• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1956-1964
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• 2009

Understanding ethical fashion consumers in Korea is essential for the expansion of the ethical fashion market. This study analyzed ethical consumers in Korea in an examination of the factors that influence ethical purchase behavior and attitudes. The differences between ethical fashion consumers and non-ethical fashion consumers were investigated using eight variables (perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE), self-direction, benevolence, universalism, social responsibility, perceived behavioral control, face saving, and group conformity). Data were collected by means of a questionnaire through both on-line and off-line surveys from April 20 to June 7, 2009. Only the respondents knowledgeable of ethical products or ethical consumption were asked to complete the questionnaire. A total of 494 samples were used for analyses. Using independent samples t-test, the differences in each variable between two groups were examined. There were significant differences between ethical fashion consumers and non-ethical fashion consumers in attitudes toward ethical consumption behavior, behavioral intention, PCE, self-direction, universalism, social responsibility, and face saving variables. The factors influencing attitude and behavior intention were investigated by step-wise regression analyses. For ethical fashion consumers, the attitudes to ethical consumption behavior were largely influenced by PCE and benevolence. Social responsibility was the most predictable variable in guiding behavioral intention. Behavioral intention was also influenced by benevolence and attitude. Group conformity was found to be negatively correlated with behavioral intention. The findings of this study provide significant guidance for marketers of ethical fashion products. This study is the start of ethical fashion consumer research in Korea and can develop into variable subfields in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.1 s.160
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• pp.141-150
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine variables affecting fashion consumer ethics. 202 consumers living in Seoul and its suburb participated in this study. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, factor analysis and multiple regression for this study. As the results, consumer ethics was classified into three factors such as 'Purposely illegal behavior', 'Tacitly illegal behavior' and 'Socialized illegal behavior' factors. Second, regarding ethics judgement, machiavellianism only had affected consumer ethics. Results showed that 'Tacitly illegal behavior' and 'Socialized illegal behavior' of consumer ethics affected consumer ethics on Fashion Products. Finally, results of multiple regression revealed that psychological factors such as compensatory purchasing, materialism and propensity of religion accounted for 19% of the explained variance in fashion consumer ethics. Based on these results, a fashion educational program about consumer ethics related to fashion industry would be suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1071-1084
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• 2017

This study investigates ethical fashion consumption factors and corporate social responsibility (CSR) factors to segment consumer groups by ethical fashion consumption (EFC) and identify differences of EFC groups in the perception of CSR and demographics. I surveyed 390 people over age 20 in February and March, 2017. Data were analyzed with factorial analysis, cluster analysis, ANOVA, LSD, Chi-square, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$, using SPSS 20.0. The survey showed. 1) Five EFC factors (boycott/active purchase, donation/environmental protection, saving, legal consumption, and recycle) were extracted. 2) Four CSR factors (responsibility for stakeholder, ethical/environmental responsibility, social/charitable responsibility, and economic responsibility) were extracted. 3) EFC consumers were classified into four segments (low ethic, recycle, legal, and high ethic). 4) The perception of CSR factors was different among EFC groups. 5) The distribution of age level, education level, occupation, monthly purchase cost of clothing, and religion were different among EFC groups.

• Fashion Information and Technology
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• v.6
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• pp.54-62
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• 2009

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1438-1447
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• 2004

The purpose of this study were to examine if the buyers of counterfeits tend to care less about ethical beliefs than non-buyers among Korean, Japanese, and Hong Kong consumers, and if they have more supportive attitudes toward counterfeit products. 573 female college students living in Seoul, Tokyo, and Hong Kong were surveyed. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and t-test were used. As the results, 65.8% of respondents had experiences of purchasing fashion counterfeits. Handbags among fashion counterfeits were the most frequently purchased by the respondents. The buyers of counterfeits tended to purchase counterfeit goods as more alternative of genuine products than non-buyers, and did not feel guiltier toward purchasing of counterfeits than non-buyers. Also, the buyers of counterfeits tended to have more positive attitudes toward the legality of manufacturing, selling, and buying of counterfeits than non-buyers. In addition, they tended to consider much more purchasing of counterfeits as a way to fight against big-firms than non-buyers. Finally, the buyers of counterfeits tended to have lower consumer ethics than non-buyers. Based on these results, global marketing strategies for fashion goods were suggested.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.307-327
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• 2021

