Does awareness of environmental problems affect consumer behavior toward upcycled fashion products? A comparison by levels of consumer innovativeness

Purpose This research analyzes how consumers' awareness of environmental problems impacts behavior toward upcycled fashion products and explores variations based on consumer innovativeness levels. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative methodology was adopted, and data were collected from 406 participants by using an online survey. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Analysis of Moment Structures 25.0 for empirical analysis, including exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and multiple-group comparison analyses. Findings The values–attitudes–behavior (V-A-B) hierarchy model determined that consumer awareness of environmental problems can affect behavior toward upcycled fashion products. Nevertheless, individual perceived values of upcycled fashion products influence consumer behavior differently. The multiple-group comparison revealed significant differences in the impact of consumer awareness of environmental problems on perception of the social value of upcycled fashion products between low and high consumer innovativeness groups, indicating that the influence of the low innovativeness group was stronger. Similarly, differences between two groups were observed in the influence of consumer awareness of environmental problems on awareness of the utilitarian value of upcycled fashion products, with the low innovativeness group again showing a greater effect. Originality/value Previous study has used a few perceived value variables to utilize the V-A-B hierarchy model for analyzing consumer behavior. This study used three different perceived value variables and suggested that each consumer's perceived value can affect various consumer behaviors. Furthermore, previous studies have used consumers' innovativeness as a moderator, highlighting higher engagement with novelty. This study revealed that lower consumer innovativeness enhances the effect of consumer awareness of environmental problems on the perceived value of upcycled fashion products.