jeans and trends are the most important fashion category to purchase sustainably: “I think about jeans immediately. I would never buy jeans from a fast-fashion brand. Instead, I go for a brand I know is more sustainable or at least have higher quality so that the jeans will last for several years. Also, trendy clothes, even though I avoid falling for trends, If I do, I consider second-hand alternatives!” Respondent E considers Patagonia a sustainable fashion brand: “They are transparent with their products, and they care about the circular economy.”

RESPONDENT F Respondent F is a 22-year old female, who considers herself a sustainable fashion consumer: "I have a great interest in fashion, but I do not shop often. Although, when I shop, I try to avoid fast fashion brands and choose high-quality clothing that lasts long- term." Respondent F remarks that she often avoids following trends and says, "I prefer finding unique pieces, especially if it is second-hand." She finds it crucial to choose carefully when consuming: “By carefully, I mean choosing sustainable, high-quality clothing that lasts over a more extended period. We help to counteract the harmful effects on the planet and our wallets by doing so." She mentions the following sustainable fashion brands: Patagonia because of their transparency in production, Arket because of their high-quality, timeless clothing and Filippa K because of their active work with sustainability and second-hand offers.

RESPONDENT G Respondent G is a 22-year old female, who considers herself a sustainable fashion consumer: "Yes, I would say so, but I'm nowhere near perfect. I buy clothes very seldom, and when I do, I buy durable clothes that I can have for a long time. And also, I try my best to avoid any unnecessary purchases with clothes. I don't, however, buy second-hand clothes often at all." She can not name one specific fashion brand she considers sustainable: "For me, it's easier to name brands that aren't sustainable. I think brands

48 like H&M, Zara, Primark and other fast-fashion brands that you've heard lots of negative things about."

RESPONDENT H Respondent H is a 28-year old female, who considers herself a sustainable fashion consumer: "I feel like I am consuming sustainable fashion, but right now, the most important thing for me is to consume as little as possible. I try to see myself as an anti- consumer." She has gotten herself into having a capsule wardrobe, which means having fewer pieces that she rotates. For Respondent H, it is crucial to purchase sustainable alternatives in every type of category: "Ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as children clothing and underwear." She mentions a few brands she finds sustainable: "The New York-based Mara Hoffman, using recycled materials and compostable packaging. United Kingdom-based Mother of Pearls, using eco-friendly material such as organic cotton. They work on their carbon footprint and defend the workers' rights together with ILO. Of course, I want to mention Filippa K, a Swedish brand using eco-friendly materials. They minimise textile waste and have created Filippa K Circle, which is a digital hub where experts interface between innovation and sustainability”. She also mentions Stella McCartney, a luxury brand that has never used leather, down, fur, angora, shearling or of exotic animals since the beginning.

5.2 CONSUMER PRE-PURCHASE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS The first central theme of the interview, the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process, included questions and discussion on the three-stage process. The interview followed the logical order of the pre-purchase process, beginning with need recognition, continuing with information search, and ending with alternative evaluation. We gained significant insight into the respondents' pre-purchase decision-making process as a whole, considering their sustainable fashion consumption.

5.2.1 NEED RECOGNITION When discussing the motivators behind the respondents' sustainable fashion consumption, three factors were noticeable: environment, working conditions, and general consciousness of the harmful effects of the fashion industry. Many of the respondents brought up the environmental factors motivating their sustainable fashion consumption: "My motivation to consume fashion sustainably originates from the environmental problems. The important thing is to spare the Earth's resources. To consume sustainably and less often benefits everyone, and it feels better for me" (Respondent A). Other respondents mentioned welfare of future generations together with environmental issues: "The thing is, if we live on as we do now, we keep destroying the planet. I would say the biggest motivator is the planet and future generations. I want to see my future kids have clean air and water, and I'm conscious that we can't just go on and consume without thinking one step further. I think it's vital to slow down with each purchase and think, 'how much does this cost to the environment?'" (Respondent B).

Some of the respondents mentioned both the environmental factors and the working conditions as their biggest motivators to consume sustainably. As Respondent E described: "I would say both the planet and the workers. I want my consumption to have as low a carbon footprint as possible. I don't want to stress the environment with an

49 unnecessary fast-fashion "throw-away" culture. Also, I think a lot about the ones who produced my clothes. Did they get paid enough? In what working conditions did they make my clothes?". Respondent D as well gets motivated by the welfare of the planet to consume sustainably: "But also working conditions and other factors that do not affect me directly. I have the so-called climate anxiety that drives me to purchase sustainable products”. Respondent H explains that it is vital for her that the people are respected in their working conditions everywhere: "The biggest motivation for me is the people. We have People, Profit and Planet, right? For me, the people in the supply chain come first, followed by the environment and the economy. I am going to give a concrete example, which is those mountains of textiles sent to the third world. There are over 40 tones of fabrics sent to Ghana annually, and the people there need to handle the waste in the end." She adds that child labour and working conditions for women also are important factors for her: "I do not want to consume just to make myself happy when it affects someone else negatively somewhere in the world. That makes me sick."

Three respondents discussed how consciousness affects their fashion consumption towards more sustainable alternatives: "Consciousness, I would say. I have recently learned a lot about sustainability, statistics in sustainable fashion, sustainable materials, etc." (Respondent C). The respondent also mentions the harmful effects of the fashion industry: "Also, I have learned a lot about the negative sides of fashion production, and I would say it's worse than I thought, and that makes me want to consume sustainably." For Respondent G, consciousness and the working conditions are the most influential motivators: "When you're conscious of the negative background of some fashion brands, you hesitate to buy from them. I consider things like working conditions and harmful materials. I am much more willing to pay a bit more for a brand I know is sustainable". Respondent F explains that the information and knowledge she has about the harmful effects of unsustainable clothing production motivates her to be more sustainable in her consumption: "I have compassion for the bad working conditions, and the harmfulness unsustainability brings to our earth", she adds.

5.2.2 INFORMATION SEARCH When asked how they search for information before deciding on buying from a sustainable fashion brand, some respondents said they did not search for information: "To be honest, I don't think about searching for information at all" (Respondent B). The respondent adds that "I don't really search for information, keeping in mind that I mainly buy second-hand." For Respondent C as well, consuming mainly second-hand clothing affects her information search: "Honestly, I don't search for information. I don't look for background information on the brand's website, for example. Also, sometimes it's kind of hard to know where to look for actual facts. Then when it comes to second-hand clothing, there's not that much background information to be searched for."

Some respondents mentioned the familiarity of a brand as a factor that influences the extent of their information search. Respondent A answered, "I do not spend time searching information every time I purchase something, but sometimes I do. Suppose I am a long-time customer of a brand, such as Gina Tricot. In that case, I rarely research the sustainability of the brand." For Respondent A, information search depends if she is unfamiliar with a brand: "It happens when I decide to buy from a brand I am not familiar with." Respondent E describes the same: "If it's an entirely new brand for me, I look at their website. That's usually it. Suppose it's a brand I already know to be sustainable. In

50 that case, I don't search for information anymore, only if I've heard that they've been greenwashing, for example!"

Most of the respondents mentioned the brand's website as their primary source when searching for information: "I often search online on the brand's website. I do not actively read the about us page, but many sustainable brands like to show their sustainable commitment distinctly. Naturally, that makes me think the brand is sustainable" (Respondent A). Respondent G answered, "Sometimes I do look for the brand's website, not with every purchase but sometimes, yes. I'm genuinely interested in looking up sustainability facts from other brands when I've heard negative news about one fashion brand. You know, to see if brands I usually buy from are as 'bad' or just to compare them." Respondent H mentions that she is aware of all of the platforms online where they grade different sustainable brands: "Of course, social media and the internet. Not every consumer takes the time to read the company's sustainability report. But I do that. I prefer studying the reports." Google and Instagram accounts are the primary sources for Respondent D when searching for information: "I google a lot and follow many Instagram accounts promoting sustainable fashion brands when searching for brands. [takes a small pause] Suppose a fashion brand is not transparent with the sustainability problems. In that case, one should not purchase from them since the probability of them hiding something is high". Respondent B also mentioned that brands can lure her: "If I come across a website selling clothes with sustainable branding, I'm easily lured! [laughing] I think brands can easily trick me into buying something if they sell it as 'sustainable', even though I know it's not always the case."

Three respondents named applications they use as a tool to search for different fashion brands and their sustainability: "Sometimes, I use an app called GoodOnYou, where you can see how sustainable certain fashion brands are, which is great for scanning greenwashing!" (Respondent C). Respondent E mentioned the same application: "Sometimes I use tools such as the GoodOnYou app to see if the brand is sustainable or not." Respondent F describes another application: "When I need to buy something, I have an application on my phone called 'About You' that collects various brands in different categories. It helps a lot when you want to see different alternatives without having to search for brands yourself."

5.2.3 EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES When discussing the main components they consider when comparing different sustainable fashion brands, the respondents recognised various sustainability factors. Working conditions were an essential component for many respondents, as Respondent A stated: "Mostly, I consider the working conditions, especially when brands are offering cheap clothing. Suppose I have the opportunity to purchase a piece cheaply, simultaneously, it makes me think that the production costs are low. That, in turn, makes me believe that the workers are not paid enough." Respondent A is conscious about the low prices in the fast-fashion industry: "For example, the clothing brand Boohoo attracts customers by continually offering sales when the prices, in reality, are the original prices. The low prices mean bad quality, bad working conditions, and productions in countries far away." Respondent F mainly considers the production country when comparing different brands and estimates that the working conditions are better in Europe: "It feels better buying a piece produced in Europe, for example, because then I know that the workers probably have better conditions than in cheap production countries." Respondent D finds working conditions critical as well, but mostly considers the price:

51 "The main component is, of course, unfortunately, the price since I am a student. Also, working conditions to a certain extent, but that is hard to control since many of the companies do not own their factories today. There is a lack of transparency there."

Alongside working conditions, materials influence the respondents' alternative evaluation, and they try to avoid plastic textiles in their clothes. Respondent G mentions working conditions and textiles as her most important sustainability factors when comparing alternative brands: "Working conditions and if the workers behind a fashion brand get paid adequately. That's probably one of the biggest motivators, but then it always comes back to quality. If the garment is of good quality materials, I won't need to buy new ones all the time. Also, I avoid plastic materials such as polyester in my clothes." Respondent F agrees: "I think the material is also one of the most important factors, and I avoid buying plastic." Respondent C values organic materials and ecological labels: "Well, if there are, let's say, two t-shirts from two alternative brands, I would pick the one made from organic cotton instead of the other one if it was made from plastic materials, for example. Also, I look for labels like the OEKO-Tex trademark because I would say brands with those labels are usually sustainable. So, I would say the biggest factor is material and ecological labels." Respondent E is the only respondent who values environmental factors the highest. She mentions the difficulty of knowing the accurate facts about the working conditions: "I would say the main component is how much they care about the environment. And yes, working conditions too but I think that is usually harder to know. Too few brands preach for favourable working conditions! For example, If I have an alternative produced in Europe instead of, let's say, Bangladesh, I would pick the one made in Europe. It's produced nearer, and the working conditions are usually much better!" Respondent E adds about the importance of materials: "But if there isn't a near-produced alternative, I go for the alternative with ecological material."

As for one respondent, she mainly consumes second-hand clothing and says that other sustainability factors do not significantly impact her alternative evaluation. "I consume primarily second-hand clothing, so I honestly don't think about other sustainability factors that much" (Respondent B). Two respondents mentioned the circular economy, for Respondent B, it is a big part of her second-hand consumption: "I would say that I believe so much in a circular economy that when it comes to consuming, I always look for second-hand alternatives first, and think that 'if I buy this and it will break down, I will repair it!'". When deciding upon sustainable fashion alternatives, Respondent E considers brands that use the circular economy in their operations: "how they are using the circular economy in their business, that's why I like Patagonia and Levi's, for example." The components important for Respondent H are the information availability of a brand: "I do not trust a brand that does not publish any sustainable information at all." She says that reputation and perception of a sustainable brand are also critical components and customer service. "If I buy some shoes at Stella McCartney, of course, I want a repair service to be available after that."

5.3 BRAND IMAGE To gain insight on the impact of brand image on the respondents' pre-purchase decision- making process, this section presents the other central theme of the interview, brand image. The interview findings are presented in the order of the interview guide. This section starts with a discussion about the impact of brand image in general regarding

52 sustainable fashion consumption and whether the respondents do their own research on the facts behind a sustainable fashion brand image, and continues by presenting the findings on brand associations: brand attributes, brand benefits and brand attitudes.

When discussing the importance of brand image in their sustainable fashion consumption, only one respondent had a differing answer from the rest. Respondent B expressed her thoughts about the brand image in general as "not at all important for me". As for the other respondents, the brand image does impact their sustainable fashion consumption in one way or another. For Respondent F, a good brand image is crucial: "I find it essential that a brand has a well-developed, sustainable brand image." She adds that "It could be in various ways, such as the production country, working conditions, or the materials they use." Respondent H says, "Brand image is essential for me and it originates from my fashion education. There is no excuse for a brand to say that they are sustainable but do not need to have a good brand image, absolutely not". For Respondent E as well, brand image plays a significant role in her consumption decisions: "A good brand image is essential for me!" She is aware of greenwashing but claims it does not affect her much: "I know the brand could greenwash to look more sustainable, but I don't think I'm that easily lured. I don't fall for occasional 'green' collections that fast fashion brands like Zara use." Some respondents said that a sustainable fashion purchase could be based on a brand image. When asking about the importance of a good brand image when purchasing, Respondent D hesitated for a while before answering that it is rather important: "It is easy to base a decision on the brand image without having to research further information about them."

Many respondents described how a bad brand image could impact their sustainable fashion consumption. Respondent E describes: "I would never buy a brand with a bad image." She adds with an example brand name: "You know this thing with NA-KD and how they treated their workers? After that, I have not purchased anything from them, and before, I used to do that occasionally." Respondent F also describes how her consumption choices have changed with time according to negative brand image: "Before I was conscious about the harmful effects of fast fashion, I would often buy from brands I now know are working very unsustainably". Respondent G too is affected by a poor brand image and tries to avoid fashion brands with bad image: "It does affect me. If they have a bad brand image, I avoid them immediately. I want to support fashion brands with a good brand image and avoid the ones with a bad one." Brand image is the factor that makes Respondent A consider a brand sustainable: "In case of a bad brand image, the possibilities of me purchasing are low. If information reaches me that a brand I usually shop from is doing something unsustainable, I typically look up information before purchasing from them again." She adds that a brand with a negative image is precluded from being a potential alternative for her: "Consequently, the brand is excluded from my alternatives before my purchase decision."

Respondent C explains that a brand image can be a social matter for her: "Brand image is quite important to me. In my university, I am around environmentally conscious people, and that probably is a factor that affects me and my brand choices in sustainable fashion [laughing]. But I wouldn't say I'm a 'nerd' when it comes to brands, but it definitely plays a role in my consumption." She continues with a couple of example fashion brands: "For instance, Filippa K is a brand I would buy something from, instead of, let's say, Gina Tricot. I think they have a better approach to sustainability, and I feel better buying from a brand that has sustainability as part of their whole identity!" Respondent C adds that

53 the impact of brand image can differ with the significance of the purchase: "The importance of brand image differs according to what kind of purchase we are talking about. If it's a very small purchase, brand image is not that big of a thing."

The discussion about the impact of brand image continued with a question regarding the respondents' own research for the actual facts behind a good brand image. Some of the respondents said they do some research before deciding to purchase: "It depends but usually, I do my research because even though a fashion brand has a good image, it could be greenwashing. Usually, if there is a local or small fashion business, I look for their sustainability facts more in-depth. That's because I really would like to support small businesses'' (Respondent G). Respondent H says that she looks up the actual facts behind a sustainable fashion brand: "I am studying for a double master's MBA in innovation, companies and society (CSR). However, I do not believe that many consumers spend time understanding all information that circulates. This is fully normal since ecological product design as a concept is hard to understand, together with the product life cycle that is included, from design to distribution and recycling". For Respondent E, the amount of research depends on the familiarity of a fashion brand: "I do my research to some extent. It is, however, quite seldom I consume clothes from completely unfamiliar brands. And with familiar brands, I know I should keep myself better updated on the 'actual' sustainability facts." Respondent A rarely does research on familiar brands: "I do not assume that a brand is sustainable if nothing indicates it. My assumption of a brand's sustainability is often based on information I have gathered from friends or the internet. Therefore, I rarely do more research."

Most of the respondents accept the image they have of a fashion brand without further research. Respondent B says she does not research information about the facts behind a sustainable brand image: "No, I accept it quite quickly and do not do any research of my own. I want to be honest [laughing]." Respondent F thinks for a second, laughs, and says, "To be honest, I trust the sustainable brand image. It is easy to read some sentences about how they are sustainable and trust it rather than doing more profound research if it is a brand I like." Two respondents mentioned being aware of the possible greenwashing: "I am sometimes critical when reading about different brands since I am aware that there are further layers of truth hidden. But most of the time, I trust the brand image" (Respondent D). When asking Respondent C about whether they research the sustainability facts of a fashion brand, she answered: "Not as much as I should! It's easy only to see what is communicated to us by the brand, and part of it can be greenwashing. But I would say I don't do 'deep research' on brands as much as I perhaps should be doing."

