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The demand for second-hand clothing has risen rapidly in the past few years. Yet, the understanding of the motivations of consumers buying second-hand clothing is very limited. The purpose of this study is to propose and empirically test an integrated model of the theory of planned behaviour and the theory of consumption values to explain consumers' intention to buy second-hand clothing.

Data (n = 290) are collected from consumers in Malaysia and analysed by partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Results of this study show that attitudes towards second-hand clothing, injunctive norms, descriptive norms, moral norms, and perceived behavioural control have a significant positive influence on consumers' intention to buy second-hand clothing. Furthermore, emotional value and environmental value are found to have a significant positive influence on attitudes. However, no support is found for the positive influence of social value and epistemic value on attitudes.

The study confirms that the integrated model is useful in explaining consumers' intention to buy second-hand clothing. Furthermore, this study also provides some valuable suggestions to practitioners.

This preliminary study describes the Malawi second‐hand clothing market and recommends strategies for improved distribution by entrepreneurs. We explore the potential for formal retailing of second‐hand clothing in Malawi and present avenues for further research on the topic.

A critical content analysis was conducted using data from secondary sources. Data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing, and verification allowed for organization and compression of information, and assisted in identification of research gaps.

Preliminary findings suggest organizational structure and effective distribution channel relationships may lead small‐scale entrepreneurial ventures to grow in the Malawi formal market. It is apparent that second‐hand clothing retail entrepreneurs have significant location and resource advantages to leverage in the Malawi domestic market.

This analysis was based on limited literature given the undocumented nature of Malawi retailing and the second‐hand apparel market. Potential research phases that could build from this study includes ethnographic study of current second‐hand clothing distribution and consumption practices in the Malawi context, stakeholders' perspectives on formalizing the second‐hand clothing trade, and a feasibility study on entrepreneurial training and start‐up program for small formal retailers of second‐hand apparel.

The paper highlights the second‐hand clothing trade as an under researched area with much fruitful potential for future study. Also the proposed framework for understanding retail development and distribution of second‐hand clothing from an embedded market perspective may be transferable to other developing nations who rely heavily on second‐hand clothing to meet consumer apparel needs.

The study aims to examine whether and how second-hand clothing shoppers differ from non-shoppers on various psychographic variables, including environmentalism, perception of contamination, price sensitivity and perception of vintage clothing. Additionally, this study hopes to uncover whether and how the aforementioned psychographic variables help predict second-hand clothing shopping behaviour, specifically shopping frequency at second-hand clothing stores.

Data were collected through a survey method from 152 college students.

Results showed that college students who shopped at second-hand clothing stores were more likely to be environmentally conscious, more sensitive to higher prices and more likely to wear used clothing to express a vintage look and to be “green”, and to perceive used clothing to be less contaminated, as compared to those who did not shop at second-hand clothing stores. This study concluded that, among college students, second-hand clothing shoppers may do so not only for economic reasons but also for creation of style and feeling special about themselves.

This study suggests that college students who shop at second-hand clothing stores are different from those who do not shop at second-hand stores in terms of their environmental attitudes, perceptions of contamination from used clothing, sensitivity to prices and how they feel about vintage clothing. Further, financial concern (i.e. price sensitivity) is no longer the only reason for second-hand clothing shopping.

Little research has been conducted to understand second-hand clothing shopping behaviour among college students. This study examined multiple psychographic variables and provided insights into college students’ second-hand shopping behaviour.

Vintage has been a growing trend in clothing recently, leading to major fashion brands launching collections inspired by vintage pieces or luxury haute‐couture houses digging into their archives to revive past designs. Yet, as this market develops, little is known about the profile of the consumer and the motivations to purchase vintage. This paper aims to explore the veracity of a number of assumptions relating to vintage consumption, equating it to the consumption of used, previously owned clothes by nostalgic prone, environmentally‐friendly or value‐conscious consumers.

A quantitative approach including structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed in this research using data collected from 103 women (screened on past second‐hand purchases). Vintage clothes were defined as pieces dating back from the 1920s to the 1980s. Second hand clothes were defined as modern used clothes.

The results show that the main antecedents to vintage consumption are fashion involvement and nostalgia proneness as well as need for uniqueness through the mediation of treasure hunting. In contrast, second‐hand consumption is directly driven by frugality. Eco‐consciousness plays an indirect role through bargain hunting. In essence, the thrill of the hunt is present for vintage and for second hand consumption. Yet, while vintage consumers shop for a unique piece with history, second‐hand consumers shop for a unique piece at a good price. Additionally, the main characteristics of vintage fashion consumers are a higher level of education and higher income whereas age is not directly related to the purchase of vintage pieces.

The paper discusses the relevance of second‐hand stores repositioning as vintage based on vintage and second‐hand consumers' profiles. Also, the need to educate consumers on the role of second‐hand consumption in a pro‐environmental lifestyle is highlighted.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of consumer motivation in the context of the circular economy (CE) through the reuse of fashion products.

A qualitative approach was employed through ethnographic as well as in-depth interviews with nine consumers who buy used fashion products in thrift stores and street fairs in Brazil.

The findings are based on interrelationships and overlaps found in the integration between the three-dimensional consumer motivations to buy second-hand fashion cited in the literature. A framework showing a virtuous circle of motivations involving the consumer in an active role in the CE is proposed as a result.

Limitations include participants’ selection and a single region data collection. Implications aim to help researchers to more fully understand a new and complex consumer behavior in a CE.

By highlighting consumers’ motivations for this kind of commerce, the practical implications of this work are the possibilities to inspire retailers to start second-hand fashion businesses. Also, policy makers can focus on engaging consumers in active roles that foster CE events.

