UNDERSTANDING GREEN PURCHASE INTENTION TOWARDS ECO-FRIENDLY CLOTHING AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN INDONESIA AND MALAYSIA

Abstract The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and social media marketing on the intentions of university students in Indonesia and Malaysia to purchase eco-friendly clothes. In addition, it aims to determine the influence of subjective norms on the relationship between attitude and intention to make environmentally-friendly purchases, as well as the relationship between perceived behavioral control and intention to make environmentally-friendly purchases. A quantitative study was conducted, collecting empirical data from a sample of 228 Indonesian and 152 Malaysian university students. The process of analyzing the data included the use of SPSS 25 for conducting descriptive statistics and SmartPLS for performing structural equation modeling (SEM). SmartPLS 4.0, a software tool for structural equation modeling (SEM), processed the data primarily for hypothesis testing. Confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha, both well-established in previous research, assessed the reliability and validity of the scales used in this study. The study applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the model and hypothesis. The findings indicate that attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective standards, and social media marketing have a substantial impact on individuals' intentions to make green purchases. Attitude is the first determinant, followed by social media marketing as the second key component. The presence of subjective norms did not have a significant impact on the correlations between attitude and perceived behavioral control regarding the intention to make green purchases. The study demonstrates that students possess a robust environmental consciousness, and the utilization of social media marketing proves to be highly efficient in promoting environmentally friendly products. This study proposes that attitude and social media marketing play a vital role in influencing individuals' intentions to make environmentally friendly purchases and encouraging sustainable consumer behavior.