Greenwashing in the Fashion Industry: Does Attachment Help to Forgive?

In the fashion and apparel (F&A) industry, the combination of factors that harm the environmentenvironment and society is countless, and consumers’ awareness has increased rapidly over time. Despite the demand for transparency and sustainability, some companies are still misleading consumers’ perceptions through greenwashing practices. While consumers’ green orientation is soaring, companies caught in greenwashing face swift backlash, amplified by widespread social media use where real “shitstorms” can possibly hit companies. Existing literature has not yet provided a clear explanation on the role played by brand attachment in extinguishing (vs fueling) the awareness of greenwashing among environmentally conscious consumers discovering deceptive practices. Contributing to consumer behaviour literature, our research delves into the psychological mechanisms shaping greenwashing perceptions among environmentally conscious consumers in the F&A industry.