5.3.1 BRAND ATTRIBUTES Brand attributes are divided into product-related attributes and non-product-related attributes (Keller, 1993, p. 4). In our interviews, the discussion on product-related attributes focused on quality, whereas the questions on non-product-related attributes centred around price and others' opinions. When discussing how quality impacts their sustainable fashion consumption, the respondents all agreed that quality is essential. Respondent E values the importance of quality in sustainable fashion high: "Quality affects me a lot! I would say it's the main component for me when buying new clothes if it's not too pricey. But, yes, quality is essential. Many of the respondents mentioned that buying quality clothes is in a sense sustainable itself: "I would not buy a garment that is

54 sustainable but not of good quality. Then it's kind of not sustainable anyways because the garment will wear out, right?" (Respondent E). For Respondent E, quality is essential from the very beginning in the process, and that it is usually detectable when comparing brands: "It is the main thing I think about when I know I need something new. It needs to be of good quality. Also, if I'm physically able to compare different brands and their materials, and detect differences in their quality." Respondent H says, "If I buy a sustainable garment that is not of quality, I do not consider it sustainable". She explains that she wants it to last for a long time when buying a piece of clothing, meaning that quality is something she considers crucial when consuming.

Respondent C also said that "Quality plays a significant role! If I would buy a t-shirt that wears off after two times washing, even though it would be marketed as 'sustainable', that makes me wonder if it actually is sustainable. Sustainability for me is a lot about asking yourself, 'How long can I have this garment?' For Respondent C as well, quality is a priority for sustainable fashion, and that she sometimes can physically feel the quality: "Quality, I would say, is hard to detect beforehand. Sometimes you can feel the material when comparing two alternatives. But if I have a bad experience with quality with a specific brand, then I would not consider buying from them any longer." Respondent G seems to agree: "Quality is essential for me. I get it from my mother [laughing] and have quality as my first priority for clothes. I always avoid buying clothes of bad quality. Usually, you detect bad quality when feeling the material. If I find something I really like but notice the quality is bad, I ask myself if it is smart to buy it, and I know it's not. But I would say, also when I know I need something new. Then I only look for brands with good quality clothes."

For Respondent B, quality means durable clothes, which affects her sustainable fashion consumption: "Yes, quite a lot! If I buy new clothes, it's crucial for me that they don't wear off and I can have them in nature, for example. It's essential that they endure bad weather, rain and cold and so on. Respondent F also mentions the sustainability factor of buying quality clothes: "Quality for me is the primary factor I consider when consuming clothes. It is important to me that a piece is classical and timeless, and that requires good quality. Clothing with bad quality is not worth buying for me since they won't fit the body as well as a good quality garment, and I will have to buy a new piece after a few washes". Respondent F complements the statement, saying, "I think of good quality the first thing I do when I need to buy something". Respondent A considers that her fashion consumption has changed towards more sustainable and that good quality is a priority nowadays: "Before, I never considered quality and thought it was fun to shop ten pieces cheaply, rather than one expensive. She also mentioned that quality is something she considers instantly when a purchasing need is recognised, giving an example of a recent sustainable purchase she made: "It is more economical for me long term to purchase good quality jeans, for instance, rather than buying several pieces per year because of short life length".

Many respondents mention the cost of good quality clothing. Some respondents refer to it being more economical to buy quality clothes: "I have recently gotten more conscious about purchasing durable, sustainable clothing, resulting in a more economically conscious behaviour as well" (Respondent A). Same for Respondent B, who said that the price of good quality clothes could affect her: "Of course, you come to think about the budget here with the quality factor, but I try to see that I should buy one garment that lasts me several years than new ones every two months! It's extremely important with

55 quality for me, I would say!" Respondent B adds without hesitation, that "The process begins with quality. If I know I need, let's say, a new jacket, which one am I going to still have in 40 years? It's an essential thing for me, so when I know I need something new, it needs to be of good quality!" Respondent D is in accord with the others that quality is essential in sustainable fashion, but that the costs of good quality clothes are often too high: "Of course, quality is crucial. But it is not my priority right now, unfortunately, since higher quality clothes are often more expensive," she explains.

We asked the respondents about how price affects their sustainable fashion consumption. Some respondents explained that the price of a sustainable fashion brand has a significant impact on their consumption: "Well, I am a student with not that great of an income, so the price does affect me a lot" (Respondent C). The higher prices restrict Respondent D from purchasing sustainable fashion brands: "The price is influencing my purchase a lot, unfortunately." Being a student, Respondent E also claims that price impacts her brand decisions a lot: "I am a student, so the price does affect me, unfortunately. If I had more money, the costs would not play such a significant role! But I also try to think, if it costs more, it's usually of better quality. I know it's not always the case[...]" Respondent G too mentions the quality factor of higher-priced clothing: "Price does affect me, yes. First off, if it's really cheap, it's usually of bad quality. But also, I can't always afford the best quality either. That's why I avoid buying clothes too often. She is also considerate of the price when comparing her brand alternatives: "Price comes into the picture when I compare different brands. I don't even consider the cheapest ones." Respondent A answered, "I consume less when I purchase something expensive. If I found two similar pieces from different brands, I would choose the cheaper one when selecting from different brands, but at the same time consider the brand and the material."

Some respondents described the higher prices of sustainable fashion brands results in them consuming less, which they also consider more sustainable: "To some extent, I would say, that makes me not buy new clothes that often. I try to buy fewer clothes from brands that are 'more expensive' instead of going after trends and buying from cheap brands all the time. So, I try to buy less, and when I do buy, I go for second-hand or for a bit pricier brands that I can have for several years" (Respondent C). Respondent D said, "I am not able to buy from expensive brands. But at the same time, cheap clothing means someone else paying for them, so I try to find a balance". She adds, "I do not consider price directly when searching for brands, but rather when choosing from different alternatives." When asking Respondent E when price matters the most, she also answered: "I would say when I compare different brands and alternatives."

Some respondents acknowledge the possibility of low priced fashion brands being connected to poor working conditions. Respondent F explains that she avoids buying low-priced clothing: "I am conscious enough to know that cheap clothing lacks both high- quality material and good working conditions. Since I purchase clothing seldom, I can spend more money once I buy something." Respondent D said, "[...]cheap clothing means someone else paying for them[...], and Respondent E agreed, "I would not buy jeans for 200 SEK when I see the material is terrible and the workers have not been paid well." Respondent H, too, is highly affected by price when consuming and considerate of the working conditions. It also makes her buy less: "Unfortunately, knowledge is not the only driver for the market. I am still a student and have not the luxury to spend a lot of money yet. A sustainable garment should not be cheap. I doubt that the workers get a respectable

56 salary if it is too democratic. This is another reason that I do not shop regularly. I want to control my consumption."

Respondent B described that the significance of price depends if she is buying new clothes or second-hand alternatives: "That's a tricky question. Because when I buy second- hand, the garment must be cheap. But when I buy new clothes, I know that I can put more money into them because I know I get good quality back and therefore I can have them for several years. So, I would say I'm not that price-sensitive when it comes to new clothes." She adds that buying good quality sustainable fashion brands is a win-win: "I save money and the environment in the long run by buying one expensive thing rather than buying several cheap ones." Respondent B expresses that price comes into the picture in the alternative evaluation: "Price is something I definitely consider when I'm comparing my alternatives, I would say quality first and price second when I compare different brands."

We asked the respondents whether others' opinions about fashion brands affect their sustainable fashion consumption. All the respondents claimed others influenced their fashion consumption to a certain extent. Respondent F mentioned others' views on sustainable fashion brands: "I would say that others' opinions affect my consumption when I want to buy something sustainable. If I remember someone saying a brand is sustainable, I definitely consider the brand next time I need to buy something." She adds that influencers' and her friends' statements about good sustainable brands make her include the brand in her alternatives when choosing. Respondent A answered in accord: "I get highly influenced by others' opinions on fashion brands. I feel lousy purchasing from a brand that someone has mentioned to me is unsustainable." The follow-up question we asked was how much she gets influenced if someone mentions that a brand is sustainable. She noted that she gets influenced to consider the brand when choosing from brands to purchase. Respondent D indicated that she gets inspired by others in her sustainable fashion consumption: "Almost all of the new brands I hear about are from someone around me. Therefore, I usually bear the brands in mind when purchasing the next time."

For Respondent B, the significance of others' opinions depends on the clothing category: "I would say in my everyday clothing and style, I don't care at all what others have to say. And that's primarily second-hand clothing. But when it comes to outdoor clothes, I'm much more easily influenced by others' opinions. When someone who I see up to wears a specific outdoor brand and perhaps preaches for the brand's sustainability, I'm much more affected." Respondent B says that she unconsciously thinks about those factors already when knowing she needs something new: "Perhaps, I have seen someone I follow on Instagram climb a mountain, for example, wearing a specific brand; the brand is unconsciously in my mind next time I need something outdoorsy! It's not like I actively go to Instagram to search for suitable alternatives, it's more unconscious, and a specific brand is usually on my mind directly when I get a need for something new." For Respondent C as well, others' opinions do not matter when it comes to style: "[...]when it comes to aesthetics and style, I don't care about others' opinions." She adds, "It depends on the brand, but I would say others' opinions affect me positively. If someone came to me saying 'Do you know what this brand is actually doing?' for example, that would affect my decisions regarding that brand. But I would definitely consider a brand someone else has talked about being very sustainable and so. If I see a person I follow on Instagram, who I trust when it comes to sustainability, wearing a specific brand, of course I'm

57 affected by that!" Respondent E described how she is affected by others' opinions on fashion brands: "Others' opinions about brands do affect me, definitely. But usually, if I have a negative brand image with some brand, others' views would not change it easily! I would say I'm more influenced positively, though. If people I trust buy from a specific brand that is sustainable, I might consider the brand next time I need something. Others' opinions are not something I think about immediately when I need something new; it doesn't matter that much. It doesn't 'create a need'. I would say I think about others' opinions when comparing alternatives. I don't actively seek reviews or influencers opinions or so."

Some respondents mentioned the significance of others' opinions depends on the person: "It depends on who the person sharing their opinion is [laughing]! I feel like they do affect me. I would say not necessarily their opinions about the style of a specific brand but mostly when you hear something negative about a fashion brand. Then, I become more sceptical towards that brand. When I hear something positive about a brand, I'm open to giving them a chance and consider that brand next time I need to buy something" (Respondent G). Respondent H agreed and mentioned marketing strategies do not influence her much: "It depends on who I receive the information from. Because of my education, marketing strategies do not have a lot of influence on me. However, I am highly alert to what experts within the branch tell us since I still educate myself."

5.3.2 BRAND BENEFITS Brand benefits are divided into functional, experiential and symbolic benefits (Park et al., 1986, cited in Keller, 1993, p. 4). In our interviews, we focused on the functionality of apparel when asking about functional benefits. The question about experiential benefit concentrates on consumer experience. The symbolic benefit included a question about the symbolic meaning of being a sustainable fashion consumer. When asked about functionality, the variation in responses was insignificant. All the answers included the importance of being able to wear clothing on different occasions and some mentioned the importance of purchasing functional training and outdoor clothing. The functional aspect of clothing is crucial, according to Respondent A: “I consider functionality a lot when consuming. I would never purchase a pair of trousers without pockets, for instance. Reflecting on the frequency of clothing usage is typical for me. I even consider if the piece can be used during various occasions when purchasing unique clothes, such as dresses”. She thinks for a few seconds and adds, “I consider functionality mostly when searching information” (Respondent A). Respondent B also finds functional benefits essential, especially outdoor clothing: “Very important for my outdoor clothes. Let’s say I bought a jacket that broke down within a year. I would never buy that brand again! I would preach to others how bad that brand is." She adds that it is important that the clothes are practical and functional "I do think it’s important that the clothes can be left back to circulate. Someone else can use them after me, so in that sense, functionality is essential in the long run, for my wallet and for the planet!” When asking Respondent B when in her pre-purchase process she considers functionality, she replied: “Well I would say when I look for information about the garment, or if it is a brand I already am familiar with, then I trust their clothes’ functionality”.

Respondent F explains that she considers how often she can use a clothing piece before buying: “It feels like a waste to purchase something I only wear a few times. I try to buy clothing that I will not get tired of and can wear frequently. Other than that, I do not consider functionality when buying everyday clothing.” Respondent C argued that a

58 purchase should be thought through: “Functionality is essential. When consuming clothes, I try to think ‘What do I have at home?’ ‘What can I pair this with?’. It’s not smart to buy something that will just hang in my closet if it’s not functional and I can’t wear it on several different occasions. It’s a factor I immediately consider when I need a new garment.” Respondent D agreed: “Basically, the number of different occasions a piece can be worn is the most crucial aspect for me. I avoid buying clothing I only wear a few times or one season.” The functionality of sustainable fashion is important for Respondent E as well, especially concerning training and outdoor clothes: “I would say the functionality of a clothing piece is important. I want my clothes to work and suit me well, serve my needs. But functionality is something I think more of when buying training clothes or clothes for outdoor use. Then when it comes to being able to wear a garment on several occasions, I would say that is important too. I consider the functionality of a brand mostly when searching for information.”

For Respondent G, the crucial aspect is to purchase clothing she can combine with other pieces in her closet: “Functionality is important. It’s nice to have a functional base closet where you can combine different outfits and so on. So, it is important that when I consider a new clothing piece, I can style it with multiple different outfits and use it on multiple different occasions. If you have a closet with clothes like that, you won’t need that many clothes. It’s smart. Of course, when it comes to functionality it’s even more essential in training clothes and outdoor clothes”. The same goes for Respondent H: “Personally, I have a capsule wardrobe, and therefore I need to be able to use a piece of clothing long- term on different occasions.”

The experience of buying sustainable fashion brands is essential for some of the respondents. In contrast, others do not value it as highly. The ease of buying online is a factor some respondents included in a good experience. Respondent D described that “If a brand is not readily available, it is quickly excluded from my alternatives. It should be easy to purchase online for me.” She mentions that she regards the experiential benefits when choosing between diverse brands. Respondent C said, “I would say consumer experience is a big part of a brand. It has an impact on the whole brand image. How they ship, how easy it is to return, how they handle the payment and so on. For me, I would say the biggest thing when it comes to the experience, is how convenient it is to buy from the brand [...]. Respondent F explained, “I find it crucial that I can complete an order online efficiently with a short shipping time.” Respondent F adds that she is affected by the online experience when comparing different brands.

When it comes to physical stores, the impact of experience varies between the respondents. For Respondent B, experiential benefits go beyond the actual experience with the garment: “I see that, for example, people working in clothing shops are directly connected to the brand’s image, so I think it’s important they are good ‘spokespersons’ for the brand. But keeping in mind, I don’t really buy many new clothes; I don’t have that big need for good service. For me, the experience with the actual garment is much more important, its quality, functionality, and so on.” Respondent B adds that “service and the experience with the brand come into the picture when comparing alternatives. Perhaps I have a good experience with a brand and will return there the next time I need something, instead of a brand I have had a bad experience with.” Respondent D explained, “[...] as for buying in physical stores, I do not consider the experience that much”. For Respondent F, a comfortable shopping experience is crucial: “I value it highly when a brand is transparent with their sustainable approach on their website,

59 which makes it easier for me to find information. When it comes to going to physical stores, I do not get affected by the experience at all, I would say”. Although, some respondents still get affected by physical store experience. “[...] also, how friendly service I get in a physical store is important. A negative experience can destroy the whole brand image for me” (Respondent C). Respondent G answered, “Experience does have an impact. Especially if you get bad service from a brand, you hesitate going back the next time. It can be the other way around too. Of course, a positive brand experience creates a loyal customer. At least for me it’s like that [laughing]! But it depends on the experience. If I have a very bad experience with a brand, that can easily preclude the possibility of me buying from that brand ever again”. Respondent H says that the purchasing experience is highly significant, both online and in physical stores: “Omnichannel applies to this market as well, the customer is in focus, and the feeling is crucial.”

As for Respondent E, the experience of a sustainable fashion brand is not essential: “It does not affect me that much, to be honest. Of course, I would like the personnel in a boutique to be friendly and so, but it’s not something that would completely throw me off from buying from a brand I otherwise like. Same with online websites, as long as the experience is somewhat easy, I don’t mind minor inconveniences. The experience, I would say, comes into the picture when comparing alternatives. If I have a somewhat similar garment from two brands where the other has terrible service, I will choose the one with a better experience”. Respondent A mentioned that experiential benefits are considered in her purchasing process when choosing between brands: “It feels good when I know that I have purchased sustainable, good quality clothing.”

