• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.57-71
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• 2019

This study intended to analyze the ethical clothing consumption behavior of female adolescents and use it as a basic data for education. Specifically, the female adolescents were classified according to their shopping orientation and then the differences among these groups were examined in terms of their ethical consumption behavior of clothing products, i.e., buying, using and disposing. As a result, three groups were identified: pleasure-seeking, intermediate, independence pursuing according to the shopping orientation sub-factors (loyal, enjoyment, impulsive, imitative and independent). The pleasure-seeking group were more likely to conduct ethical use behavior of clothing products, while the independence-pursuing group conducted more ethical buying and ethical disposing behavior. The lower their desire to enjoy shopping itself, the more cautious they are about their own decisions, and the more confident they about buying from the brand and store they liked, the more likely they were to conduct ethical buying behavior of clothing products. On the other hand, when the emotional and desire-seeking tendencies are combined with independent shopping tendencies, the more likely they conduct ethical use behaviors. In addition, the more they make independent purchasing decisions, the more likely they are to conduct ethical disposal behaivors. The results of this study suggest that providing detailed consumer education that considers individual differences in shopping orientation is needed.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.570-583
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• 2020

The fashion industry is accountable for labor and environment-related issues. With such issues raised, consumers' social responsibility for environmental and labor issues has become an important factor that shapes the perception of companies. This study investigates the relationship between consumer values, concerns regarding social issues, and willingness to pay a premium for ethical fashion products. This study included two exogenous variables of altruistic value and egocentric value. In the conceptual model, consumers' social responsibility was conceptualized as two constructs of environmental consciousness and labor-issue consciousness. It was then analyzed as mediating variables. Willingness to pay a premium for ethical fashion products was the endogenous variable. Data was collected and analyzed with PLS-SEM from 600 consumers. The assessment of discriminant validity and construct validity using CFA were conducted before analyzing the model. Structural equation modeling results revealed that altruistic value directly influenced environmental consciousness and labor-issue consciousness. However, egocentric value was directly and significantly influenced only by labor-issue consciousness. Both environmental and labor issue consciousness directly influenced customers' willingness to pay a premium, but did not significantly change their willingness to pay a premium. Two-stage serial mediation analysis results indicated that the constructs did not have a significant mediation effect on the exogenous variables (altruistic value and egocentric value) and the endogenous variable (willingness to pay a premium) for ethical fashion products. This study found the influence of consumer's personal values on their willingness to pay a higher price for ethical fashion products.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.443-458
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• 2022

Generation MZ, a generic term for millennials and members of Generation Z, is an innovation-leading consumer group in the current market. This study aimed to examine the impact of the ethical consumption tendencies of millennials and Generation Z on the purchase intention of social enterprise fashion products. Data were collected from Generation MZ (15-40 years old) by quota sampling based on the demographic variables of gender, age, and region, respectively. Eight hundred responses were analyzed by descriptive statistics, factor analysis, t-test, and regressions using SPSS software. Three value factors (egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric) and three ethical consumption tendency factors (resource saving tendency, eco-friendly tendency, and consciousness of corporate responsibility) were determined by factor analyses. The results confirmed that women, who showed a higher ethical consumption tendency in all three factors, were more altruistic and biospheric than men. Furthermore, women portrayed a more favorable attitude and purchase intention towards fashion products of social enterprises. The results demonstrated that members of Generation Z were more altruistic and biospheric than millennials. Additionally, the attitude, purchase intention, and willingness to pay premium prices were higher in Generation Z members. It was confirmed that higher biospheric values correlated with greater values for the three ethical consumption tendency factors. The altruistic value affected both the resource saving tendency and eco-friendly trend, while the egoistic value had an effect on the resource saving tendency. Both attitude and purchase intention were positively influenced by all three of the ethical consumption tendency factors, and affected the willingness to pay premium prices. This was subsequently influenced by the resource saving tendency and consciousness of corporate responsibility. The results of this study contribute to understanding Generation MZ as a consumer group, and the establishment of marketing strategies for fashion companies.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.505-526
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• 2012

The purpose of this research is to investigate changes in ethical consumption practices after taking an undergraduate course 'Consumption and Ethics'. Through Qualitative & Quantitative research methods, students' pre-course and post-course attitudes were compared to understand changes in behavior. Before taking the course 'Consumption and Ethics', undergraduate participants displayed little regard for ethical consumption, instead displaying primary sensitivity to price and values based on self-centered and conspicuous consumption. After taking the course 'Consumption and Ethics', participants displayed a more altruistic awareness of consumption on society and the environment. In addition, participants displayed a stronger sense of pride as ethical consumer. These emerging values were contrasted with conflicting feelings resulting from the higher prices often associated with ethical products, feelings of regret resulting from ethically-based impulse purchases, and an inability to categorically evaluate the reliability of available information on the ethical products. However, participants demonstrated a willingness to practice ethical consumption and recommend ethical consumption to their friends and neighbors. Overall, participants in the study demonstrated a strong shift to be an ethical consumer as a result of taking the course 'Consumption and Ethics'.

