Strategic profile for positioning eco-apparel among mainstream apparel consumers

ABSTRACT This paper develops a strategic profile for positioning ecologically produced apparel (eco-apparel) to make eco-apparel the preferred choice among mainstream apparel customers. This qualitative study employed 24 in-depth interviews involving eco-apparel consumers and managers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. This research suggests that there is a mismatch between the value expected by apparel consumers and the value offered by eco-apparel. To attract mainstream apparel consumers, environment-friendliness claims need to be implicit while aesthetic claims should be explicit. Perceived psychological risk due to misleading information, combined with the effort required to purchase due to limited availability, has added to the problems of marketing eco-apparel. Eco-apparel companies could consider this study as a guide to develop value and actions for promoting their products to apparel consumers, through the application of the Four Actions Framework. While previous studies have suggested environment-friendliness as a key factor in marketing eco-apparel, this study suggests that environment-friendliness features should not be the emphasis of eco-apparel marketing. This research has determined the customer value proposition for eco-apparel using the Four Actions Framework, and this is a novel approach that has not been applied by previous research in eco-apparel marketing.