Investigating internal motivation in sustainable fashion consumption: attitude towards recycled and upcycled products

Growing environmental consciousness, especially regarding resource availability and waste levels, has heightened concerns about waste management. Recycling and upcycling movements have resurged due to these factors. Sustainable clothing consumption, in particular, offers an eco-friendly way to maximise the utility of waste materials, creating new, improved products. Understanding consumer behaviour and intentions in recycling and upcycling, especially in sectors like fashion, wood, and plastics, is vital. Consumer recycling and upcycling efforts face challenges due to the perceived effort involved, known as the ‘attitude-behavior’ gap. To address this gap, this research employs motivation theory and Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to propose a framework. The study’s results support all hypotheses in the initial model, indicating its effectiveness in explaining the link between internal motivation, attitude, and intention. This insight can help identify factors influencing attitudes and purchase decisions, allowing for targeted strategies in the green consumer market and influencing buying habits.