To what extent the symbolic meaning impacts the consumption varies between the respondents. Some associate it extremely with their self-image, some feel better consuming sustainably, while others do not consider the symbolic meaning at all. Respondent E said, “It has a lot to do with my self-image. I feel better when I buy sustainable or second-hand, and I feel better when I wear it too. Knowing that I'm not harming the environment too much by opting for sustainable clothing instead of fast fashion makes me feel better”. Respondent B explains that consuming sustainable fashion has great symbolic meaning to her because of who she is and how she sees herself: “It does have a significant symbolic meaning for me. I see myself as a person with a lower carbon footprint because of the way I live, and that's something I kind of define myself with. I'm vegan, I always prefer cycling or walking instead of taking a car, and I consume as sustainably as possible. I see myself as a person that considers the Earth's limited resources and how long can we live this luxurious life without destroying the planet for future generations". Respondent C describes that it is about the feeling for her: “It has a lot to do with my self-image. To consume sustainable fashion instead of fast fashion simply just makes me feel better. So, I would say it is a selfish thing knowing I will feel better, at the same time as it is good for the planet." A similar answer was given by Respondent D, who explains that consuming sustainable fashion is part of her identity and further describes, "[...] the symbolic meaning of doing something good for the planet is crucial for me as a consumer. Conscience plays a significant role in this".

For Respondent A, it is more about how sustainable consumption makes her feel: "Consuming sustainability makes me feel like I care about the planet and the environment. It feels modern to be conscious about your own consumption and what kind of impact it has." She adds that the symbolic value might mean how others perceive her, which she

60 does not consider since she consumes for herself only. Therefore, she does not have symbolic meaning in mind when making a purchase. Respondent F mentions that symbolic meaning is important and plays a role when searching for information about sustainable brands: "Being conscious about your fashion consumption is quite up-to-date and modern in our society. It feels ignorant to purchase without putting extra thought into it. The symbolic meaning plays a crucial role in my consumption since I feel better when caring about the environment. At the same time, I enjoy buying second-hand clothing and pieces that I can keep longer".

Respondent H considers that sustainable fashion consumption is political: "Taking responsibility for other people and the environment. It is also a trend to be the first to purchase a product with innovative new material and process." She mentions that the symbolic meaning of being a sustainable fashion consumer is her whole consumption image. As for Respondent G, she does not consider herself to have any deeper symbolic meaning to her sustainable fashion consumption: “That’s a tricky question [hesitating], I don’t really know if I have symbolic meaning behind it, to be honest. I would say, when it comes to sustainable brands, I simply want to support them. And it makes me feel better to consume sustainable fashion instead of, let’s say, pure fast-fashion.”

5.3.3 BRAND ATTITUDES Brand attitudes are divided into cognitive, affective, and conative attitudes (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2000). In our interview, the question on cognitive attitude focused on the sustainability factors considered the most when making a purchase decision, whereas the discussion about affective attitude focused on emotional marketing and emotional connection to a brand. As for conative attitudes, the question was regarding the likelihood to purchase a brand that considers both the environment and the welfare of the workers. When asking which sustainability factors the interviewees found most important, the answers varied between the importance of second-hand, production country, materials, and working conditions. Consuming second-hand is crucial for many of the respondents. “I want my clothes first and foremost to be second-hand. It's the first sustainability factor I think about." (Respondent B), "[...] that I want to consume second-hand. Because other sustainability factors are hard to detect. When it comes to second-hand fashion, I love the circular economy aspect of it!” (Respondent C), "First and foremost, I try to consume second-hand - both in physical stores and online applications." (Respondent D), “Well, I would like it to be second-hand. But if I don't find any good second-hand options and have to buy new, it would be material." (Respondent E).

Material and recycling are other factors mentioned as important in the interviews. “Mostly, materials. I would say, and material is one of those things you can more easily see or feel by yourself" (Respondent C), "[...] a brand with good quality and that uses materials that don't harm the environment is the main factor I consider. Also, I think it's excellent if the brand offers recycling options. That you could return your old garments to the shop or that they can offer fixing services or something like that” (Respondent E), "material is important since I want to spend money on something that lasts" (Respondent H). "material and production country are the factors I think the most about before choosing a brand, I would say" (Respondent F), “Definitely working conditions and the materials. Those factors are what I usually consider the most when buying clothes and comparing different brands.” (Respondent G). Some respondents discussed the production country of clothing as well. "[...] circular economy and production locations.

61 Unfortunately, there is not much fashion production in Sweden. But I think there would definitely be a market niche for locally produced fashion, but it's a question about the budget, isn't it? If only we could produce clothes locally, that would be of reasonable price [laughing].” (Respondent B), "working conditions for those producing the clothing is also an aspect I bear in mind when purchasing" (Respondent D), "I consider every factor mentioned [material, waste, second-hand, working conditions, production country]. I think the production country is connected to the working conditions and these factors are the most important for me" (Respondent H).

When asking to what extent emotional marketing affects the respondents' consumption, some confirmed that they get influenced by it. Respondent A said: "I am more inclined to purchase a brand if they make it clear that real leather or fur is not used in their clothing", “definitely a lot [laughing]. If a website is preaching for sustainability, and for example, for animal rights, I'm hooked.” (Respondent B), “Emotional marketing affects me to a certain extent. Directly as you see something, photos or other advertisements, it stays on your mind better than if you only would have read about it. Spontaneously, I would say I want to see good things about a brand marketed to me rather than scaring me off with graphical advertisements or ‘manipulating’ me emotionally. But it is important, people need to know the negative effects of the fashion industry” (Respondent C), "Subconsciously, I think emotional marketing showing the harmful effects of consuming a lot of clothes affects me quite much. At the same time, I see through the greenwashing of some brands, such as H&M" (Respondent D).

Other respondents discussed that emotional marketing does not affect them. Respondent E says, “marketing does not affect me much at all. I form a brand image of my own, and emotional marketing does not really change it, to be honest. Suppose I know a brand that preaches for sustainability and does not live up to those promises. In that case, if they are greenwashing, I mean, then it affects me negatively". Respondent F discusses, "I would say that emotional marketing does not affect me much. If I see it being done by a brand, I might consider them the next time I want to purchase something. But it is not the main factor I bear in mind when consuming, and the chances are that I do not even choose the brand just because of emotional marketing. I rather base my decision on facts and not emotional marketing". Respondent H also mentions that reliable information affects her more than emotional marketing: "It is essential that the consumer is conscious about the problem to be able to better understand how to set sustainability goals. It is our responsibility as consumers not to be affected by manipulating marketing. Does the information come from the company or an interest group? Is the information correct? Where is the information directed?"

When asking about already established connections with a brand, many respondents explained that they are more likely to purchase from brands they have an emotional connection with, while some expressed that they are not easily attached to brands. Respondent A said, "I am more likely to purchase from brands I already have an emotional connection with, without searching for new brands. I stop buying from brands I notice are unsustainable, but I seldom purchase from new brands." The same goes for Respondent C: “Yes, I would say [that I am more likely to choose a brand I have an emotional connection with]. Maybe it’s partly about laziness to a certain degree when it comes to searching for information. It’s easier to buy from a brand I already have had a good experience with, and know that is sustainable, rather than doing research on a totally unfamiliar brand”. Respondent D answered, "If I have done some research on a

62 brand and it feels good, I am more likely to choose the brand the next time I need something." Respondent E mentioned that, “I have already formed an attitude towards the brand and do not need to do more research. Let's say I have excellent experience with a brand, then that brand already pops into my mind when I know I need or want something new.” "If I have found a brand that I am satisfied with, I often go back to them and buy the items I need if they have what I want" (Respondent F). "Of course, I am more likely to choose a brand I already have an emotional connection with. That is the game. How do you make a customer loyal? How do you make a customer come back? Therefore, it is crucial to adapt the communication tone to your customer" (Respondent H).

For Respondent B, brand names and the brand image does not play that significant role in her consumption but the emotional connection with a brand does affect her consideration set: “The brand itself is very irrelevant to me. And I would say I'm pretty uninterested in brands in general. But let's say that I would buy outdoor clothes, Fjällräven, I have an emotional connection with, and I would definitely buy from them instead of looking for other brands. If I have a jacket from a specific brand, I likely go for that same brand when I need new shoes! I don't really go on searching for new brands if I already have a connection with a brand, I like you know”. Respondent G answers that she doesn’t get easily attached to specific fashion brands: “I shop very seldom, and I am very picky with my brands. But I am curious and like to discover new sustainable fashion brands and give them a chance. So, I don’t really have any strong emotional connections with specific brands. However, Respondent G recognises an emotional connection with sports brands: “But hey! When it comes to training clothes, I definitely have an emotional connection with specific brands like Adidas and Nike who I know have good running shoes or quality training clothes. Aim’n is another sports brand with excellent quality".

We asked the respondents how likely they are to purchase a brand that considers both the environment and the welfare of their workers. Respondent A argued that those two factors are crucial for a sustainable fashion brand: "The brand must care about the environment. Everyone working for the company should have good working conditions and a good salary. The environment and welfare of workers are factors I consider when choosing between various brands". With a slight hesitation in her voice, Respondent B answers: “Yes, but you can't help but wonder how accurate their claims are. It's easy to greenwash, and it's so established in the society for fashion brands. So, with greenwashing, I become sceptical". Respondent D mentions that she is more likely to choose a brand that considers both the environment and good working conditions: “Yes, but the information on working conditions is not that easily available for the consumers. That’s difficult to find information on and that’s a shame. So, I would say I’m more affected by environmental factors. It’s hard to know if a brand actually has good working conditions if they haven’t been ‘revealed’ in the media, for example.” (Respondent C). “Yes, of course, it is something that determines whether I will purchase or not. I consider those factors when comparing the alternatives. When I know that a brand has terrible working conditions but are working environmentally friendly, I will not buy the product. However, a brand that cares for both environmental factors and the workers is more likely to end up in my closet” (Respondent E). "Yes, I would definitely choose a brand that cares about the environment and working conditions. I think those are significant factors when it comes to sustainability. It is not always easy to know about the working conditions, and if a brand cares about the environment without being transparent with their working conditions, I think I still would buy their clothes" (Respondent F).

63 Respondent H says that she is absolutely more likely to choose a brand that considers the environment and the welfare of the workers: "The two factors are highly correlated". Respondent G values good working conditions more than the environment: “I feel like, I firstly think about ‘where is the clothing factory?’, ‘where was this produced and what are the working conditions?’. So, that’s the first. Of course, I consider the environment too, but I would say I care the most about the workers and their welfare. That’s something I consider when looking for information about a brand. Especially if it's an unfamiliar brand for me.” In the next chapter, we have developed a table that summarizes the key findings of our qualitative data collection (Table 2). The table follows the structure of our findings, starting with the pre-purchase process and continuing with brand image.

64 6. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION This chapter explores the empirical findings, presents the analysis's key results, and interprets them considering the theoretical framework. The analysis and discussion provide a deeper understanding of the consumers' sustainable fashion consumption and the impact of the brand image in their pre-purchase stage of the decision-making process. The chapter begins with an overview of the impact of brand image on sustainable fashion consumers' consumption as a whole, continuing by discussing the impact of brand image on each pre-purchase process stage individually. Finally, the chapter ends with presenting the revised conceptual model.

6.1 BRAND IMAGE AND SUSTAINABLE FASHION CONSUMPTION The empirical findings revealed that brand image has a significant impact on sustainable fashion consumers' consumption and decision-making. The majority of respondents viewed the brand image of sustainable fashion brands as essential, and the findings disclosed that brand image significantly impacted consumers, which is consistent with prior research that confirms a positive correlation between brand image and purchase behaviour (e.g. Chen et al., 2020, p. 198). Only one of the respondents was, in their opinion, not affected by brand image, nor did she find it relevant in her consumption choices. However, the findings revealed that this respondent was indeed also unconsciously affected by the brand image. The general finding about the importance of a good brand image is coherent with prior research as creating a favourable brand image is key to winning over consumers in the fashion industry (Lee et al., 2000, p. 60).

From the analysis, it is clear that a good brand image has different meanings for each respondent. Also, the findings indicated that the importance of brand image could differ according to the significance of the purchase. For smaller and habitual purchases, the brand image did not play such a significant role, whilst bigger purchases required more consideration. Respondents described and associated a good brand image with good working conditions and the quality of the brand's clothing. Our results confirm the findings by Chen-Yu and Kincade (2000, p. 30), who argue that brand image influences the consumers' perception of quality and future performance expectations at the consumer decision-making process's evaluation stage. Other sustainability factors mentioned together with a good brand image were the usage of recycled materials and compostable packaging and the avoidance of animal fabrics. Some respondents mentioned the social aspect of wearing brands with a good brand image. Choosing fashion brands with a favourable brand image seems to be more socially acceptable, which is affirmed by prior research since the consumers' attitudes towards a brand are influenced by social pressure (McNeill & Moore, 2015, p. 218). The findings indicate that a poor brand image also affects sustainable fashion consumers significantly. Many respondents described how they had changed their fashion consumption and moved towards more sustainable brands after becoming aware of a particular fashion brand’s poor brand image. They also mentioned how they would never intentionally purchase from a brand with a bad brand image. For some respondents, a fashion brand with a negative brand image was immediately precluded from being a potential alternative when consuming. The findings are coherent with prior research arguing that a well-developed brand image is essential for consumers to more likely purchase when a need occurs, whereas a negative brand image reduces consumer purchase intentions (Chen-Yu & Kincade, 2001, p. 30).

65

Epstein (2015) defines sustainable consumer behaviour as a behaviour that acknowledges the lasting consequences of an individual's natural and societal environment behaviour. As sustainable consumer behaviour was seen in the respondents' consumption patterns, and all the respondents cared greatly for both the environmental and societal consequences of the fashion industry, we could assume them to be sustainable fashion consumers. The findings show that sustainable fashion consumers are conscious of the possible greenwashing fashion brands might be using. Occasional "green" collections of otherwise unsustainable fashion brands were perceived negatively, and fashion brands using greenwashing were considered harmful. This is supported by prior research, which recognises that greenwashing can easily lead to decreased brand perceptions in the consumer's eyes (Nyilasy, 2012, p. 122). The respondents stated some fashion brands they perceived with a favourable brand image, and a brand that was mentioned repeatedly was Patagonia. According to the respondents, factors making Patagonia a sustainable fashion brand included transparency with production and supply chain as well as the brand's work with the circular economy. Patagonia is considered by prior research as being a sustainable fashion brand that uses recycled materials, thus incorporating circular production (Gwilt, 2013, p. 13). The brand is, as suggested by the respondents, generally considered transparent with their production. The findings indicate that the respondents also consider fashion brands, such as Filippa K, as sustainable due to incorporating second-hand offers and eco-friendly materials. Some respondents found it easier to name fashion brands with a negative brand image. The sustainable fashion consumers unmistakably had negative views of fast-fashion brands and tried to avoid brands such as Zara and Primark. From the findings, it was apparent that the respondents, once forming a negative image towards a specific fashion brand, avoided or removed that brand from their consideration set altogether. The consumers' perceptions towards a negative brand image is a pattern acknowledged in prior research, as Loftus and Loftus (1980, p. 410) argue that the strength of a negative brand image, once stored in memory, decays slowly.

Whether the sustainable fashion consumers do research on the facts of a brand with a generally good brand image, we could see from the findings that the respondents' actions differed. As the respondents were all aware of the potential greenwashing by fashion brands, those respondents who did not engage in any research of their own were slightly embarrassed, which could be noticed by them laughing or hesitating with their answer at first. By discussing the confidentiality of the interviews and that no judgement was placed on the respondents, we made sure to create a comfortable environment for them to share their honest thoughts. The somewhat ashamed reactions could have been due to their consciousness of sustainability and greenwashing: as Bick et al. (2018, p.3) argued, consumers in high-income countries are responsible for evaluating their fashion consumption according to which companies truly meet the sustainability claims. The findings indicate that those who did not do any research on a good brand image accepted the brand image they had as it was or trusted the brand itself. The respondents mentioned that it is convenient to believe what is communicated by the fashion brand without spending too much time researching the actual sustainability facts. The lack of own research could be due to time scarcity or, as the findings revealed, the brand's familiarity, as the respondents seemed comfortable and secure with familiar brands and did not always feel the need for researching them further. According to Keller (1993, p. 8), when a consumer is familiar with a brand, accompanied by a positive brand image, it creates greater consumer loyalty towards that brand. Thus, the findings indicate that when a sustainable fashion consumer is loyal to a brand, the amount of research conducted on

66 sustainability facts about this company with a perceived good brand image was lower than when they are not loyal to a brand.

From the findings, we could assume that greenwashing was seen as a negative aspect in the fashion industry, but the actions to detect the act differed among the respondents. As some of the respondents did not engage in any further research, others spent time looking for sustainability facts, even for fashion brands that had a positive brand image. The comprehensive research was usually done due to them being conscious of greenwashing or out of pure curiosity and willingness to support genuinely sustainable fashion brands. One respondent suggested that ecological product design and the product life cycle are not simple concepts to understand, which is why some consumers might get overwhelmed or unwilling to learn all the sustainability information about fashion brands. From the findings, we understood that it could indeed be accurate, as all the respondents desired to be better at investigating the sustainability facts of fashion brands.

Overall, we have found a strong connection between brand image and sustainable fashion consumption and argue that a good brand image is essential for sustainable fashion consumers. In contrast, a brand with a poor image can lead to sustainable fashion consumers precluding the brand from their alternatives altogether. In general, it is noticeable that a bad brand image could affect the consumer even more than a good one in sustainable fashion consumption. A good brand image can lead to sustainable fashion consumers purchasing the brand when a need occurs, whereas a brand with a negative image is definitely beyond their consideration. A negative brand image in sustainable fashion consumers' perception was immediately associated with fast-fashion culture and its harmful impact on both the environment and the workers. According to sustainable fashion consumers, a good brand image is associated with transparency, eco-friendly materials, stable working conditions, and good quality clothing. In the next sub-chapter, we will analyse and discuss the impact brand image has on each pre-purchase stage.

