Sustainable Fashion Branding and Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review

Sustainable Fashion Branding and Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Sustainable Fashion Branding and Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review Afroza Akter, Mohammad Zahedul Alam This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244998/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The main goal of this study is to examine and combine existing research on how sustainable fashion branding (SFB) affects consumer shopping behavior in the clothing industry. Using the PRISMA model, this study applies systematic review of 52 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2020 and 2025. The articles were drawn from major academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, MDPI, Taylor & Francis, Emerald Insight, and Springer Link, ensuring that all relevant literature was included. The results show that sustainability is becoming an increasingly important factor influencing how people choose and perceive brands. Major challenges include low awareness in developing countries, growing concerns about greenwashing, and cultural or regional differences that shape purchasing decisions. Researchers and practitioners seeking to understand the evolving dynamics of SFB and its impact on consumer decision-making will find this review informative. Existing SFB frameworks often overlook socio-material factors such as secondhand shopping; future studies should use Practice Theory to explain how activities like thrifting and repair become social norms. Brands must address transparency, tailor marketing to cultural contexts, and align with supportive policies to build trust and global impact. Sustainability sustainable fashion branding consumer behavior apparel industry Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8244998","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":554592644,"identity":"d65e66d4-6a34-47da-922d-3be148a329dc","order_by":0,"name":"Afroza Akter","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT)","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Afroza","middleName":"","lastName":"Akter","suffix":""},{"id":554592646,"identity":"8d896f71-9046-4444-b134-6a2dd296f980","order_by":1,"name":"Mohammad Zahedul Alam","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Bangladesh University of Professionals","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mohammad","middleName":"Zahedul","lastName":"Alam","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-12-01 01:23:17","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244998/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244998/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":97892643,"identity":"bae04ece-9f59-44f7-879c-a5b7e593a174","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-10 15:16:31","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":438590,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptAnonymous.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8244998/v1_covered_f63858f4-31c6-4f94-b3a8-d2d587fb7786.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Sustainable Fashion Branding and Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Sustainability, sustainable fashion, branding, consumer behavior, apparel industry","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244998/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244998/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"The main goal of this study is to examine and combine existing research on how sustainable fashion branding (SFB) affects consumer shopping behavior in the clothing industry. 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