Abstract:
Green fashion limits the negative impacts of the fashion industry on the environment and society. Born into a period of prosperity, Gen Z represents a generation of consumers who are more responsible towards the environment and society. Understanding the purchase intentions toward green fashion of consumers, especially Gen-Z consumers, is one of the key factors helping fashion companies increase product consumption. This study assessed the influence of important factors on the purchase intentions of Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers toward green fashion. The study’s research model and scale were based on the theory of planned behavior, the theory of sustainable development, and some previous research results. Through preliminary research and main research, the research model and scale were tested on a sample of 203 Gen-Z consumers living in Vietnam. The results explain and predict the purchase intentions toward green fashion of Gen Z consumers through the important influencing factors that have been identified.
Keywords: Gen Z, green fashion, purchase intention.
1. Introduction
The environmental and societal impact of the fashion industry has been the subject of much research and considerable documentation in recent years. It is recognized as one of the most polluting industries at all stages of its life cycle (Domingos et al., 2022). To restrict environmental and societal harms, the concept of green fashion emerged and is increasingly popular under related terms like ecological, green, and ethical fashion (Busalim et al., 2022).
Green fashion, also known as eco-fashion, refers to clothing and accessories that are designed, produced, distributed, and consumed in ways that minimize environmental impact and promote social responsibility (Adamkiewicz et al., 2022). The production process of green fashion empowers workers and guarantees fair rights throughout the entire supply chain, using safe manufacturing techniques and organic materials, with products designed for recovery and recycling (Orminski et al., 2021). The existence and development of green fashion not only require the ethics of businesses in ensuring a sustainable supply chain but also the ethics of consumers in their consumption practices (Lira et al., 2022).
For fashion companies, sustainable development is gradually becoming one of the strategic directions (Ching et al., 2022) as managers recognize the importance of environmental protection and social innovation in supporting economic progress (Al-Shetwi, 2022). Recently, green fashion items have started gaining favor among fashion consumers (Cairns et al., 2022). In Vietnam, consumers are reported to spend more on green products, including green fashion items (Nayak et al., 2022; Nguyen, 2023).
In terms of green fashion, generation Z (1995 to 2015) customers are particularly relevant because of their fast-growing willingness for sustainability and their value of supporting the environment (Tran et al., 2022). Members of this generation feel that businesses should be obligated to address and remedy environmental and social challenges (Adnan et al., 2017) and are willing to contribute by shifting their consumption to environmentally friendly products (Chaturvedi et al., 2020). Therefore, understanding consumer intention toward purchasing green fashion products is critical for businesses seeking to boost consumption.
This study is conducted to evaluate the impact of several key determinants on Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers' intentions to purchase green fashion products. The research model and scale were developed based on the theory of planned behavior and sustainable development along with previous findings from past research. Through preliminary and main investigations, the research model and scale were tested on a sample of 203 Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers.
The results explain and predict consumers' intentions by elucidating important influencing factors. From these findings, managerial implications and future research directions are also proposed.
2. Proposed research model
The concept of green development was first announced in 1980 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), emphasizing that human progress cannot solely focus on economic development but must also consider respecting the inevitable needs of society and the impact on the ecological environment. Definitions of sustainable development have increasingly emerged and evolved, but the most used comes from the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), implying that sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Willers, 1994). In other words, sustainable development entails economic growth, a balanced society, and the protection of the environment.
In terms of research, numerous studies have been conducted to understand factors influencing green purchase intentions based on the theory of planned behavior and sustainable development. For example, Kumar et al. (2022) developed a model that describes relationships between attitude factors, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, environmental awareness, willingness to pay, and Indian consumers' intentions toward purchasing green fashion.
In another example, Kumar et al. (2021) applied an extended theory of planned behavior model with additional factors such as collectivistic cultural orientation, environmental concern, and price sensitivity to predict the trend of purchasing green clothing in India. Wijaya and Paramita (2021) examined the influence of customer consciousness on sustainability and willingness to pay when having the intention to purchase green fashion. The survey subjects were Indonesian citizens, including those who shop at fast fashion stores aged 15-36. Additionally, Kan et al. (2017) explored the relationship between green brand image, environmental product benefits, green consciousness, and fashion purchase intentions among Hong Kong consumers.
