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Theory of planned behavior, ethics Slow Fashion

Consumption
and intention of conscious
consumption in Slow
Fashion Consumption 905
Jordana Soares de Lira and Marconi Freitas da Costa Received 26 March 2021
Revised 5 August 2021
Graduate Program in Management, Innovation and Consumption (PPGIC), 29 November 2021
Federal University of Pernambuco, Caruaru, Brazil Accepted 6 December 2021

Abstract
Purpose – This study seeks to investigate the influence of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), of the
conscious consumption intention and of the consumer ethical considerations, on Slow Fashion Consumption in
the region known as Agreste Pernambucano, in Brazil, which is known for being an apparel
manufacturing area.
Design/methodology/approach – To achieve this purpose, descriptive quantitative research using non-
probabilistic sampling was conducted. Data were collected through an online survey and distributed through
the snowball technique. The sample consists of 486 respondents and relies on structural equation modeling for
data analysis.
Findings – The results highlight that the Slow Fashion Consumption, in the scope of Local Productive
Arrangement (LPA) of clothing manufacturing in the Agreste region, is influenced by the intention of conscious
consumption, the ethical considerations in consumer behavior and the perceived behavioral control. Moreover,
the results highlight the role of the influence of subjective norms both in the attitudes of consumers and the
intention of conscious consumption.
Originality/value – The primary contribution of this study is to demonstrate that perceived behavioral
control is positively associated with Slow Fashion Consumption, which, in turn, shows that respondents believe
they have control over their sustainable actions.
Keywords Slow fashion, Conscious consumption, Theory of planned behavior, Ethics, Brazil
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
Sustainability issues have increasingly become a crucial consideration for consumption-
related decision-making (Lim, 2017; Costa et al., 2021). As for fashion, consumers are
beginning to question the practices of fast fashion companies and have felt discouraged to
purchase apparel regarded as disposable (Pookulangara and Shepard, 2013). According to
McNeill and Snowdon (2019), fast fashion is the model of clothing production currently in
force and accounts for myriad negative socio-environmental consequences.
Indeed, it appears that the rapid increase in the demand for fast fashion products shows
how current consumption patterns can lead to socio-environmental consequences
(Pookulangara and Shepard, 2013). Thus, discussions regarding a more conscious
consumption practice have gradually emerged (Lim, 2017). In this sense, according to
Balderjahn et al. (2018), conscious consumption is the conversion of consumption into a
conscious act, especially in the scope of its socio-environmental impacts, creating awareness
represented in the daily choices of consumers.
From this perspective and influenced by the ideology of conscious consumption, the Journal of Fashion Marketing and
growth of a new movement that counterbalances the growing demand for fast fashion has Management: An International
Journal
Vol. 26 No. 5, 2022
pp. 905-925
This study was partly funded by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel © Emerald Publishing Limited
1361-2026
(Coordenaç~ao de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nıvel Superior – CAPES), Brazil – Finance Code 001. DOI 10.1108/JFMM-03-2021-0071
JFMM been encouraged, that is, the slow fashion movement (Legere and Kang, 2020). Slow fashion
26,5 aims to encourage consumer awareness of the consequences of their actions on the
environment and society (Pookulangara and Shepard, 2013).
Therefore, according to McNeill and Snowdon (2019), consumers have grown more aware
of the impacts of textile and fashion production and have been considering wider ethical
implications when deciding on the acquisition of traditional fast fashion products. For
Bauman (2011), ethics is closely related to the decisions that consumers must often make
906 because according to the author, individual consumption decisions are not unimportant; on
the contrary, they are part of one’s environmental responsibilities and duties.
In this sense, given the growing interest in consumers’ socio-environmental behavior
(Costa et al., 2020), researchers have been looking for indicators that can shed light on such
sustainable actions, which depend on decision-making processes based on substantive
rationality (Li et al., 2019). Therefore, according to Qi and Ploege (2019), in order to understand
the rational decision-making process of consumers, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is
one of the most widely used psychological theories. It is grounded on the assumption that
individuals make their decisions rationally by using the available information and weighing
the implications of their actions before deciding whether or not to behave in a certain way.
Given the relevance of these topics, numerous studies have focused on the behavior of
individuals in relation to their socio-environmental concerns (Balderjahn et al., 2018; Fischer
et al., 2017), as well as the ethics influencing the socio-environmental behaviors of consumers and
conscious consumption (Fischer et al., 2017; Bahl et al., 2016). Indeed, TPB has also been used as a
framework in several studies to explain the consumption of sustainable housing (Madeline et al.,
2019) and the consumption of organic products (Qi and Ploege, 2019), for example.
On the other hand, the approach of studies on slow fashion (Fletcher and Grose, 2012) has
focused on consumer profile (Jung and Jin, 2016) and the intention to purchase slow fashion
products (Legere and Kang, 2020). However, the literature is still scarce, particularly
regarding the study of the determinants of Slow Fashion Consumption (Jung and Jin, 2016).
Indeed, since no study correlating these constructs and focusing on sustainability has been
found in the researched platforms, this points to a theoretical gap to be studied. In addition, no
studies applied to consumers of the Local Productive Arrangement (LPA) of clothing
companies in the region known as Agreste Pernambucano, Brazil, have been found.
The LPA comprises the cities of Caruaru, Toritama and Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, which
are the municipalities responsible for most of the revenue generated in the textile sector in the
state of Pernambuco. In the scope of the LPA production, these three municipalities stand out
for their specialization in certain textile productions. For example, Caruaru mostly produces
flat fabrics and knits, in addition to having a large local handicraft fair; Toritama focuses on
the production of denim garments; and Santa Cruz do Capibaribe has a significant production
of knitted garments (Ara ujo et al., 2017; Amorim et al., 2016).
Studying the LPA is justified by its strategic relevance to the state of Pernambuco, since,
according to the Brazilian Textile Industry Association [ABIT] (2018), the Agreste apparel
LPA is the second largest textile and clothing producer in the northeast and north regions,
and the eighth largest producer in Brazil, accounting for 3% of the total Brazilian revenue,
responsible for 47,500 direct jobs and 2,561 companies, among which 330 focus on textiles
and 2,231 on clothing.
However, for Lira et al. (2020), fast fashion production in this LPA has negative social
impacts, especially regarding the workforce, given that it is mostly informal, as a result of family
entrepreneurship in the region. Therefore, this study addresses the social aspect of slow fashion,
given the various negative social impacts caused by fast fashion production in the LPA.
Yet, although the apparel LPA is in a region particularly characterized by fast fashion
production, there is a growing demand for slow fashion products by movements that
encourage their adherence by consumers. An example of these is the Fashion Revolution
week, which, in 2020, held its 4th edition in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe and Caruaru. The Slow Fashion
Fashion Revolution encompasses slow fashion concepts and aims to raise awareness about Consumption
the actual cost of fashion and its impacts on the planet, in all production and consumption
phases (Fashion Revolution Brasil, 2020).
Furthermore, the slow fashion philosophy has expanded not only in other countries but in
Brazil as well. Indeed, many Brazilian companies adhering to the slow fashion movement
have become increasingly popular. Clothing, shoes and accessories of various price ranges
manufactured according to slow production can be found in the market to meet the growing 907
demand by consumers. In Pernambuco, many brands have followed the slow fashion. In the
Agreste region, more precisely in the three main cities that make up the apparel LPA, brands
adopting slow fashion have thrived. According to Sobreira et al. (2020a), this new consumer
demand possibly stems from the fact that consumers in the northeast region of Brazil are
more aware of their consumption behavior and seek brands perceived as more sustainable.
Thus, given the above and aiming to fill the current theoretical gap, this study aims to
answer the following research question: What is the influence of the theory of planned
behavior, the intention of conscious consumption and the consumer’s ethical considerations
on Slow Fashion Consumption, in the fashion industry of the Agreste Pernambucano?
In this sense, in addition to being of academic relevance, due to the scarcity of research on
the subject, the discussion of the issues raised in this study also has market relevance, due to
the growing concern of consumers with socio-environmental issues and their progressive
support for conscious consumption movements, such as slow fashion (Turker and Altuntas,
2014). Therefore, this study is relevant both for large and medium and small companies
operating in the apparel LPA in the Agreste region of Pernambuco.
This is true because by deepening the understanding of specific self-concepts as
motivational sources that could influence Slow Fashion Consumption, the research results
can provide practical implications. Companies can propose actions to awaken the motivation
to adopt more conscious consumption practices among consumers and stimulate consumer
demand for slow fashion brands and products. In turn, stronger demand will encourage slow-
fashion production.
That said, given the topicality of the topic and the scarcity observed in the literature,
especially in Brazil, this study aims to bring important contributions to scientific advances
regarding the consumption of slow fashion.
In addition to this introduction, this article has been organized into four other sections,
namely theoretical framework, method, data analysis, and, finally, the final remarks, in which
the implications of this study, limitations of the adopted approach and suggestions for future
research will be discussed.

