Investigating a dual moderation model toward green fashion retailing

Purpose This study aims to investigate how the environmental knowledge level (EKL) affects consumers' purchase intention (PI) toward green clothing. We examine the mediating roles of perceived value (PV), perceived greenwashing (PG), and expected moral benefit (EMB), and analyse the moderating effects of perceived environmental premiums (PEP) and green clothing types (GCT). Design/methodology/approach An online survey utilized a 2 (clothing type: home-in wear vs. home-out wear) × 3 (premium: 0% vs. 20% vs. 40%) between-subjects design. 405 valid samples were collected in China through random sampling method, and the data were analysed following the empirical analysis standards. Findings EKL positively affects PI, while PV, EMB, and PG partially mediate this relationship. PEP moderates the impact of EKL on PV and PG, but not on EMB. Additionally, GCT moderates the effects of PV and PG on PI, but does not influence the relationship between EMB and PI. Originality/value This study not only examines how EKL affects PI for green clothing and, for the first time, analyses the roles of PEP and GCT as moderating variables in this process, but also offers a novel research perspective for understanding consumers' purchase intention for green clothing. Graphical abstract Source: Authors own work A conceptual diagram of a dual moderation model for green fashion retailing with variables, arrows, and study design notes. The conceptual diagram is placed inside a large dashed rounded rectangle, representing the overall model. At the top right, outside the dashed boundary, is the title text “Dual moderation model towards green fashion retailing” written. Inside the dashed boundary, on the left side, is a rectangular box labeled “Perceived environmental premium 0 percent versus 20 percent versus 40 percent”. Below it is another rectangle labeled “Environmental knowledge level”. From these two boxes, multiple thick green arrows and thinner blue arrows extend toward three central boxes. Some arrows have small red cross symbols placed on them, indicating restricted or moderated paths. In the center area are three stacked rectangular boxes. The top center box is labeled “Perceived value”. Below it is “Expected moral benefits”. At the bottom center is “Perceived green washing”. Each of these boxes has incoming arrows from the left and outgoing arrows toward the right. On the right side inside the dashed boundary is a rectangle labeled “Green clothing type home-in versus home- out wear”. Below it, slightly to the right, is a rectangle labeled “Purchase intention”. Green arrows point from the central boxes toward “Purchase intention”, and some arrows are marked with red cross symbols. Near the bottom of the dashed boundary is text labeled “Conceptual model”. To the right of the conceptual model area is a vertical flow of dashed boxes and arrows labeled as the empirical process. The first dashed box contains the text “Empirical investigation”, with an arrow pointing right toward an image of a questionnaire screen. Beneath that image is the text “By questionnaire”. A downward arrow leads to another dashed box labeled “Sample 406 simple random sampling In China”. At the bottom right is a dashed rounded rectangle labeled “Between subject design”. Inside it is the text “2 (clothing type: home-in wear versus home-out wear) times (3 premium: 0 percent versus 20 percent versus 40 percent)”. At the bottom left of the image is a dashed box labeled “Analyze in S P S S and A M O S”. Above it is the word “Rethink”, with an upward arrow pointing back toward the conceptual model.