Bringing veganism to the wardrobe: examining consumers’ intention to buy vegan leather

Given the rising interest in ethical fashion consumption among consumers this study posits the reasons behind getting involved in such consumption behavior. Using self-concept theory, this study investigates the influence of internalized moral identity, symbolized moral identity, green self-concept, product self-concept, perceived self-enhancement and green self-identity to explain consumers’ intention to buy vegan leather. In addition, the moderating role of perceived social stigma was also analyzed. Standardized scales were used to collect the data from 348 participants from India. Data were analyzed using the AMOS-based structural equation modeling technique. The results indicate that internalized moral identity, green self-concept, and product self-concept shape the green self-identity of an individual consumer. Further, only moral identity (both internalized and symbolized) influences perceived self-enhancement. This study contributes to the literature on ethical fashion buying behavior from an individual’s values point of view that may be applied by practitioners to comprehend the global vegan market.