This study analyzed the effects of fashion consumers' moral identity and empathy propensity on ethical consumption attitude and donation behavior, and the effect of ethical consumption attitude on donation behavior. The survey was conducted on consumers over the 20s who experienced the donation of fashion products, 384 responses were used for data analysis. The result showed that the internality and symbolism of moral identity had a positive effect on ethical consumption attitudes. The all factors of empathy propensity positively affected eco-friendly oriented consumption, and cognitive empathy and social empathy positively affected boycott oriented consumption. The cognitive empathy, social empathy and relational empathy positively affected community oriented consumption and practice oriented consumption. Furthermore, social empathy and relational empathy positively affected recycling oriented consumption. The eco-friendly, boycott, community, and recycling oriented consumption positively affected temporal donation. The all factors of ethical consumption attitude positively affected emotional donation, and eco-friendly, community, recycling, and practice oriented consumption positively affected material donations. The internality and symbolism of moral identity positively affected temporal and emotional donation, and the symbolism except internality positively affected material donation. The cognitive empathy, social empathy and relational empathy positively affected the temporal donation and material donation. In addition, the all factors of empathy propensity positively affected emotional donation. The results of this study will contribute to the ethical product strategy, marketing, and sustainable development of the fashion industry.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.421-433
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of consumer's ethical consumption consciousness and lifestyle on sustainable fashion. The data was analyzed by reliability analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, one-way ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, and multiple regression. The major results of this study were as follows. First, three factors of sustainable fashion were identified: eco-friendliness, recycling, and safety. Second, three factors of ethical consumption consciousness were identified: social ethics, environmental ethics, and public ethics. Based on these factors, the subjects were categorized into three clusters (high, middle, and low ethical consumption consciousness group). Third, four factors of life style were identified: pursuit of brand, appearance, cautiousness, and information. Based on these four factors, the subjects were categorized into three clusters (brand/appearance, cautiousness/information, and unconcerned group). Fourth, three factors of ethical consumption consciousness significantly influenced eco-friendliness factor of sustainable fashion. Also, the recycling factor of sustainable fashion was influenced by social ethics, environmental ethics, pursuit of brand, and pursuit of information. The safety factor of sustainable fashion was influenced by environmental ethics, public ethics, and pursuit of information. The results of this study suggest that practical and various environmental education need to be provided to consumers, because high environmental ethical consciousness consumers evaluated sustainable fashion positively. Additionally, accurate information on eco-friendliness, recycling, and safety of clothing products would need to be provided by fashion businesses through various routes, because those with information-pursuing lifestyle were found to have deep interests in sustainable fashion.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.103-128
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• 2015

This study investigated dynamic causal relationship between CSR implementation and consumption of environmentally friendly fashion products through systems thinking. Based on literature review and empirical research, we drew causal loop diagram for CSR implementation in environmentally friendly fashion product industry. By analyzing feedback loops, we found that companies and consumers interact in the process of CSR activities. In the process of CSR implementation, companies and consumers are closely related and affect each other as stimuli and prior condition. This study suggests that companies adopt push strategy to actively create demand by developing and promoting environmentally friendly fashion products and that companies communicate with consumers in order to be recognized and rewarded by consumers for their CSR activities. In addition, this study suggests that consumers not only support companies of CSR activities but also actively boycott anti-environmental companies by collective action.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.159-173
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• 2013

This research investigates the mechanism of ethical fashion consumption by examining the effects of benefit and risk perception on ethical fashion consumption attitudes and behavioral intention. To test the hypotheses, 300 female consumers between the ages of 20 and 49 were invited as study participants. The reliability and the validity of multi-item constructs were tested by Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The hypotheses were tested by utilizing Structural Equation Analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The benefit perception of ethical consumption was composed of three benefit types, which were altruistic benefit, social image benefit, and self-oriented benefit. Benefit perception, except social image benefit, had significant effects on consumer attitudes towards ethical fashion consumption; similarly, benefit perception had significant effects on behavioral intention (except self-oriented benefit) which had an effect on behavioral intention only when it was mediated by attitudes. Further analysis was conducted to understand the reason for the weak relationship between attitudes and behavioral intention. Financial and performance risk perceptions were tested for the moderating roles of attitudes and behavioral intention; subsequently, only financial risk interacted with attitudes and showed that the positive effects of attitudes on behavioral intention were weakened by a high financial risk perception. Performance risk had a main effect on behavioral intention independent of attitudes. Managerial implication and future study directions are also discussed.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.61-72
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of climate change cognition on clothing behavior of fashion consumers to understand the impact of climate change on the fashion system. An online survey was conducted of 385 people in their 20s-50s working in the fashion industry as well as general consumers. Data collected from surveys were analyzed by factor analysis and t-test. Results are as follow: First, climate change cognition consists of four sub-dimensions, which are 'knowledge of climate change' and 'recognition of climate change in Korea'. Second, clothing behavior related with climate change consists of six sub-dimensions, which are 'environmentally-friendly fashion purchases', 'new clothes-wearing style affected by climate change', 'ethical fashion consumption', 'pursuit of functional fashion', 'pursuit of seasonless fashion', and 'clothes-wearing in response to climate change.' Last, the group with higher cognition of climate change than the group with lesser cognition had significantly higher degree of trying new styles created because of climate change, making ethical fashion purchases, pursuing functional fashion, and wearing clothes in response to climate change.