2. Theoretical framework
2.1 Slow Fashion Consumption
According to Clark (2008), slow fashion emerged in mid-2004, in London, coined by Angela
Murrills, a fashion writer for the online news magazine Georgia Straight. Slow fashion stems
from the same concepts as the Slow Food movement, which was founded and disseminated
by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986 and advocated the consumption of healthier foods and more
natural practices (Fletcher and Grose, 2012).
For McNeill and Snowdon (2019), slow fashion is still a relatively new concept that has yet
to achieve a single and concrete definition. Studies argue that it represents a vision of
sustainability in the fashion sector based on different values and objectives, thus being a
breach of the values and objectives of Fast Fashion (Fletcher and Grose, 2012).
In this sense, slow fashion does not just refer to pace, as its name suggests, but to a
philosophy attentive to the respective needs of its various stakeholders (designers, buyers,
JFMM retailers and consumers) and to the impact that production fashion has on workers,
26,5 consumers and ecosystems (Hall, 2018).
For Jung and Jin (2014), slow fashion is not just about slowing down the pace of the fashion
cycle but a socially conscious movement that proposes a change in consumers’ mentality in
the scope of both quantity to quality. Thus, according to the authors, slow fashion consumers
demonstrate concerns about social issues in the fashion industry, placing greater importance
on how products are produced and preferring artisanal techniques, small-scale local
908 commerce and production.
Therefore, consumption-oriented slow fashion consumers practice this type of
consumption, for example, by extending the life cycle of their clothes, buying clothing at
thrift stores, promoting the reuse of second-hand items, properly disposing of their items or
through donation, fabric reuse and repair (Clark, 2008). On this account, according to Sobreira
et al. (2020b), slow fashion also occurs by recycling and reusing existing clothes, and it can be
combined with local production and handicrafts, which are outstanding characteristics of the
apparel LPA addressed here. In addition, slow fashion consumers also tend to prioritize
responsible local brands that produce high-quality and durable clothing at a slower speed,
promoting ethical work relationships and production processes that generate less waste and
pollution (Freudenreich and Schaltegger, 2020; Clark, 2008). In this sense, this approach to
local companies makes slow fashion a somewhat artisanal system, based on smaller
production (Fletcher and Grose, 2012).
Thus, according to Legere and Kang (2020), the practice of slow fashion values diversity;
prioritizes local production over global production; promotes socio-environmental
awareness; contributes to trust between producers and consumers; sets actual prices that
incorporate social and ecological costs; and keeps its production between small and medium
scale, concepts commonly presented as drivers of more conscious consumption, which is the
object of discussion in the next section.

2.2 Conscious consumption

Conscious consumption can be understood as the human practice of considering impacts on
the environment, as a result of a reflection process in which the actions are targeted at the
search for collective results (Milne et al., 2019). For Fischer et al. (2017), conscious
consumption can be performed through small everyday actions such as reducing the
consumption of water while taking a shower, saving energy and favoring socio-
environmentally friendly products/services.
For Lim (2017), a pivotal attribute of conscious behavior is the consumer’s temperance in
consumption and their search to improve personal well-being in a manner consistent with
personal values. Consequently, the conscious consumer has the ability to decide what to
consume, how to consume and where the product and/or service to be consumed will come
from (Sheth et al., 2011). That is, they make conscious choices according to their values and
preferences and are not forced or limited by circumstances or market conditions to consume
in a certain way (Lim, 2017).
Therefore, the concept of conscious consumption is adopted in this study, more precisely
the intention to consume consciously, as we understand that such form of consumption is
linked to the individual consumer while considering the essence of the thinking and reflective
individual, what they perceive from the environment and how they get involved with their
context (Bahl et al., 2016). For Hegel (1995), individuals can grow aware in their consumption
practice as they understand their roles as transforming agents, considering that their actions
produce impacts that interfere with the environment.
Thus, as slow fashion has been inspired by the ideology of conscious consumption and
mirrors its principles (Fletcher and Grose, 2012), we assume that individuals who intend to
consciously consume products would be more likely to adhere to Slow Fashion Consumption.
For Dhandra (2019), conscious individuals have a greater intention to buy or consume Slow Fashion
products of a sustainable nature. Thus, based on what was exposed, the following research Consumption
hypothesis is proposed:
H1. The intention to consume consciously positively influences Slow Fashion
Consumption.
Along with the intention of conscious consumption, which is paramount to explain the
determinants of Slow Fashion Consumption (Zou and Chan, 2019), there are other ethical 909
considerations in consumer behavior, and they will be discussed in the next section.

