Understanding consumer shifts to sustainable fashion consumption through the lens of push-pull-mooring theory

Purpose This study aims to examine how various sociopsychological factors influence consumers' intention to switch from unsustainable mass-market fashion to sustainable fashion consumption, using the Push–Pull–Mooring (PPM) framework. Specifically, it investigates the roles of consumer fatigue and perceived guilt (push factors), product knowledge and moral concern (pull factors), and materialism and willingness to pay (mooring factors), providing insight into why the intention–behavior gap persists in sustainable fashion contexts. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 401 U.S. fashion consumers using an online survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the proposed hypotheses and moderation effects. Findings The results showed that moral concern and willingness to pay significantly predicted sustainable consumption intention, while product knowledge and perceived guilt had no direct effect. Surprisingly, consumer fatigue negatively impacted intention, contradicting its hypothesized push role. Materialism and willingness to pay moderated several push–pull relationships, revealing that sociopsychological traits and economic capability can strengthen or weaken sustainability intentions. Originality/value This study extends the PPM model to the underexplored context of sustainable fashion consumption by incorporating various sociopsychological variables. It contributes to theory by illustrating the complex interplay between emotional fatigue, ethical concern, materialistic values, and economic readiness. Practical implications are offered for fashion marketers to better segment and target consumers with sustainability messages tailored to their values, motivations, and willingness to pay.