6.2 BRAND IMAGE AND NEED RECOGNITION The need recognition stage of the consumer decision-making process concentrates on the fundamental motivation to begin purchasing products (Workman & Studak, 2006, p. 75). The findings indicate that sustainable fashion consumers are aware of the three- dimensional concept of sustainability which they demonstrate through their consumption patterns. The three-pillar representation of (social, economic and environmental) sustainability, the commonly used universal concept (Purvis et al., 2019, p.681), could be recognised in the respondents' answers about their motivators to buy sustainable fashion brands. As our analysis method is the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), it has enabled us to understand the deeper thoughts, opinions, and experiences of the participants. Environmental welfare was seen as one of the biggest motivators for consuming sustainably. The respondents associated the welfare of the environment with sparing the Earth's resources and minimising the stress factor on the environment by recycling clothes or buying brands that use recycled materials. The findings are coherent with prior studies that recognise protecting the Earth's resources and reducing waste as vital parts of sustainable development (Goodland, 1995, p. 3). In addition, the findings confirm that sustainable fashion consumption is associated with consuming less frequently but of better quality, thus reducing the stress on the environment. As for prior research, sustainable fashion undeniably promotes quality over quantity ideology and therefore reduces fashion production (Fletcher, 2010, p. 262). One respondent saw the

67 harmful effects of the fashion industry as detrimental for future generations, which according to Moldan et al. (2012, p. 5), is a vital part of sustainable development to ensure the well-being of future generations.

Taking care of the ecosystem and nature's services is directly linked to people's well- being (Moldan et al., 2012, p. 6), which from the findings could be viewed as another fundamental motivator for consuming sustainable fashion. The respondents were concerned about the welfare of the workers in the clothes' origin countries and described their decision to consume sustainable fashion due to better working conditions. According to Joergens (2006, p. 361), sustainable fashion implies clothing brands that incorporate fair trade principles with sweatshop-free labour conditions, including the use of biodegradable materials that cause harm to neither the workers nor the environment (Joergens, 2006, p. 361). The use of harmful chemicals and materials was mentioned by several respondents as reasons for why they avoid unsustainable fashion brands. In addition, the poor treatment of women and the use of child labour were factors that motivated respondents to choose sustainable fashion brands.

Economic sustainability was not seen as essential as the two other dimensions of sustainability: only one of the respondents mentioned the economic factor of the fashion industry, which creates enormous job opportunities, even though being a threat to the environment and social welfare (Jia et al., 2015, p. 1604). The findings are clear and disclose that both environmental and social welfare are considered vital for a fashion brand to be considered sustainable by the consumers. Prior research argues that only when a company cares for all the three aspects of sustainability can it be called sustainable (Księżak & Fischbach 2007, p. 99). In addition, the general consciousness of the harmful effects of the fashion industry and unsustainable fashion brands was seen as a motivator to consume sustainable fashion. The respondents described being reluctant towards fashion brands that act unsustainably, and the findings reveal that consciousness and learning more about the negative sides of the fashion industry adds to sustainable fashion consumers' compassion towards the workers and the planet. As prior research argues, guilt and knowledge about environmentally friendly products influence the intentions of purchasing sustainable clothing (Harris, 2016, p. 310). From the findings, it seems clear that once conscious of the fashion industry's downsides, sustainable fashion consumers would not knowingly purchase from an unsustainable fashion brand.

The analysis disclosed that the product-related attributes significantly impact the consumer pre-purchase process's need recognition stage. Our study focused on one specific product-related attribute; quality. The overall product quality is essential in sustainable fashion, as it promotes the quality over quantity ideology (Fletcher, 2010, p. 262) and is one of the necessary ingredients for performing the function sought by consumers (Keller, 1993, p. 4). Prior research is supported by our study's overall findings regarding the impact of product-related attributes on consumers' consumption choices, as according to Harris (2016, p. 310), one of the primary factors affecting a clothing purchase is indeed quality. All the respondents in our study agreed that quality is essential in sustainable fashion. The findings indicate that the quality of a sustainable fashion brand is vital from the very beginning of the process, often the central factor the consumers' consider when recognising a need for new clothing. Furthermore, recognised by prior research (Fletcher, 2010, p. 262), quality clothing itself was already perceived as sustainable by the respondents. It is connected to durability and lasting longer than a

68 garment of poor quality. The respondents were in agreement that a sustainable fashion brand with bad quality clothing could not be considered sustainable fashion.

According to Chen-yu and Kincade, 2000, p. 30), brand image influences the consumers' perception of quality at the consumer decision-making process's evaluation stage; however, in our study, it is well recognisable in the need recognition stage as well. By analysing the empirical data, we could identify words such as essential, crucial, important are all associated with the quality of sustainable fashion. We could identify a pattern where the respondents would describe quality as their priority and that they would instantly consider it with a fashion brand. These results are consistent with prior research on need recognition that concentrates on the fundamental motivation to begin purchasing products (Workman & Studak, 2006, p. 75). Many respondents argued that buying good quality clothing is more economical since they associate quality with durability and timelessness. According to our respondents, buying from a sustainable fashion brand with good quality clothing is much more economical than buying several cheaper products from a brand with poor quality. Hence, quality is often associated with price, and most of the respondents were willing to pay more to get good quality in return. Despite acknowledging its importance, the cost of good quality clothing was usually too high for one of the respondents. The findings on associating price with quality are coherent with prior research as consumers interpret price as an essential factor regarding clothing quality (Davis, 1992, p. 13).

The analysis disclosed that functional benefits impact sustainable fashion consumers' need recognition stage. In our interviews, the discussion about functional benefits focused on the functionality and the performance of a sustainable fashion brand's clothing, as functional benefits refer to the fundamental advantages of a product (Park et al., 1986, cited in Keller, 1993, p. 4). The findings were clear on the significance functionality had for all the respondents in their sustainable fashion consumption. Functionality was primarily associated with outdoor and training clothing brands where functional benefits were perceived as crucial. Another aspect of functionality identified is the practicality of purchasing functional clothes that serve on several different occasions and can be combined with multiple other clothes. Building a "capsule wardrobe" was considered essential by the respondents where the functionality aspect of fashion brands, according to the respondents, is significantly involved. The link between functional benefits and the need recognition stage were visible in the findings. Functional benefits are perceived as crucial or essential by all respondents and by some considered functionality immediately when recognising a need for new clothing. For some of the respondents, the functionality of clothing is connected to "serving a need" and considered at the beginning of the process. In addition, familiarity with the brand impacts when the consumers are primarily concerned about functionality in the pre-purchase process. The results indicate that with familiar brands, a sustainable fashion consumer trusts the functional aspect of their clothing and considers those brands at the beginning of their pre-purchase process. The findings are coherent with prior research demonstrating that product performance is a crucial component of brand image (Zhang, 2015, p. 60). According to Zhan (2015, p. 60), customer satisfaction decreases when the expectations are higher than the product performance, which can be identified in our findings. In addition, the study’s outcomes show that some respondents will become reluctant towards fashion brands that do not meet their expectations about functionality, risking the brand receiving negative word of mouth.

69 Symbolic benefits are the more extrinsic advantages of a product or a service consumption, including self-esteem, social approval or personal expression (Park et al., 1986, cited in Keller, 1993, p.4), that impacts the need recognition stage of sustainable fashion consumers pre-purchase process. Miller et al. (1993, p. 143) argue that regardless of the value a product has to a consumer, the symbolic meaning attached to the product adds further value. The findings of our study reveal that the symbolic meaning a consumer has for sustainability and sustainable fashion does indeed add additional value to sustainable fashion brands. The findings indicate symbolic meaning is the respondents' underlying motivator to consume sustainably when recognising a need or desire for new clothes. From the findings, we could identify an essential symbolic meaning sustainable fashion has for some respondents: consuming sustainable fashion is often associated with the respondents' self-image and self-esteem. Consuming sustainable fashion makes some of the respondents feel better about themselves, and perceive their impact on others and the environment as being smaller than if they would consume unsustainably.

The findings indicate that the respondents' symbolic meaning for sustainable fashion is part of their values influencing their consumption. According to Dickson and Littrell (1996, p. 52), values are underlying factors affecting consumer behaviour and purchase decisions. Consuming sustainable fashion seems essential for how the respondents define themselves. It is often seen as part of their overall patterns. Being conscious of the harmful effects unsustainable consumption has on people and the planet is seen as a strengthening factor for the symbolic meaning of consuming sustainable fashion by the respondents. The results show that conscience adds to the symbolic meaning of sustainable fashion; as Harris (2016, p. 310) argued, guilt and knowledge influence the intentions of purchasing sustainable clothing. Being conscious about consumption choices is also perceived as modern and trendy, another symbolic meaning sustainable fashion has for the respondents. By some of the respondents, consuming unsustainable fashion, on the other hand, is considered ignorant in today's world where the consumer should care for the impact of their consumption choices.

The analysis disclosed a connection between cognitive attitudes and the need recognition stage. The impact of cognitive attitudes on the need recognition stage appears relatively minor but worth debating. When asking which sustainability factors the respondents found most important, some respondents valued the second-hand clothing aspect the highest. Second-hand fashion is recognised as sustainable by prior research (e.g. Kim & Kim, 2020, p. 587), although it is difficult finding a connection between second-hand fashion and brand image. As it was apparent in our interviews, when consuming second- hand, the brand name is often insignificant. Cognitive attitudes relate to the consumer's knowledge or beliefs about a brand (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2000), which cannot be considered in the case of second-hand fashion. Therefore, based on the findings of our study, we argue that cognitive attitudes do not have a strong influence on the need recognition stage on sustainable fashion consumption.

When asking respondents about established emotional connections with a brand, the findings disclosed a strong connection with the need recognition stage in the consumers' sustainable fashion consumption. According to Schiffman and Kanuk (2000), affective attitudes reflect consumers' emotions and feelings about a brand, and we wanted to better understand whether those factors influence the pre-purchase process in sustainable fashion consumption. The majority of the respondents described they would more likely purchase sustainable fashion from a brand to which they have an emotional connection.

70 The familiarity of a brand is associated with less research needed to ensure the brand's sustainability. In addition, it is considered more convenient for the respondents to purchase from a brand with which they have had a positive experience. The findings are coherent with prior research arguing that high levels of brand awareness and a positive brand image create an increase in the probability of a brand choice and result in greater customer loyalty towards a brand (Keller, 1993, p. 8).

Overall, environmental and social welfare are considered vital for a fashion brand to be considered sustainable by sustainable fashion consumers, making them the biggest motivators to buy sustainable fashion brands. The respondents not valuing economic sustainability as high as the other two could be due to the job opportunities existing in the fast-fashion industry as well as in the sustainable fashion industry. The respondents did not consider job opportunities as essential to their fashion brand choices, as they did with the brand's care for the environment and its workers. Sustainable fashion consumers value consuming less frequently but of better quality. Quality affects the need recognition stage significantly since it is perceived as essential and described as a priority in sustainable fashion consumption when recognising a need for new clothing. A brand with bad quality clothing is not considered sustainable fashion, which further underlines the significance of quality for sustainable fashion consumers. Buying quality clothes itself was perceived as sustainable and more economical for the consumer in the long run. However, the respondents in our study were primarily students with low budgets making them more price-sensitive, and even if they desire to purchase high-quality clothes, it is not always possible. Sustainable fashion consumers value the functionality of clothing high. Functionality significantly affects the need recognition stage due to it being perceived as essential and considered instantly when recognising a need for new clothing. In our study, the discussion about functionality differed amongst the respondents; some associated functionality with wearing the garment on multiple occasions, while others perceived the functionality of outdoor and training clothes as crucial. We do not regard this as a problem since it is clear the individuals differ in their everyday lives. Interestingly, all the respondents valued functionality as essential for serving a need they were expected to serve. In addition, brands with great promises but non-functional clothes would risk receiving negative word-of-mouth from sustainable fashion consumers, underlying the importance of functionality.

Sustainable fashion consumers have a strong symbolic meaning for their consumption adding value to sustainable fashion brands. We argue that the symbolic meanings primarily impact the consumer need recognition stage since the findings indicate that it is the respondents' underlying motivator to consume sustainably when recognising a need or desire for new clothes. The symbolic meaning of consuming sustainable fashion is associated with the consumers' self-image and self-esteem; they care about the social aspect of wearing sustainable fashion brands. In addition, consuming and wearing sustainable fashion makes them feel better about themselves and how they define themselves. When it comes to familiar brands, sustainable fashion consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand with an established emotional connection. The emotional connections significantly affect the need recognition stage since they often have the consumers opting for familiar brands directly when recognising a need for new clothes. We could notice that an emotional connection to a sustainable fashion brand was associated with brand awareness and a positive brand image. A positive brand image enhances the emotional connection and creates a loyal customer for a brand. Some respondents mentioned that if they have an emotional connection to a brand, they opt for

71 the same brand next time they need something new. Already created emotional connections towards a specific brand decrease the possibility of a sustainable fashion consumer looking for other brands. For some respondents, it was more visible with outdoor and training clothing brands, where emotional connections were associated with good quality and functionality. However, to all the respondents, emotional connections were formed by previous purchases and considered immediately when recognising a need for new clothing.

6.3 BRAND IMAGE AND INFORMATION SEARCH The analysis disclosed that only functional benefits influence the information search stage of the consumer pre-purchase decision process, while conative attitudes and affective attitudes have a small, but rather irrelevant connection to the information search. The result of how consumers search for information disclosed most respondents search for information, but some omit this step when consuming, mainly due to second- hand consumption. The findings show that high brand familiarity also results in less information search, and new brands extend the information search. The results are consistent with previous research, demonstrating that knowledge affects the consumers’ effort to search, as consumers with high knowledge prefer a short information search stage, while less knowledge results in more extended search and evaluation (Karimi et al., 2015, p. 139). Karimi et al. (2015, p. 139) argue that consumers with knowledge have a higher awareness of their preferences and start their search with fewer alternatives. The confidence level in undertaking searching tasks is higher, and the idea of which evaluation criteria they should use to evaluate alternatives is clearer. The examination of the connection between knowledge and amount of information search was also done by Bian and Moutinho (2011, p. 197). They explain that consumers with different levels of product knowledge have different perceptions of a product. Bettman et al. (1991, p. 50) mention that advertisements, packages, salespeople, and friends provide a large amount of information available for the consumer. However, our results advance prior research by demonstrating that the majority of respondents search for information through other networks than mentioned. Many consumers use the brand's website as a primary source since it transparently shows its sustainability approaches. Others lack time to compare different sustainability reports and instead follow sustainable fashion consumers on Instagram for sustainability inspiration, or use applications comparing brands and their sustainability levels, making it easier for the consumer to choose.

The functional benefits of clothing profoundly impact the information search for new clothing brands. The empirical findings are coherent with prior research stating that brand image's influence on consumer satisfaction is significant, and product performance is a crucial part of brand image, according to Zhang (2015, p. 60). Our results broaden this view by highlighting the necessity that the clothing purchased matches other items in the wardrobe. Harris (2016, p. 310) describes that the intentions of purchasing sustainable clothing are influenced by social pressure, environmental concerns, guilt, and knowledge about environmentally friendly products. Our results have shown that consumers have remorse and guilt when purchasing clothes they later use infrequently due to impracticality, as they rather buy garments they can use regularly. From the results, we could conclude that guilt and environmental concerns were apparent factors affecting the respondents to purchase durable clothing. The respondents also had another view of practical consumption, meaning that a few practical clothing pieces decrease the need for a more extensive wardrobe. We believe that sustainable fashion consumers find it

72 particularly essential that training and outdoor wear are practical since they have to suit well and serve the needs. Some mention convenient clothing features such as pockets. When it comes to everyday clothing, it has been shown that practicality is relatively unimportant. Firstly, the reason consumers want fewer and better clothing rather than large amounts of impractical clothing is because high consumption is equal to unsustainability and harmfulness for the planet, which Lin and Hsu (2015, p. 327) emphasise in their study. The willingness to abandon the current high consumption lifestyle is an ethical issue and is predicted to leave a habitable planet for the next generations (Lin & Hsu, 2015, p. 327). Furthermore, the result showing the importance of practical training and outdoor wear is expected, as such clothing categories often require more features than everyday clothing. Our findings regarding functional benefits show their strong impact on the information search.

In our study, the affective attitudes were presented as emotional marketing and emotional connection, investigating how they affect the consumers during sustainable consumption. The analysis showed that the consumers are not affected by emotional marketing during the information search stage, meaning that affective attitudes do not significantly impact the information search stage. A few respondents seem to have the emotional marketing and the brand connected to it when searching for different brand information. However, for other respondents, it was not possible to find a connection between affective attitudes and information search. Highlighting the harmful effects of unsustainable consumption and clarifying the absence of real leather or fur seems to increase consumers’ attention towards emotional marketing, which can result in memorising the brand when searching for information. The analysis showed that some sustainable fashion consumers have a high awareness of greenwashing and manipulative marketing done by brands. The awareness conforms to the prior study by Nyilasy (2012, p. 122) and Henninger et al. (2016, p. 402). They emphasise the ethical problem of greenwashing and how it can create suspicion towards brands and decrease the positive consumer brand perception.

