Exploring the role of green brand extensions and greenwashing in the fashion industry

Consumers' increasing awareness of sustainability is reshaping consumption patterns, prompting fashion companies to adopt environmentally friendly initiatives. Certain fashion companies opt for brand extensions, whereas others create entirely new brand lines. Some companies even turn to greenwashing, conveying unsubstantiated claims about the eco-friendliness of their products. This study explored the combined influence of brand strategy (brand extension versus new brand name) and the presence/absence of greenwashing claims on a fictitious fashion brand company's website on consumers' purchase intentions. The results of our 2 x 2 between-subjects experiment show a significant interaction effect, highlighting that greenwashing significantly and adversely influences purchase intentions when fashion companies choose to use a new brand name for their innovative sustainable fashion clothing line. This study contributes valuable insights into consumer responses to different brand strategies and greenwashing in the pursuit of sustainable fashion choices.