The disposal of post-consumer textiles in landfills has generated a considerable environmental impact during its extended supply chain, causing a rising alarm over ecological sustainability and human health. Numerous sustainable options for minimizing solid textile waste in landfills are presented to consumers. However, they are unlikely to be adopted, and a substantial amount of post-consumer textile waste still needs to be created globally. This alarming situation challenges environmentalists and policymakers to embrace a more sustainable method of communicating with consumers to increase their desire to decrease post-consumer textile waste.
As one of the communication methods, the effect of mocked ads content using gain/loss message framing and objective/subjective types of information was investigated on the intention to reduce Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) of post-consumer textiles. This research also tested the gender influence on the mentioned consumers’ intention. The study aims to connect insights from framing theory with message processing theory to see whether public communication can effectively affect pro-environmental behavioral desire. Additionally, studies from Prospect Theory, psychology of choice, loss aversion, and textile industry-related literature streams were thoroughly examined and served as a backdrop for formulating the hypotheses guiding the analysis.
The relationship between message framing, information types, gender, and intention to reduce MSW of post-consumer textiles was assessed through a quantitative study. Four between-group designs with four different ad contents were created by combining two message frames (gain, loss) and two information types (subjective, objective). Follow-up questionnaires then examined cause-and-effect linkages regarding the suggested associations. Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) was used on data obtained from 147 consumers who are located in Taiwan, including 32 respondents in the pilot study, through an online survey.
Overall, reframing under gain/loss conditions combined with subjective/objective information type does not significantly influence the intention to reduce Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) of post-consumer textiles. However, gender differences (females vs. males) in such intentions were found. Females are confirmed to have a higher intention of reducing MSW from post-consumer textiles than males. The findings suggest that promoting available activities and policies to help minimize post-consumer textile waste in the short- and long-term reduction may primarily target females. The results also contribute to behavioral economics and psychology research by identifying contexts under which the gain/loss framing bias and the objective/ subjective information type may not apply for changing intention to reduce MSW from post-consumer textiles.

Ahn, S. J., Fox, J., Dale, K. R., & Avant, J. A. (2015). Framing virtual experiences: Effects on environmental efficacy and behavior over time. Communication Research, 42(6), 839-863.
Altun, Ş. (2012). Prediction of textile waste profile and recycling opportunities in Turkey. Fibres and Textiles in Eastern Europe, 94(5), 16-20.
Armstrong, C. M., Niinimäki, K., Kujala, S., Karell, E., & Lang, C. (2015). Sustainable product-service systems for clothing: exploring consumer perceptions of consumption alternatives in Finland. Journal of Cleaner production, 97, 30-39.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. Macmillan.
Bhardwaj, V., & Fairhurst, A. (2010). Fast fashion: response to changes in the fashion industry. The international review of retail, distribution and consumer research, 20(1), 165-173.
Bianchi, C., Birtwistle, G., 2010. Sell, give away, or donate: an exploratory study of fashion clothing disposal behavior in two countries. Int. Rev. Retail Distrib. Consum. Res. 20, 353e368.
Birtwistle, G., & Moore, C. M. (2007). Fashion clothing–where does it all end up? International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management.
Bordo, S. R. (2020). The body and the reproduction of femininity: A feminist appropriation of Foucault. In The New Social Theory Reader (pp. 207-218). Routledge.
Büyükaslan, E., Jevsnik, S., & Kaloğlu, F. (2015). A sustainable approach to collect post-consumer textile waste in developing countries. Marmara Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 1, 107-111.
Cassidy, T. D., & Han, S. L. C. (2017). Upcycling fashion for mass production. In Sustainability in fashion and textiles (pp. 148-163). Routledge.
Caulfield, K. 2009. “Sources of textile waste in Australia”. Technical Textiles & Nonwoven Association.
Chaiken, S. (1989). Heuristic and systematic information processing within and beyond the persuasion context. Unintended thought, 212-252.
Charness, G., & Gneezy, U. (2012). Strong evidence for gender differences in risk-taking. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 83(1), 50-58.
Chen, H. S., & Jai, T. M. (2018). Waste less, enjoy more: Forming a messaging campaign and reducing food waste in restaurants. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 19(4), 495-520.
Cheng, T., Woon, D. K., & Lynes, J. K. (2011). The use of message framing in the promotion of environmentally sustainable behaviors. Social Marketing Quarterly, 17(2), 48-62.
