From Shoppers to Agents of Change: Consumer Behavior and Collaborative Fashion Consumption in Spain

The growing concern about resource depletion and environmental degradation has propelled sustainability to the forefront. Attaining Sustainable Development Goal 12 requires a shift toward sustainable consumption and production. Thus, decoupling economic growth from resource consumption calls for a fundamental change in both business practices and consumer behavior. This research delves into consumer behavior in the fashion industry, a sector troubled by overconsumption and waste. The ‘throw-away’ mentality, fueled by fast fashion, has resulted in detrimental environmental and social effects. Therefore, understanding the factors driving and hindering sustainable fashion consumption is critical for industry success. Sustainable fashion consumption extends beyond purchasing eco-friendly products to embracing new business models like Collaborative Fashion Consumption (CFC) and Slow Fashion. This research explores CFC's potential to align the fashion industry with SDG12 by examining Spanish consumers’ attitudes toward secondhand and rental models through a series of focus groups. Findings reveal that the primary barriers to CFC adoption among Spanish consumers include limited knowledge, trust issues, lack of desired styles, concerns regarding search time and inconvenience in altering established consumption habits. Moreover, cleanliness concerns, the perceived stigma associated with secondhand clothing, and the absence of a well-established secondhand culture in Spain hinder CFC acceptance. Conversely, key drivers for CFC adoption among Spanish consumers encompass utilitarian, aesthetic, hedonic, and sustainability motivations.