An empirical test of the triple bottom line of customer-centric sustainability: the case of fast fashion

The aims of this study were (a) to determine if the triple bottom line (TBL) model can serve as an accounting framework for consumers’ perceived sustainability of fashion brands; (b) to investigate whether TBL sustainability can be linked to brand relationships with fast fashion; and (c) to determine whether the predictive role of the TBL sustainability of fast fashion brands differs from that of sustainable fashion brands. Three research questions were formulated to achieve these goals. To this end, a series of statistical analyses were conducted on the consumer panel data (N = 732) gathered via a market research firm. The sample included US consumers who have shopped from either fast fashion brands or sustainable fashion brands. The results suggest that the TBL model is an effective tool for explaining a consumer’s perception of a fashion brand’s sustainability. The results also reveal disparate effects of TBL sustainability on brand outcomes between fast fashion brands and sustainable fashion brands. Detailed results with theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.