2.3 Ethical considerations in consumer behavior

According to Ricci et al. (2016), ethics comprises a way of dealing with situations experienced
in daily life, insofar as it is directly linked to the principles and values that determine human
conduct. For the authors, consumption is perceived as the sphere where all the contradictions
of human ethical behavior emerge. For Bauman (2011), ethics are closely related to the
decisions that consumers must frequently make.
According to Ryoo et al. (2020), ethical considerations in consumer behavior can be
understood as those in which there is an inclusion of an ethical ideal in mind regarding a
given purchase decision. For Ricci et al. (2016), ethical considerations in consumption can be
described as a behavioral pattern that challenges consumers to reconsider their daily
consumption choices from a moral point of view.
In this sense, according to Culiberg (2015), ethical considerations in consumer behavior are
the moral principles and standards that guide the behavior of individuals or groups as they
obtain, use, and dispose of goods or services. Ethical consumers actively seek alternatives to
conventional products because they firmly believe in ethical issues based on the moral values
they cultivate (Ricci et al., 2016).
According to Andorfer and Lieb (2015), people’s ethical values and principles understood
as cultural phenomena that prescribe and forbid behavior in specific circumstances can
influence consumer behavior. Accordingly, by choosing or even purchasing a product over
another, consumers can adopt or reject specific environmental and social practices and make
other value claims based on the ethical values they hold (Deng, 2015; Justin et al., 2015).
Therefore, it is assumed that ethical considerations have a significant impact on people’s
consumption decisions, as for Ricci et al. (2016), all aspects of consumer behavior have an
integral ethical component.
Previous research has already pointed to the need to add ethical considerations to models
that aim to understand the predictors of conscious consumption intention, such as Arvola
et al. (2008); Vermeir and Verbeke (2008) and Justin et al. (2015). For Garcıa and Sanz (2018),
the ethical dimension is crucial to an innovative approach to sustainability. Also, for Zou and
Chan (2019), ecological behaviors are ethically influenced, so the incorporation of ethical
concepts in the analysis of the models could enrich the investigation. Given this perspective,
the inclusion of ethical aspects in consumption decisions reverberates in more conscious
consumption. Indeed, for Deng (2015), consumers have gradually been expressing ethical
concerns about the impact of their consumption choices, cognitively converting these
concerns into behavioral intentions. Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed:
H2a. Consumer ethical considerations positively influence the intention of conscious
consumption.
Furthermore, it is assumed that the ethical considerations of individuals would also influence
Slow Fashion Consumption, since, according to Pookulangara and Shepard (2013),
consumers who adhere to slow fashion seek to make ethical considerations regarding the
socio-environmental impact of their choices. Thus, yet another hypothesis is proposed:
JFMM H2b. Consumer ethical considerations positively influence Slow Fashion Consumption.
26,5
2.4 Theory of planned behavior
The TPB was initially imagined by Ajzen and proposes a form of behavior based on
consumer perceptions of the consequences of consumption (Cerri et al., 2018). Thus, the
investigation of these consequences allows us to understand the factors that prevent or
910 strengthen the formation of behavioral intentions (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980).
For Ajzen (2015), individual intention can be measured through three constructs: Attitude
(an individual’s internal predisposition to evaluate a particular object or aspect), Subjective
Norm (the influence of third parties perceived by the individual) and Perceived Behavioral
Control (PBC) (the perception of the degree of difficulty to perform a certain behavior).
According to Yuriev et al. (2020), pro-environmental behaviors have been studied through
the TPB framework since 1995. Over the years, scholars have applied this theory more
frequently, and TPB became one of the most extensively used theories to study individual
behaviors (Yuriev et al., 2020). According to the authors, a search using Google Scholar
revealed that the theory was cited almost 90,000 times in 2019 alone. For the authors, this is
because the use of TPB allows researchers to identify the determinants of socio-
environmental behavior and, subsequently, achieve these factors in the interventions.
In this sense, TPB has been used by several studies that seek to understand the socio-
environmental behavior of individuals in society, such as the payment for participatory
management of natural resources (Grilli and Notaro, 2019), and to explain the consumption of
sustainable housing (Madeline et al., 2019), the consumption of organic products (Qi and
Ploege, 2019), the purchase of ecologically correct products (Al Mamun et al., 2018), the
purchase of socially responsible products (Han and Stoel, 2017) and the intention to purchase
green products (Justin et al., 2015; Chen and Hung, 2016), among others.
2.4.1 Attitude. For Ajzen (2015), a person is more likely to engage in certain behaviors if
that person has a favorable attitude towards the object, therefore, Chen and Hung (2016) claim
that attitude has a major influence on the behavioral intention of individuals. According to
Justin et al. (2015), consumer attitudes are among the most relevant predictors of sustainable
behavioral intentions. In this sense, for this study, the attitude’s object refers to the socio-
environmental judgments made by consumers.
According to Whitmarsh and O’Neill (2010), when people adopt socio-environmentally
friendly behaviors, these are called pro-environmental behaviors. In the same vein, this
research adopts the definition of a pro-environmental attitude as a psychological trend
expressed by socio-environmental assessment with favoritism or unfavorability (Whitmarsh
and O’Neill, 2010).
The pro-environmental attitude proves to be a powerful motivator of intentions for socio-
environmental behavior. Thus, for Kumar et al. (2017), having a favorable attitude towards an
environmentally sustainable product would lead to a more favorable consumption intention.
Therefore, given the above, the following hypothesis is formulated:
H3a. The pro-environmental attitudes of consumers positively influence the intention of
conscious consumption.
According to Ajzen and Fishbein (1980), attitude is among the most important constructs
when considering the behavior dimension because according to Cerri et al. (2018), individuals
who have favorable attitudes towards a certain object tend to convert this intention into
effective behavior.
According to Chekima et al. (2016), positive environmental attitudes support consumers’
decision to purchase sustainable products across distinct cultures, allowing individuals to
make environmentally conscious consumption decisions. According to Ajzen (1991), a person
is more likely to perform certain behaviors if he or she has a favorable attitude towards Slow Fashion
performing that behavior. Consumption
It is claimed that a pro-environmental attitude can be a motivating factor of socio-
environmental behavior (Chekima et al., 2016). Thus, through the aforementioned arguments,
it is assumed that individuals who have a positive pro-environmental attitude towards
fashion products will tend to consume slow fashion. Therefore, given the above, the second
hypothesis about attitude is proposed:
911
H3b. Consumer pro-environmental attitudes positively influences Slow Fashion
Consumption.
2.4.2 Subjective norm. Subjective norms are found in social factors including the reference
groups and family and can influence the behavior of individuals (Ajzen, 2015). According to
Suki and Suki (2019), subjective norms also directly influence the attitude of individuals, as
many people value the opinion of others.
In addition, subjective norms end up contributing to learning, since external opinions
increase the amount of information for consumers when making decisions, influencing their
attitude towards a certain object and their consumption intention (Suki and Suki, 2019). Thus,
given the influence exerted by peers concerning individual attitudes, the following
hypothesis is proposed:
H3c. Subjective norms positively influence individual attitudes.
For Hameed et al. (2019), the subjective norm is a significant factor in influencing an
individual decision to adopt and consume sustainable products based on the
recommendations of people that are important to them.
Subjective norms have proved to be a significant determinant of the intention to consume
sustainable products since peers can convince others to recognize socio-environmental
problems (Moser, 2015). In this sense, subjective norms function as an important determinant
of the intention of conscious consumption (Moser, 2015). Thus, the following hypothesis is
proposed:
H3d. Subjective norms positively influence the intention of conscious consumption.
2.4.3 Perceived behavioral control. For Ajzen (2015), PBC determines both consumption
intention and behavior. Thus, the reason this construct is directly connected with effective
behavior is the perception that individuals have regarding the control over the realization of
such behavior (Ajzen, 2015).
In the field of conscious consumption, perceived behavioral control is confirmed as a
significant determinant of behavioral intention, of purchase of sustainable products, such as
Chen and Hung (2016) and Justin et al. (2015). Therefore, based on the above, the following
hypothesis is proposed:
H3e. High perceived behavioral control positively influences the intention of conscious
consumption.
Additionally, it appears that there is a direct and positive link between PBC and behavior. For
example, Niaura (2013) demonstrated that PBC, in addition to predicting intention, also
predicts effective behavior. Thus, it is believed that the greater the perception of consumers of
having control over their conscious consumption, the greater the likelihood that these
consumers will perform effective behavior when an opportunity arises. Therefore, the
following hypothesis is proposed:
H3f. High PBC positively influences Slow Fashion Consumption.
JFMM 2.5 Theoretical model
26,5 Based on the literature review presented above, a theoretical model is proposed, which is
represented in Figure 1.

