Communicating sustainability on fast fashion hangtags: Perceptual experiences of Gen Z females in Jiangsu, China

Abstract

China’s fast fashion industry is one of the world’s most dynamic and expansive markets. As a key consumer group, Chinese Generation Z (Gen Z) females focus not only on chasing trends and looking for affordable products, but also on the environmental impacts during the fashion consumption process. Nevertheless, their understanding of sustainability seems inconsistent and often fragmented. On the other hand, clothing hangtags serve as communication tools at the point of sale to trigger immediate consumer purchase decisions. Despite this potential, studies suggest that they are underused for delivering sustainability information, and this is due to the overly technical or formal language used in the design, which eventually makes the hangtags fail to engage young consumers effectively. In such a context, this study intends to investigate how clothing hangtags can be used to meaningfully communicate sustainability information to Gen Z female consumers in Jiangsu Province, China. A three-stage qualitative action research approach was employed. First, a qualitative survey involving 15 purposively selected experts in the fashion design industry and higher education sector was used to identify specific sustainability information suitable for inclusion in fast fashion clothing hangtags for young female consumers. Then, guided by Peirce’s semiotic model, the identified information was translated into visual hangtag concepts, and the same group of experts was invited to provide feedback for iterative design refinement. Lastly, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Gen Z female participants to explore their perceptual experiences, i.e., their sensory, cognitive, and affective responses when interacting with the design. Deductive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, and the findings indicate that sensory engagement can be enhanced through clean visual layouts and the physical qualities of the hangtags. While it is critically important for the sustainability information to be presented in a clear and well-organised manner on the clothing hangtag to strengthen comprehension and the sense of credibility, other channels can be used to further support the communication process. Sustainability information that closely aligns with personal values was found to be able to enhance emotional connection and brand trust. The study concludes that hangtags are ‘small’ but ‘strategic’ communication tools at the point of purchase that can reinforce both sustainability awareness and consumer–brand relationships among young female consumers.