ABSTRACT
Ethical consumerism within the fashion context has been predicted to grow as a result of greater visibility of the ethical issues associated with the industry. However, it is suggested the growth of the ethical market for fashion clothing is over estimated. The weaknesses of self-reported surveys often used to prove the prevalence of ethical consumerism are discussed. The concept of ethical fashion consumerism is explored by considering human psychology, fashion theory and consumption culture. An alternative understanding of behavior for the fashion consumer is developed and the drivers for ethical fashion are questioned using the theory of egoistical, altruistic and biospheric valuation orientations. The concept of individual consumers having multiple personas, where the dominated persona is determined by the context and salience of the consumption decision that the individual is engaged with is explored. The influence of cognitive effort on whether behaviour is consciously controlled by the individual or whether habitual or automated control is more important during decision making is also discussed. The question of whether the ethical consumer for fashion exists stems from considering individual valuations, and that these valuations and the context of decision making and the resultant behavior are reflections of wider cultural norms in modern society.