• Agribusiness and Information Management
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2013

Price skimming practices, false claim on products, false information/communication, marketing overseas, and deception on products in marketing have received significant attention by the researchers of ethics in marketing studies. This research considers these phenomena as marketing instruments that grossly violate the practice of ethics in this domain. The two most crucial parts in marketing that have received greater attention are product safety and advertising. The paper also examines Ethical Marketing as the ability to make marketing decisions that are morally right and acceptable to all. In order words, ethics in marketing explains how moral standards can be applied in marketing decisions. It seeks to answer the research question by looking at some fundamental business ethics theories, namely, Virtue ethics, Utilitarian, and Deontological approaches to business ethics. Nevertheless, ethics in business is very controversial as many hold different view about what makes up the standard morals that corporations should take and so it is necessary for any organization to formulate its ethical codes to follow.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.656-669
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• 2017

Fair trade implies honest wages and eco-friendly products in keeping with the demands of ethical consumerism. Although consumers are presently more interested in fair trade products, it is hard to find aggressive marketing strategies for fair trade fashion products. Therefore, the purpose of this study investigates the effect of consumption propensity on fast and slow fashion goods consumption attitudes and purchase intention on fair trade fashion products. For method of this study, 229 questionnaires were distributed to consumers residing in Seoul, South Korea. The data from the 219 returned usable questionnaires was analyzed by Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis, regression analysis using SPSS 22.0. The results of this study were as follows: First, consumption propensities of spontaneity, histrionics, and imitative nature in descending order positively affect consumption attitude for fast fashion products. And green consumerism negatively affects consumption attitude for fast fashion products. Second, consumption propensity such as donation & sharing consumerism, ethical consumerism, green consumerism, histrionics, and imitative nature in descending order positively affect consumption attitude for slow fashion products. Third, slow and fast fashion products consumption attitude in descending order positively affect purchase intention on fair trade fashion products. Fourth, consumption propensities such as ethical consumerism, green consumerism, and donation & sharing consumerism in descending order positively affect purchase intention on fair trade fashion products. Therefore fair trade fashion products with various usages and sustainable high quality are promoted by differentiated marketing strategies.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.114-117
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• 2016

It is recognized that the global apparel market of the twenty-first century is largely profit driven, and that the majority of producers and retailers have sourced products from the lowest cost locations. Purchase tickets of fashion goods available from 'fast' fashion retailers (at least within the UK) refrain from providing the consumer with details of the full circumstances of production. It seems that the majority of major retailers and producers are not willing to engage in levels of self-regulation which could ensure that the products offered to consumers are ethically produced and offer acceptable levels of sustainability. Meanwhile many fashion consumers have the desire to purchase sustainable products, produced ethically by workers paid fair wages in safe working environments. Consumer demand could be a powerful tool to adjust the behaviour of manufacturers and buyers. This paper proposes the introduction of international legislation demanding greater degrees of transparency than exist currently and that the full sourcing and production details of fashion products are stated clearly on the product's purchase ticket within its retail setting. With the introduction of such legislation, consumers could thus be given the opportunity of purchasing goods which they feel accommodate their own views on ethical manufacture and sustainable products. In turn, consumer pressure could ensure indirectly that retail buyers consider all ethical and sustainable aspects of production when negotiating with garment producers/suppliers. Further to this, such a negotiating stance could ensure the improvement of the terms and conditions of employment of the numerous garment workers worldwide.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.527-541
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• 2020

Consumers' favorable attitude toward ethical brands, and the rise of ethical consumers, is a recent global trend. Nevertheless, prior studies have emerged that favoring ethical products does not necessarily lead to consumers' purchase. Focusing on this, authors attempted to explore what perceptions of the brand lead to purchase behavior. Three experiments were conducted for this purpose. Results are as follows. First, even in ethical products, consumers choose the product when it is perceived as more ethical. This tendency has been shown for both eco-friendly type and donation type products. Second, when there was no noticeable difference in ethicality, ethical consumers consider brand reputation as an important factor in choice. Third, results remains regardless of consumer individual characteristics (consumer altruism, conspicuousness). Note that, unexpectedly, the underdog effect was not observed among altruistic consumers. Several implications, limitations of research, and suggestions for future research were discussed.

• 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.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2024

Purpose: Through an ethical supply chain, brands not only catch the eye but win over a fan base of consumers who prize credibility and consistency in what they purchase. Currently, the ethical supply chain is no longer just a manufacturing process; it has become a compelling story. It draws people's attention and wins their loyalty. This research study will examine the benefits of an ethical supply chain in attracting consumer attention and building brand loyalty. Research design, data and methodology: For this research study, A detailed method was used to search and analyze relevant articles. Initial searches used set terms in certain databases. Screening criteria were the thorough scrutiny of titles and abstracts to decide their relevance to the study at hand. Thus, to enhance the quality of data, duplicate entries were deleted. Results: Based on the analysis of the prior literature, the results highlight the power of ethical saliency, showing that consumers themselves are looking for and rewarding products that meet their ethical standards. This attention to ethically transparent brands, in turn, encourages more interest and interaction with them. Conclusions: Therefore, practitioners must transmit the firm's ethical standards through all channels of communication-investor relations materials and financial reports alike.