3. Method
This study has a descriptive purpose and aims at identifying the influence of the TPB, the
912 intention of conscious consumption and ethical considerations in consumer behavior on Slow
Fashion Consumption, at the fashion manufacturing area of the region known as Agreste
Pernambucano, in Pernambuco, Brazil. To this end, a literature review was conducted,
followed by quantitative field research (Malhotra, 2019).

3.1 Population and sample

The population of this study consists of consumers buying from the apparel LPA in the
Agreste Pernambucano, aged over 18 years old. The sampling used in this study is non-
probabilistic due to its convenience (Malhotra, 2019), and the snowball technique was
adopted to expand the reach of the questionnaires (Malhotra, 2019).
Regarding the sample size, the recommendations by Hair et al. (2015) were followed, so the
collection was completed with a total of 530 questionnaires. However, due to the screening
question, which required respondents to be over 18 years old and LPA consumers, 44
questionnaires had to be excluded. Therefore, the final sample consists of 486 (n 5 486) valid
questionnaires.

3.2 Data collection procedures

Primary data were collected from LPA consumers through online survey questionnaires
consisting of close-ended questions (Hair et al., 2015). Furthermore, the questionnaire was
developed based on several authors, by using or adapting scales.

Pro-
environmental
Attitude

H3b
H3c (+) H3
a(
+)

Subjective H3d (+) Conscious H1 (+) Slow Fashion

Consumption
Norms Consumption
Intention

)
e (+
H3
H2a (+) +)
b(
H3f
(+ ) H2

Perceived Ethical
Behavioral
Considerations
Control

Figure 1.
Theoretical model
Source(s): Prepared by the authors (2020)
 Therefore, to measure the dependent variable of this investigation (Slow Fashion Slow Fashion
Consumption), the scale developed by Jung and Jin (2014) was adapted, whereas the scale of Consumption
conscious consumption-Ecologically Conscious Consumer Behavior (ECCB) proposed in
Straughan and Roberts (1999) was adapted to measure conscious consumption.
To measure ethical considerations in consumer behavior, the scale proposed by Deng
(2015) was used, whereas the scale proposed by Madeline et al. (2019) was used to measure the
TPB. Table 1 presents the items that constitute the questionnaires, their authorship and the
constructs to which they refer. 913
The questionnaire for this study consists of 29 statements plus the respondent profile. The
constructs Slow Fashion Consumption, Conscious Consumption Intention and Ethical
Considerations in Consumer Behavior were measured according to a Likert scale ranging
from totally disagree (1) to totally agree (7) (Hair et al., 2015). For the construct of TPB, a
semantic differential scale was used, also ranging from 1 to 7.
The collection instrument was divided into seven sections. The first session included a
brief presentation on the research objective, instructions on how to fill out the questionnaire,
as well as on the requirement that respondents were LPA consumers buying clothes Agreste
de Pernambuco manufacturing area. The second session contained the screening question; in
this case, if respondents were not LPA consumers, they would be redirected to the end of the
questionnaire. The third session contained the assertions referring to Slow Fashion
Consumption and a brief explanation of what Slow Fashion Consumption is.
The fourth session consisted of the assertions of the intention of conscious consumption.
The fifth session contained the assertions of the ethical considerations in consumer behavior
and a conceptual explanation of what could be considered an ethical purchase. The sixth
session consisted of TPB’s assertions and finally the last featured assertions about the
respondents’ sociodemographic profile, which consisted of the following questions: (1) age; (2)
sex; (3) marital status; (4) schooling; (5) average monthly family income and (6) number of
people in the household.
A pre-test was conducted with 20 respondents, including 5 marketing specialists
(Malhotra, 2019). Respondents who participated in the pre-test were not included in the final
sample. Thus, after the necessary adjustments, data collection was initiated via a Google
Form questionnaire that was made available on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook
platforms.

