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Introduction
Consumers' awareness of their environmental impact is growing, and green products are increasingly available in the marketplace. As a result, companies' ecological practices have become more important in marketing strategies. Previous green marketing literature stated that consumers who are environmentally conscious will purchase green products and are willing to pay more for them ([19] Kim and Damhorst, 1998). According to [13] Gardyn (2003), the results from a nationally representative poll of 1,000 adults revealed that 70 percent of consumers were more likely to buy products made by companies that have a relatively friendly strategy toward the environment. Consumers have generally been found to respond more favorably to environmental claims made by green brands ([28] Phau and Ong, 2007). A recent survey by [34] Stern and Ander (2008) also supported these two findings by revealing that participants actively (12 percent) or occasionally (47 percent) consider purchasing green products.
However, this environmentally prudent consumption has not yet extended to apparel purchasing behavior. Consumers' environmental knowledge and consciousness influence their purchase of other products, such as food (because of direct health concerns) and forest-consuming products, but do not influence their purchase of apparel products ([19] Kim and Damhorst, 1998; [6] Butler and Francis, 1997). According to [29] Meyer (2001), consumers feel reluctant to purchase green apparel products because they cost more but provide fewer choices, they have aesthetic and functional disadvantages, consumers lack information about them, and consumers are uncertain about the actual benefit to the environment.
Understanding environmentally friendly clothing (EFC) purchasing behavior requires more research than does understanding eco-friendly purchasing behavior associated with non-apparel items. "Apparel has long been recognized as the most change-intense category of consumer products" ([22] Kunz, 2005, p. 4), influenced by the combination of fashion trends and seasonal changes. In addition, apparel not only satisfies a basic human need, but has a social component ([18] Jenkins, 1973).
Fashion-oriented consumers have heightened exposure to clothing information, and they are more likely to enjoy shopping for clothing ([32] Sproles, 1979). Consumers who enjoy shopping have specific lifestyles, motivations, and opinions related to shopping ([24] Lee and Kim, 2008; [30] Shim and Kotsiopulos, 1993). They participate in more shopping-related activities, such as attending promotional events and recreational shopping ([25] Moye and Kincade, 2003). Their...