Abstract
Sustainable consumption practices help to reduce environmental impacts and fosters responsible consumers. Researchers have explored the positive drivers and negative barriers of fashion-conscious consumer (FCC) purchasing intention on fashion clothing. The study also examined the motives and outcomes of the phenomenon, such as rental landscape and frugality. Using the qualitative phenomenological method, researchers conducted 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews in India to tap into FCC's buying intention and experience. From the results of qualitative analysis, researchers identified “emotion” as a new parameter reflecting consumer passion and interpersonal relationships. Different themes emerged, such as selection of the style, attention-seeking, status value, cost factor (uncontrollable), and psychological value, which are the commonly identified motivators. Conceptual framework is developed to understand the perception towards green environment and sustainability. The implications are to improve the sustainable practices in the fashion sector through rental options and frugality.
TopIntroduction
Fashion evolves day-to-day, where a trend comes in and goes out until a notable trend will reemerge. Despite its counter-intuitive nature, fast fashion encourages to buy inexpensive and trendy items that last for a season or two. Because of poor quality, clothes will fade, tear and remain untouched for a long time. Fast fashion can be lucrative for consumers, but workers are at risk and paid low wages. In 2020, a pandemic forced many brands to cancel their orders with factories, while many garment industries failed to pay workers. Fast fashion maximizes its product range in the apparel industry, which leads to more profit. As a result, it affects the apparel supply chain and lead-time (Mehrjoo and Pasek, 2014). The changing trend encourages customers to transform their closet collections frequently and ends up with textile contamination. Trend-seekers and young consumers have unique consumption patterns, so they can use new concepts, such as swapping, discounting, and purchasing used clothes that will minimize fashion waste. As an alternative for fast fashion, Hamari et al. (2016) argued that access to ownership, such as renting and borrowing textile materials accelerated the pace of economic consumption and sustainability. Rental provides a low investment service in both thrift and frugal practices to develop green-conscious consumers on the path to ethical consumption (Evans, 2011).
The literature revealed that only limited studies have mentioned the factors of rental clothing and responsible consumption behavior. There are only limited empirical researches that currently exist. Academic research has focused on rental clothing and not specifically on reshaping the fashion-conscious consumer (FCC) into a responsible consumer. This is identified as a gap to be bridged by the investigators in this research. Initially, the review integrated the sustainability concept into secondhand clothing (SHC). Following that, researchers conceptualized the elements that influence FCCs buying intentions. Finally, they tried to identify the solution for fashion demand-seekers through the rental service and frugal behavior. Researchers implemented the “goal twelve targets” concept to reduce waste generation and achieve sustainable development (SD). By incorporating sustainable development goals (SDG) into rental clothing, researchers educate consumers about responsible fashion consumption.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Technological Innovation: Modes of platform through online, offline or multichannel distribution channels to provide easy access for the manufacturers and to reduce the supply chain risk.
Post-Consumer Textile Disposal: Clothing landfills created by FCC’s generally worn-out for a trend. Sometimes the clothes will be used only for a short duration which spoils the life cycle of the product and generates waste.
Fashion-Conscious Consumer (FCC): FCC’s are identified as fashion adopters, namely innovators, early adopters, early majorities, late majorities and laggards.
Frugality: The quality of being economical with money (during purchasing fashion goods).
Second-Hand Clothing (SHC): An alternate means of consumption such as rental, swapping, repair, reuse, recycle, borrowing, mending, gifting, up-cycling, fair-trade, eco-friendly, and donating.
Sustainability: Development meets the need for future generation and aid by a possible solution.
Rental Clothing: A strategic partnership with multiple designers and agencies provides the audience with access to the latest outfits and accessories through service with temporary ownership.