Chi, O. H., Denton, G., & Gursoy, D. (2021). Interactive effects of message framing and information content on carbon offsetting behaviors. Tourism Management, 83, 104244.
Choi, T. M., Hui, C. L., Liu, N., Ng, S. F., & Yu, Y. (2014). Fast fashion sales forecasting with limited data and time. Decision Support Systems, 59, 84-92.
Christmann, R., & Pasztuhov, E. (2021). Making Fashion Consumption Circular: Consumers' Attitudes and Intentions Towards Clothing Rental Subscription.
Chung, J. (2009). Modeling Consumers' WOM (Word-Of-Mouth) Behavior with Subjective Evaluation and Objective Information on High-tech Products. Asia Marketing Journal, 11(1), 72-92.
Clothes, V. O. (2012). The True Cost of How We Design, Use, and Dispose of Clothing in the UK.
Cooper, T. (2005). Slower consumption reflections on product life spans and the “throwaway society”. Journal of industrial Ecology, 9(1-2), 51-67.
Costa, C., Azoia, N., Silva, C., & Marques, E. (2020). Textile Industry in a Changing World: Challenges of Sustainable Development. U. Porto Journal of Engineering, 6(2), 86-97.
Cuc, S., & Vidovic, M. (2014). Environmental sustainability through clothing recycling. Operations and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 4(2), 108-115.
Dardis, F. E., & Shen, F. (2008). The influence of evidence type and product involvement on message framing effects in advertising. Journal of Consumer Behaviour: An International Research Review, 7(3), 222-238.
Daud, K. A. M., Lajin, Z. M., Ashaari, Z., & Khidzir, N. Z. (2015). The Concept of Sustainable Development towards Multifunctional Products. Elixir International Journal, Elixir Social Science, 85(2015), 34361-34364.
De Brito, M. P., Carbone, V., & Blanquart, C. M. (2008). Towards a sustainable fashion retail supply chain in Europe: Organisation and performance. International journal of production economics, 114(2), 534-553.
DeVoy, J. E., Congiusta, E., Lundberg, D. J., Findeisen, S., & Bhattacharya, S. (2021). Post-Consumer textile waste and disposal: Differences by socioeconomic, demographic, and retail factors. Waste Management, 136, 303-309.
Directive, S. F. (2008). Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. Journal). Council Decision of.
Doctor, S. J., & Khatwani, P. A. (2022). Solid Textile Wastes: Different Types and their Causes of Generation. Journal of the Textile Association, 83(1), 422-426.
Echeverria, C. A., Handoko, W., Pahlevani, F., & Sahajwalla, V. (2019). Cascading use of textile waste for the advancement of fibre-reinforced composites for building applications. Journal of Cleaner Production, 208, 1524-1536.
Edell, J. A., & Staelin, R. (1983). The information processing of pictures in print advertisements. Journal of consumer research, 10(1), 45-61.
Fact.MR. 2022, February. Textile market analysis by raw material (Cotton textiles, silk textiles, chemical textiles, wool textiles), by product (Polyester textiles, nylon textiles, natural fiber textiles), by application, by region - Global forecast 2022-2032. Retrieved from <https://www.factmr.com/report/textile-market>.
Fletcher, K. (2013). Sustainable fashion and textiles: design journeys. Routledge.
Gam, H. J., Cao, H., Farr, C., & Heine, L. (2009). C2CAD: A sustainable apparel design and production model. International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology.
Gardetti, M. A., & Torres, A. L. (Eds.). (2017). Sustainability in fashion and textiles: values, design, production and consumption. Routledge.
Giusti, L. (2009). A review of waste management practices and their impact on human health. Waste management, 29(8), 2227-2239.
Giusti, Lorenzo. "A review of waste management practices and their impact on human health." Waste management 29, no. 8 (2009): 2227-2239.
Godinho, C. A., Alvarez, M. J., & Lima, M. L. (2016). Emphasizing the losses or the gains: Comparing situational and individual moderators of framed messages to promote fruit and vegetable intake. Appetite, 96, 416-425.
Grönwall, J., & Danert, K. (2020). Regarding groundwater and drinking water access through a human rights lens: Self-supply as a norm. Water, 12(2), 419.
Gursoy, D., Ekinci, Y., Can, A. S., & Murray, J. C. (2022). Effectiveness of message framing in changing COVID-19 vaccination intentions: Moderating role of travel desire. Tourism Management, 90, 104468.
