Determinants Influencing Consumers’ Clothing Disposal Behaviour: An Analysis Via Smart PLS Approach

The fast fashion sector’s rapid growth and popularity contribute to increasingly harmful environmental practices. Notably, the fashion industry stands as a major global polluter of freshwater due to its detrimental practices, including the use of cheap and hazardous textile dyes. Hence, it becomes essential to grasp consumer behaviours concerning the usage and disposal of clothing. This study aims to explore factors influencing consumer apparel disposal behaviour. Drawing from a conceptual framework, a research questionnaire was distributed among 158 respondents and analysed using Partial Least Square with SmartPLS 4. The results reveal a lack of environmental awareness among consumers regarding sustainable clothing disposal methods. They lack knowledge about proper disposal practices and available organizations or facilities for used clothing collection. To address this, the fashion industry and manufacturers should adopt sustainable manufacturing practices and embrace concepts like reverse supply chain management, facilitating seamless clothing disposal for consumers.