The results about conative attitudes focused on the likelihood of consumers choosing a brand that considers both the environment and the welfare of the workers. The results revealed a weak impact by conative attitudes on the information search stage, meaning the conative attitudes do not affect the information search. Most respondents are more inclined to choose a brand that cares about the environment and the welfare of the workers. Although, the factors are not considered as much in the information search stage as in the alternative evaluation stage. We still want to discuss this brand association in the information search section since some respondents mentioned it during the discussion about information search. Two respondents revealed that they consider such factors when searching the brand information since the environment and welfare of the workers are essential for them before choosing a brand to compare with others. The link between the environmental factor and the welfare of the workers was mentioned by one respondent, explaining that she cannot choose a brand that only takes actions against one of the stated factors. The other respondent explained that she cares about the workers and their welfare more than the environment, especially when exploring unfamiliar brands and examining their sustainability approaches. The respondents revealed that they consider a brand’s environmental and worker condition approaches when comparing different alternatives. Therefore, the conative attitudes and their impact on the alternative evaluation stage is discussed in the following chapter.

73 Overall, the analysis revealed that consumers are only influenced by the functionality of clothing when searching for information. We chose to include emotional marketing and the likelihood of consumers choosing a brand that considers both the environment and the welfare of the workers when analysing the information search stage. The results showed that some respondents were impacted by those factors in this stage, but not enough to assume their impact on the information search stage. Nevertheless, the discussion regarding the factors and the reason they do not impact the stage seemed crucial. The respondents of our study skip the information search when consuming second-hand fashion. It seems like second-hand consumers rely on the fact that second-hand is not as unsustainable as purchasing newly produced clothes, making them skip the information search part of the purchasing process. Some consumers search for information on the brand's website and social media. We believe that most sustainable fashion consumers choose the mentioned sources due to the easy and fast access to information. The respondents of our study value the functionality of clothing more when it comes to training and outdoor wear than everyday clothing. We believe the results are based on the importance of having training clothing that breathes and suits the body sufficiently to perform the exercise and the training required well. Outdoor clothing requires special functions for particular events, and consumers mentioning the requirement of the functionality of such clothing is not surprising for us.

Additionally, the respondents mentioned their preference of consuming a few practical clothing pieces instead of purchasing continuously. Guilt and environmental concerns seemed to be the two factors motivating the respondents to purchase less and smarter. Sustainable fashion consumers seem to be careful with purchasing unnecessary products to decrease their harm to the environment and prefer buying durable clothing they can use further in the future. As sustainable fashion consumers value accurate, sustainable information highly, they seem not to be affected by emotional marketing in the information search stage. The reason for our respondents' weak response to emotional marketing could be due to their high awareness and knowledge about sustainability in fashion, which prevents them from being caught in the traps of emotional marketing that potentially has the purpose to lead consumers by false information and greenwashing. With already established knowledge about sustainability, the respondents tend to be more resistant to emotions and are used to researching accurate information on the sustainability approaches.

Moreover, some respondents explain that emotional marketing does not affect them at all since they form their own brand image and base their consumption on it. The responses showed that if brands and their emotional marketing do not live up to their promises, consumers will not purchase from the brand. As our respondents are sustainable fashion consumers with high awareness, they have strong opinions and values towards sustainability. They are not easily affected by emotions, as they instead let themselves get more influenced by actual access to a brand’s sustainability approach than emotional marketing. The information search stage is not impacted by whether the consumers choose a brand that considers both the environment and the welfare of the workers. The respondents revealed that they consider this factor during the alternative evaluation. From this information, we can argue that these factors are not important enough for consumers' to consider already in the information search stage, meaning that they would not exclude a brand that did not consider these factors instantly during the information search. The evaluation of several brands seems like a better stage for consumers to recognise and choose a brand that considers both the environment and the welfare of the workers.

74 6.4 BRAND IMAGE AND ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION In their study, Bettman et al. (1991, p. 51) describe consumer decision-making as a complex process that generates questions about the strategies consumers use to make decisions. Previous knowledge and adaption to decision setting affect the consumers' decision when evaluating alternatives. Sustainable fashion clothing has different shapes and attributes due to variations in culture and geographic area, which increases the consumers' choices when evaluating several alternatives (Marino, 2020, p. 271). Our analysis reveals that the main components recognised by sustainable fashion consumers when comparing different fashion brands are varying. Working conditions were mentioned by several respondents, as cheap clothing brands often give warning signals for horrible working conditions. Most respondents associate low prices with bad quality, bad working conditions, and productions in low-cost countries. Some are aware of the negative effects of low-cost countries and associate production in Europe with healthy working conditions, as they estimate that production is more expensive in Europe. The empirical findings also disclose that materials, prices, the environment and second-hand consumption are crucial. The choice of high-quality materials and avoiding harmful materials, such as plastic, is essential to the respondents of our study. The results revealed that when faced with the choice of buying a garment from two different brands, the respondents indicate that they rather pick the clothing made from organic cotton instead of plastic material. The consumers who consider price as the main component for selecting a brand explain that being a student results in high price sensitivity and the inability to prioritise higher prices. The results reveal that most respondents consider the environment when consuming and find it difficult to examine a brand’s working conditions. Lastly, some respondents attach great importance to consuming second-hand fashion and prioritise it when consuming sustainably. The results show that when consumers choose second-hand, they are less interested in other sustainability factors, hence relying on the circular economy of second-hand consumption. While talking about the circular economy, one respondent mentioned brands such as Patagonia and Levi’s.

The analysis revealed that consumers' alternative evaluation is affected by multiple brand image associations: product-related attributes, non-product-related attributes, experiential benefits, cognitive attitudes, and conative attitudes. More specifically, the associations are identified in our study as quality, price, others’ opinions, experience, sustainability factors, and environment and working conditions. Martin (1971) remarked in his study the importance of product attributes for consumers in their decision-making. Arie et al. (2015, p. 4) observed that consumers consider various brands to evaluate and select a particular brand based on the quality. From the findings of our study, an extended statement can be made that product-related attributes and especially quality has a decisive impact for sustainable fashion consumers when evaluating alternatives—many respondents associate quality with sustainability. The respondents in our study mentioned that purchasing good quality clothing for them means keeping them over a long period of time. Some respondents express their preference of paying more for good quality, rather than buying cheap clothing of low quality that probably will be unusable after a few washes. This discovery of our study is consistent with Ha-Brookshire and Hodges (2009), examining socially responsible consumer behaviour and discovering that more than half of the respondents are willing to pay more for organic and sustainable clothing. Most respondents mentioned quality as a factor they consider already when the need is recognised, but also when evaluating different alternatives. Additionally, while buying clothing in physical stores, the quality is considered during the alternative evaluation

75 when consumers have collected various brands to choose between. A study by Chen-Yu and Kincade (2001, p. 30) revealed that brand image influences the consumers’ perception of quality and future performance expectation during the evaluation stage. Our results are consistent with prior research.

The non-product-related attribute focuses on price in our study. The preference for high- quality clothing also means higher costs for most consumers. According to Davis (1987, p. 13), several previous studies found that consumers interpret price as an essential factor regarding clothing quality. Our empirical findings are consistent with the prior research, showing that the non-product-related attributes impact the alternative evaluation stage of the consumer decision-making process. Our respondents highly associate price with quality and are willing to purchase high-quality clothing but are limited because of low income since most are students and price-sensitive. The empirical findings are consistent with Lundblad and Davies (2016, p. 150), who argue that consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable alternatives since sustainable clothing prices differ noticeably from low-cost fashion, limiting consumers with lower economic capabilities. Some expressed their preference for high-priced clothing and compensation with infrequent purchases, which for some respondents is a form of sustainable consumption. Choosing low priced clothing when comparing alternatives is excluded for most of our respondents due to their consciousness about the harmful effects of low-priced brands, making them avoid low prices when consuming sustainable fashion. The empirical findings reveal that the knowledge about the impacts of low-priced brands results in less consumption of such brands. Some respondents mentioned that they instantly associate low price with bad quality and poor working conditions. Fletcher (2014, p. 11) describes that synthetic fibres often are perceived as inferior because of the harmful impact on the environment, while natural fibres are perceived as better. Cheap materials are usually associated with chemicals, factories and pollution, while higher price correlates to raw material renewability and biodegradability (Fletcher, 2014, p. 11). Respondents of our study base their decisions on their sustainability knowledge and seem to have the harmful impacts of low-priced fashion in mind when choosing a brand.

Additionally, our study’s second focus of non-product-related attributes is others’ opinions and how they impact the consumer decision-making process. Our empirical findings disclosed that others’ opinions significantly impact the alternative evaluation stage. As prior research indicates, asking family and friends how they experienced new products is a part of the consumer decision-making process (Stankevich, 2017, p. 10), and consistent with our results. Respondents claimed that others influence their sustainable fashion consumption, but to a certain extent, without creating a need, but rather affecting them when evaluating alternatives. When an external source mentions a sustainable brand, respondents explained that they keep the brand in mind when choosing between various brands. The empirical findings reveal that most of the new brands recognised by our respondents originate from someone informing them about the brand. McNeill and Moore (2014, p. 218) argue that the consumers' attitudes towards a brand are influenced by social pressure, such as their own level of knowledge about others’ opinions on brands. The results indicate that some consumers consider new brands in their alternative evaluation stage when it comes from someone they trust or look up to, such as sustainable fashion influencers on social media or friends. Others state that it depends on the clothing category, as they do not consider others’ opinions regarding everyday clothing, aesthetics and style but certainly get influenced to avoid specific brands they learned are unsustainable.

76

The experiential benefit is presented as the consumer buying experience in our study and the empirical findings reveal that it impacts the alternative evaluation stage of the consumer decision-making process. Our empirical findings show that the majority of our respondents believe that the experience of buying sustainable fashion brands is essential. While some appreciate a pleasant experience, they do not recognise it as indispensable and would not preclude a brand because of minor inconveniences. The results indicate that the experience impacts the whole brand image according to the consumers. A pleasant experience for most consumers was associated with the availability and the convenience of online purchasing. Most respondents revealed that availability for them means available information and the simplicity of ordering clothing online. Mostly, the respondents think it is crucial to easily find information about the brand’s sustainability approaches, making the decision to choose the brand easier. Lack of availability for many respondents results in instant exclusion from alternatives. Additionally, fast shipping, easy return and payment policy, and overall convenience were recurrent factors when describing a satisfying brand experience. A respondent mentioned that a bad experience with brands makes her never buy from the brand again and also spread the information to others. The opinions of how the experience in physical stores impacts the alternative evaluation differed between the respondents. However, some of the respondents would not return to a store with unsatisfactory customer service.

In our study, cognitive attitude focuses on sustainability factors, and the results show that they impact the alternative evaluation stage of the consumer decision-making process. In his research, Marino (2020, p. 270) portrays the difficulties of solving the sustainability issues through consumers' individual choices and mentions the importance of international and national policy changes. However, the research also indicates the importance of some individual choices in fashion, such as choosing brands with sustainable production chains, such as the use of energy, water, and chemicals, the working conditions, materials, recycling, and fair wages (Marino, 2020, p. 270). The analysis method IPA used in our thesis enabled us to in detail explore the participant’s individual and social worlds.Our empirical findings revealed that cognitive attitudes and several sustainability factors remarkably impact the choice of a brand. Material, recycling and circular economy are some of the factors mentioned by the respondents as important when choosing a brand. Sustainable fashion signifies fair trade clothing with biodegradable materials, causing no harm to the workers and the environment, and sweatshop-free labour conditions (Joergens, 2006, p. 361). The ethical principle of the sustainable fashion industry is to source clothing ethically and simultaneously provide workers with stable working conditions (Joergens, 2006, p. 361). The results indicate that sustainable fashion consumers value the factors mentioned in prior studies. In addition, brands offering the possibility to return old garments and buy new products created from recycled materials are valued highly by the respondents. Specifically, plastic is frequently mentioned as a material that sustainable consumers avoid when comparing different brands. The production country and working conditions are other factors mentioned by the respondents as essential before choosing a brand. When evaluating alternatives, most respondents mentioned the necessity of awareness of production countries to prevent purchasing from low-cost countries that offer low wages and lack fundamental working conditions.

In our study, the conative attitudes focus on how likely the consumers are to purchase a brand that considers both the environment and the welfare of their workers and if these

77 factors impact the decision-making process. The results show that conative attitudes impact the alternative evaluation stage of the consumer decision-making process. Lundblad and Davies (2016, p. 150) discovered that one of the essential ethical concerns was regarding the sweatshop labourers before making a clothing purchase decision as consumers. From the empirical findings, the importance of the environment and the working conditions can be highlighted as all respondents believe these factors are essential. Consumers care about the social outcomes of their consumption, mainly when human rights in factories are mentioned (Dickson, 2001, p. 97). This statement is partly consistent with the findings of this study, as the awareness that a brand has disastrous working conditions but is environmentally friendly prevents some consumers from buying from the brand as they believe the factors are related. These factors were considered mainly during the alternative evaluation, and the respondents in our study revealed that they reflect on the sustainability of a brand regarding the environment and working conditions. Some respondents expressed their carefulness with believing the information they read, due to awareness of greenwashing. Greenwashing is a behaviour of poor environmental performance and positive communication about the environmental performances (Delmas & Burbano, 2011, p. 67), meaning that some brands cover the harmful effects of their production with positive messages. Some respondents explained that they get prevented from purchasing when there is not enough information or in case of discovering greenwashing. According to Nyilsy (2012, p. 122), greenwashing can easily lead to a decreased positive consumer brand perception, and this statement is consistent with our findings.

Overall, the analysis revealed that the alternative evaluation stage is impacted by the clothing quality, price, others' opinions, brand experience, sustainability factors, and environmental and working conditions. We remarked that the respondents emphasise working conditions and find it crucial when consuming due to bad conscience and guilt towards workers. The consumers seem to be aware enough to know sustainable brands with healthy working conditions and exclude brands that lack welfare for workers. A respondent mentioned the clothing line Boohoo and stated her disapproval towards such fast-fashion brands. She believed that such cheap brands put misinformation on their website that leaves the consumers to think they buy clothing on sale when, in reality, the prices are the brand’s actual prices. This leaves some consumers wondering if workers are paying for the low prices with their horrible salary. We noticed that most respondents consuming second-hand fashion think of it as an already sustainable behaviour and therefore do not consider other sustainability factors when consuming. This result could be due to consumers' awareness that once a garment is purchased by someone else, the harm is already done and can be purchased second-hand to save it, rather than letting the Earth take care of it as it decomposes.

Quality is an essential factor for consumers when choosing between various brands. The respondents express that it is easier for them to compare alternatives when feeling the garment to understand the quality and durability of the garment. One respondent mentioned the difficulty of detecting whether the clothing is good quality or not and said that feeling it in a physical store makes it more accessible. Some respondents describe their reformation from purchasing several low-quality pieces to currently preferring high- quality clothing. This change of preference could be due to the trendiness and modern mindset of being a sustainable consumer. Most respondents stated that sustainability equals quality and less consumption. We argue that quality is an essential factor for sustainable fashion consumers during their comparison of various alternatives. The

78 respondents who choose relatively cheaper brands mentioned that they still consider the brand image and materials. Our empirical findings reveal that sustainable fashion consumers get more price-sensitive when buying second-hand options, as they prefer finding cheaper clothing in those cases. Nonetheless, high-quality clothing is preferable for our respondents when consuming new clothing since it can be kept for several years, and more money can be saved in the long run. The respondents prefer buying one expensive garment instead of several cheap ones, as they consider quality as a primary factor and prices as secondary when comparing various brands.

Others' opinions seem to influence the consumers during the alternative evaluation stage. The empirical findings show a clear pattern that consumers feel guilt choosing brands they have heard from others are unsustainable. The respondents reveal that they get affected to avoid certain brands if information about their unsustainability has reached them. As our respondents are sustainable fashion consumers, receiving information about a brand without a sustainable approach influences them into excluding the brand from their alternatives. Subsequently, others’ opinions do not appear to change an already established sustainable brand image for most consumers. We believe that our results are expected. We have experienced that information about sustainable fashion spreads fast with word-of-mouth and, in best scenarios, influences people to consume more sustainably, which the analysis confirmed. The aim of the interview question about others’ opinions was to understand if the consumers get influenced to purchase certain sustainable brands when others mentioned them. The results answered our question, and we received additional information regarding the influence others have on unsustainable brands and how our respondents avoid unsustainable brands when hearing about them. Some respondents mentioned a negative relation between their personal style and others’ opinions but rather emphasised the relation between their brand choice and others’ opinions. The brand experience is considered by the respondents when choosing between various brands. The empirical findings show that brand experience is more crucial when consumers purchase online, which is expected since many brands have well-developed websites for online shopping. Consumers seem to expect a pleasant experience when purchasing online; they quickly find information about the brand and its sustainable approaches, practical payment and return policies, and overall website experience. However, physical store service seems not to impact the majority of consumers’ decisions. We believe the results showed this because of the overall easily available sustainability and fashion information consumers are exposed to daily, making them independent of the physical stores and the salespeople.

