Wearing Different Clothes: Drivers and Barriers for Pre-Loved Fashion Consumption in Bangladesh

An increasing demand for fashion trends drives the ongoing introduction of new products to the market, leading to higher global clothing consumption, especially in developed countries. Moreover, the fashion industry has a significant environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle, depleting natural resources and contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions. This study seeks to answer the research question "What do and don't Generation Z consumers use pre-loved fashion consumption services?" To explore the underexplored domain of pre-loved fashion consumption in Bangladesh, identify the drivers, factors, and barriers to collaborative fashion consumption, and thus contribute to the literature on the attitude-behavior gap. According to a sample of 30 participants from three focus group discussions, the respondents identified key motivational factors for selecting pre-loved fashion, including cost savings, style, convenience, sustainability, waste reduction, and environmental protection, which influenced their adoption of pre-loved fashion services. The focus group members noted that sanitary and hygiene concerns, psychological discomfort, fear of contamination, quality issues, unfavorable perceptions, size constraints, and socio-economic factors were adversely correlated with the adoption of pre-loved fashion. The study's findings are crucial for understanding Generation Z's growing environmental awareness and their adoption of alternative consumption models to mitigate substantial ecological waste. In Bangladesh, where fast fashion is readily accessible and consumers can purchase clothes at lower prices, younger consumers are increasingly environmentally conscious. They advocate protecting future generations and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 12, which emphasizes responsible consumption and production. This aligns with their initiative to be more environmentally aware while selecting trendy fashion. Although previous research on pre-loved fashion consumption has focused on developed and global north countries, the findings may underscore the importance of Bangladesh's Generation Z in a developing-country context, thereby enhancing their contributions to environmental protection.