Sustainable but Disgusting? A Psychological Model of Consumer Reactions to Human-Hair-Derived Textiles

Abstract

This study investigates how perceptual and emotional factors-perceived naturalness, aesthetic pleasure, environmental concern, and disgust-shape consumer acceptance of a human-hair-derived bio-fabricated textile product (a unisex cardholder). In a scenario-based online survey, participants viewed an AI-generated image accompanied by a short vignette. A purposive sample of young adults in Istanbul with prior experience purchasing sustainable textile products was recruited and screened. All constructs were measured with standard Likert-type scales and translated into Turkish using a two-way back-translation procedure. Data were analyzed with PLS-SEM. Model fit was acceptable, and the model accounted for a substantial share of the variance in adoption intention. Aesthetic pleasure showed a clear positive influence on adoption intention, whereas perceived naturalness did not display a direct effect. Environmental concern modestly strengthened the link between naturalness and adoption. Disgust emerged as the dominant moderator, fully conditioning the naturalness pathway and reducing-but not eliminating-the effect of aesthetic pleasure. Together, these findings indicate that perceived naturalness, aesthetic pleasure, environmental concern, and disgust jointly shape adoption intention and that practical emphasis should be placed on reducing feelings of disgust while enhancing aesthetic appeal.