Hall, C. R., & Martin, K. A. (1997). Measuring movement imagery abilities: a revision of the movement imagery questionnaire. Journal of mental imagery.
Han, H., & Ryu, K. (2007). Moderating role of personal characteristics in forming restaurant customers' behavioral intentions: An upscale restaurant setting. Journal of Hospitality & Leisure Marketing, 15(4), 25-54.
Han, H., Hsu, L. T. J., Lee, J. S., & Sheu, C. (2011). Are lodging customers ready to go green? An examination of attitudes, demographics, and eco-friendly intentions. International journal of hospitality management, 30(2), 345-355.
Harris, F., Roby, H., & Dibb, S. (2016). Sustainable clothing: challenges, barriers and interventions for encouraging more sustainable consumer behaviour. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 40(3), 309-318.
Hart, W. (2013). RETRACTED: Unlocking Past Emotion: Verb Use Affects Mood and Happiness. Psychological science, 24(1), 19-26.
Haws, K. L., Winterich, K. P., & Naylor, R. W. (2014). Seeing the world through GREEN-tinted glasses: Green consumption values and responses to environmentally friendly products. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 24(3), 336-354.
Hertwig, R., Barron, G., Weber, E. U., & Erev, I. (2004). Decisions from experience and the effect of rare events in risky choice. Psychological science, 15(8), 534-539.
Ho, H. P. Y., & Choi, T. M. (2012). A Five-R analysis for sustainable fashion supply chain management in Hong Kong: a case analysis. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 16(2), 161-175.
Holbrook, M. B. (1978). Beyond attitude structure: Toward the informational determinants of attitude. Journal of marketing research, 15(4), 545-556.
Homar, A. R., & Cvelbar, L. K. (2021). The effects of framing on environmental decisions: A systematic literature review. Ecological Economics, 183, 106950.
Horton, K. (2018). Just use what you have: Ethical fashion discourse and the feminisation of responsibility. Australian feminist studies, 33(98), 515-529.
Hoyer, K., Zeelenberg, M., & Breugelmans, S. M. (2021). Further tests of the scarcity and luxury hypotheses in dispositional greed: Evidence from two large-scale Dutch and American samples. Current Psychology, 1-10.
Hunter, L. M., Hatch, A., & Johnson, A. (2004). Cross-national gender variation in environmental behaviors. Social science quarterly, 85(3), 677-694
Hunter, L. M., Hatch, A., & Johnson, A. (2004). Cross-national gender variation in environmental behaviors. Social science quarterly, 85(3), 677-694.
Iran, S., & Schrader, U. (2017). Collaborative fashion consumption and its environmental effects. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 21(4), 468-482.
Jensen, J. D., Ratcliff, C. L., Yale, R. N., Krakow, M., Scherr, C. L., & Yeo, S. K. (2018). Persuasive impact of loss and gain frames on intentions to exercise: A test of six moderators. Communication Monographs, 85(2), 245-262.
Jia, F., Yin, S., Chen, L., & Chen, X. (2020). The circular economy in the textile and apparel industry: A systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 259, 120728.
Juanga-Labayen, J. P., Labayen, I. V., & Yuan, Q. (2022). A review on textile recycling practices and challenges. Textiles, 2(1), 174-188.
Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (2013). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. In Handbook of the fundamentals of financial decision making: Part I (pp. 99-127).
Karaosman, H., Brun, A., & Morales-Alonso, G. (2017). Vogue or vague: Sustainability performance appraisal in luxury fashion supply chains. In Sustainable management of luxury (pp. 301-330). Springer, Singapore.
Kim, J., Kim, J. E., & Marshall, R. (2014). Search for the underlying mechanism of framing effects in multi-alternative and multi-attribute decision situations. Journal of Business Research, 67(3), 378-385.
Kim, S. B., & Kim, D. Y. (2014). The effects of message framing and source credibility on green messages in hotels. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 55(1), 64-75.
Kolacz, M. S. P., & Bhaduri, G. (2020, December). Really, for the Greater Good? Impact of Message Frames and Reference Points Related to Packaging of Apparel Products on Brand Attitude. In International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings (Vol. 77, No. 1). Iowa State University Digital Press.
Körlü, A. (Ed.). (2020). Waste in Textile and Leather Sectors. BoD–Books on Demand.
