Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Will You Choose Secondhand Clothing? Exploring the Determinants of Secondhand Clothing Consumption and the Moderating Effect of Contamination Concern

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Abstract

With society's rising awareness of the fashion industry's environmental impact, customers are prioritizing "sustainability" and opting for secondhand clothing. Thereby, the market share of secondhand business in the fashion industry has surged despite increased contamination concern since the advent of COVID-19. Yet, few studies have encompassed both personal and social aspects to explore consumers’ behavior towards secondhand clothing purchase. This study seeks to rectify the gap by investigating determinants of secondhand clothing purchase based upon integrative framework of three theories: Value-Belief-Norm (VBN), Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Theory of Consumer Contamination (TCC). Analyzing 446 responses by means of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) revealed that key determinants—bio-altruistic value, belief, personal, and social norms—solidify positive attitudes towards secondhand clothing purchase. Also, contamination concerns curbed consumers’ choice of purchasing secondhand clothing. The result highlights the importance of cultivating positive attitudes and alleviating contamination concerns towards secondhand clothing.

Keywords: secondhand clothing, contamination concern, value-belief-norm theory, theory of reasoned action

How to Cite:

Jeong, H. & Cho, H., (2024) “Will You Choose Secondhand Clothing? Exploring the Determinants of Secondhand Clothing Consumption and the Moderating Effect of Contamination Concern”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 80(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.17548