Author ORCID Identifier:
Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Human Environmental Science (MS)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
General Human Environmental Sciences
Advisor/Mentor
Cho, Eunjoo
Committee Member
Robinson, Samantha
Second Committee Member
Hixson, Sarah
Keywords
Brand Hate; Consumer Behavior; Fashion Brands; Green Skepticism; Greenwashing; Signaling Theory
Abstract
The fashion industry has long been criticized for its unsustainable practices. As the green economy grows and consumers become more conscious of sustainable choices, businesses are increasingly recognizing the crucial role of green marketing in strengthening their brand performance. To achieve this, businesses are implementing green marketing strategies to gain a competitive edge and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. However, not all green marketing claims are genuine or reflective of a business's actual environmental practices, as some misrepresent sustainability efforts and lead to accusations of greenwashing. Deceptive marketing practices regarding a firm’s sustainability efforts (i.e., greenwashing) can significantly undermine consumer trust and lead to negative consumer behavior, including green skepticism, brand hate, brand avoidance, brand switching, and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM). Despite the growing prevalence of green marketing, research on consumers’ perceptions of greenwashing remains limited. Thus, understanding how consumers respond to greenwashing is crucial for both marketers and marketing scholars. Building on signaling theory, this study investigates how greenwashing influences green skepticism and brand hate, which lead consumers to engage in negative behaviors such as brand avoidance, brand switching, and NWOM. Research suggests that green marketing has emerged as a significant tool for fashion brands seeking to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. Many brands use sustainability claims to enhance their image and attract ethical customers. However, some businesses overstate or falsify their environmental initiatives, leading to accusations of greenwashing. As a result, greenwashing has become a major concern in the fashion industry, as it has the potential to influence consumer perceptions. Prior studies have investigated the relationship between greenwashing and positive brand attributes, such as corporate reputation, brand trust, brand love, and brand loyalty. However, less attention has been given to consumers’ emotional and cognitive responses, such as green skepticism and brand hate, and how these responses translate into behavioral outcomes. Therefore, further research is needed to provide a better understanding of how consumers respond to greenwashing in the fashion industry. To address this research gap, this study used an online survey administered at a southern university in the United States and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine how greenwashing influences consumer behavior. Results show that perceived greenwashing significantly increases green skepticism and brand hate. These cognitive and emotional reactions, in turn, lead consumers to engage in negative behaviors such as brand avoidance, brand switching, and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM). Overall, the results indicate that deceptive sustainability claims trigger both skepticism and emotional backlash, leading to harmful behavioral responses toward fashion brands. This study extends signaling theory by showing that misleading sustainability claims trigger consumer skepticism and negative emotions, which drive harmful brand behaviors. Fashion brands should communicate sustainability efforts clearly and provide verifiable information to reduce skepticism and protect their reputation.
Citation
Hossen, M. (2026). The Effect of Greenwashing on Consumers' Fashion Brand Choice. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6116
