Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Feel Bad to Discard a Fashion Product: How AI Designers Influence Individuals’ Sustainable Consumption

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Abstract

This study explores how AI technology in fashion design influences consumers' sustainable consumption behaviors, focusing on emotional attachment to products. By comparing AI-generated and human-designed fashion items, the study examines how designer type impacts negative emotions about discarding products, mediated by emotional attachment. Results from two experimental studies reveal that designer type significantly affects negative emotions toward discarding human-designed items, but emotional attachment was not influenced by designer type in the first study. This lack of difference may be due to personal characteristics that moderate the effect. The second study found that individuals who perceive AI as human-like form stronger emotional attachments to AI-generated products, which impacts their sustainable consumption behavior. The findings suggest that fostering emotional connections with AI-designed products could encourage more sustainable consumer behaviors in fashion.

Keywords: AI, designer types, emotional attachment, perception of AI humanness, sustainable consumption

How to Cite:

Lee, H. & Choi, D., (2025) “Feel Bad to Discard a Fashion Product: How AI Designers Influence Individuals’ Sustainable Consumption”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 81(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.18524