PromZ Vak 4 · 2026 · English edition

By Wally Cartigny

Janine Röling

Adjusting marketing communication can improve sales of promotional textiles and workwear

The sale of sustainable clothing can be boosted by positioning products primarily as attractive, rather than merely highlighting responsible materials and production methods. This is evident from research into the marketing of sustainable items. What does this mean for promotional clothing and workwear?

Researchers Alexandra Benitez Burgos and Erik Kostelijk from the Amsterdam School of International Business (AMSIB) wrote the article ‘Do you want to encourage sustainable behaviour? Stop talking about the planet’ on Frankwatching. In it, they investigate the difference between what people say and what they actually do regarding sustainable choices. Although many consumers indicate that they find sustainability important, their purchasing behaviour does not always align with this. In behavioural science, this is called the ‘intention-behaviour gap’.

“Saying that you buy sustainably is a socially desirable answer,” Kostelijk explains to PromZ Vak. “That doesn’t mean you will actually do it in the end. Other purchasing motives often weigh in. Environmental benefits primarily have a long-term effect, whereas a lower price or immediate ease of use is felt right away. As a result, people often choose the immediate benefit.”

Aligning campaigns with motivation

The ‘t ypical’ sustainable customer does not exist. Traditional campaigns often miss their mark because they rely heavily on collective responsibility for the planet. This primarily reaches people who already consider sustainability important and act accordingly. Other groups are less affected.

Therefore, Benitez Burgos and Kostelijk conclude that sustainability communication needs to better align with specific motivations. By linking sustainability to personal ambition, innovation, reliability, quality, or personal benefit, more potential buyers can be reached. It also helps to avoid green terminology and to formulate things clearly. Place more emphasis on what someone gets out of a product than on what the purchase might mean for the world.

Sustainable clothing under the microscope

Scientist and trainer Annuska Toebast-Wensink obtained her PhD this year at Utrecht University based on research into the marketing of sustainable clothing. Her dissertation shows that sustainable clothing consumption is not determined solely by knowledge of sustainability. Sociopsychological factors, user experiences, and marketing incentives also play an important role.

Environmental awareness and the sense of being able to make a personal difference are predictors of sustainable purchasing behaviour. However, people with little experience with sustainable clothing are also strongly influenced by the expectations and opinions of others. For experienced buyers, habits become more important. Sustainable buying then changes from a conscious choice into something taken for granted.