This work is one of the first attempts to show the role of consumers in the CE and their motivations to engage in this active behavior.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the business model of second-hand fashion stores and explore their challenges/opportunities and suggest potential strategies for second-hand fashion retail stores.

A qualitative research method using in-depth interviews of convenience sample of owners/store managers from within the USA was employed.

Contrasting the traditional retail stores, customers are the primary partners and suppliers of second-hand fashion stores. These stores retain minimal profits given a business model that typically involves sharing profits with customers. Cheaper price, thrill of finding great deals, value for brands and variety are the primary reasons mentioned by respondents for shopping at second-hand stores.

Limitations include the use of a convenience sample of store owners/managers as well as the research is limited to women and children’s stores. Respondents of the study were from the same geographical region and the characteristics of the redistribution markets may vary in a different region.

As a means to foster textile waste reduction through second-hand clothing business, these stores could adopt innovative revenue streams, additional partnerships, and improved fashion and store appeal that may be effective in increasing profits and the number of customers.

This study is one of the early attempts to examine the business model of second-hand fashion stores, a form of collaborative consumption in the fashion context. The study contributes in promoting second-hand fashion stores as a sustainable business model in the fashion industry.

This study aims to examine the direct and indirect effects of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) on mindful consumption behaviour (MCB) in a sustainable clothing purchase context. In addition, it examines the mediating effect of “consumer engagement” and “attitude towards second-hand clothes”.

The data were gathered through a self-administered questionnaire survey from Malaysian consumers who had experience in purchasing second-hand clothes. A total of 175 complete and useable questionnaires were obtained, which were then analysed by using the structural equation modelling-partial least square (SEM-PLS) technique.

The results of this study indicate support for the direct effect of eWOM on consumers' attitude towards second-hand clothes, consumer engagement and consumers’ MCB. The results also supported the relationship between consumer engagement and MCB, but the link between attitude and mindful consumption (MC) was not supported. Furthermore, the study confirmed the mediating effect of consumer engagement between eWOM and consumers’ MCB but did not support the mediating effect of attitude towards second-hand clothes.

This study is amongst the pioneers to elucidate MCB in the context of sustainable clothing. It examines the direct and indirect effects of eWOM on MCB, which has not been tested in the past literature. The mediating effects of consumer engagement and attitude towards second-hand clothes on the relationship between eWOM and MCB are also comparatively new links.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the major reverse logistics design aspects in used clothing value chains, and those enabling and challenging manifestation of value creation.

This research is based on an exploratory study of 12 established organizations in Swedish used clothing networks. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, secondary sources, and subsequent field visits.

Empirical insights on how various design aspects influence value creation in used clothing value chains are provided. Crucial among these are strategic and consistent collection, presence of multi-channel sales, and communication of post-retail concepts for manifesting value by bolstering consumer satisfaction, environmental motivation, and corporate image. Inter-organizational collaboration in reverse logistics processes and workplace training, further renders higher economic, environmental and information values.

The paper proposes a holistic framework of design aspects in reverse value chains, and extends existing knowledge on how these aspects manifest value creation. By doing so, a nuanced view of the design aspects is offered by highlighting how they can differentially, either enable, or challenge value creation. In this connection, seven supporting propositions are developed for in-depth future research.

The paper includes implications for the devising strategic solutions for higher value creation, by understanding of the key enablers and challenges, for many actors in the used clothing networks.

The role of various design aspects in reverse value chains for manifesting multifaceted stakeholder value creation is explicitly defined in the paper.

The purpose of this paper is to provide the conceptual basis of collaborative fashion consumption (CFC) as a possible path toward more sustainable clothing. A definition and a typology of CFC are introduced and possible environmental effects of CFC are structured and discussed. This provides a solid conceptual basis for future empirical studies on CFC as an element of more sustainable consumption.

This paper is written mainly based on a review of the more recent literature on collaborative consumption, as well as of older papers about related concepts like sustainable service systems and eco-efficient services. The proposed CFC typology and the structure of environmental effects are developed using both a deductive and an inductive process, and then by transferring existing structures to this specific field and challenging them by assigning practical examples.

The main contributions of this paper are the definition and typology of CFC and the structure for assessing its environmental effects.

The findings provide a conceptual basis for future empirical research on CFC.

For practitioners, the CFC typology and the structure of environmental effects could be used as checklists for future development of more sustainable collaborative consumption offers.

This paper makes a unique contribution to the concept of CFC. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first paper that has been explicitly dedicated to examining different types and environmental effects of CFC.

Buying secondhand clothing is not only interesting for consumers wanting to save money but also for sustainable clothing enthusiasts. It is now among a number of consumption practices which slow down fast fashion production while saving 10 to 20 times the energy (Fletcher, 2008, p. 100). While most of the recent scholarly work focuses on secondhand consumers (Bianchi & Birtwistle, 2010; Franklin, 2011; Norum, 2015), this paper aims to examine business activities. This perspective from economic anthropology enhances understandings of secondhand clothing, as research to-date has tended to neglect the semiotic function of clothing while underlining exchanges. To gain insight into the dynamics of the sector in Germany today, two businesses from Hamburg have been ethnographically examined by the author since 2014. This study outlines their work practices and explains the development of this high-end segment of the market from the 1970s until the digital age. For businesses, the digitalization of the trade has had massive effects on their business practice because it seems to solve inherent problems connected to the selling of pre-owned clothing. I argue that the digitalization did not only promote acceptance of buying secondhand clothing in Germany but also the emergence of new businesses models.