Disentangling “Made in' and 'Designed in”: Country-of- Origin signals and consumer perception of sustainable fashion in the Philippines and Dominican Republic

Abstract

As global supply chains become increasingly fragmented, the distinction between “Made in” and “Designed in” country-of-origin (COO) cues has grown in relevance, particularly in symbolic and sustainability-linked markets such as fashion. This work-in-progress study investigates how these COO signals, both independently and jointly, influence consumer perceptions of quality (PERQ), innovativeness (INNO), and prestige (PREST), and how these perceptions mediate purchase intention (PI). It introduces consumer xenocentrism (CXEN), a psychological disposition favoring foreign over domestic products, as a moderator, alongside national context, in shaping the interpretation of COO cues. Drawing on signaling theory and symbolic consumption literature, the study employs a between-subjects experimental design and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine consumer responses to COO manipulations across 600 urban participants in the Philippines and the Dominican Republic. Findings will contribute to reconceptualizing COO as a multidimensional construct and provide theoretical and practical insights into sustainable fashion branding in postcolonial emerging markets. This research offers implications for marketers, policymakers, and sustainability advocates seeking to navigate identity-driven consumption, COO signaling, and global-local tensions in ethical consumption contexts.