3.3 Data collection and analysis

Data analysis was performed using the statistical software SPSS and SPSS AMOS. Initially,
the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, that is, frequency, mean, standard
deviation and coefficient of variation (Hair et al., 2009). To verify the reliability of the scales,
Cronbach’s alpha was used considering the acceptable level of reliability of 0.7 (Hair
et al., 2009).
For the analysis of the relationships between constructs, as well as the hypothesis test,
structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used
to verify the reliability and validity of the constructs included in the measurement model;
then, the structural model was analyzed to verify the goodness-of-fit indices to test the model
adequacy (Hair et al., 2015).

4. Presentation and analysis of results

This section comprises the tabulation of the collected data and the interpretation of the
results. To this end, the questionnaires were initially checked for possible flaws and mistakes
committed during filling, but no non-response error was identified, given the requirement of
filling all items of the questionnaire.
JFMM Construct Items (dimensions and variables) Code
26,5
Slow Fashion Consumption (SFC) I prioritize local production when I buy clothes SFC01
Adapted from Jung and Jin (2014) Fair compensation for clothing producers is important to me SFC02
and Clark (2008) when I buy clothes
I am concerned about the working conditions of producers SFC03
when I buy clothes
914 I am concerned with fair trade when I buy clothes SFC04
Intention of conscious When I have to choose between two identical products, I ICC01
consumption (ICC) always choose the one that is least harmful to other people and
Adapted from Straughan and the environment
Roberts (1999) I have already convinced friends or relatives not to buy ICC02
products that harm the environment
When I know the possible environmental and social damage ICC03
that a product can cause, I do not buy it
I do not buy products that can cause the extinction of some ICC04
animal and plant species
I already changed or stopped using products for ecological ICC05
reasons
I do not buy products manufactured or sold by companies that ICC06
harm or disrespect the environment and workers
Consumer ethical considerations I always make purchases that I consider to be ethical CEC01
(CEC) I always recommend that my friends buy products that they CEC02
Adapted from Deng (2015) consider to be ethical
I always resolutely resist buying products that I consider to be CEC03
unethical
I always recommend that my friends do not buy products that CEC04
they consider unethical
Theory of planned behavior 1. Attitude
(TPB) The purchase of clothes considered slow fashion is . . .
Adapted from Madeline et al. A. Useless–useful TPBA01
(2019) B. Harmful–beneficial TPBA02
C. Bad TPBA03
D. Unpleasant–pleasant TPBA04
E. Unimportant–important TPBA05
2. Subjective norms
A. People who are important to me think that I should buy slow TPBSN06
fashion products
B. I feel under social pressure to buy slow fashion products TPBSN07
C. People who are important to me would be happy if I bought TPBSN08
slow fashion products
D. When it comes to buying slow fashion products, I want to do TPBSN09
what important people think I should do
E. Most of the people who are important to me has bought slow TPBSN10
fashion products
F. The number of people who are important to me who have TPBSN11
purchased slow fashion products is . . . (1 – Low, 7 – High)
G. Considering people important to you who make slow fashion TPBSN12
purchases, how much do you think you would be similar to
these people when making the purchase? (Scale: 1 – Little, 7 –
Much)
3. Perceived behavioral control
A. How much control do you have over purchasing slow TPBPC13
fashion products? (1 – No control, 7 – Great control)
B. I am confident that I can buy slow fashion products TPBPC14
Table 1. C. If I wanted, it would be easy for me to buy slow fashion TPBPC15
Composition of the products
collection instrument Source(s): Prepared by the authors (2020)
4.1 Respondents’ profile Slow Fashion
To characterize the sample’s demographic profile, data on the following variables were Consumption
collected: sex, age, marital status, monthly income, number of individuals sharing the same
household and schooling.
Initially, a survey was carried out using the basic descriptive statistics of frequency (f) and
percentage (%). It found that out of the 486 respondents, the majority (69.8%) are women,
41.8% have a university degree and 57.8% are single. The other demographic variables were
analyzed using the mean and standard deviation, for greater numerical precision. This 915
analysis revealed that the average age of the respondents was 31.55 years old with an SD of
9.448 years; the average family income was BRL 7,327.37 with an SD of BRL 3,5056.81 and the
number of individuals living in the same household was approximately three people per
respondent, with a per capita income of BRL 2,541.76. The coefficient of variation (CV) was
also calculated, in order to characterize the dispersion of the data in terms of its average value.

4.2 Measurement model analysis

Regarding the measurement model, the Mahalanobis Distance (MD2) was initially used to
verify the existence and removal of outliers from the sample. It should be noted that no
observation presented high values that had to be removed from the analysis. Soon afterward,
CFA was performed to identify the adjustment indexes (Maroco, 2010). As can be seen in
Table 2, the results show adequate adjustment rates.
Reliability analysis (Cronbach’s alpha), composite reliability (CR) and mean explained
variance (AVE) were used to investigate the level of adequacy of the scales of each construct.
As for Cronbach’s alpha, all measured constructs showed satisfactory internal consistency
reliability (>0.7), as presented in Table 3.
Additionally, CR also had values above 0.7 in each construct, following the
recommendations of Maroco (2010) and Hair et al. (2015). Table 3 shows the mean and SD
of the responses to the variables, considering a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 7. To calculate
the mean and the standard deviation, composite variables had to be created through
summated scale. Thus, it appears that the mean of the variables tends to agree with the
statements since it varies between 5 and 6 points.
It is observed, however, that only two variables (Subjective Norms and PBC) showed a
slightly lower average. However, these constructs have a high coefficient of variation,
attesting to the heterogeneity of the responses.

