Protecting Health or the Planet? Effects of Value Framing and Environmental Concern on Sustainable Clothing Intentions

The fashion and textile industry are among the biggest contributors to environmental damage, with severe consequences for planetary, population, and individual health as a result. Choosing eco-friendly clothing over regular clothing is one way to reduce the negative impact of clothing consumption. In this study, we therefore tested the effectiveness of value frames emphasizing the benefits for one’s individual health (i.e., self-enhancement) vs. value frames emphasizing the benefits for population and planetary health (i.e., self transcendence), and whether there are any differences in effects of these frames when these are congruent with people’s environmental concerns (altruistic vs. egoistic environmental concerns). An experiment (N = 344) showed that neither value framing, nor its congruence with environmental concerns lead to a difference in purchase intention. We did, however, find positive spillover effects, such that higher specific (brand) eco-clothing purchase intentions are associated with general eco-clothing purchase intentions—irrespective of the value frame used. Therefore, when eco-friendly clothing is produced and advertised, communication should aim at encouraging initial sustainable consumption behaviours as they may spillover to general sustainable consumption patterns, and this may ultimately positively impact both planetary and population health.