Furthermore, Yadav and Pathak (2016) incorporated additional factors like environmental concern and knowledge into the extended theory of planned behavior to understand young consumers' intentions to purchase green products in developing countries.
The proposed research model includes 7 factors corresponding to 6 research hypotheses. Firstly, attitude is consistently emphasized as one of the core antecedents of behavioral intentions and actual behavior in research on consumer psychology. Attitude is considered a valid factor for predicting environmentally conscious behaviors across domains like fashion (Halepete et al., 2009). Yadav & Pathak (2016) confirmed that young Indian consumers' green purchase intentions can be predicted using attitude. Within green fashion consumption, Kumar et al. (2021), Kumar & Mohan (2021), and Leclercq-Machado et al. (2022) also identified attitude's positive impact on intentions.
Research by Nam et al. (2017) demonstrated that U.S. consumers who used natural/recycled sportswear developed more favorable attitudes towards such products, hence having stronger purchase intentions.
Therefore, hypothesis (H1) is proposed: “Good attitude towards green fashion positively influences the intention to purchase green fashion products”.
Secondly, Ham et al. (2018) recognized that subjective norm is a crucial antecedent to organic food purchase intentions. Yadav and Pathak (2016) concluded that subjective norms have a positive influence on young Indian consumers' intentions to purchase green products. Within the consumption of green fashion, Kumar et al. (2021) found that subjective norms have a positive effect on purchase intentions, a finding by Rausch & Kopplin (2021) also further tested and confirmed this relationship.
Therefore, hypothesis (H2) is proposed: “Subjective norm positively influences the intention to purchase green fashion products”.
Thirdly, many prior studies have been conducted to examine the role of perceived behavioral control in purchasing organic food, vegan cosmetics, and green products on purchase intentions (e.g., Kumar et al., 2022; Kumar et al., 2021; Molinillo et al., 2020; Saricam et al., 2019; Yadav & Pathak, 2016). With green fashion, Saricam & Okur (2019) tested the relationship with Turkish consumers, while Kumar et al. (2021) and Kumar and Mohan (2021) did so among Indian populations, and both confirmed that perceived behavioral control positively influences purchase intentions.
Therefore, hypothesis (H3) is proposed: “Perceived behavioral control positively influences the intention to purchase green fashion products”.
Fourthly, price is an important factor affecting consumers' purchase intentions, as high costs pose barriers to those intentions (Erdil, 2015). Several previous studies indicated that high prices are one key challenge that green fashion faces. Research by Wijaya and Paramita (2021) in Indonesia verified that willingness to pay positively influences green fashion purchase intentions. Another research by Kumar et al. (2021) likewise confirmed this relationship.
Therefore, hypothesis (H4) is proposed: “Willingness to pay positively influences the intention to purchase green fashion products”.
Fifthly, Kumar et al. (2021) stated that environmentally conscious individuals willingly adjust their behaviors to protect nature. Kan et al. (2017) confirmed that higher green consciousness boosts green purchase intention. According to Lee (2020), if consumers have a stronger understanding of concepts in sustainability and eco-friendly products, they will be more attracted to green fashion and will purchase. Kumar et al. (2021) affirmed that environmental consciousness significantly influences the intention to purchase environmentally friendly clothing. Likewise, Wijaya & Paramita (2021) also showed that sustainability awareness of consumers positively shapes intentions to buy green fashion.
Therefore, hypothesis (H5) is proposed: “Great awareness of sustainability positively influences the intention to purchase green fashion products”.
Sixthly, green brand awareness is one of the important factors that stimulate consumers to buy environmentally friendly products (Kan et al., 2017). Mohd Suki (2016) stated that a business's green brand positioning is a crucial driver of consumers’ intention to buy green products. Practically, there have been studies within green fashion indicating that the higher consumer awareness of green brand images, the stronger intentions to buy green fashion offerings, as shown by research by Kim et al. (2018) in Korea, and Kan et al. (2017) in Hong Kong.
