Innovative Fibers for Sustainability in Fashion: Luxury Versus Fast Fashion Consumer Responses

The fashion industry, one of the most resource-intensive sectors globally, is increasingly adopting sustainable practices across its value chain, from material selection to production and distribution. Among emerging innovations for sustain-ability, textiles derived from food waste, such as Orange Fiber made from orange production, offer both environmental and aesthetic benefits, distinguishing them-selves from traditional recycled fibers like those from plastic bottles. This chapter investigates how the origin of textile (Orange Fiber versus recycled plastic fiber) affects consumers’ willingness to buy, considering the moderating role of brand type (luxury versus fast fashion). Through an experimental study, results indicate that Orange Fiber generates higher willingness to buy than recycled plastic fiber for luxury brands, while the advantage diminishes for fast fashion brands. The effect of textile origin on willingness to buy is mediated by perceived coolness, reflecting the symbolic value consumers associate with innovative sustainable mate-rials. These findings highlight that combining novel technical textiles for sustain-ability with strong brand positioning can enhance consumer adoption, aligning ethical responsibility with perceived product desirability.