Luxury and sustainable development: Is there a match?

This research explores the extent to which sustainable development can be associated with luxury products. In particular, it examines the propensity of consumers to consider recycled materials in luxury purchases. The existing academic literature neglects this question and some newspapers recently launched a debate on the relevance of adopting responsible practices in the luxury sector. Findings from an empirical study regarding the case of French luxury clothing indicate that incorporating recycled materials in such goods affects consumer preferences negatively and reveals a certain incompatibility between recycling and the category of luxury products. Despite the increasing concerns of consumers about the preservation of the planet, the responsible behavior of the brand remains a secondary selection criterion and consumers of luxury goods primarily focus on the intrinsic quality of the product.