Sustainability factors are shown to impact the consumers' choice of a brand during the alternative evaluation stage. Our respondents have high awareness and knowledge about sustainable fashion and seem to be careful when choosing brands. Therefore, we were expecting that the respondents were considering various sustainability factors when evaluating alternatives. Material, recycling and circular economy were repeatedly mentioned by our respondents. These environmental factors' concern seems to be linked with consumers’ ethical concerns when consuming, motivating them to consume more sustainably. The respondents are more likely to choose brands considering both the environment and the welfare of their workers.

Nevertheless, the considerations about the environment seem to outweigh the considerations for the welfare of the workers. The empirical findings reveal that respondents believe most brands are not transparent with their working conditions,

79 making it hard for the consumers to find information about such factors. A brand’s environmental approaches are usually more accessible for external sources to find, making the consumers base their decision on the environmental information, even if they care about the working conditions. The results disclose that the respondents are willing to purchase from brands that are transparent with their approaches. However, they are also careful with believing everything they read because of greenwashing.

6.5 REVISED CONCEPTUAL MODEL The conceptual model has been revised according to our analysis and presented below (see Figure 5). The model illustrates the impact of different brand image associations on the three-stage pre-purchase decision-making process. The surrounding figures illustrating brand associations have been given the colour according to the pre-purchase stage they connect to in the middle. We have identified what specific brand associations impact which pre-purchase process stages and how. According to our results and analysis, the need recognition stage (yellow) is impacted by product-related attributes, symbolic benefits, affective attitudes and functional benefits. We can see that the information search stage (red) is also affected by functional benefits. The alternative evaluation stage (grey) is impacted by cognitive attitudes, conative attitudes, experiential benefits, non-product- related attributes and product-related attributes. As seen in the model, product-related attributes are linked to two stages: the need recognition and the alternative evaluation. Another association linked to two different stages is functional benefits, which impacts both need recognition and information search. A summary of the key findings can be found below in Table 2.

TABLE 2: A SUMMARY OF BRAND ASSOCIATIONS’ IMPACT ON CONSUMER PRE-PURCHASE DECISION-MAKING STAGES KEY FINDINGS

BRAND PRE-PURCHASE STAGE ASSOCIATION

PRODUCT- NEED RECOGNITION RELATED Quality is perceived as essential and considered immediately ATTRIBUTES when a need is recognised, thus highly impacting the stage.

ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION Quality is one of the most decisive factors when evaluating alternatives, thus highly impacting the stage.

NON-PRODUCT- ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION RELATED Price is associated with quality and is a major decisive factor ATTRIBUTES when evaluating alternatives, thus highly impacting the stage.

FUNCTIONAL NEED RECOGNITION BENEFITS Functionality is perceived as essential and considered immediately when a need is recognised, thus highly impacting the stage.

INFORMATION SEARCH

80 Functionality is thoroughly considered when searching for information, thus highly impacting the stage.

EXPERIENTIAL ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION BENEFITS Experience with a sustainable fashion brand is considered when evaluating alternatives, thus impacting the stage to some extent.

SYMBOLIC NEED RECOGNITION BENEFITS The symbolic meaning of sustainable fashion is strongly associated with self-esteem and self-image and serves as an underlying motivator for consuming sustainable fashion, thus highly impacting the stage.

COGNITIVE ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION ATTITUDES Materials, recycling, circular economy and working conditions are all major decisive factors when evaluating alternatives, thus highly impacting the stage.

AFFECTIVE NEED RECOGNITION ATTITUDES The established emotional connection with a sustainable fashion brand is considered immediately when a need is recognised, thus highly impacting the stage.

CONATIVE ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION ATTITUDES The brand’s care for the environment and the workers increase the likelihood of purchase, thus highly impacting the stage.

The model advances prior research by offering illustrations of how different brand image dimensions impact the pre-purchase stage of consumers' sustainable fashion consumption. We believe it could be beneficial for sustainable fashion firms to know how consumers perceive the brand image and understand how brand image affects consumers' pre-purchase process. Thus, our model serves as a valuable tool for managers and provides a better managerial understanding of a fashion brand image's impact on sustainable fashion consumers' pre-purchase behaviour.

81

FIGURE 5: REVISED CONCEPTUAL MODEL: THE IMPACT OF BRAND IMAGE ON CONSUMER PRE-PURCHASE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

82 7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS In this chapter, we address the purpose of the thesis and answer the thesis's research question, which has guided us throughout the process. The chapter provides general conclusions from the analysis and discussion, continuing with the thesis's theoretical recommendations and practical implications. Finally, the chapter discusses the limitations of this degree project and presents identified suggestions for future research.

7.1 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS The purpose of this thesis has been to examine the impact of brand image on consumers' sustainable fashion consumption and to gain a deeper understanding of the consumer pre- purchase decision-making process concerning sustainable fashion. To fulfil this purpose, we have conducted a qualitative study by interviewing sustainable fashion consumers. By conducting a qualitative study, we have gained a comprehensive understanding of how consumers perceive and are impacted by the brand image in their sustainable fashion consumption pre-purchase stage and have been able to answer the thesis's research question:

How does brand image impact consumer pre-purchase decision-making behaviour concerning sustainable fashion consumption?

The findings from our qualitative study revealed that sustainable fashion consumers perceive the brand image of a fashion brand as essential in their consumption. We also found that brand image highly affects sustainable fashion consumers' pre-purchase behaviour. Our study focused on the impact of brand image by examining the eight brand associations containing the brand's meaning for the consumers (Keller, 1993). Thus, following the thesis's purpose, we have examined the impact of these brand associations on each pre-purchase stage. The eight brand associations and the three pre-purchase stages served as a basis for our conceptual model displaying the impact of brand image on the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process.

We found that the need recognition stage of the pre-purchase process is significantly affected by product-related attributes, functional benefits, symbolic benefits, and affective attitudes. In short, we argue that when recognising a need for new clothing, sustainable fashion consumers are primarily impacted by the quality and the functionality of the clothing, by their symbolic meaning for sustainable fashion, and by already established emotional connections towards a brand. When it comes to the information search stage of the pre-purchase process, we have found it is highly affected by the functional benefits of a brand. We argue that when searching for information, sustainable fashion consumers are impacted primarily by the functionality of the clothing. The final stage of the pre-purchase process, alternative evaluation, is heavily influenced by product-related attributes, non-product-related attributes, experiential benefits, cognitive attitudes, and conative attitudes. In conclusion, we found that when evaluating alternative brands, sustainable fashion consumers are primarily impacted by the quality and the price of the clothing and by the overall experience with the brand. We also found that the choice of a brand is remarkably affected by the materials of their clothing and how they incorporate circular economy in their business model. Sustainable fashion consumers are

83 more likely to choose a brand that considers both the environment and the welfare of their workers.

We could detect that sustainable fashion consumers are highly considerate of brand image in their fashion consumption. According to the consumers, a good brand image is associated with transparency, eco-friendly materials, stable working conditions, and good quality clothing, affecting their pre-purchase process tremendously. A negative brand image in sustainable fashion consumers' perceptions could be detrimental for the brand and precluded from the consumers' consideration. A negative brand image was associated with the harmful impacts of the fast-fashion culture, and a brand with a negative image was unquestionably beyond sustainable fashion consumers' consideration.

7.2 THEORETICAL CONTRIBUTIONS This thesis has examined the impact of brand image on the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process by collecting qualitative data from sustainable fashion consumers. The thesis contributes to research with three main concepts combined; brand image, consumer pre-purchase decision-making process, and sustainable fashion. According to Guedes et al. (2020), the research field of consumer behaviour is broad but lacks academic studies on consumer behaviour and the decision-making process concerning sustainable fashion. There is a necessity of academic research that improves sustainable fashion marketing and updates knowledge of sustainable fashion consumers, as the fashion industry requires an increase in the sustainable approach (Guedes et al., 2020). To our knowledge, the impact of brand image on the consumer pre-purchase decision-making process has not been studied before in a sustainable fashion context. In addition, a comprehensive study of the impact of brand image in a sustainable fashion context, where all three pre-purchase stages (need recognition, information search, and alternatives evaluation) are considered, has not been conducted before. Furthermore, this thesis contributes to the research field by investigating which brand associations have the most substantial effects on each pre-purchase stage.

Grubor & Milovanov (2017, p. 85) recognise another gap in consumer comprehension research that would help brands and their industries to increase and improve their sustainable work. A lack of research on the impact of a fashion brand image on consumers' decision-making process indicated that a focused, exploratory study on sustainable fashion consumers might help expand upon the underlying reasons for choosing sustainable fashion items, which our thesis has achieved. By conducting qualitative interviews, we have provided further insight into the values and opinions of sustainable fashion consumers and their consumption. Furthermore, we have been able to expand the research field by contributing a qualitative study on sustainable fashion consumers about their pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process.

The thesis’s conceptual model has helped us demonstrate the diverse ways the eight brand image associations impact the three stages of the pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process regarding sustainable fashion consumption. We could conclude that the need recognition stage is impacted by product-related attributes, symbolic benefits, affective attitudes, and functional benefits. The information search stage is impacted by functional benefits. And finally, the alternative evaluation stage is affected by cognitive attitudes, conative attitudes, experiential benefits, non-product related attributes, and product-related attributes. With our conceptual model, we have

84 contributed to existing studies by researching various factors that have not yet been examined. We argue that our conceptual model can be useful in further research in the field of brand image and consumer behaviour within sustainability and fashion. 7.3 PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS This thesis has examined how brand image impacts the pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process regarding sustainable fashion and we have created a framework that promotes sustainable engagement and development. With the help of previous research and our empirical findings, we have analysed and discussed different brand image associations and their impact on sustainable fashion consumers’ behaviour before the purchase of clothing. Through our conceptual model, we hope to contribute to managerial progress within the fashion industry, as the model demonstrates how each brand image association impacts the consumer during their pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process. We argue that the model has the ability to aid managers in developing their sustainable approaches within the companies. By studying our model and understanding how consumers get influenced by different brand image associations, we aim to help the managers meet the consumer demands within sustainable fashion.

We argue that the current fashion industry needs to improve its sustainable approach, as producing and consuming fashion sustainably is crucial to avoid harming the environment (Marino, 2020, p. 270) . Our thesis provides meaningful insight into consumers’ views on sustainability and what factors they consider when choosing a sustainable fashion brand. The empirical findings showed a definite pattern of factors sustainable fashion consumers consider as profoundly important. This provides insights for fashion brands to increase and develop their internal approaches to attract more consumers into buying sustainably. Our thesis provides data about how sustainable fashion consumers are impacted by brand image and also an academic perspective of the consumers' pre- purchase decision-making process regarding their sustainable fashion consumption. Our thesis’s aim has been to contribute with insight into consumer behaviour regarding sustainable consumption for managers of already sustainable fashion brands that want to improve their sustainability approaches, but also for managers of unsustainable or less sustainable brands. With the help of our study, we intend to provide a better managerial understanding of a fashion brand image's impact on the consumer decision-making process in order to improve their sustainability approach. According to Cho et al. (2018, p. 2), updated research on the ethical consumption of the younger generation is needed. Our thesis has focused on sustainable fashion consumers under the age of 30. In addition, thorough research on sustainable consumer behaviour regarding brand image has not previously been done on Swedish fashion consumers. 7.4 SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS With our theis, we want to encourage consumers to approach their consumption with higher awareness of sustainability. In addition, we intend to raise knowledge of the importance of consuming sustainable fashion for the consumers that currently buy clothing without considering the environmental harms. By providing a study that incorporates academic theoretical background about the harmful effects of unsustainable fashion brands and practical examples of sustainable consumer reasonings, we intend to promote sustainable consumption. Because some fashion brands greenwash and misinform consumers about their sustainability approaches (Delmas & Burbano, 2011, p.

85 84), we also strive to acknowledge greenwashing and other ethical considerations regarding fashion brand's unsustainable actions and enhance awareness for fashion consumers.

With a higher sustainability awareness amongst consumers, we strive to eventually contribute to a positive change in sustainability policies in the fashion industry. One of the biggest ethical concerns amongst consumers when making a clothing purchase are the working conditions in the fashion industry (Lundblad & Davies, 2016, p. 150), which is supported by our thesis results. According to Grubor and Milovanov (2017, p. 85), understanding consumers and making industries and brands sustainable inspires the audience to embrace sustainable behaviour. The authors of the study claim that this statement is one of the main requests in the future and a crucial research topic. Hence, we believe that a tremendous increase in consumer awareness results in demands for sustainable productions, which leads to policy changes concerning the welfare of the worker and their conditions, and decreases the harmful effects on the environment.

7.5 LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH One limitation we encountered concerns the values or attitudes of the respondents, not necessarily correlating to their actions. Despite placing no intentional pressure or judgement on the respondents and ensuring their confidentiality, we have no guarantee that the qualitative data results equate to the absolute truth about the respondents' actions. Our findings indicate that once conscious of the fashion industry's downsides, sustainable fashion consumers would not knowingly purchase from an unsustainable fashion brand. However, we cannot be certain if words always turn into real-life actions, and the respondents might have presented themselves as more sustainable since it might be an ethical issue to reveal unsustainable consumption patterns. Hence, we suggest that future researchers explore these potential attitude-behaviour gaps in the impact of brand image on sustainable fashion consumption through observations. Despite being able to investigate the impact of brand image from multiple dimensions, with the help of our conceptual model, future research could incorporate more questions for each brand association. In our thesis, we decided to focus on one or two questions per association. Hence, to broaden the thesis's results, we suggest future research to examine whether the results differ when including multiple questions and different factors with each brand association to discover their impact on the consumer pre-purchase process in a broader sense.

Another limitation we observed with the thesis results was that the respondents were mainly students and price-sensitive, limiting their consumption to a certain extent. To address this limitation, it could be interesting for future researchers to focus on respondents with higher income to whom price would not necessarily be a limiting factor. In addition, future research could study the potential differences between low-and high- income respondents and explore how the impact of a brand image differs between these groups. Finally, as our qualitative study has focused on Swedish consumers, the results might not be generalizable to all countries and cultures. For example, the negative impacts of fast fashion on the environment and the workers are more apparent in lower-income countries. Thus, the consumers' perceptions might differ a lot according to the location. Therefore, we suggest future research to examine our conceptual model and investigate the impact of brand image on consumers' pre-purchase process in a broader range of cultures or a different geographical location.

86 8. TRUTH CRITERIA In this chapter, we discuss the truth criteria in order to show that we have achieved the quality requirements for the study. The chapter provides an evaluation of reliability and validity of the qualitative study and our approaches upon reaching them. The truth criteria in this chapter is developed to help us evaluate the quality of our research.

According to LeCompte and Goetz (1982, p. 31), the value of scientific research is partly reliant on the credibility of findings demonstrated by individual researchers. To reduce the possibility of biases in the research, researchers must consider two specific emphases on the design: reliability and validity (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 156). Irrespective of the data collection and analysis methods used, all scientific studies aim for authentic results (LeCompte & Goetz, 1982, p. 31). LeCompte and Goetz (1982, p. 31) further argue that all academic and scientific fields require reliability and validity in the findings. Saunders et al. (2003, p. 156) describe that reliability refers to how the data collection methods or analysis procedures generate consistent findings. They assert four possible threats to reliability, which we have addressed in our study in order to increase reliability. The first possible threat is participant error, meaning that the participants generate unreliable and inaccurate data due to various factors (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 156). We have strived to reduce this error by inviting participants to our study that are convenient for our purpose, meaning that the participants are all sustainable fashion consumers and consider the sustainable factors when buying clothing. We have ensured and confirmed the accuracy of participants by asking multiple questions about their sustainable consumption. Furthermore, the results we expected from our respondents are based on general consumption regarding sustainable fashion and their individual experiences, opinions, and habits, showing how brand image impacts their decision-making process.

Saunders et al. (2003, p. 157) further argue for subject or participant bias in research, indicating that the interviewees yield responses according to what is expected from them during the data collection, instead of their actual experiences, opinions, or habits in our case. The importance of ensuring anonymity or respondents to reduce the bias is emphasised by Saunders et al. (2003, p. 157). Therefore, we ensured the participants regarding confidentiality by elaborating an informative introduction prior to the interview. In the introduction, we explained that the data collected will be handled confidentially and their names will be covered in the study. For the participants to be more comfortable, we assured that the interview would be conducted with a non- judgemental approach, meaning that we would not judge their sustainable consumption in any way.

Contradictory, there are possibilities of the observed causing errors and biases. The observer error covers the possible faults caused by, in our study, the interviewer (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 157). This sort of error could occur if several interviewers conduct interviews separately and ask questions in different ways, which causes diverse kinds of answers (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 157). We argue that we have tried to lessen the threat of observer error, as we have created an interview guide with specific questions and conducted all the interviews together. During the interviews, we have included all the questions from our interview guide and asked them in the same ways to the respondents to receive the same type of data without modifying questions. The observer bias indicates the different interpretations of the collected data (Saunders et al., 2003, p. 157). Before transcribing the collected data, we agreed to a particular structure and followed it to

87 ensure that we transcribed it in similar ways. We included all the responses we collected during the interviews and specific reactions from the respondents to strengthen the descriptions of the responses.

