The effect of sustainable certification reputation on consumer behavior in the fashion industry: Focusing on the mechanism of congruence

A sustainable certification is a crucial environmental cue used by consumers when they have little information on a focal product. Based on categorization inference theory, this study investigates how certification reputation can influence consumer behavior toward sustainable products. The data were gathered from consumers who experienced organic cosmetics and analyzed through structural equation modeling. As a result, certification reputation was found to have a positive influence on the congruence between product and certification, certification trust, and attitude toward product. Congruence between product and certification has a positive influence on certification trust, which predicts attitude toward product and purchase intention. Finally, the effect of certification trust on attitude toward product is mediated sequentially by the congruence between product, certification, and certification trust. This research extends the concept of sustainable certification into the fashion industry, which will enable companies with a sustainable certification to leverage their products.