Perceived environmental friendliness of fashion brands through the lens of construal level: investigating the moderating role of consumers’ educational level
(A2025-125627)

AUTHORS

Vesna Zabkar, School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana; Ágnes Buvár, ELTE Eötvös Lóránd University; BARBARA CULIBERG, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business; Petar Gidaković, IESEG School of Management, Univ. Lille CNRS; Mateja Kos Koklic, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business; Mila Zečević, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business

ABSTRACT

This paper examines how brand positioning (fast vs. slow fashion) and message appeal (abstract vs. concrete) influence perceptions of environmental friendliness and purchase intentions, with consumer education as a moderating factor. Drawing on construal level theory (CLT), we explore the interaction between brand positioning and low/high construal level in sustainability communication. Through three experimental studies, we find that slow fashion brands benefit from abstract messages among highly educated consumers, while less educated consumers respond better to concrete appeals. Conversely, concrete message appeals seem to improve the perceived environmental friendliness of fast fashion brands, especially among less educated audiences.