Therefore, hypothesis (H6) is proposed: “Perception of green brand image positively influences the intention to purchase green fashion products”.
3. Research design
3.1. Procedure and research methodology
Preliminary qualitative research using in-depth interviews was first conducted to collect opinions on calibrating the research model and scale, using a semi-structured questionnaire. Respondents were managers of businesses producing/selling green fashion as well as Gen-Z consumers frequently buying such apparel. Applying the information saturation method, the sample size was 9. Subsequently, preliminary quantitative research was conducted to test the reliability and unidimensionality of the scale using SPSS, with a 50-respondent sample consisting of Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers with green fashion purchasing experiences.
Ultimately, the quantitative data collection was officially conducted with the survey subjects being Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers with green fashion purchasing experiences. The questionnaire included 2 main sections: (1) general information (including year of birth, gender, and the favorite brand of green fashion); (2) measurement part (including 26 questions). Data was conveniently collected via Google Form. In total, 220 respondents participated in the survey, with 203 qualified responses for analysis. Data was later analyzed using SPSS and AMOS.
3.2. Measurement scale
In terms of measurement, the scales of (1) attitude towards green fashion, (2) subjective norm, (3) perceived behavioral control, (4) willingness to pay, and (5) intention to purchase green fashion products were inherited and adjusted from Kumar et al. (2022), while the scales of (6) awareness of sustainability and (7) perception of green brand image were adapted from Lira et al. (2022). A 5-point Likert scale (from 1 = “strongly disagree” to 5 = “strongly agree”) was implemented uniformly across 26 measurement variables.
4. Research result and discussion
As presented in Table 1, the sample describing informed Gen Z consumers is mainly female, with birth years ranging from 2001 to 2005. Testing the normal distribution of the 26 measured variables revealed that the absolute value of the largest skewness statistic was 1.540, which is less than 3, and the largest kurtosis value was 4.461, which is less than 8. Therefore, the normal distribution of the variables is guaranteed, and the dataset exhibits randomness, making it suitable for statistical analysis.
Table 1: Sample description
Source: Analysis by authors
Initially, 26 measurement variables underwent exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with Promax rotation, resulting in the elimination of 3 variables, including 1 variable from the scale of good attitudes towards green fashion and 2 variables from the scale of green brand image, due to factor loading coefficients being <0.5 or the absolute value of the highest loading difference being <0.3 (Hair et al., 2014). In the fourth run, 7 factors including 23 variables were extracted: (1) good attitude towards green fashion (ATT); (2) subjective norm (SN); (3) perceived behavioral control (PBC); (4) willingness to pay (WP); (5) awareness of sustainability (AW); (6) perception of green brand image (GBI); and (7) intention to purchase green fashion products (INT).
The factor loading coefficients ranged from 0.732 to 0.902, KMO coefficient = 0.792, Chi-square (χ2) = 211.205, dF = 135 (p = 0.000), TVA = 76.72%. These indicators show that the data set is suitable for EFA analysis, and the scale is valid. Additionally, the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient for all 7 factors is >0.7, and the total correlation coefficient of each variable is >0.3, indicating that the scale is reliable.
Subsequently, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted for the scales. By validating the model fit, the results showed that the model fell within ideal thresholds with the index Chi-square (χ2)/dF = 1.819 (<3) (p = 0.000 < 0.05), AGFI = 0.902 (>0.8), GFI = 0.914 (>0.9), TLI = 0.922 (>0.9), CFI = 0.923 (>0.9), IFI = 0.911 (>0.9), and RMSEA = 0.037 (<0.08). For each scale, the standardized loading coefficients of all variables reached the ideal level >0.7 and were statistically significant (p < 0.05), and the average variance extracted (AVE) of the scale measured >0.5, so the scale achieved convergent validity. The composite reliability coefficient (CR) of the scale all reached the ideal level >0.7, and the total average variance extracted (total AVE) >0.5, so the scale is reliable. The square root AVE of the scale (on the diagonal) is greater than the correlation coefficient between that scale and other scales, so the scale achieves discriminant validity.