Indexes Results Criteria

2
X /Gl (805,338/338) 2.383 [2; 3] good adjustment
p-value 0.001 >0.05 acceptable adjustment*
GFI 0.898 [0.80; 0.90] acceptable adjustment
IFI 0.943 >0.90 good adjustment
TLI 0.931 >0.90 good adjustment
CFI 0.943 >0.90 good adjustment
NFI 0.906 >0.90 good adjustment
PCFI 0.785 [0.70; 0.80] acceptable adjustment
RMSEA 0.053 <0.08 good adjustment
PCLOSE 0.118 >0.05 very good adjustment
EVCI 2.060 The smaller the better Table 2.
MEVCI 2.086 The smaller the better Model adjustment
Note(s): *Large samples are more sensitive to having significant p-values indexes
JFMM
26,5
Variables Mean SD CV (%) α CR AVE

Slow Fashion Consumption (SFC) 5.1425 1.29048 25.09 0.846 0.776 0.471
Conscious consumption intention (CCI) 4.9208 1.47498 29.97 0.911 0.864 0.515
Consumer ethical considerations (CEC) 5.0067 1.48309 29.62 0.921 0.885 0.658
916 TPB – attitude (TPBA) 6.2305 1.03715 16.64 0.940 0.942 0.766
TPB – subjective norms (TPBSN) 3.8313 1.35505 35.37 0.904 0.867 0.497
Table 3. TPB – perceived control (TPBPC) 4.7291 1.44545 30.56 0.737 0.772 0.531
Descriptive statistics, Note(s): SD (Standard Deviation), CV (coefficient of variation), CR (composed reliability); AVE (average
reliability and validity variance extracted); α 5 Cronbach

Variables SFC CCI CEC TPBA TPBSN TPBPC

SFC 0.471 0.252 0.302 0.048 0.251 0.249

CCI 0.502 0.515 0.386 0.065 0.219 0.206
CEC 0.554 0.621 0.658 0.067 0.234 0.238
TPBA 0.218 0.256 0.259 0.766 0.052 0.167
TPBSN 0.501 0.469 0.482 0.227 0.497 0.247
Table 4. TPBPC 0.499 0.454 0.488 0.408 0.497 0.5311
Correlations, shared Note(s): AVE values are shown in the diagonal of the table (in italics), whereas the values below the diagonal
variance and AVE show the correlations, and the ones above it show the shared variances (squared correlations)

Regarding the validity of the constructs’ scales, three validities were performed, namely
factorial, convergent and discriminant (Kline, 2011). Factorial validity is based on the values
of the standardized coefficients for each item of the constructs, in which all of them have
coefficients above 0.5. Convergent validity was investigated based on the AVE values.
To measure AVE, Kline (2011) defines 0.5 as an appropriate value, and it is possible to
observe, according to Table 4, that only two constructs (Slow Fashion Consumption, 0.471,
and TPB Subjective Norms, 0.497), had values below the recommended. However, they were
still considered acceptable for the analysis (Kline, 2011). Therefore, based on the AVE values,
convergent validity has been met.
To verify discriminant validity, we compared the AVE of each construct with the shared
variance, as suggested by Fornell and Larcker (1981). To confirm the specific structure
proposed, the AVE values must be above the shared variances (Fornell and Larcker, 1981).
Thus, the discriminant validity was confirmed, as shown in Table 4.

4.3 Analysis of the structural model and discussion of hypotheses

After evaluating the measurement model, we proceeded to test the validity of the structural
model. At this stage, the adjustment indexes were calculated again: X2/df (1,179,303/
344) 5 3,428 (p 5 0.001); GFI 5 0.857; IFI 5 0.899; TLI 5 0.879; CFI 5 0.898; NFI 5 0.898;
PCFI 5 0.761; RMSEA 5 0.071; PCLOSE 5 0.000; ECVI 5 2.807; MECVI 5 2.832. Therefore,
the values show adequate adjustment rates, as recommended by Hair et al. (2015).
In addition, the hypothetical model was evaluated by the trajectory diagram with the help
of standardized regression weights (β) and p-values, to assess (predict) the effect of
independent variables on the dependent variable in a similar model, as shown in Table 5. In
this sense, we have been able to verify through the p-value that six out of nine hypotheses
were confirmed, as they showed values lower than 0.05.
 It should be noted that although hypotheses H3a and H3e were considered refuted, they Slow Fashion
could be considered marginally accepted if a p-value of 0.10 was considered. However, to Consumption
maintain a high statistical rigor, these hypotheses will be analyzed as unsupported. Thus, to
provide better graphic visualization of the relationships between the hypotheses and the
constructs, Figure 2 presents the theoretical model with coefficients.

917
Standardized Unstandardized
Hypothesis coefficient coefficient SE RC p Status

H3c(þ): 0.214 0.188 0.042 4.488 0.001 Supported

TPBSN → TPBA
H3a(þ): 0.075 0.095 0.054 1.743 0.081 Unsupported
TPBA → CCI
H3d(þ): 0.227 0.253 0.051 4.986 0.001 Supported
TPBSN → CCI
H3e(þ): 0.084 0.078 0.043 1.823 0.068 Unsupported
TPBPC → CCI
H2a(þ): CEC → CCI 0.523 0.448 0.048 9.367 0.001 Supported
H3b(þ): 0.006 0.004 0.036 0.124 0.901 Unsupported
TPBA → SFC
H3f(þ): 0.237 0.135 0.032 4.146 0.001 Supported
TPBPC → SFC
H1(þ): CCI → SFC 0.393 0.240 0.047 5.113 0.001 Supported Table 5.
H2b(þ): CEC → SFC 0.228 0.119 0.033 3.657 0.001 Supported Tests of the research
Source(s): Prepared by the authors (2020) hypotheses

