Effects of perceived luxury value and use of sustainable polyester on brand trust, perceived quality risk, and consumers’ brand evaluation

ABSTRACT The study examines consumers’ brand evaluation when a sustainable polyester based on new bottle recycling technology is used in the fashion sector. Additionally, the study assesses the luxury value priorly perceived from a brand and its effect on consumers’ brand evaluations based on this sustainable development type. According to 440 samples collected in Japan, structural equation modeling reveals that the use of sustainable polyester increases perceived quality risk toward a product. The data also show that perceived luxury brand value complementarily reduces this risk perception and increases brand trust, thereby contributing to consumers’ brand attitude and purchase intention. Additionally, these effects of perceived luxury value on brand trust and perceived risk are found even in the case of low-luxury brands. According to the data, by building/enhancing luxury brand attributes prior to launching sustainable projects, companies are likely to increase the desirable consumers’ brand evaluation based on brand-related sustainable development thereafter. The results imply that luxury firms can play a leading role in sustainable development because their brand attributes inhibit consumers’ risk perceptions of this new industrial product. Meanwhile, the data imply that companies cannot instantly increase brand trust through the launch of sustainable products, although environmental sustainability is socially desirable.