Table 2: CFA Analysis results
|
Factors |
Code |
Number of variables |
Standardized regression coefficient |
CR |
AVE |
|
Attitude towards green fashion |
ATT |
3 |
0.753 -> 0.835 |
0.9301 |
0.815 |
|
Subjective norm |
SN |
3 |
0.710 -> 0.804 |
0,8519 |
0.823 |
|
Perceived behavioral control |
PBC |
4 |
0.792 -> 0.835 |
0.8722 |
0.771 |
|
Willingness to pay |
WP |
3 |
0.708 -> 0.832 |
0.9001 |
0.906 |
|
Awareness of sustainability |
AS |
3 |
0.781 -> 0.832 |
0.9011 |
0.853 |
|
Perception of green brand image |
GBI |
3 |
0.743 -> 0.810 |
0.8293 |
0.818 |
|
Intention to purchase green fashion products |
INT |
4 |
0.712 -> 0.815 |
0.8226 |
0.738 |
Source: Analysis by authors
The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted to verify the conceptual model structure using maximum likelihood (ML) estimation. By validating the model fit, the results showed that fit indices for the structural model fell within acceptable thresholds with the index Chi-square (χ2)/dF = 2.215 (<3) (p = 0.000 < 0.05); AGFI= 0.899 (>0.8), GFI= 0.900 (>0.9), TLI = 0.902 (>0.9), CFI = 0.963 (>0.9), IFI = 0.964 (>0.9), and RMSEA = 0.041 (<0.08) (Hair et al., 2014). Hypothesis testing results are shown in Table 3. Factors in the model explained 38.45% of the variance in intention to purchase green fashion products.
Table 3. Results of relationship estimation between factors
|
Hypothesis |
Correlation |
Standardized regression coefficient |
Regression coefficient |
Conclusion |
|||
|
Estimate |
S.E. |
CR |
P |
||||
|
H1 |
ATT -> INT |
0.339 |
0.346 |
0.042 |
8.080 |
0,000 |
Supported |
|
H2 |
SN -> INT |
0.278 |
0.261 |
0.044 |
8.192 |
0,000 |
Supported |
|
H3 |
PBC -> INT |
0.388 |
0.472
|
0.036
|
10.025
|
0.092 >0.05 |
Not supported |
|
H4 |
WP -> INT |
0.442 |
0.123 |
0.085 |
1.452 |
0.006 |
Supported |
|
H5 |
AS -> INT |
0.303 |
0.393 |
0.037 |
9.134 |
0.000 |
Supported |
|
H6 |
GBI -> INT |
0.406 |
0.463 |
0.032 |
0.932 |
0.020 |
Supported |
Source: Analysis by authors
5. Conclusion
This research aimed to explore the influence of important factors on the intention to purchase green fashion products of Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers. A sample of 203 respondents who are knowledgeable green fashion consumers completed the survey. Scale validation involved 26 variables measuring 7 concepts. The results of structural model testing showed that good attitude towards green fashion, subjective norm, willingness to pay, awareness of sustainability, and perception of green brand image positively influence Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers' intentions to purchase green fashion products. These findings align with the results of previous studies such as Cairns et al. (2022), where attitude significantly impacts green clothing purchase intentions, and Kumar and Mohan (2021), which found that a positive environmental attitude strengthens eco-friendly fashion buying intentions. These findings are also consistent with studies conducted by Leclercq-Machado et al. (2022), Rausch and Kopplin (2021), Saricam and Okur (2019), Kumar et al. (2021), Kumar and Mohan (2021).
Previous findings from Kan et al. (2017), Siauw and Lidia (2021), and Kumar et al. (2021) also confirmed that awareness of sustainability positively influence consumers' intentions to purchase green fashion products. Ultimately, studies conducted by Suki (2016) and Kan et al. (2017) showed that perception of green brand image has positive impact on consumers' intentions to purchase green fashion products.
