The Ultimate Paradox of Outdoor Garment Consumption

Abstract

Abstract Outdoor enthusiasts are caught in a paradox where their consumption of outdoor garments destroys the very nature that they are dependent on for their experiences. In this article the authors aim to contribute to the on-going discussion about sustainable consumption and the intention - behavior gap by focusing on the field of outdoor garment consumption. Phenomenological interviews were conducted in order to answer the research questions: 1) How do outdoor enthusiasts experience their consumption of outdoor garments? 2) How do environmental aspects affect consumers in the purchasing process? The results show that barriers to make sustainable consumption choices when it comes to outdoor garments are price, knowledge and fashion. Furthermore, our findings question the effects of direct experience with nature, since the outdoor enthusiast does not show any evidence of being more keen to behave environmentally friendly than other consumers.