Proceedings of the International Conference on Creativity, Innovation & Design (ICCID 2025)

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Colour Psychology in Sustainable Fashion: Understanding Consumer Choices and Ethical Dimensions

Authors
Harjas Kaur1, *, Arjun Negi2
1Assistant Professor, Fashion & Design, University Institute of Design, Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413, Punjab, India
2Assistant Professor, Industrial Design, University Institute of Design, Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413, Punjab, India
*Corresponding author. Email: harjaskaur2510@gmail.com
Corresponding Author
Harjas Kaur
Available Online 16 March 2026.
DOI
10.2991/978-2-38476-535-5_6How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Colour Psychology; Sustainable Fashion; Consumer Perception; Greenwashing
Abstract

Colour Psychology and Sustainable Fashion are closely linked in ways that impact consumer feelings and ethical concerns in the fashion industry. This study shows that colours have a strong psychological effect on consumers’ perception of eco-conscious clothing. challenges the common belief that green or earthy tones naturally mean a product is eco-friendly. It critically studies the ethical implications of the widespread stereotype that green and earthy tones inherently signify environmental friendliness, often suggesting ecological benefit without genuine substance. This association frequently leads to “greenwashing” where brands misleadingly employ colour to get buyers to think products are green, even if they do not have an environmentally friendly effect. Such marketing strategies considerably hinder genuine sector advancement by fostering a false sense of environmental responsibility among consumers. The paper analyses how the widespread colour-based impressions affect shopping behaviour and inform knowledge of responsible production methods. Ultimately, this study shows the urgent need for increased transparency and informed consumer awareness to combat misleading marketing tactics and foster genuine progress towards a truly sustainable fashion industry.

Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the International Conference on Creativity, Innovation & Design (ICCID 2025)
Series
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research
Publication Date
16 March 2026
ISBN
978-2-38476-535-5
ISSN
2352-5398
DOI
10.2991/978-2-38476-535-5_6How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - CONF
AU  - Harjas Kaur
AU  - Arjun Negi
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/03/16
TI  - Colour Psychology in Sustainable Fashion: Understanding Consumer Choices and Ethical Dimensions
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Creativity, Innovation & Design (ICCID 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 57
EP  - 68
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-535-5_6
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-535-5_6
ID  - Kaur2026
ER  -