La Barbera, F., Del Giudice, T., & Sannino, G. (2014). Are people willing to pay for waste prevention? The moderating role of environmental attitude. Quality-Access to Success, 15(1), 213-218.
Lee, A. Y., & Aaker, J. L. (2004). Bringing the frame into focus: the influence of regulatory fit on processing fluency and persuasion. Journal of personality and social psychology, 86(2), 205.
Lee, E., & Weder, F. (2021). Framing sustainable fashion concepts on social media. An analysis of# slowfashionaustralia Instagram posts and post-COVID visions of the future. Sustainability, 13(17), 9976.
Lee, E., Park, N. K., & Han, J. H. (2013). Gender difference in environmental attitude and behaviors in adoption of energy-efficient lighting at home. Journal of Sustainable development, 6(9), 36
Lee, S. E., Jung, H. J., & Lee, K. H. (2021). Motivating collaborative consumption in fashion: Consumer benefits, perceived risks, service trust, and usage intention of online fashion rental services. Sustainability, 13(4), 1804.
Levin, M. (2005). Left–right asymmetry in embryonic development: a comprehensive review. Mechanisms of development, 122(1), 3-25.
Long, M. M., & Fain, D. (2015). The clothing swap: Social, sustainable, and sacred.
Loroz, P. S. (2007). The interaction of message frames and reference points in prosocial persuasive appeals. Psychology & Marketing, 24(11), 1001-1023.
Luchs, M. G., Naylor, R. W., Irwin, J. R., & Raghunathan, R. (2010). The sustainability liability: Potential negative effects of ethicality on product preference. Journal of Marketing, 74(5), 18-31.
MacArthur, E. (2017). Foundation A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion’s Future. London, UK.
Maheswaran, D., & Meyers-Levy, J. (1990). The influence of message framing and issue involvement. Journal of Marketing research, 27(3), 361-367.
Marx, S. M., Weber, E. U., Orlove, B. S., Leiserowitz, A., Krantz, D. H., Roncoli, C., & Phillips, J. (2007). Communication and mental processes: Experiential and analytic processing of uncertain climate information. Global Environmental Change, 17(1), 47-58.
McNeill, L., & Moore, R. (2015). Sustainable fashion consumption and the fast fashion conundrum: fashionable consumers and attitudes to sustainability in clothing choice. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39(3), 212-222.
Meyerowitz, B. E., & Chaiken, S. (1987). The effect of message framing on breast self-examination attitudes, intentions, and behavior. Journal of personality and social psychology, 52(3), 500.
Milburn, J., 2016, 18th August. Aussies send 85% of textiles to landfill, Textile Beat. Retrieved from <https://textilebeat.com/aussies-send-85-of-textiles-to-landfill/>
Mobley, C., & Kilbourne, W. (2013). Gender differences in pro-environmental intentions: A cross-national perspective on the influence of self-enhancement values and views on technology. Sociological Inquiry, 83(2), 310-332.
Mohai, P. (1992). Men, women, and the environment: An examination of the gender gap in environmental concern and activism. Society & Natural Resources, 5(1), 1-19.
Moon, S. J. (2021). Investigating beliefs, attitudes, and intentions regarding green restaurant patronage: An application of the extended theory of planned behavior with moderating effects of gender and age. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 92, 102727.
Morgan, L. R., & Birtwistle, G. (2009). An investigation of young fashion consumers' disposal habits. International journal of consumer studies, 33(2), 190-198.
Muthu, S. S. (2014). The textile supply chain and its environmental impact. Assessing the environmental impact of textiles and the clothing supply chain, 1-31.
O'Keefe, D. J., & Jensen, J. D. (2008). Do loss-framed persuasive messages engender greater message processing than do gain-framed messages? A meta-analytic review. Communication Studies, 59(1), 51-67.
Pearson, D., & Perera, A. (2018). Reducing food waste: A practitioner guide identifying requirements for an integrated social marketing communication campaign. Social Marketing Quarterly, 24(1), 45-57.
Phillips, P. S., Tudor, T., Bird, H., & Bates, M. (2011). A critical review of a key waste strategy initiative in England: Zero waste places projects 2008–2009. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 55(3), 335-343.
Piscicelli, L., Cooper, T., & Fisher, T. (2015). The role of values in collaborative consumption: insights from a product-service system for lending and borrowing in the UK. Journal of Cleaner Production, 97, 21-29.