In consumption, willingness to pay plays a key role in influencing purchase intentions. The greatest barrier to green fashion is the high prices deterring widespread adoption. Therefore, the greater the willingness to pay, the stronger green fashion purchase intentions. However, there was no evidence of a positive influence of perceived behavioral control on intentions to purchase green fashion products.
From the findings, stakeholders can now understand the intention to purchase green fashion products of Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers. To boost the intention, stakeholders need to focus on improving the willingness to pay of Vietnamese Gen-Z consumers, as this factor has the strongest influence on the intention. This research opens opportunities for additional exploring the differences in buying intention of different demographics like age and gender through T-test analysis, ANOVA. It can also be further explored on the increasing or decreasing level of influence on buying intentions factors through MGA analysis.
REFERENCES:
- Adamkiewicz J., Kochańska E., Adamkiewicz I., & Łukasik R. (2022). Greenwashing and sustainable fashion industry. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 38, 1-8.
- Adnan A., Ahmad A., & Khan M. N. (2017). Examining the role of consumer lifestyles on ecological behavior among young Indian consumers. Young Consumers, 18(4), 348-377.
- Al-Shetwi A. Q. (2022). Sustainable development of renewable energy integrated power sector: Trends, environmental impacts, and recent challenges. Science of The Total Environment, 822, 153645.
- Busalim A., Fox G., & Lynn T. (2022). Consumer behavior in sustainable fashion: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 46(5), 1804-1828.
- Cairns H. M., Ritch E. L., & Bereziat C. (2022). Think eco, be eco? The tension between attitudes and behaviours of millennial fashion consumers. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 46(4), 1262-1277.
- Chaturvedi P., Kulshreshtha K., & Tripathi V. (2020). Investigating the determinants of behavioral intentions of generation Z for recycled clothing: An evidence from a developing economy. Young Consumers, 21(4), 403-417.
- Ching N. T., Ghobakhloo M., Iranmanesh M., Maroufkhani P., & Asadi S. (2022). Industry 4.0 applications for sustainable manufacturing: A systematic literature review and a roadmap to sustainable development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 334, 130133.
- Domingos M., Vale V. T., & Faria S. (2022). Slow fashion consumer behavior: A literature review. Sustainability, 14(5), 2860.
- Halepete J., Littrell M., & Park J. (2009). Personalization of fair trade apparel: Consumer attitudes and intentions. Clothing Textiles Research Journal, 27(2), 143-160.
- Ham M., Pap A., & Stanic M. (2018). What drives organic food purchasing? Evidence from Croatia. British Food Journal, 120(4), 734-748.
- Kan C. W., Chow C. Y. T., Thangtham U., Yabdee S., Yulek A., & Mongkholrattanasit R. (2017). Exploring the relationship between brand green image, environmental performance and consumer green consciousness and purchase intention of fashion products. Applied Mechanics Materials, 866, 425-432.
- Kim S., Ko E., & Kim S. J. (2018). Fashion brand green demarketing: Effects on customer attitudes and behavior intentions. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 9(4), 364-378.
- Kumar N., Garg P., & Singh S. (2022). Pro-environmental purchase intention towards eco-friendly apparel: Augmenting the theory of planned behavior with perceived consumer effectiveness and environmental concern. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 13(2), 134-150.
- Kumar N., & Mohan D. (2021). Sustainable apparel purchase intention: collectivist cultural orientation and price sensitivity in extended TPB model. Journal of Revenue Pricing Management, 20, 149-161.
- Leclercq-Machado L., Alvarez-Risco A., Gómez-Prado R., & Cuya-Velásquez B. B. (2022). Sustainable fashion and consumption patterns in peru: An environmental-attitude-intention-behavior analysis. Sustainability, 14(16), 9965.
- Lee Y. C. (2020). Communicating sustainable development: Effects of stakeholder‐centric perceived sustainability. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(4), 1540-1551.
- Lira J. S. d., & Costa, M. F. d. (2022). Theory of planned behavior, ethics and intention of conscious consumption in Slow Fashion Consumption. Journal of Fashion Marketing Management: An International Journal, 26(5), 905-925.
- Mohd Suki N. (2016). Green product purchase intention: impact of green brands, attitude, and knowledge. British Food Journal, 118(12), 2893-2910.
