Driving Sustainable Fashion Through Recycling: A Study of Consumer Behavior in India

Sustainability and the concept of circular economy are gaining global recognition at a fast rate, which makes it essential to understand the behaviour of consumers, specifically in recycling and sustainable fashion. This study explores consumer behaviour about clothes recycling and investigates its impact on purchase intentions for sustainable fashion. The research is based on a survey conducted at Vmart collection stores, one of India's biggest value fashion retail companies, which accepts old clothes in exchange for incentives. The data of a total of 196 participants from Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Agra, and Dehradun, India, was analyzed using graphs, t-tests, Levene’s test, and a correlation analysis. The results revealed a clear pattern. Most of the respondents discard their old clothes due to a change in fashion and taste. The majority of the participants prefer to donate their old clothes to those in need. It was also observed that the participants were motivated to donate their clothes due to the incentives they were receiving and the convenience. Moreover, a significant difference exists in recycling habits and purchase intentions of sustainable clothes between males and females. On average, females usually exhibit higher recycling habits and tend to purchase sustainable clothing more than males. There is a high correlation between the recycling habits and purchase intentions of sustainable clothing, which can be depicted through the upward-sloping scatter diagram. The findings likewise offer practical implications for government officials, businesses, and consumers. It highlights the need for specialized environmental initiatives and incentive-based activities. Overall, the study highlights how significant factors can affect the growth of sustainable fashion and the circular economy.