Figure 2.
Theoretical model with
coefficients
JFMM Given the above, hypothesis H1 (the intention to consume consciously positively
26,5 influences Slow Fashion Consumption) is confirmed (p < 0.05). This result is in line with the
discussions of several authors on conscious consumption, such as Barbaro and Pickett (2016),
who have demonstrated that acting consciously relates significantly and positively with
sustainable consumption behavior.
According to Dhandra (2019), conscious individuals have greater self-awareness and
value the satisfaction of needs more than the satisfaction of desires. This is in line with slow
918 fashion principles, as consumers who join the movement seek to value the quality, style and
long-lasting design of pieces, rather than following the wishes of ephemeral trends.
Therefore, the conscious ‘being’ (individual) plays a fundamental role in the practice of
slow fashion, as, according to Bahl et al. (2016), the broad ethical and sustainable fashion
movement embraces the awareness of the reality of production, supply, and consumption of
fashion and clothing, with a strong focus on the harmful impact of the industry on the
environment and human well-being.
Regarding the two hypotheses proposed ethical considerations in consumer behavior,
namely H2a (ethical considerations in consumer behavior positively influence the intention of
conscious consumption) and H2b (ethical considerations in consumer behavior positively
influence Slow Fashion Consumption), both have been confirmed (p < 0.05).
These findings corroborate studies by several authors such as Deng (2015), Carrington
et al. (2014) and Arvola et al. (2008), who have demonstrated the influence of ethical aspects on
one’s behavior intention. For the authors, a growing number of consumers have expressed
their concerns about ethics and the impact of their consumption choices, cognitively
converting these ethical concerns into behavioral intentions.
Ethical considerations in consumer behavior also influence Slow Fashion Consumption.
Thus, this result corroborates the statement by Pookulangara and Shephard (2013) that
consumers who join slow fashion aim to incorporate ethical considerations regarding the
environmental and social impact of their consumption choices.
Additionally, this finding also corroborates what McNeill and Snowdon (2019) advocate
because for those authors consumers have become increasingly aware of the impacts that the
textile production of fashion generates, and therefore have incorporated wider ethical
considerations in their decision-making processes in the scope of the purchase of traditional
fast fashion products.
As for the two hypotheses proposed for the determinant attitude, both seem to have been
refuted (p > 0.05), H3a (consumers’ pro-environmental attitudes positively influence the
intention of conscious consumption) and H3b (consumer’s pro-environmental attitudes
positively influence Slow Fashion Consumption).
Thus, regarding the discussion on hypothesis H3a, it appears that respondents have a
positive pro-environmental attitude towards conscious consumption (M 5 6.23). However, it
does not show statistical relevance to influence the intention of conscious consumption.
These results corroborate studies that have found a weakness in the relationship between
attitude and behavioral intentions, such as Rodrıguez-Barreiro et al. (2013).
Regarding the second hypothesis of this construct, H3b, it was found that even with
favorable pro-environmental attitudes, the attitude was not effective in influencing behavior.
These findings are supported by several authors who have pointed to the existence of a gap
between attitude and behavior. For Carrington et al. (2010), in the context of conscious
behavior, although the measurement of attitude occurs in the form of preferences, this does
not mean that attitudes and intentions favorable to a given object will always trigger effective
behavior.
This can be seen, for example, in a study conducted by Euromonitor International in 2017
(Szalai and Mohiuddin, 2017), which revealed a significant gap between the stated attitudes of
consumers and their actual purchasing behavior. Additionally, for Cavalcanti et al. (2020),
graduate students surveyed in Agreste Pernambucano showed little socio-environmental Slow Fashion
awareness in their consumption practices, although they were aware of the importance of Consumption
cultivating conscious consumption.
Regarding the hypotheses of subjective norms, H3c (subjective norms positively influence
individual attitude) and H3d (subjective norms positively influence the intention of conscious
consumption), both have been confirmed (p < 0.05). Indeed, the confirmation of hypothesis
H3c corroborates the findings of several authors, such as Wang (2014), who found that
subjective norms affect consumer attitudes towards socio-environmental issues. 919
Furthermore, Suki and Suki (2019) demonstrate that subjective norms directly influence
the attitude of individuals, insofar as they contribute to learning and experience, thus
influencing the attitude of individuals towards a particular object and their consumption
intention. The confirmation of hypothesis H3d is also supported by several studies, such as
Moser (2015), who found a statistically significant relationship between the influence of peers
and the intention to consume sustainable products.
Although in some studies subjective norms showed low levels of significance when
compared to other TPB determinants (Han and Stoel, 2017), they have been strongly
associated with behavioral attitudes and intentions, particularly those concerning social and
environmental responsibility, which therefore justifies the acceptability of the two
hypotheses proposed in this study. Therefore, subjective norms can function as a source
of social pressure and have the potential to encourage LPA consumers to change their
consumption behavior or even prompt the companies operating in it to change their corporate
social responsibility strategies.
As for the PBC hypotheses, only H3f (high PBC positively influences Slow Fashion
Consumption) was supported (p < 0.05). Regarding the refuted hypothesis H3e, which
postulated that high PBC positively influenced the intention of conscious consumption, it
appears that, although some studies have confirmed PBC as a significant determinant of
behavioral intention, the strength of the PBC influence in consumption intention varies
between studies.
For example, Yazdanpanah and Forouzani (2015) found a non-significant correlation,
which corroborates the results obtained for the refuted hypothesis H3e. Furthermore, Lopez-
Mosquera et al. (2014) found that PBC has no significant effect on intention, only on behavior.
Therefore, the results of these authors justify the findings of this research.
As for hypothesis H3f, it appears that high PBC positively influences Slow Fashion
Consumption. And although some studies claim that there are difficulties regarding the
consumption of products with sustainable bias, such as product unavailability and price
sensitivity (He et al., 2016), the LPA consumers buying from the apparel companies in the
Agreste region of Pernambuco state believe that they have behavioral control over their Slow
Fashion Consumption, and this has positively influenced their consumption behavior.
This can be explained by the nature of the slow fashion movement, given that its
consumption occurs through simple actions such as the purchase of clothes made of natural
cotton fibers; extending the life of the clothes; the purchase of clothing at thrift stores and
proper disposal of items (donation, fabric reuse, patching, repair, etc.) (Clark, 2008). Also, they
have been allies to local production and handicraft, which are typical characteristics of
apparel LPA addressed in this study. For example, the Feira do Artesanato (“handicraft trade
show and fair”) is held in Caruaru and sells all types of handicrafts produced by local artisans,
which are a hallmark of the slow fashion movement (Sobreira et al., 2020a).