Saunders et al. (2003, p. 157) describe that validity is concerned with the accuracy of empirical findings in relation to what they appear to be. Confirming validity entails determining the extent to which results effectively represent empirical reality and evaluating whether constructs devised by researchers describe the experience that occurs (LeCompte & Goetz, 1982, p. 32). LeCompte and Goetz (1982, p. 43) suggest external and internal validity measures for qualitative studies. In the same study, the authors discuss the actual accuracy of the data in relation to the intended results concerns internal validity and is generally high in qualitative research. For our research, we assess the internal validity as high since we used a semi-structured interview method for data collection. Conducting interviews with such a method allowed us to ask follow-up questions if necessary, increasing the possibilities of more accurate results. We were able to clarify concepts and develop further questions for the respondents. External validity approaches the degree to which observations can be compared to other studies (LeCompte & Goetz, 1982, p. 32). As our qualitative study comprehends a combination of various factors (brand image, pre-purchase stage of the consumer decision-making process, and sustainable fashion) that have not been studied together before, we do not consider external validity as an issue for our thesis.

88 LIST OF REFERENCES

Aakko, M. and Koskennurmi-Sivonen, R., 2013. Designing sustainable fashion: Possibilities and challenges. Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, 13-22.

Alase, A., (2017), The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Guide to a Good Qualitative Research Approach, International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies 5(2), 9-19.

Allerup, J. (2020, November 9). How can I reduce my carbon footprint? Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. [Web log post] http://www.swedishepa.se/Environmental-objectives-and-cooperation/Swedish- environmental-work/Work-areas/Climate/How-can-I-reduce-my-carbon-footprint-/# [Retrieved 2021-03-11].

Allport, G.W., (1935), Attitudes, A Handbook of Social Psychology, 2, pp. 798–844.

Arie, M., Ambolau, P., Kusumawati, A. & Mawardi, M.K., 2015, The Influence of Brand Awareness and Brand Image on Purchase Decision, Jurnal Administrasi Bisnis, 2(2), 1-8.

Atik, D. & Firat, F., 2013, Fashion creation and diffusion: The institution of marketing, Journal of Marketing Management, 1-25.

Baker, S. E., & Edwards, R., 2012, How many qualitative interviews is enough?, Methodological Review Paper, 1-43.

Bakshi, S., 2012, Impact of Gender on Consumer Purchase Behaviour, Journal of Research in Commerce and Management, 1(9), 1-8.

Banerjee, S.B., 2008. Corporate social responsibility: The good, the bad and the ugly. Critical sociology, 34(1), 51-79.

Bangsa, A. B. & Schlegelmilch, B. B., 2020, Linking sustainable product attributes and consumer decision-making: Insights from a systematic review., Journal of Cleaner Production, 245, 1-17.

Barnes, L., Lea‐Greenwood, G., Watson, M.Z. & Yan, R.N., 2013. An exploratory study of the decision processes of fast versus slow fashion consumers. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 141-159.

Bell, E., Bryman, A. and Harley, B., 2018. Business research methods. Oxford university press.

Bettman, J.R., Johnson, E.J. & Payne, J.W., (1991), Consumer Decision Making, Handbook of Consumer Behaviour, 50-80.

89 Bian, X., & Moutinho, L., 2011, The role of brand image, product involvement, and knowledge in explaining consumer purchase behaviour of counterfeits: Direct and indirect effects. European Journal of Marketing, 45(1/2),191-216.

Bick, R., Halsey, E. & Ekenga, C. 2018, The global environmental injustice of fast fashion. Environmental Health 17(92), 1-4.

Black, A.W., 2004. The quest for sustainable, healthy communities. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 33-44.

Brooks, A., (2019). Clothing poverty: The hidden world of fast fashion and second-hand clothes. Zed Books Ltd.

Burlea, A.S. & Popa, I., 2013. Legitimacy theory. Encyclopedia of corporate social responsibility, 21, 1579-1584.

Cachon, G. & Swinney, R. 2011, The value of fast fashion: quick response, enhanced design, and strategic consumer behaviour. Management Science 54(4), 778-795.

Carey, L. & Cervellon, M.C., 2014, Ethical fashion dimensions: pictorial and auditory depictions through three cultural perspectives, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal 18(4), 483-506.

Chae, M. H., Black, C., & Heitmeyer, J., 2006, Pre‐purchase and post‐purchase satisfaction and fashion involvement of female tennis wear consumers. International Journal of consumer studies, 30(1), 25-33.

Chan, T.Y. & Wong, C.W., 2012. The consumption side of sustainable fashion supply chain: Understanding fashion consumer eco‐fashion consumption decision. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 193- 215.

Chen, H.L. & Burns, L. D., 2006, Environmental Analysis of Textile Products, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 24(3), 248–261.

Chen, Y-S., Huang, A-F., Wang, T-Y. & Chen, Y-R., 2020, Greenwash and green purchase behaviour: the mediation of green brand image and green brand loyalty, Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 31(1-2), 194-209.

Chen‐Yu, H.J. & Kincade, D.H., 2001. Effects of product image at three stages of the consumer decision process for apparel products: alternative evaluation, purchase and post‐purchase. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 5(1), 29-43.

Chia, R., 2002, Philosophy and Research. Essential skills for management research, 1- 19.

Cho, M., Bonn, M.A. & Han, S.J., 2018, Generation Z's Sustainable Volunteering: Motivations, Attitudes and Job Performance Meehee Cho, Sustainability, 10, 1- 16.

90

Colantonio, A., 2007. Social Sustainability: An Exploratory Analysis of its Definition, Assessment Method, 1-27.

Collis, J., & Hussey, R., (2014), Business research: a practical guide for undergraduate & postgraduate students. 4th edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Cooper-Martin, E. & Holbrook, M.B., 1993, Ethical consumption experiences and ethical space, Advances in Consumer Research, 20, 113–118.

Costanza, R. & Patten, B.C., 1995. Defining and predicting sustainability. , 15(3), 193-196.

Court, D., Elzinga, D., Mulder, S. & Vetvik, O.J., 2009. The consumer decision journey. McKinsey Quarterly, 3(3), 96-107.

Craik, J., (2009). Fashion: the key concepts, English edition, New York: BERG.

Davis, F. (1992). Fashion, Culture and Identity. 1st edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

De Brito, M. P., Carbone, V., & Blanquart, C. M., 2008, Towards a sustainable fashion retail supply chain in Europe: Organisation and performance. International Journal of Production Economics, 114(2), 534–553.

Delmas, M.A. & Burbano, V.C., 2011. The drivers of greenwashing. California management review, 54(1), 64-87.

Dempsey, N., Bramley, G., Power, S. & Brown, C., 2011. The social dimension of sustainable development: Defining urban social sustainability. Sustainable development, 19(5), 289-300.

Dickson, M.A. 2001. Utility of No Sweat Labels for Apparel Consumers: Profiling Label Users and Predicting Their Purchases, The Journal of Consumer Affairs 35(1), 96-119.

Dickson, M.A. & Littrell, M.A., 1996, Socially responsible behaviour: values and attitudes of the alternative trading organisation consumer, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 1(1), 50-69.

Dobni, D. & Zinkhan, G.M., 1990. In search of brand image: A foundation analysis. ACR North American Advances.

Doeringer, P. & Crean, S., 2006. Can fast fashion save the US apparel industry?, Socio- Economic Review 4(1), 353-377.

Dory, K. (2018, June 27) Why fast fashion needs to slow down, UN environment programme. https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/blogpost/why-fast- fashion-needs-slow-down.[retrieved 2021-02-12].

91 Durrheim, K., 2006, Research design. Research in practice: Applied methods for the social sciences, 2, 33-59.

Ekström, K & Salomonson, N (2012). Nätverk, trådar och spindlar: samverkan för ökad återanvändning och återvinning av kläder och textil. Report (other academic). Borås: Högskolan i Borås.

Engel J.F., Kollat D.T. & Blackwell R.D., (1968), Consumer behaviour, Holt, Rinehart, Winston, New York.

Epstein, M.J., Buhovac, A.R. & Yuthas, K., 2015, Managing Social, Environmental and Financial Performance Simultaneously, Long Range Planning 48, 35–45.

Ferraro, C., Sands, S. & Brace-Govan, J., 2016, The role of fashionability in second- hand shopping motivations, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 32, 262– 268.

Fletcher, K., 2008. Sustainable fashion and textiles: Design journeys. Environmental Science and Technology, 45(21), 9175-9179.

Fletcher, K., 2010. Slow fashion: An invitation for systems change. Fashion practice, 2(2), 259-265.

Fletcher, K. 2014. Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys. 2nd edition. New York: Routledge, 7-11.

Floridi, L., 2003, Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Computing and Information. Oxford: Blackwell, 155-166.

Fraj, E. & Martinez, E., 2007, Ecological consumer behaviour: an empirical analysis, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 31, 26–33.

Gill, P., Stewart, K., Treasure, E., & Chadwick, B., 2008, Methods of data collection in qualitative research: interviews and focus groups. British dental journal, 204(6), 291-295.

Gilje, N. & Grimen, H., (2007). Samhällsvetenskapens förutsättningar, Göteborg: Daidalos, 1-336.

Goertz, G. & Mahoney, J., 2012, Concepts and Measurement: Ontology and Epistemology, Social Science Information, 51(2), 205-516.

Goldsmith, R.E., Heitmeyer, J.R. & Freiden, J.B., 1991. Social values and fashion leadership. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 10(1), 37-45.

Goodland, R., 1995. The concept of environmental sustainability. Annual review of ecology and systematics, 26(1), 1-24.

Goodland, R. & Ledec, G., 1987. Neoclassical economics and principles of sustainable development. Ecological modelling, 38(1-2), 19-46.

92

Goworek, H., Fisher, T., Cooper, T., Woodward, S. & Hiller, A., 2012, The sustainable clothing market: an evaluation of potential strategies for UK retailers, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 40(12), 935-955.

Gruen, R.L., Elliott, J.H., Nolan, M.L., Lawton, P.D., Parkhill, A., McLaren, C.J. & Lavis, J.N., 2008. : an integrated approach for health- programme planning. The Lancet, 372(9649), 1579-1589.

Grubor, A. & Milovanov, O., 2017. Brand strategies in the era of sustainability. Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems: INDECS, 15(1), 78-88.

Guedes, B., Paillard-Bardey, A.C. & Schat, A., 2020. Improving sustainable fashion marketing and advertising: A reflection on framing message and target audience. International Journal of Market Research, 62(2), 124-126.

Gwilt, A., (2020). A Practice Guide to Sustainable Fashion, 2nd edition, London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 11-13.

Ha-Brookshire J. & Hodges N. 2009. Socially responsible consumer behavior? Exploring used clothing donation behavior. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal 27. 179–196.

Harris, F., Roby, H. & Dibb, S., 2016, Sustainable clothing: challenges, barriers and interventions for encouraging more sustainable consumer behaviour, International Journal of Consumer Studies 40, 309-318.

Hart, C., (2001). Doing a literature search: a comprehensive guide for the social sciences. 1st edition. London: Sage.

Hawkings, D. and Mothesbaugh, D. 2010. Consumer Behavior: building marketing strategy. 11th edition. New York: McGraw Hill Irwin. 4-5.

Henninger, C.E., Alevizou, P.J. & Oates, C.J., 2016, What is sustainable fashion? Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management 20(4), 400-416.

Herzog, H., 1963. Behavioral science concepts for analyzing the consumer. Marketing and the behavioral sciences, 3(1), 76-86.

Hill, R.C. & Bowen, P.A., 1997. Sustainable construction: principles and a framework for attainment. Construction Management & Economics, 15(3), 223-239.

Holdren, J.P., Daily, G.C. & Ehrlich, P.R., 1995. The meaning of sustainability: biogeophysical aspects. Defining and measuring sustainability: the biogeophysical foundations, 3-17.

Hox., J.J. & Boeije., H.R., 2005, Data collection, primary versus secondary, Encyclopedia of Social Measurements 1(1), 593-599.

93 Jamshed, S., 2014, Qualitative research method-interviewing and observation. Journal of basic and clinical pharmacy, 5(4), 87.

Jia, P., Govindan, K., Choi, T.M. & Rajendran, S., 2015. Supplier selection problems in fashion business operations with sustainability considerations. Sustainability, 7(2), 1603-1619.

Jisana, T.K., 2014, Consumer Behaviour Models: An Overview, Sai Om Journal of Commerce and Management, 1(5), 34-44.

Joergens, C., 2006, Ethical fashion: myth or future trend?, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 10(3), 360-371.

Johansson, J. & Nilsson, J., 2016, Slow Fashion: din guide till smart och hållbart mode, Stockholm: Ordfront, 4-176.

Karimi, S., Papamichail, N. & Holland, C.P., 2015, The effect of prior knowledge and decision-making style on the online purchase decision-making process: A typology of consumer shopping behaviour, Decision Support System, 77, 137-147.

Kawamura, Y., 2018, Fashion-ology: an introduction to fashion studies. 2nd edition. New York: Bloomsbury Academic. 2-3.

Kawulich, B.B., 2004, Data analysis techniques in qualitative research. Journal of research in education, 14(1), 96-113.

Keller, K.L., 1993. Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of marketing, 57(1), 1-22.

Kim, H.S. & Hall, M. L., 2015, Green Brand Strategies in the Fashion Industry: Leveraging Connections of the Consumer, Brand, and Environmental Sustainability, Sustainable Fashion Supply Chain Management, 31–45.

Kim, H. & Kim, Y., 2020, Role of Fashion Leadership Influencing the Effect of the Environmental Benefits of Second-hand Clothing on Continuance Usage Intention, Fashion & Textiles Res. 22(5), 584-594.

King, C.W, 1963, Fashion adoption: A rebuttal to the 'trickle-down' theory, Toward scientific marketing, 108–125.

Kotler, P., (1988). Transparency Masters Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation, and Control. 7th edition. New Jersey: Prentice-hall.

Kotler, P. & Lee, N., 2008. Corporate social responsibility: Doing the most good for your company and your cause. John Wiley & Sons, 1-320.

Koskela, M. & Vinnari, M., 2009, Future of the Consumer Society, 122-134.

Księżak, P. & Fischbach, B., 2017. Triple Bottom Line: The Pillars of CSR. Journal of corporate responsibility and leadership, 4(3), 95-110.

94

Kuhlman, T. & Farrington, J., 2010. What is sustainability?. Sustainability, 2(11), 3436- 3448.

LeCompte, M.D. & Goetz, J.P., 1982, Problems of Reliability and Validity in Ethnographic Research, Review of Educational Research, 52(1), 31-60.

Lee, T.S., Leung, C.S. & Zhang, Z.M., 2000. Fashion brand image marketing: Brand image and brand personality. Research Journal of Textile and Apparel 60-67.

Levy, S.J. & Czepiel, J., 1999, Marketing and Aesthetics. Brands, consumers, symbols, and research: Sidney J. Levy on marketing 84–102.

Lin, D., Hanscom, L., Murthy, A., Galli, A., Evans, M., Neill, E., Mancini, MS., Martindill, J., Medouar, F-Z., Huang, S. & Wackernagel, M., 2018, Ecological Footprint Accounting for Countries: Updates and Results of the National Footprint Accounts, 2012–2018. Resources, 7(3):58, 1-22.

Lin, H. & Hsu, M.H., 2015, Using Social Cognitive Theory to Investigate Green Consumer Behavior, Business Strategy and the Environment, Bus. Strat. Env. 24, 326–34.

Loftus, E.F. & Loftus, G.R., 1980. On the permanence of stored information in the human brain. American Psychologist, 35(5), 409-420.

Lu, J., Ren, L., Zhang, C., Wang, C., Shahid, Z. & Streimikis, J., 2020. The Influence of a Firm's CSR Initiatives on Brand Loyalty and Brand Image. Journal of Competitiveness, 12(2), 106-124.

Lundblad, L. & Davies, I.A., 2016, The values and motivations behind sustainable fashion consumption, Journal of Consumer Behaviour 15(2), 149-162.

Macchion, L., Da Giau, A., Caniato, F., Caridi, M., Danese, P., Rinaldi, R. & Vinelli, A., 2018. Strategic approaches to sustainability in fashion supply chain management. Production Planning & Control, 29(1), 9-28.

Matten, D. & Moon, J., 2008. 'Implicit' and 'Explicit' CSR: A Conceptual Framework for a Comparative Understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility. The Academy of Management review. 33(2), 404–424.

Marino, C., Remondino, C.L. & Tamborrini, P.M., 2020, Understanding Fashion Complexity Through a Systematic Data Approach, Strategic Design Research Journal, 13(2), 268-283.

Markandya, A. & Pearce, D., 1988, Natural environments and the social rate of discount. Project Appraisal, 3(1), 2-12.

Martin, C.R., 1971, What consumers of fashion want to know. Journal of Retailing, 47(4), 65-71.

95 Martin, N. & Morich, K., 2011, Unconscious mental processes in consumer choice: Towards a new model of consumer behavior, Journal of Brand Management 18(7), 483–505.

