Sustainable Fashion Messaging: Positive or Negative—Which Works Best?

What unsustainable behaviour needs to change:

The fast fashion trend has created a cycle of overproduction and overconsumption. Manufacturers benefit from lowered costs via mass production, while consumers enjoy cheap, ever-changing wardrobes. However, this convenience comes at a significant environmental cost: increased greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste generation.

Ronda (2024) highlights two key psychological barriers to sustainable fashion adoption:

• Lack of awareness: Many consumers are unaware of the environmental harm caused by fast fashion and therefore don’t feel a need to change.
• Scepticism: Doubts about the efficacy and ethics of sustainability claims often dampen consumers’ motivation to purchase sustainable clothing.

The Green Nudge:

Research led by Professor Silvia Grappi from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia explored how message framing affects younger adults’ willingness to use a second-hand clothing app. The study simulated Instagram stories with the following approaches:

1. Positive-framed message: Featured a green, bright background emphasizing benefits like “help protect the environment” in the call-to-action.
2. Negative-framed message: Featured a dark background highlighting consequences like “help stop the collapse of the environment.”
3. Neutral message: Served as a control with no emotional framing.

The result: The study revealed that positive messaging was significantly more effective in promoting sustainable practices, regardless of consumers‘ scepticism about the efficacy and ethics of sustainability claims. Researchers suggest that the key driver is the heightened emotional response evoked by positive framing, which resonates with the desire for enjoyable experiences often associated with fashion purchases.

Do you know of any other nudges that encourage sustainable fashion? Feel free to comment or get in touch: hello@green-nudges.com