- Molinillo S., Vidal-Branco M., & Japutra A. (2020). Understanding the drivers of organic foods purchasing of millennials: Evidence from Brazil and Spain. Journal of Retailing Consumer Services, 52, 101926.
- Nam C., Dong H., & Lee Y. A. (2017). Factors influencing consumers’ purchase intention of green sportswear. Fashion Textiles, 4, 1-17.
- Nayak R., Thang L. N. V., Nguyen T., Gaimster J., Morris R., & George M. (2022). Sustainable developments and corporate social responsibility in Vietnamese fashion enterprises. Journal of Fashion Marketing Management: An International Journal, 26(2), 307-327.
- Nguyen D. D. (2023). Evaluating the consumer attitude and behavioral consumption of green products in Vietnam. Sustainability, 15(9), 7612.
- Orminski J., Tandoc Jr E. C., & Detenber B. H. (2021). Sustainablefashion a conceptual framework for sustainable fashion discourse on Twitter. Environmental Communication, 15(1), 115-132.
- Rausch T. M., & Kopplin C. S. (2021). Bridge the gap: Consumers’ purchase intention and behavior regarding sustainable clothing. Journal of Cleaner Production, 278, 123882.
- Saricam C., & Okur N. (2019). Analysing the consumer behavior regarding sustainable fashion using theory of planned behavior. Consumer Behaviour Sustainable Fashion Consumption, 1-37.
- Tran K., Nguyen T., Tran Y., Nguyen A., Luu K., & Nguyen Y. (2022). Eco-friendly fashion among generation Z: Mixed-methods study on price value image, customer fulfillment, and pro-environmental behavior. PLoS ONE, 17(8), e0272789.
- Wijaya S. G. T., & Paramita E. L. (2021). Purchase intention toward sustainable fashion brand: Analysis on the effect of customer awareness on sustainability on willingness to pay. Diponegoro International Journal of Business, 4(1), 49-57.
- Yadav R., & Pathak G. S. (2016). Young consumers' intention towards buying green products in a developing nation: Extending the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Cleaner Production, 135, 732-739.
Ý định mua hàng của người tiêu dùng Gen Z tại Việt Nam
đối với thời trang xanh
Huỳnh Thị Minh Châu1
Lê Hồng Thơ1
Trần Ngọc Tri Nhân1
1Trường Đại học Bách khoa TP.Hồ Chí Minh
Tóm tắt:
Thời trang xanh giúp hạn chế những tác động tiêu cực của ngành công nghiệp thời trang đến môi trường và xã hội. Sinh ra trong thời kỳ thịnh vượng, Gen Z đại diện cho thế hệ người tiêu dùng có trách nhiệm hơn đối với môi trường và xã hội. Hiểu được ý định mua hàng đối với thời trang xanh của người tiêu dùng, đặc biệt là người tiêu dùng thuộc Gen Z, là một trong những yếu tố then chốt giúp các công ty thời trang tăng cường tiêu thụ sản phẩm. Nghiên cứu này được thực hiện nhằm đánh giá ảnh hưởng của các yếu tố quan trọng đến ý định mua hàng của người tiêu dùng Gen Z tại Việt Nam đối với thời trang xanh. Mô hình nghiên cứu và thang đo dựa trên lý thuyết hành vi có kế hoạch, lý thuyết phát triển bền vững và một số kết quả nghiên cứu trước đây. Thông qua nghiên cứu sơ bộ và nghiên cứu chính, mô hình nghiên cứu và thang đo được kiểm tra trên mẫu gồm 203 người tiêu dùng Gen Z tại Việt Nam. Kết quả giúp giải thích và dự đoán ý định mua hàng đối với thời trang xanh của người tiêu dùng Gen Z thông qua các yếu tố quan trọng đã được xác định.
Từ khóa: Gen Z, thời trang xanh, ý định mua.
[Tạp chí Công Thương - Các kết quả nghiên cứu khoa học và ứng dụng công nghệ, Số 12 tháng 5 năm 2024]