McNeill, L. & Moore, R., 2015, Sustainable fashion consumption and the fast fashion conundrum: fashionable consumers and attitudes to sustainability in clothing choice, International Journal of Consumer Studies 39, 212–222.

Miller, C.M., McIntyre, S.H. & Mantrala, M.K., 1993, Toward Formalizing Fashion Theory, Journal of Marketing Research, 30(2), 142- 157.

Mitchell, L. & Ramey, W., 2011. Look how green I am! An individual-level explanation for greenwashing. Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 12(6), 40-45.

Mol, A. P. J., 2013, Transparency and value chain sustainability, Journal of Cleaner Production 107, 154-161.

Moldan, B., Janoušková, S. & Hák, T., 2012. How to understand and measure environmental sustainability: Indicators and targets. Ecological Indicators, 17, 4- 13.

Moona, K.L., Laib, C., Lamc, E. & Changb, J., 2015, Popularisation of sustainable fashion: barriers and solutions, The Journal of The Textile Institute, 106(9), 939- 952.

Moore, J.E., Mascarenhas, A., Bain, J. & Straus, S.E., 2017. Developing a comprehensive definition of sustainability. Implementation Science, 12(1), 1-8.

Mukendi, A., Davies, I., Glozer, S., & McDonagh, P., 2019, Sustainable fashion: current and future research directions, European Journal of Marketing, 54(11), 2873-2909.

Nandan, S., 2005. An exploration of the brand identity–brand image linkage: A communications perspective. Journal of brand management, 12(4), 264-278.

Narayana, C.L. & Markin, R.J., 1975, Consumer Behavior and Product Performance: An Alternative Conceptualisation, Journal of Marketing, 39(4), 1-6.

Niinimäki, K. 2010. Eco-Clothing, Consumer Identity and Ideology, Sustainable Development, Sust. Dev. 19, 150-162.

Nyilasy, G., Gangadharbatla, H. & Paladino, A., 2012. Greenwashing: A consumer perspective. Economics & Sociology, 5(2), 116-122.

O'Rourke, D. & Ringer, A., 2016, The impact of sustainability information on consumer decision making. Journal of , 20(4), 882-892.

96 Panwar, D., Anand, S., Ali, F. & Singal, K., 2019, Consumer Decision Making Process Models and their Applications to Market Strategy, International Management Review, 15(1), 36-44.

Patagonia, (2011), "Don't Buy This Jacket, Black Friday and the New York Times”, Patagonia. https://www.patagonia.com/stories/dont-buy-this-jacket-black-friday- and-the-new-york-times/story-18615.html. [Retrieved 2021-02-15].

Patel, R. & Davidson, B., (2003). Forskningsmetodikens grunder. Att planera, genomföra och rapportera en undersökning. 3rd edition. Lund: Studentlitteratur.

Pellemans, P.A., 1971, The consumer decision-making process, European Journal of Marketing, 5(2), 8-21.

Purvis, B., Mao, Y. & Robinson, D., 2019. Three pillars of sustainability: in search of conceptual origins. Sustainability science, 14(3), 681-695.

Queirós, A., Faria, D., & Almeida, F., 2017, Strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research methods. European Journal of Education Studies, 3(9), 369- 387.

Rassuli K.M. & Harrell G.D., 1990, A New Perspective on Choice, Advances in Consumer Research, 17, 737-744.

Reichertz, J., (2013), Induction, deduction, The SAGE handbook of qualitative data analysis, 123-135.

Robinson, T., & Doss, F., 2011, Pre‐purchase alternative evaluation: prestige and imitation fashion products. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 15(3),278-290.

Rothchild, I., (2006), Induction, deduction, and the scientific method. Soc. study Reprod. 1-11.

Ryan, F., Coughlan, M., & Cronin, P., 2009, Interviewing in qualitative research: The one-to-one interview. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 16(6), 309-314.

Sandin, G., Roos, S., Spak, B., Zamani, B. & Peter, G., 2019. Environmental assessment of Swedish clothing consumption–six garments, sustainable futures. 2019. RISE AB: Lindholmspiren, Sweden, 1-13.

Santor, D.A., Fethi, I. & McIntee, 2020, Restricting Our Consumption of Material Goods: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior, Sustainability, 12, 1- 13.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A., 2003, Research methods for business students. Essex: Prentice Hall: Financial Times.

97 Schiffman, L.G. & Kanuk, L.L., (2000). Consumer behavior, 7th. NY: Prentice Hall, 15-36.

Schoolman, E.D., Guest, J.S., Bush, K.F. & Bell, A.R., 2012. How interdisciplinary is sustainability research? Analyzing the structure of an emerging scientific field. Sustainability Science, 7(1), 67-80.

Scoones, I., 2007. Sustainability. Development in practice, 17(4-5), 589-596.

Seele, P. & Gatti, L., 2017, Greenwashing revisited: In search of a typology and accusation‐based definition incorporating legitimacy strategies. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(2), 239-252. Sharma, M., & Joshi, S., 2019, Brand sustainability among young consumers: an AHP- TOPSIS approach. Young Consumers, 20(4), 314-337.

Shen, B., 2014. Sustainable fashion supply chain: Lessons from H&M. Sustainability, 6(9), 6236-6249.

Sheth J.N., Newman B.I. & Gross B.L., 1991, Why we buy what we buy: A theory of consumption values, Journal of Business Research, 22(2), 159-170.

Silva, S.C, Santos, A., Duarte, P. & Vlacic, B., 2021, The role of social embarrassment, sustainability, familiarity and perception of hygiene in second-hand clothing purchase experience, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 1-18.

Simmel, G., 1957, Fashion, American Journal of Sociology, 62(6), 541–558.

Simon H.A., 1959, Theories of Decision-making in Economics and Behavioral Science, The American Economics Review, 49(3), 253-283.

Smith, J. A., & Shinebourne, P., 2012, Interpretative phenomenological analysis. American Psychological Association.

Soini, K. & Birkeland, I., 2014. Exploring the scientific discourse on cultural sustainability. Geoforum, 51, 213-223.

Spangenberg, J.H., Pfahl, S. & Deller, K., 2002. Towards indicators for institutional sustainability: lessons from an analysis of . Ecological indicators, 2(1- 2), 61-77.

Sproles, G.B., 1981, Analyzing Fashion Life Cycles: Principles and Perspectives, Journal of Marketing, 45(4), 116-124.

Stankevich, A., 2017, Explaining the Consumer Decision-Making Process: Critical Literature Review, Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, 2(6), 7-14.

Starr, M.K. & Rubinson, J.R., 1978. A loyalty group segmentation model for brand purchasing simulation. Journal of marketing research, 15(3), 378-383.

98

Statista (2021, January 22). Global Apparel Market -Statistics & Facts. Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/5091/apparel-market- worldwide/#:~:text=The%20global%20apparel%20market%20is,the%20rise%20a cross%20the%20world. [Retrieved 2021-03-03].

Steckler, A., McLeroy, K. R., Goodman, R. M., Bird, S. T., & McCormick, L., 1992, Toward integrating qualitative and quantitative methods: an introduction. Health Education Quarterly, 19(1), 1-8.

Stenbacka, C., 2001. Qualitative research requires quality concepts of its own. Management decision, 551-555.

Stirman, S.W., Kimberly, J., Cook, N., Calloway, A., Castro, F. & Charns, M., 2012. The sustainability of new programs and innovations: a review of the empirical literature and recommendations for future research. Implementation science, 7(1), 1-19.

Sudha, M. & Sheena, K., 2017. Impact of influencers in consumer decision process: the fashion industry. SCMS Journal of Indian Management, 14(3), 14-30.

Swink, S., 2018, Sustainability issues and approaches in fashion supply chains, 5-39.

Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. & DeVault, M., (2015). Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.

Thompson, C.J. & Haytko, D.L., 1997, Speaking of Fashion: Consumers' Uses of Fashion Discourses and the Appropriation of Countervailing Cultural Meanings, Journal of Consumer Research, 24(1), 15–42.

Tuli, F., 2010, The basis of distinction between qualitative and quantitative research in social science: Reflection on ontological, epistemological and methodological perspectives. Ethiopian Journal of Education and Sciences, 6(1), 97-108.

Turcu, C., 2013. Re-thinking sustainability indicators: local perspectives of urban sustainability. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 56(5), pp.695-719.

Turner, J. R. (2018). Tell me how you got those numbers: A review of the methodology section. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 31(3), 219-223.

United Nations Development Programme (2020). Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. UNDP. https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable- development-goals/goal-12-responsible-consumption-and-production.html [Retrieved 2021-02-12].

United Nations (2020). The 17 Sustainability Goals. UN. https://sdgs.un.org/goals [Retrieved 2021-02-12].

99 Vehovar, V., Toepoel, V., & Steinmetz, S., (2016), Non-probability sampling. The Sage handbook of survey methods, 327-345.

Workman, J.E. & Studak, C.M., 2006, Fashion Consumers and Fashion Problem Recognition Style, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 30,75-84.

World Commission on Environment and Development (1987a) : Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Young, W., Hwang, K., McDonald, S. & Oates, C.J., 2010, Sustainable Consumption: Green Consumer Behaviour when Purchasing Products, Sustainable Development 18, 20-31.

Zhang, Y., 2015, The impact of brand image on consumer behavior: A literature review. Open journal of business and management, 3(1), 58-62.

Zhang, Y. & Juhlin, O., 2016, Fashion in Mobile Phone Design—The Emergence of Beautification, Desirability and Variation through Institutional Collaboration, Fashion Practice 8(1), 63-84.

100

APPENDIX 1: INTERVIEW GUIDE

Theme Linkage to Objective Question Theoretical Framework

Background To gain information about the interviewee’s background.

Age To gain information 1. How old are you? about the interviewee’s age.

Consumption Sustainable Fashion To confirm the 2. Do you consider yourself a Goworek et al. interviewee is a sustainable fashion (2012) sustainable fashion consumer? Why? Please Joergens (2006) consumer. explain.

Consumption Sustainable Fashion To examine the 3. In which fashion Goworek et al. interviewee’s categories do you find it (2012) sustainable fashion important to purchase Joergens (2006) consumption patterns. sustainable alternatives?

Sustainable Sustainable Fashion To discover what 4. What fashion brand do fashion Goworek et al. fashion brands the you perceive as being (2012) interviewee considers ‘sustainable’? Why? Joergens (2006) sustainable.

Brand Awareness Rossiter & Percy, (1987), cited in Keller, (1993)

Pre- To gain insight on purchase the interviewee’s decision- pre-purchase making decision-making process process. stages

Need Need recognition To understand the 5. What motivates you to recognition Engel, Kollat and triggering factors purchase sustainable Blackwell (1968) behind need fashion? recognition.

Information Information search To gain insight in the 6. How do you research

101 search Engel, Kollat and amount of information information before Blackwell (1968) searched and the deciding on a brand when primary information buying sustainable sources of the fashion? consumer.

Alternative Alternative To gain insight about 7. What are the main evaluation evaluation the main components components you consider Engel, Kollat and affecting the when comparing Blackwell (1968) consumer’s brand sustainable fashion decision. brands?

Brand To gain insight on Image the impact of brand image on the interviewee’s pre- purchase decision- making process.

Impact of Brand Image To investigate the 8. How important is a good Brand Image Kotler, (1988) general impact of brand image to you when Nandan, (2005) brand image on consuming sustainable sustainable fashion? consumption.

Impact of Greenwashing To investigate the 9. Do you do your own Brand Image Seele and Gatti, general impact of research on the actual (2017) brand image on facts behind a sustainable Delmas and Burbano sustainable brand image? (2011, p. 67) consumption.

Product- Product-related To understand how 10. How does the quality of a related Attributes Keller product-related sustainable fashion brand Attributes (1993) attributes impact the affect your consumption? pre-purchase decision- making process. Do you consider the quality when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

Non-product- Non-product-related To understand how 11. How does the pricing of a related Attributes non-product-related sustainable fashion brand Attributes Keller (1993) attributes impact the affect your consumption? pre-purchase decision- making process. Do you consider the price when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

102 Non-product- Non-product-related To understand how 12. How do others’ opinions related Attributes non-product-related on fashion brands impact Attributes Keller (1993) attributes impact the your sustainable pre-purchase decision- consumption choices? E.g. making process. Influencers, friends, family, reviews

Do you consider others’ opinions when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

Functional Functional Benefits To understand how 13. How important is the Benefits Park et al., (1986), functional benefits functionality of a cited in Keller, impact the pre- sustainable fashion brand (1993) purchase decision- for you? making process. Do you consider the functionality when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

Experiental Experiential Benefits To understand how 14. How does the consuming Benefits Park et al., (1986), experiential benefits experience of sustainable cited in Keller, impact the pre- fashion brands affect your (1993) purchase decision- choices? making process. Do you consider the experience when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

Symbolic Symbolic Benefits To understand how 15. What kind of symbolic Benefits Park et al., (1986), symbolic benefits meaning does consuming cited in Keller, impact the pre- sustainable fashion brands (1993) purchase decision- have for you? making process. Do you consider the symbolic meaning when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

Cognitive Cognitive Attitudes To understand how 16. Which sustainability Attitudes Schiffman & Kanuk, cognitive attitudes factors do you consider

103 (2000) impact the pre- the most when making purchase decision- purchase decisions? Three Pillars of making process. E.g. material, waste, Sustainability second-hand, working Purvis et al., (2019) conditions, production country.

Do you consider the sustainability factors when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

Affective Affective Attitudes To understand how 17. Some brands use Attitudes Schiffman & Kanuk, affective attitudes emotional marketing to (2000) impact the pre- affect consumers' purchase decision- sustainable purchase making process. behaviours. E.g. worker conditions and harmful effects on animals and the planet.

How does a brand’s emotional marketing affect your purchase decision?

Do you consider those factors when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

Affective Affective Attitudes To understand how 18. Are you more likely to Attitudes Schiffman & Kanuk, affective attitudes choose a sustainable (2000) impact the pre- fashion brand you already purchase decision- have an emotional making process. connection with? Why?

Do you consider the emotional connection when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

Conative Conative Attitudes To understand how 19. Are you more likely to Attitudes Schiffman & Kanuk, conative attitudes choose a fashion brand (2000) impact the pre- that considers both the

104 purchase decision- environment and the Three Pillars of making process. welfare of the workers in Sustainability their production? Why? Purvis et al., (2019) Do you consider those factors when the need is recognised, during information search or when comparing alternative brands?

APPENDIX: 2 INTERVIEW ANNOUNCEMENT

We are looking for sustainable fashion consumers!

We are two students at Umeå University studying the last semester of the International Business Program. Currently, we are working on a thesis within the marketing field, examining the impact of brand image on sustainable fashion consumption.

Therefore, we are searching for sustainable consumers to interview.

We are looking for people ● between 18 and 25 years ● sustainable fashion consumers

The interviews will take around 30 minutes and be conducted digitally. The collected data will be presented anonymously in the study and will be handled confidentially. If interested, you will have access to the final study.

Feel free to contact us here or on our emails if interested in participating in the interviews!

Kind regards, Mariam and Veera

105 APPENDIX 3: INVITATION TO THE INTERVIEWS

Hi!

My name is [name], and I am studying marketing at Umeå University. I am currently working on a thesis where we examine how brand image impacts sustainable fashion consumption. We are searching for people that consume sustainable fashion to interview. Therefore, I am contacting you to invite you to an approximately 30-minute long interview. The results will be presented anonymously, and the gathered information will be handled confidentially. Suppose you consider yourself a consumer of sustainable fashion and want to participate in our interview. In that case, you are welcome to get back to me!

APPENDIX 4: PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEWS CHECKLIST

Present ourselves and explain that the interview is carried out as a part of our thesis research.

● Describe the research topic, purpose and why the respective respondent has been selected for the interview. ● State the different themes of the interview and the order of them. ● Clarify the right of asking us to rephrase any question if it is unclear or hard to understand. ● State that the respondent and their answers will not face any judgement or harm. ● Inform the respondent that confidentiality is ensured during and after the interview and that they will be anonymous for the readers. ● Inform the respondent of where the research will be published. ● Ask for permission to record the interview.

106 APPENDIX 5: LIST OF CODES

CODE MEANING

NR Need Recognition

IS Information Search

AE Alternative Evaluation

SC1 Sustainable Consumption: Avoidance of Consumption

SC2 Sustainable Consumption: Long-Term Investment

SM1 Sustainability Motivator: Working Conditions

SM2 Sustainability Motivator: Environment

SM3 Sustainability Motivator: Future Generations

SF1 Sustainability Factors: Price

SF2 Sustainability Factors: Quality

SF3 Sustainability Factors: Working Conditions

107 SF4 Sustainability Factors: Environment

SF5 Sustainability Factors: Material

SF6 Second-hand

CG1 Consciousness

CG2 Familiarity of a brand

IS1 Information Source: Website of a brand

IS2 Information Source: Social Media

IS3 Information Source: Other Sources

IBI1 Importance of Brand Image: High

IBI2 Importance of Brand Image: Low

IBI3 Importance of Brand Image: Avoidance of Bad Brand Image

OR1 Own Research: No Research When Familiar

OR2 Own Research: Research When Suspecting Greenwashing

108

Business Administration SE-901 87 Umeå www.usbe.umu.se

109