Understanding the role of minimalism in affecting individuals’ intentions to donate second-hand clothing

With increasing pollution and waste caused by the fast fashion and apparel industry, people are shifting their attention to more environmentally friendly alternatives in clothing consumption. Nevertheless, consumers’ aspirations for the socially responsible act of donating second-hand clothing to embrace lifestyle simplicity have remained understudied. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of minimalism in affecting individuals’ intentions to donate second-hand clothing, drawing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB).

Data (n = 259) were collected through a social media survey and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

Obtained findings confirmed the positive effects of attitudes, injunctive norms, personal norms and perceived behavioural control on consumers’ intentions to donate second-hand clothing. Minimalism solely moderated the relationship between injunctive norms and intentions among all the variables within the investigated TPB framework. However, it also exhibited significant influence as a direct predictor of attitudes, injunctive norms, descriptive norms, personal norms and perceived behavioural control prior to the intentions to donate second-hand clothing.

This study justified the applicability of a redesigned TPB model in explicating the role of minimalism in the market’s donation of second-hand clothing. Insightful implications are then given to aid the strategies and operations of field practitioners.