The fashion industry is increasingly challenged to demonstrate credible sustainability commitments in response to its significant environmental and social impacts, globalised supply chains, and persistent concerns over unsustainable production and consumption patterns. In this context, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) communication has become a central tool by which fashion companies disclose their sustainability efforts and engage consumers. However, the effectiveness of ESG communication in influencing consumer behaviour remains uncertain. This is particularly relevant in digital environments, where sustainability claims are often difficult to verify and where information asymmetry, consumer scepticism, and greenwashing concerns may weaken the credibility of corporate messages. Moreover, consumers’ interpretation of sustainability communication may differ across geographical contexts. Hence, the study adopts a narrative literature review approach, focusing on two main streams of research: ESG communication practices in the fashion industry and consumer behaviour studies related to sustainable consumption, with specific attention to Italy and South Korea, two relevant and contrasting contexts.
Building on signalling theory, the study develops an empirical model that integrates the insights emerging from the narrative review with cross-country evidence. In the proposed model, ESG communication practices are conceptualised as sustainability signals. Sustainability predisposition and digital and social influence are introduced as antecedents, shaping consumers’ interpretation of these signals. In line with the theory, the interpretation of sustainability signals is expected to influence consumers’ behavioural intention, which is linked to actual purchase behaviour, while behavioural barriers are considered as factors that may affect this relation.
In doing so, the study advances a model that can be empirically tested through multi-group analysis to assess whether the proposed relationships operate differently among Italian and South Korean consumers. Generally, the study offers a theoretical and practical foundation for understanding how digital ESG communication becomes meaningful, credible, and behaviourally relevant in different contexts.