5. Final remarks
This study has investigated the impact of the TPB, the intention of conscious consumption
and ethical considerations in consumer behavior on Slow Fashion Consumption, in the
JFMM manufacturing area operating in the region known as Agreste Pernambucano. Considering
26,5 the results found here, the primary contribution of this study is to demonstrate that PBC is
positively associated with Slow Fashion Consumption and that respondents believe they
have control over their sustainable actions.
This finding becomes relevant to the extent that various other studies have pointed to the
presence of barriers to the consumption of sustainable products (He et al., 2016). For the
authors, price sensitivity and product unavailability would be two of the main factors for
920 unsustainable consumption behavior. However, respondents perceive to have control over
Slow Fashion Consumption, that is, they may not realize the existence of these barriers or
understand that it is possible to overcome them, positively influencing consumer behavior.
In addition, other relevant results have been found. For example, the intention of conscious
consumption positively influences Slow Fashion Consumption. This can be explained by the
very nature of the Slow Movement, which emerged inflated precisely by the ideology of more
conscious consumption, in which consumers consider the consequences of their actions at the
time of purchase.
Additionally, it is evident that ethical considerations in consumer behavior positively
influence both conscious consumption intention and Slow Fashion Consumption. Therefore,
conscious consumers seem to have wider ethical concerns about the impact of their
consumption choices, and consumers who adhere to slow fashion aim to incorporate ethical
considerations regarding the environmental and social impact of their choices.
As for attitude, although the respondents have a positive pro-environmental attitude
towards conscious consumption, no statistical relevance was obtained to influence the
intention of conscious consumption and Slow Fashion Consumption. Thus, the gap between
intention and behavior has been demonstrated. Besides, it must be noted that having a
positive assessment of slow fashion behavior will not necessarily trigger individual
consumption nor the intention to engage in such behavior.
As for the subjective norms, the confirmation of both hypotheses leads to an
understanding of the importance of social groups on the formation of attitudes and
intentions related to sustainable issues. Indeed, it can be explained by the valuation of
individuals to their reference group, thus influencing their attitude.

5.1 Theoretical and practical implications

Concerning theoretical contributions, it appears that this study presents itself as
unprecedented since no similar work was found in the bases consulted correlating the
constructs TPB, Ethical Considerations in Consumer Behavior, and Conscious Consumption
Intention regarding Slow Fashion Consumption. Therefore, this aspect further enhances the
role of knowledge in the context of sustainable fashion consumption, contributing to the
advancement of research on Slow Fashion Consumption.
At the academic level, given the recent emergence of the slow fashion concept, and the
scarce exploration of this topic in the Brazilian academia, the present investigation innovates
in the sense that most studies in this field so far have focused on emerging market production,
with a limited investigation of the consumer behavior field. Thus, for the first time, this
research explores the determinants that can influence Slow Fashion Consumption.
As for this study’s practical contributions, it proves to be relevant for organizations
operating in the LPA, due to the growth in the number of consumers who have pressed
companies to adopt more sustainable practices. What the results show is that consumers who
have the intention to consume consciously tend to consume slow fashion products. Therefore,
to help companies to respond to the legislation imposed by the government and serve these
consumers, who are increasingly demanding and present in the apparel LPA, it is paramount
to understand the determining factors that influence Slow Fashion Consumption.
 For example, the significance of subjective norms to influence both consumers’ intentions Slow Fashion
and attitudes towards sustainable consumption has been found. This information can Consumption
contribute as an important diagnosis to assist actions related to public policies to raise
awareness about sustainable consumption in fashion. Furthermore, subjective norms
function as a source of social pressure by encouraging consumers to modify their
unsustainable consumption behavior, in addition to putting pressure on companies to
achieve greater corporate social responsibility.
In this way, government actions can encourage consumers to consume more from small 921
local companies that show superior social and environmental responsibility in their production
processes. In addition, public awareness policies can encourage local LPA producers to improve
their production practices to meet the growing demand from increasingly aware consumers.
Therefore, we emphasize that this information is important, as it can contribute to
modifying the socio-environmentally degrading production processes that the Agreste
apparel LPA is currently working on. For Turker and Altuntas (2014), the growth of slow
fashion proves to be a threat to fast fashion companies, since consumers have grown
increasingly demanding and aware, thus placing added pressure on them.
By advancing the understanding of specific self-concepts as motivational sources capable
of influencing Slow Fashion Consumption, the results provide practical implications that can
be used to awaken in consumers buying from this LPA the desire to adopt more conscious
consumption practices, thus stimulating consumer demand by slow fashion brands and
products. A stronger demand, in turn, will encourage slow-fashion production.
In that sense, the results found here may be used by companies to adapt their marketing
programs and research and product development (R&D) programs to explore the slow
market, which has yet to be fully explored in the Agreste LPA, although it counts on
significant consumer demand.
Moreover, the results have revealed the profile of slow fashion consumers: most are single
women with a prominent level of education and income and aged 31 on average. These results
corroborate Sobreira et al. (2020b) in which groups of young adults (25–34 years old) were
found to be the most oriented towards the consumption of slow fashion in the state of Ceara,
Brazil. Therefore, this information is important as it can help companies in the apparel LPA
located in the Agreste of Pernambuco to form their brand persona.
Therefore, by relying on this information, the companies operating in this LPA will have
the opportunity to improve their position in the market, gain a competitive edge and increase
profits. To this end, they must consider this evidence for a greater acquisition and retention of
customers while acknowledging the importance of preserving nature, protecting natural
resources and finally correcting social injustices.

5.2 Limitations and suggestions for future research

Despite the innovative character and the theoretical-empirical advances presented so far, this
paper has some limitations that can be addressed in future studies. One of the limitations is
the non-use of the indirect variables of TPB (behavioral, normative and control beliefs)
previously studied in a qualitative stage.
In addition, this study was conducted using an online survey. Therefore, it is always likely
that consumers will not respond truthfully or objectively, especially when it comes to
questions that involve character traits or beliefs, leading to the so-called socially desirable
responding (SDR). Future research could use a focus group or other qualitative approach with
open answers to resolve issues related to the occurrence of SDR.
As slow fashion is a recent and emerging concept, literary and comparative studies are
limited. In this sense, due to the relevant role of subjective norms, future research could
benefit from analyzing the direct relationship between subjective norms and Slow Fashion
Consumption.
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Corresponding author
Marconi Freitas da Costa can be contacted at: marconi.fcosta@ufpe.br

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