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Sustainable Consumer Behavior in Purchasing, Using and Disposing of Clothes

Author

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  • Mirella Soyer

    (Research Centre Business Innovation, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, 3063 ND Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Koen Dittrich

    (Research Centre Business Innovation, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, 3063 ND Rotterdam, The Netherlands
    Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

In this study we investigate how consumers in The Netherlands can be persuaded to adopt sustainable practices when purchasing, using and disposing of clothes. This study investigates the attitude-behavior gap for the sustainable choices for purchase, use and disposing of clothes. For each consumption phase we ran a two-step multiple regression. The findings showed that the importance of the factors vary in the three consumption phases. For purchasing and disposal decisions, the core motivator social motivation predicts sustainable practices best, while it has no role in the usage phase. The factor ability appeared to have a significant role in the disposal phase, but not in the other phases. Finally, the trigger appears to lower the consumers’ ability in the purchasing phase, while it enhances the core motivator social evaluation in the disposal phase.

Suggested Citation

  • Mirella Soyer & Koen Dittrich, 2021. "Sustainable Consumer Behavior in Purchasing, Using and Disposing of Clothes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:15:p:8333-:d:601635
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    5. Lian Zeng & Marguerite Moore & Lori Rothenberg, 2024. "Promoting Sustainable Consumption: The Roles of Consumers’ Domain-Specific Environmental Knowledge and Personality Traits," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-17, January.
    6. Tommaso Gallo & Francesco Pacchera & Chiara Cagnetti & Cecilia Silvestri, 2023. "Do Sustainable Consumers Have Sustainable Behaviors? An Empirical Study to Understand the Purchase of Food Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, March.
    7. So Yeon Cho & Joowon Jung, 2023. "Effects of Individualism, Collectivism, Materialism, and Willingness to Pay for Environmental Protection on Environmental Consciousness and Pro-Environmental Consumption Behavior in Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, May.
    8. Doroteja Mandarić & Anica Hunjet & Goran Kozina, 2021. "Perception of Consumers’ Awareness about Sustainability of Fashion Brands," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-14, December.
    9. Barbara Gawior & Michal Polasik & Josep Lluís del Olmo, 2022. "Credit Card Use, Hedonic Motivations, and Impulse Buying Behavior in Fast Fashion Physical Stores during COVID-19: The Sustainability Paradox," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, March.
    10. Duan Wu & Mingyu Zhuang & Xinni Zhang & Yuheng Zhao, 2022. "Towards Circular Fashion: Design for Community-Based Clothing Reuse and Upcycling Services under a Social Innovation Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, December.
    11. Wenjun Guo & Eunyoung Kim, 2023. "Categorizing Chinese Consumers’ Behavior to Identify Factors Related to Sustainable Clothing Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-18, April.
    12. Alena Kusá & Marianna Urmínová, 2020. "Communication as a Part of Identity of Sustainable Subjects in Fashion," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, December.

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