Short answer

Designers and marketers should differentiate their communication and product offerings for sustainable (eco-friendly focus) versus ethical (animal welfare/vegan focus) fashion to align with evolving consumer priorities.

Field
Sustainability
Source
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2025)
Method
Big Data Analysis (LDA Topic Modeling)
Evidence
Strong effect

Consumer perceptions of sustainable fashion have evolved towards practical eco-friendly choices, while ethical fashion is increasingly defined by animal welfare concerns, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. Using Big data analysis (lda topic modeling), researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers and marketers should differentiate their communication and product offerings for sustainable (eco-friendly focus) versus ethical (animal welfare/vegan focus) fashion to align with evolving consumer priorities.

Study
SustainabilityNew This WeekStrong effect

Post-COVID-19 consumer focus shifts from 'eco-friendly' to 'animal welfare' in fashion

Consumer perceptions of sustainable fashion have evolved towards practical eco-friendly choices, while ethical fashion is increasingly defined by animal welfare concerns, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · 2025

01

Key Findings

  • 01Sustainable fashion consumption is increasingly driven by practical 'eco-friendly' values.
  • 02Ethical fashion consumption is expanding to encompass 'vegan' principles beyond just fashion.
  • 03Post-pandemic, 'eco-friendly' and 'vegan' became more prominent keywords.
  • 04The keyword 'animal' is strongly associated with ethical fashion consumption.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Designers and marketers should differentiate their communication and product offerings for sustainable (eco-friendly focus) versus ethical (animal welfare/vegan focus) fashion to align with evolving consumer priorities.

How to apply

Conduct market research to understand the specific 'eco-friendly' and 'animal welfare' priorities within your target demographic and tailor product features and marketing accordingly.

Project actions

  • 01When researching consumer attitudes, consider the impact of major global events like pandemics.
  • 02Use text analysis tools to uncover hidden trends in large datasets of consumer feedback.
03

Method & Evidence

AimTo analyze how consumer perceptions of sustainable and ethical fashion consumption have changed pre- and post-COVID-19.
MethodBig Data Analysis (LDA Topic Modeling)
ProcedureCollected online data from major Korean search engines using keywords related to sustainable and ethical fashion consumption. Analyzed the data using frequency analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling to identify shifts in consumer perception before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
ContextFashion industry, Consumer perception, Post-pandemic market trends

Variables

IV["Time period (pre- vs. post-COVID-19)","Type of fashion consumption (sustainable vs. ethical)"]
DV["Consumer perceptions (as identified by topic modeling keywords)"]
CV["Online data sources (Naver, Daum, Google)","Keywords used for data collection"]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Utilizes big data analysis for a broad understanding of consumer sentiment.
  • +Distinguishes between sustainable and ethical fashion, addressing theoretical ambiguity.

Limitations

The findings are specific to the Korean market and may not apply universally. The study relies on online text data, which might not capture all aspects of consumer perception.

Reliability & validity

The use of LDA topic modeling provides a systematic way to analyze large text datasets, enhancing reliability. Validity is supported by the clear distinction made between sustainable and ethical fashion concepts and the observed shifts in keywords.

Think critically

How might the distinction between 'eco-friendly' and 'animal welfare' influence the design of specific fashion products, such as footwear versus outerwear?

05

Design Principles

"Align product and communication strategies with distinct, evolving consumer value drivers in sustainability and ethics."

Understanding these nuanced shifts in consumer values is crucial for brands to effectively communicate their sustainability efforts and develop products that resonate with post-pandemic market demands. This distinction allows for more targeted marketing and product development strategies.

06

What This Means for Your Design

After COVID-19, people care more about fashion being good for the planet (eco-friendly) and not harming animals (vegan/ethical).

How to use in your project

  • 1.This research can inform the 'context' section of a design project, explaining the current market landscape for sustainable and ethical products.
  • 2.It can also guide the 'user research' phase by suggesting specific areas to explore regarding consumer values.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reshaped consumer priorities, with a notable shift towards 'eco-friendly' considerations in sustainable fashion and a growing emphasis on 'animal welfare' and 'vegan' principles within ethical fashion. This evolving landscape necessitates that design projects in this domain consider these nuanced consumer values to ensure product relevance and market appeal.

09

Source

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Comparison of consumer perceptions of sustainable and ethical fashions pre- and post-COVID-19 using LDA topic modeling

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about post-covid-19 consumer focus shifts from 'eco-friendly' to 'animal welfare' in fashion?
Designers and marketers should differentiate their communication and product offerings for sustainable (eco-friendly focus) versus ethical (animal welfare/vegan focus) fashion to align with evolving consumer priorities. Evidence: Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2025).
Why does "Post-COVID-19 consumer focus shifts from 'eco-friendly' to 'animal welfare' in fashion" matter for design?
Understanding these nuanced shifts in consumer values is crucial for brands to effectively communicate their sustainability efforts and develop products that resonate with post-pandemic market demands. This distinction allows for more targeted marketing and product development strategies.
How can designers apply this research?
Designers and marketers should differentiate their communication and product offerings for sustainable (eco-friendly focus) versus ethical (animal welfare/vegan focus) fashion to align with evolving consumer priorities.
What were the main findings?
Sustainable fashion consumption is increasingly driven by practical 'eco-friendly' values.. Ethical fashion consumption is expanding to encompass 'vegan' principles beyond just fashion.. Post-pandemic, 'eco-friendly' and 'vegan' became more prominent keywords.. The keyword 'animal' is strongly associated with ethical fashion consumption.
What research method was used?
Big Data Analysis (LDA Topic Modeling).
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.
What should I do differently in my next project?
Conduct market research to understand the specific 'eco-friendly' and 'animal welfare' priorities within your target demographic and tailor product features and marketing accordingly.
What are the limitations?
The study is limited to online data from Korean search engines, which may not represent global consumer perceptions.