Ponnapureddy, S., Priskin, J., Ohnmacht, T., Vinzenz, F., & Wirth, W. (2017). The influence of trust perceptions on German tourists’ intention to book a sustainable hotel: A new approach to analysing marketing information. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 25(7), 970-988.
Preuss, L. (2007). Buying into our future: sustainability initiatives in local government procurement. Business Strategy and the Environment, 16(5), 354-365.
Rahman, I., Park, J., & Chi, C. G. Q. (2015). Consequences of “greenwashing”: Consumers’ reactions to hotels’ green initiatives. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Rani, S., & Jamal, Z. (2018). Recycling of textiles waste for environmental protection. Int. J. Home Sci, 4(1), 164-168.
Rathinamoorthy, R. (2018). Sustainable apparel production from recycled fabric waste. In Sustainable Innovations in Recycled Textiles (pp. 19-52). Springer, Singapore.
Reichart, E., & Drew, D. (2019). By the Numbers: The Economic, Social and Environmental Impacts of “Fast Fashion”.
Riba, J. R., Cantero, R., Riba-Mosoll, P., & Puig, R. (2022). Post-Consumer Textile Waste Classification through Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Using an Advanced Deep Learning Approach. Polymers, 14(12), 2475.
Robinson, S. (2011). Convergence crises: News work and news space in the digitally transforming newsroom. Journal of Communication, 61(6), 1122-1141.
Rutte, C. G., Wilke, H. A., & Messick, D. M. (1987). The effects of framing social dilemmas as give-some or take-some games. British Journal of Social Psychology, 26(2), 103-108.
Shen, B. (2014). Sustainable fashion supply chain: Lessons from H&M. Sustainability, 6(9), 6236-6249.
Shirvanimoghaddam, K., Motamed, B., Ramakrishna, S., & Naebe, M. (2020). Death by waste: Fashion and textile circular economy case. Science of the Total Environment, 718, 137317.
Shirvanimoghaddam, K., Motamed, B., Ramakrishna, S., & Naebe, M. (2020). Death by waste: Fashion and textile circular economy case. Science of the Total Environment, 718, 137317.
Simpson, L. H. (2019). Exploration of the perpetuating fast fashion consumption cycle: Young women’s experiences in pursuit of an ideal self-image (Doctoral dissertation, Iowa State University).
Sinha, P., Dissanayke, D. G. K., Abeysooriya, R. P., & Bulathgama, B. H. N. (2021). Addressing post-consumer textile waste in developing economies. The Journal of The Textile Institute, 1-21.
Smith, S. M., & Petty, R. E. (1996). Message framing and persuasion: A message processing analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22(3), 257-268.
Stall-Meadows, C., & Peek, G. (2009). Recycled household textiles and clothing. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
Stanes, E., & Gibson, C. (2017). Materials that linger: An embodied geography of polyester clothes. Geoforum, 85, 27-36.
Stöckli, S., Niklaus, E., & Dorn, M. (2018). Call for testing interventions to prevent consumer food waste. Resources, conservation and recycling, 136, 445-462.
Teona, G., Ko, E., & Kim, S. J. (2020). Environmental claims in online video advertising: effects for fast-fashion and luxury brands. International Journal of Advertising, 39(6), 858-887.
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1985). The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. In Behavioral decision making (pp. 25-41). Springer, Boston, MA.
Wang, Y. (2010). Fiber and textile waste utilization. Waste and biomass valorization, 1(1), 135-143.
White, K., MacDonnell, R., & Dahl, D. W. (2011). It's the mind-set that matters: The role of construal level and message framing in influencing consumer efficacy and conservation behaviors. Journal of Marketing Research, 48(3), 472-485.
Wood, J. (2019). Bioinspiration in fashion—A review. Biomimetics, 4(1), 16.
WRAP. (2017). Household Waste Prevention Hub: Re-use - Clothing. https://wrap.org.uk/resources/guide/textiles/clothing >
Yoon, H. J. (2015). Emotional and cognitive responses to nonhumorous and humorous threat persuasion public service advertisements. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 36(1), 52-69.
Zhang, M., Zhang, G. Y., Gursoy, D., & Fu, X. R. (2018). Message framing and regulatory focus effects on destination image formation. Tourism Management, 69, 397-407.